AudioEnz - Logitech Transporter

December 2008 

Web page printouts from 

the latest issue of AudioEnz 

http://www.audioenz.co.nz/acrobat/issues/2008/2008-12.pdf 

www.audioenz.co.nz AudioEnz editor: Michael Jones ph 027-44 999 75

AudioEnz - Logitech Transporter http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/logitech_transporter.shtml 

Logitech Transporter 

By Matthew Masters 

December 2008 

Logitech Transporter wireless network music player, $3999 

Until a few weekends ago, and a trip into 

town one Friday evening, I’d honestly never 

realised there were so many SAS officers, 

airline pilots and Ferrari owners out there. 

But there were heaps of them, earnestly 

telling bored women about their fabulous 

jobs and vast wealth. You wouldn’t think 

they’d have to try so hard, would you? 

Most bars on a Friday night are an exercise 

in advertising. And that’s fine as long as 

you’re not too credulous. 

Front and rear of the Transporter (click for larger 

images) 

Here, I have to admit a degree of professional interest since in my other life, the one away from the 

heady world of audio reviewing, I write adverts for a living. And that means I am a complete sucker 

for advertising. To some extent you have to be a bit gullible to write the stuff well, and if I say so 

myself, I am extremely gullible. 

Something to believe in 

So I was quite keen when given a component to review that unashamedly claims it has been: 

“Designed to please the most discriminating audiophiles and music lovers.” And offers: “Sound 

quality that surpasses even the most exotic CD players.” It must be true, right? 

The Transporter is Logitech’s first foray into the world of the audiophile. And they are out to 

impress. 

“The first audiophile network music player”, “Bit Perfect streaming”, “Super Regulators”, 

“SmartScroll”, “MiracleDAC”, “TransNav” and the unforgettable “Inspired by music. Engineered to 

delight.” all take their place in just two pages of the Transporter brochure. If hyperbole is a measure 

of sound quality, I was in for something special. 

First impressions that actually impress 

Like budget sibling, the Squeezebox, the Transporter is a WiFi capable network device that streams 

music from your computer to your audio system. Unlike the Squeezebox, it has a custom designed 

AKM AK4396 multibit sigma-delta DAC and a nice, brushed aluminium case with two huge displays 

and giant control knob in the middle. You’d almost think it had been designed to look good on a


typical audio rack. 

Looking at the back of the unit, balanced and unbalance outputs add a slightly recherché pro-audio 

feel. There’s also a selection of digital inputs and outputs (optical, coax and BNC), but alas no USB 

input, so using the Transporter for its DAC alone appears to be out unless you have an SPDIF or 

TOSLINK output available. 

Something to play with 

Actually using the Transporter provided a few minutes of rather shallow consumer enjoyment to start 

with. First there’s the TransNav controller with its “dynamic tactile feedback” – in other words, the 

number of detents you feel matches the number of menu options. But as soon as you pick up the 

rather cheapskate remote (the same remote that’s supplied with the $600 Squeezebox) that clever 

knob becomes redundant. 

Then there are the displays that can be configured to show various snippets of information about the 

music being played, feeds from Internet radio, or one of a small selection of visualisers, including 

some rather natty analogue-style VU meters. Playing with those offers another five minutes of fun, 

but in the end I settled for the default VU meters. 

“Bit Perfect” or a bit imperfect? 

If its aesthetics, ergonomics and overt courting of audio enthusiasts mark a departure from Logitech’s 

previous audio devices, actually using the Transporter to play music is depressingly similar. 

I had almost as many problems getting the Transporter to work with my Mac network as I did the 

Squeezebox a few months ago. In the end, the only way to get it work wirelessly involved completely 

reconfiguring my network to suit the Transporter. And even then it would only work if I kept my 

firewall switched off. Pretty far from acceptable for any kind of component, but absolutely 

unforgivable for something costing $4,000 and aimed at people more interested in music than 

networking. 

My other bugbear with the Transporter (and the Squeezebox, for that matter) is that you are forced to 

use Logitech’s own SqueezeCenter (oddly, not ) software. This is fine for feeding music to the unit, 

but fails spectacularly as a way of choosing or organising music on your PC or Mac. Why they can’t 

offer iTunes compatibility, I don’t know. 

I’m listening, but am I believing? 

Fortunately, the Transporter does have a very important redeeming feature. Probably the most 

important feature of all, as it happens. Because once you actually get the bloody thing working it 

sounds very, very nice indeed. 

By “very, very nice” of course, I mean “as good as you’d expect from a $4,000 component”. The Ting 

Tings can hardly be described as a HiFi act, but That’s Not My Name from their debut album is 

driving and most of all, fun. Massive attack (if you’ll forgive the band pun) on the drums, a rhythm 

guitar line with perfect Fender twang and multi-layered backing vocals that remind you to be cynical 

about the production values of apparently “indie” acts. 

With the Met Orchestra’s enormous rendition of Dense Sacrale (L’Eue), from Stravinsky’s 

controversial Sacre du Printemps (DG 457 895-2) proves the point. With its enormous dynamic 

swings and immensely complex interplay of orchestral parts it can be a challenge, but the Transporter 

gave a controlled and gloriously fluid performance with vacuum-like silences and final release of


magnificent proportion. 

Overall, nothing much is missed out of anything you play, but that makes the Transporter particularly 

unforgiving of compressed music formats. So if you’ve already ripped all your CDs to anything less 

than 320 Kbit/sec MP3 or AAC files, you’ll want to do the whole job again. 

Inspired by music. Engineered to delight. Barf. 

That’s what they say. No really, it is. And it’s probably true. In use, the Transporter is almost as 

complicated as learning to play an instrument, so its inspiration could well be music. Equally, the 

engineering is a delight – for people who are interested in trivial functions. But what of the overall 

experience? 

Well, that’s where it all comes a bit unstuck. The Transporter is not much fun to use, and while it 

sounds good it doesn’t sound $4,000 good. 

If I had $4000 to spend on a wireless music server, I’d spend $150 on Apple’s Airport Express, 

$1200 on a Perreaux DAC and $390 on an iPod Touch (to use as a truly user-friendly remote for 

iTunes). 

Now I may be deeply credulous, gullible ever, but I’m not completely stupid. The $2260 I’d have left 

over would buy a lot of music, and even though I’d get fewer trademarked feature names, I suspect I’d 

enjoy it a great deal more.

AudioEnz - Perreaux Silhouette SXP2 and SX60m http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/perreaux_sxp2-sx60.shtml 

Perreaux Silhouette SXP2 and SX60m 

By Brent Burmester 

December 2008 

Perreaux Silhouette SXP2 Passive Preamplifier ($699) and SX60m 

Monoblocs ($999 each) 

Some years ago I reviewed the SXH1 

headphone amp made by iconic Kiwi 

manufacturer, Perreaux. It came in a neat 

little black and silver box taking up the 

floorspace of a paperback novel, but as 

headphone amps don’t need a lot of real 

estate, the small size was unremarkable. 

However, Perreaux had plans to launch an 

entire range of separates in the same form 

factor, a concept that I doubted would be 

viable. As proof that my opinion is 

worthless, there are now nine different 

members of the Silhouette family, including 

a CD player, USB DAC, phono preamp, a 

25W integrated amp, and more, including 

the passive preamp and 60W monoblocs on 

test here. 

I’ve learned that the physical scale of 

Perreaux’s Silhouette products is out of all 

proportion to their performance. The SXH2 

headphone amp, successor to the SXH1, is a 

remarkable device, creating the tangible 

illusion of a musical performance in the 

listener’s surroundings from a pair of 

squeaky earmuffs. Yet, while I could believe 

a passive pre-amp would work nicely in the 

same box as the headphone amp - it’s just a 

potentiometer and a rotary switch, after all - 

sixty high fidelity speaker-driving watts 

from a box this size was surely asking too 

much? I remained sceptical. 

Tiny dancers 

Perreaux SXP2 (click for larger image) 

Rear of the SXP2 (Click for larger image)


Let’s scope these little guys out. The SXP2 

preamp and the SX60m ‘mono-aural 

amplifiers’ occupy the same sturdy steel 

case, finished in matt black, with an 

engraved aluminium faceplate. Though 

handsome in an understated way, the 

Silhouettes are rather dinky, so if rack 

presence is a big deal for you I suggest you 

find a second hand deal on Perreaux’s 

Reference Classic 750 power amp in Ferrari 

red. Get one for me while you’re at it. 

The pre-amp sports a pair of knobs, for 

volume control and source selection, and 

quite marvellous they are, too. Machined 

from aluminium with inset rubber O-rings 

for grip, they communicate a precise and 

expensive sense of control, which is quite a 

thrill to someone as vague and cheap as me. 

On the back panel, three unbalanced (RCA) 

line inputs, two RCA pre-amp outputs, and 

one RCA line out. The wee monoblocs 

possess balanced (XLR) and unbalanced 

inputs and outputs for daisy-chaining and 

high quality binding-posts that seem almost 

ridiculously large on their tiny cases. 

Little wonders 

Wasting no time, the SXP2 and SX60m pair 

are a brilliant combination. I tried the 

SX60s first using the pre-outs from my 

The SX60m has a simple front (click for larger 

image) 

The SX60m has both unbalanced and balanced 

connections (click for larger image) 

Plinius integrated amp, and couldn’t fault them at the price, despite the fact they were energising my 

rather insensitive (86dB) Castle speakers. Full bodied, even-handed, communicative, they were 

simply very good at their job. Indeed, the SX60m’s are those rare amplifiers that hold each element of 

an ensemble in place so as to give the listener a better idea of what the musicians were trying to 

achieve. We can attribute this quality in part to the separation of the amplification for each channel 

into its own box with dedicated power supply, eradicating the cross-talk that can plague stereo power 

amps. 

At normal listening volumes the little Perreauxs are just the ticket, and they only showed signs of 

strain when I made a bid for concert hall sound pressure levels. We must be fair, 60 watts into 8ohms 

can only go so far, and the effortlessness that larger high end amps convey is not on show here. The 

manufacturer reports a lift of 30% in power into 75W into 4ohms, which is respectable, if not 

astonishing. Compare that to the 80% 8 to 4ohm power output increase in Perreaux’s Radiance 

integrated amp. Still, so long as your speakers are 88dB or better in sensitivity, you’ll find the SX60s 

wanting in the power department only when trying to hear the sweat in Keith Moon’s eyebrows. 

Moving rapidly away from that unwholesome image, the good times really start to roll when the


SX60m’s are fed a signal from their passive pre-amp sibling. Passive pre’s are often lauded by hi-fi 

enthusiasts for their transparency, and the SXP2 manifested this virtue in abundance. While there 

was a slight drop in volume when switching from the active pre-amp in my Plinius to the unpowered 

SXP2, it was more than made up for by the completeness of the performance emanating from the 

speakers. That is, everything but the loudness got better. A faint and hitherto unnoticed haziness was 

lifted from the sound, and the arrangement of instruments, especially in raucous or highly 

orchestrated pieces, became more intelligible. For example, some tracks on Dodgy’s Free Peace Sweet 

CD are an undifferentiated splodge, but these were disentangled and laid out afresh by the miniature 

Perreaux threesome. I was highly impressed, and there was no hint of the dynamic restraint of which 

passive pre’s are sometimes guilty – on the contrary percussion and bass were full of snap and verve. 

Once again, Perreaux has built miniature marvels. For anything but sheer power and bulk they 

deserve a warm recommendation, especially in their price range.

AudioEnz - InFocus X10 http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/infocus_x10.shtml 

InFocus X10 

By Jamie Gemming 

December 2008 

InFocus X10 DLP projector. $5500 

The first thing I noticed about the X10 was 

the sheer size of the projector. While it 

doesn’t have the almost comically OTT 

dimensions of the Panasonic AE 2000 or the 

high-end Sonys, it is still huge at about 

432mmlong, 548mm long and 148mm high. 

This will not be an issue if you hang the 

projector from your roof but if you stick it on 

the coffee table you will not only lose the 

ability to put coffee on said table, but you’ll 

quickly discover one of its only 

shortcomings; the image throw. 

‘Terrible’ isn’t quite the right adjective, 

‘limited’ is probably better when comparing 

the picture size to some of its competitors. 

The InFocus X10 would fire a stunning 100+ inch picture from five metres but place it any closer and 

you get a picture only slightly bigger than a decent Plasma/LCD. Whereas the Panasonic AX200 or 

the Epsom EMP projectors can fire a 100 inch picture from as little as three metres, offering a much 

greater range of placement options. 

While I’m pointing out things that didn’t impress me, I should mention the lack of ability to be able to 

shift the lens and the fan noise. The InFocus X10 sits on a stand and pivots using sort of hip joint/ball 

and socket arrangement which is really just a pain to use compared to the manual lens shift offered on 

plenty of other projectors. No one could ever call the InFocus X10 quiet, in fact I found it quite noisy 

compared to the other projectors I have reviewed recently. This won’t be so much an issue if you are 

mounting it on the ceiling as it was only noticeable when sitting close to the projector. 

Besides, once you see the how bright it is you won’t care. The InFocus X10 is so bright that I was able 

to use it in the middle of the day with my theatre door wide open, which is a first in the four years I 

have lived in this house. 

Before I go on to tell you how marvelous the projector is, and believe me it’s a goody, I’ll better first 

run through some of the stats for the train spotters. The InFocus X10 is a DLP projector with a 

resolution of 1080p/24fps (that’s ‘full HD’ for the layman or big appliance store salesman). The lamp 

is a supernova rivaling 1200 lumens, and the DarkChip 1 chipset. The rear panel sports the regular

AudioEnz - InFocus X10 http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/infocus_x10.shtml 

coloured analogue inputs and single HDMI v1.3 and DVI ports. 

Wonderful, wonderful 

Now that I’ve done my grumbling and quickly breezed over the specs I can tell you how wonderful this 

projector is. The next couple of sentences may sound like a paid advertisement for InFocus because 

this projector is amazing. I loved everything about the picture it produced. Colours were superb, 

animated films were striking bold and bright, yet skin tones and backgrounds were natural and 

realistic in movies such as No Country for Old Men. 

Everything about the output of this projector was so good it is hard to pick its best attribute, but if 

forced to pick one thing it would be its black levels that really impressed. Detail and depth would be 

the best way to describe things. 

Pirates of the Caribbean or LOTR - The Two Towers have plenty of scenes in caves, underwater or at 

night and movies like this really allow the X10 to show off. Shadow detail and depth of colour in the 

dark scenes were first-class, though to get the optimal contrast the lamp output is reduced a little. 

Most of the competitors of the InFocus X10 lack anywhere near this level of contrast with dark 

colours. However, as competent as the InFocus X10 is, it still could not handle all of the dark scenes 

in There Will Be Blood and occasionally things looked a little washed out and grey but not nearly as 

grey as I have seen in that movie previously. 

While there are ultimately better projectors on the market, at $5500 this is a very good projector. It 

will likely face some stiff competition from the new Panasonic, but even so, the X10 is still a more 

than worthy projector.

AudioEnz - Well Tempered Amadeus http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/welltempered_amadeus.shtml 

Well Tempered Amadeus 

By Michael Jones 

December 2008 

Well Tempered Amadeus turntable. $4400 in standard version, $5700 in 

GT version. 

Innovation. It’s a word often bandied 

around but rarely seen in reality. But some 

20 years ago we saw some innovative 

thinking from Bill Firebaugh, a newcomer to 

the audio industry, with a well thought out 

tonearm and then a turntable. 

The Well Tempered turntable and tonearm 

displayed clear thinking and remarkable 

results. I well remember a broadcasting 

professional upon hearing the Well 

Tempered for the first time, exclaiming that 

it didn’t sound like a turntable. 

It didn’t. And that’s what made it so special. 

Bill Firebaugh is back, in conjunction with 

New Zealand audio industry personality 

Frank Denson, to present the new Well 

Tempered turntable – the Amadeus. 

“I have concentrated on achieving a high 

degree of mechanical stability,” says 

Firebaugh. And stable, in it’s positive 

connotations, is a word that comes to mind 

when listening to the Amadeus. 

Anyone for golf? 

The tonearm is some 10.5 inches long 

(266mm), filled with sand and literally 

hangs from a string instead of normal 

tonearm bearings. However, the most 

remarkable visual aspect of the turntable is 

that it incorporates a golf ball. Yes you did 

read that correctly. The golf ball is used 

The Well Tempered Amadeus, shown on its isolation 

base (click for larger image) 

The tonearm, including the golf ball (click for larger 

image)


because they are precisely made, 

dimensionally stable and cheap. Might as 

well make use of someone else’s millions of 

dollars of R&D! 

The golf ball is partially immersed in a pot of 

silicon fluid, enabling damping to be applied 

to the tonearm. The effect of this is 

immediately obvious – my woofer cones 

stopped flapping around when playing LPs! 

The turntable plinth is made from two layers 

of MDF, possibly with some secret 

ingredient between the layers. The GT 

version – the one I was loaned because it 

was already open – is made from two layers 

of black acrylic. I asked WT importer if the 

two models sounded different. “Jonesey ya 

One nice touch is a small mirror underneath the 

cartridge (click for larger image) 

plonker…” was his reply, which I’m guessing means no. The turntable sits on a separate isolation 

base. So installed, the Amadeus is surprisingly immune to footfalls, or even insistent stamping by 

reviewers. 

An oversized acrylic platter is used with a bubbly vinyl coated foam plastic mat. The belt is a tiny 

polyester string, with (gulp!) a knot tied in it. Curiously, the knot doesn’t appear to affect the stability 

of the plater. 

Stable and fluid 

Stability was the aim of Firebaugh’s research and development and stability is what he achieved. 

Music from the Amadeus is fluid, incredibly dynamic and largely free of extraneous record noise. 

One of the reasons that many people have stuck with vinyl is that it often has a greater sense of 

musical flow compared to CD. The Amadeus has this in spades, with a seamless sound that invites 

further listening. There’s a wealth of detail presented, allowing the listener to hear into the recording. 

One experienced listener heard details of treasured LPs that he had never heard before. 

Part of the magic of the Amadeus is the unrestrained dynamics. Many other turntables sound 

strangely compressed and congested in comparison. 

Part of what makes it all happen is the remarkable way that record noise is reduced when playing LPs 

on the Amadeus. Records sound quieter than I’m used to, even on “quiet” turntables such as the VPI 

Scout. The level of ticks and pops appears to be greatly reduced. The level of vinyl roar is also reduced 

to almost silent levels. 

So how does it compare? I’d take the Amadeus without a moment’s thought against any Linn I’ve 

heard (and I note that the entire turntable and tonearm costs less than Linn’s Keel upgrade). It’s also 

a leap ahead of the VPI Scout that has been spinning vinyl here for the past year or so. 

There are plenty of expensive turntables out there and I can’t claim to have heard even a quarter of 

them. But I can say two things. The first is that the Amadeus sounds better than any turntable I’ve 

heard. The second is that, given its low price compared to many turntables, the Amadeus is the best


value turntable out there. The quality of sound for the price is outstanding. 

The Well Tempered Amadeus is special. It’s one of those products that makes reviewing hi-fi so very 

exciting. The Amadeus is my product of the year.

AudioEnz - Opera Audio Consonance Orfeo http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/opera_orfeo.shtml 

Opera Audio Consonance Orfeo 

By Michael Wong 

December 2008 

Opera Audio Consonance Orfeo CD player $2999 

The Opera Audio Company of Beijing is a 

fourteen year audio veteran with one of the 

most expansive and diverse product ranges 

around. More than 100 products including 

turntables and tonearms, solid state and 

vacuum tube amplifiers, a vast range of CD 

players and even horn loaded speakers, are 

available in a variety of colours and finishes. 

Remarkably, every piece in this vast range is 

designed by company founder Mr Shiu Hui 

Liu. 

Opera Audio Consonance Orfeo (click for larger 

image) 

Opera Audio also makes equipment for other companies and is known to enter into partnerships with 

select outside companies where both partners benefit. A good example being the new Well-Tempered 

Amadeus turntable, made under licence. Both brands are represented in New Zealand by Denco 

Audio. 

Forbidden delights 

The Orfeo is the CD player in the Forbidden City line-up. This new range features stylized fascias that 

pay tribute to the gates of the real life Forbidden City in Beijing. The rest of the range is made up of a 

CD receiver (a one box combination CD transport, DAC, tuner and Class A amplifier), two integrated 

amplifiers and a stand alone DAC. Overseas markets also have access to an oversampling CD player, 

turntable and power amplifier. 

At 450x110x400mm and 18kg, the Orfeo occupies a fair sized amount of shelf space but its impact is 

lessened by yet another interpretation of the ubiquitous rounded corner casework that has so 

enslaved modern designers. 

The front panel carries a small display window, below sits the slim disc tray. The transport control 

buttons nestle below the square dots decorating the fascia. The rear features a set of unbalanced RCA 

outputs, RCA coaxial digital output and IEC mains socket. A solid metal remote control provides basic 

transport functions plus adjustment to the brightness of the red LED display and sampling rate 

selection. There is no direct track access, programming or other fripperies. 

The Orfeo is solid and nicely made although not quite up to the level of a $3k CDP from a more 

mainstream manufacturer like Marantz or Yamaha.

AudioEnz - Opera Audio Consonance Orfeo http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/opera_orfeo.shtml 

Unlike the previously reviewed Consonance Reference CD2.2 (which used 96kHz/24-bit 

oversampling), the Orfeo uses Opera Audio’s acclaimed “Linear” concept. Opera adopts a purists’ 

approach to digital audio; the classic Philips TDA-1543 chipset (in a quad/two per channel 

configuration), no upsampling or oversampling and no digital filter (similar to the road taken by ultra 

high end companies like 47Labs, Audio Note, Zanden et al) to maintain the purity of the digital signal. 

So why dilute this approach by offering 88.2 kHz upsampling ? 

Setup in my resident system (Krell KAV-300i, Magnepan MG1.6s, XLO cabling) was quick and 

painless. Place the Orfeo on a suitable support, plug in the cables, switch on and you’re ready for 

music. The small buttons on the player are accompanied by equally small legends but work well if you 

have good line of sight. 

Ditto the solid remote which looks like the one supplied with earlier Consonance CD players but is 

much better made. The old one felt like it was full of broken bits, the new one is reassuringly solid 

with no rattles at all. 

CDs are quickly loaded by the plasticky Philips transport, track access is a little leisurely. 

No sleep 'til Beijing 

Despite the intervening years, it’s hard to forget the soporific snoozefest that was the Consonance 

Reference CD 2.2. In contrast the Orfeo is a revelation. 

Music is big, bold and full of life. There’s a vividness and presence rare in CD players of this price. 

Dynamics are faithfully reproduced with good impact and transparency. The soundstage is 

realistically sized; imaging is good with fine focus and immediacy, albeit dimensionality is a little 

flattened, reducing the holographic effect. 

Tonally the Orfeo leans on the warm side of neutral, most listeners will find this preferable to a 

squeaky clean, clinical sound. It’s not the most refined $3,000 CD player around, lacking some of the 

airiness, fine detail and sweetness available on other (usually more expensive) CD players but these 

small deficits never get in the way of the natural flow of the music. The Orfeo simply does a great job 

of playing CDs. 

Today's audio marketplace is full of competent but boring CD players that do the job on paper but 

often fail to standout from all the other boxes. The Orfeo is anything but boring. There are a few 

rough edges (physically and musically) but none of them fatal. Like a classic Italian car, they add a 

touch of character. The Orfeo is an excellent CD player that offers tremendous of musicality for 

$3,000 and is well worth auditioning.

AudioEnz - Michael on the Podium: Products of the Year http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2008/motp_productsyear.shtml 

Michael on the Podium: Products of the 

Year 

By Michael Jones 

December 2008 

While publishing a hi-fi magazine involves 

certain responsibilities, it also allows certain 

privileges and freedoms. Highlighting great 

sounding equipment is a tremendous 

privilege and is one I highly value. 

And the freedom of writing about whatever I 

damned well please is a freedom that many 

writers would love to have. 

Today, I have the freedom to choose and 

write about my two products of the year. 

They may appear to be very different, but 

both are examples of clever, innovative 

thinking. 

Well Tempered Amadeus 

turntable 

Some 25 years after the introduction of CD, 

sales of turntables and vinyl are still strong. 

The introduction of the Well Tempered 

Amadeus in 2008 is a tremendous asset to 

those of us who still love their LPs and want 

to get the best from them. 

Clever thinking has produced a turntable 

that offers sound quality far better than it’s 

relatively modest price would suggest. My 

review in this issue raves about the 

turntable. 

Apple iTunes 8 

Recently I’ve been examining computer 

based music systems. Partly this is 

professional – I need to know about this 

Well Tempered Amadeus

AudioEnz - Michael on the Podium: Products of the Year http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2008/motp_productsyear.shtml 

growing segment of hi-fi. And partly it is 

personal – I will be away from my hi-fi 

system for several months and wanted a way 

to take my music with me. 

It quickly became obvious that Apple’s 

iTunes software would be my choice. Like 

most Apple hardware and software, iTunes 

is intuitive easy to use, combined with great 

power behind the interface. Some of the 

other solutions I’ve looked at were like 

devolving from a modern computer 

operating system such as Mac OSX back to 

doddery old Windows 3.1. 

Apple iTunes 8 

Apple has set the pace with computer-based music. While iTunes may not be perfect – what software 

ever is – it makes other alternatives look clumsy and wrong. Best of all, iTunes is free.

AudioEnz - The Vinyl Anachronist: The State of the Union http://audioenz.co.nz/2008/vinyl_state.shtml 

The Vinyl Anachronist: The State of the 

Union (Phono Preamp Edition) 

by Marc Phillips 

December 2008 

Over the last year or so, I've been listening 

to phono preamplifiers... a lot of phono 

preamplifiers. I've reviewed nearly a dozen 

since the beginning of the year that range in 

price from US$700 to US$7000. Some of 

them were as large as an average high-end 

power amplifier, while others could fit 

comfortably in the side pocket of your 

jacket. Some were powered by tubes. Some 

were battery-powered. Some could be used 

as stand-alone preamplifiers and connected 

directly into a power amp (a feature I'm 

seeing more and more of these days) and 

some were actually hiding in the innards of a 

high-quality full-function preamplifier or 

integrated. All of them were “flexible,” 

meaning that they could be used with almost 

any MM or MC cartridge on the market. 

Many of these were downright outstanding. 

Not a single one was a “dog” or not worth 

the asking price. I wound up buying one, 

and wishing I could buy at least two others. 

Phono preamps or phono stages have 

certainly come a long away since the advent 

of the compact disc necessitated their 

creation as a market segment over the last 

20 years. I'm intrigued with the fact that 

while a winning phono preamp design may 

Dynavector P75 mk2 

Rega Ios 

often be little more than a printed PC board in a small case, huge sonic improvements can be made 

with outboard power supplies or by swapping a stock 6922 tube with a NOS Mullard or Telefunken. 

Several years ago I felt that these “little black boxes” were the least interesting part of the analog 

chain. Now I get truly excited when a new phono preamp is dropped on my doorstep.


Affordable phono stages under US$1000 

I realize that most audiophiles consider US$1000 a lot of money to spend on a phono stage, but the 

majority of products I reviewed this year were in this general price range. This market segment has 

been very, very active in the last couple of years, and I'm surprised by the sound quality you can 

achieve with these relatively modest units. These preamplifiers may be overkill for products such a 

Rega P1 or P2 or the lesser Pro-Jects, but they can also be the missing ingredient that pushes the 

performance of a new Rega P3-24 into the stratosphere. 

At the lower end of the spectrum, I truly enjoyed both the Dynavector P75 mk.2 and the Lehmann 

Black Cube. The Dyna was reviewed in the last issue by Michael Wong, and I agree with his 

assessment. I loved the earthy and organic yet transparent of the P75 and consider it a great value. My 

only caveat was the deep bass performance, which was a little anemic compared to more expensive 

products. The Lehmann Black Cube is a slight updating of the original unit that was once a 

benchmark in the mid-priced phono preamp market about a decade ago. I found it a little grainy and 

lightweight but that it still delivered an astonishing amount of detail for such a modest (and 

downright homely) little box. 

The Lehmann Black Box SE, however, is an entirely different animal. The SE is a Black Box with a 

hefty, well-built outboard power supply that nearly doubles the price. The result, however, is a phono 

preamplifier that sounds much more expensive than it is. I honestly could find no fault with this 

phono stage, other than the fact that it lacked that last bit of “magic” (more on that later) that most 

mega-buck products possess. I had to go all the way to the new Rega Io (at nearly three times the cost) 

before I heard a marked improvement. This is the phono stage I wound up buying for myself. 

Not-so-affordable phono stages (around US$3000) 

Speaking of the Io, this new Rega phono stage is really something special. If you haven't noticed, Rega 

is slowly trotting out a new premium line of products. They introduced the Io phono stage a few 

months ago, and they just released the Elicit integrated amp in the last few weeks. Both products are 

quite remarkable. While the casing of these two products may resemble lesser products such as the 

Brio integrated, you'll feel the difference when you pick them up. These are hefty, substantial 

components and represent Roy Gandy's latest design philosophy regarding the state of the art. 

Remember how audiophiles used to say that Rega was a great choice for those audiophile who loved 

the British sound but couldn't quite afford Naim? Well, the new Rega line is very competitive with 

Naim's middle range. 

The Io, at US$3000, is the least expensive phono stage I've heard that delivers the “magic.” I know 

this sounds pretty flowery, but for me “magic” indicates something intangible, when everything just 

sounds right. Sam Tellig of Stereophile used to talk about having the music “lit from within,” and I 

know what he means. A “magic” component shuts you up, sits you down and makes you listen to your 

entire record collection. You hear deeper into the recording than ever before. It's not about deeper 

bass or clearer highs or a realistic midrange. It's about everything making sense and doing what it's 

supposed to do – provide unlimited enjoyment. The Io accomplished this easily. 

Since I brought up Naim, I do have to mention the new Stageline as well. I've only a had a few hours 

of experience with this one, but it's at least the equal of the Io. The basic unit costs about the same 

(US$3300), but if you know Naim, you'll know that you'll have to buy a power supply. I heard the 

Stageline with both a HiCap and a SuperCap (which pushes its price much higher), but I suspect that 

this may be the finest phono stage I've ever heard. I'll get to spend more time with the Stageline after 

the end of the year.


State of the Art 

I've been lucky enough to play with the expensive stuff as well. The conrad-johnson TEA-1, Audio 

Research PH7 and Nagra VPS phono stages all spent time in my system this year. Every one of them 

exceeded my expectations and took my system to places it had never been before. I'd spend more time 

talking about each unit, but when you get to this level of performance, you have to start talking about 

your entire system and whether or not it's the limiting factor. I have a fairly impressive system at my 

disposal right now, but these are products that may be more suited for 'tables such as the Continuum 

Caliburn or SME 30 than my relatively modest Michell Orbe SE. But if I won the lottery tomorrow, I 

think I'd buy the Nagra, which truly stole my heart. 

But for now, the Lehmann Black Cube SE is really making me happy.

AudioEnz - Music reviews http://www.audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml 

December music reviews 

Burt Bacharach: Live at the Sydney Opera House 

with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra 

Verve 

For about 50 years Burt Bacharach has been writing great pop songs. 

Since we all know it’s about the music first, let me say on a scale of 

five stars, the 32 wonderfully memorable pleasing tunes selected 

here by producers Bacharach and his keyboardist Rob Schrock are 

an honest ten stars. 

No argument, Bacharach is one the most significant song composers 

of any generation. With his clever melodies enhanced by emotive 

lyrics of associate Hal David there is the whole sausage of happy, sad, 

light, poignant, wistful, and on and on. The music truly reaches 

many people on many profound levels and therein lies its greatness. Shame about this disc though. 

First problem here is that this disc often just skims too quickly, once over lightly, and wham! Into the 

next, and next, in three rapidly paced medleys of his tunes there is a typically soft intro, then a 

bombastic rendering of the main theme, and it’s on to the next, soft–blam, and just as you begin to 

revel in the excellence of that – bang it’s a Hollywood blockbuster next! This music, and with a 

respected full symphony orchestra too, deserves better than fast food style quickie presentation. 

Second problem is that the “live” recorded sound of this show resembles the Auckland Vector Arena 

Bacharach performance several months ago. This was where “The Auckland Strings” (about 40 

musicians) were also added for texture and timbre to the core group sound. Unfortunately, all the 

electronic glaze of the amplification, equalization, and compression, rock PA speakers etc. made it 

difficult to tell when keyboardist Rob Schrock was playing his synthesizer with string voicing, or when 

the real strings were playing! You had to be there to observe, and then cringe, as I did. Only when 80 

year old solo Burt on piano, gravelly growled through a soft, tender, questioning Alfie did I know I’d 

got my moneys’ worth. 

Same on this disc too, intrinsically great pop music, dreadful “sports stadium” sound, and a sincere 

wish it could’ve been a double album with a better performance aesthetic and acoustic presentation. 

John Paul 

Patricia Barber: The Cole Porter Mix 

Blue Note 

The pianist-vocalist queen of her own (self generated) jazz niche of 

“Modern Cool” performs ten Cole Porter, and three of her own


similarly erudite-style songs. Understated, tightly arranged, and 

mildly intense grooves are felt in all of these tunes with her excellent 

regular accompaniment of Neal Alger, guitar, Michael Arnopol, bass, 

Eric Montzka, drums and “controlled” hot guest tenor saxophonist, 

Chris Potter. 

Old favourites I Get A Kick Out Of You, You’re The Top, Get Out Of 

Town, I Concentrate On You and What Is This Thing Called Love?, are in her typical pocket with 

vocals that are warm, yet feel slightly ironic, as in “political truths”. Up-tempo cooking with an 

excellent Potter sax solo is on Just One Of Those Things, and tension is built on a quick paced In the 

Still Of The Night. Her three original tunes also fit in pretty well in lyrical and melodic sense with this 

collection. 

Barber isn’t afraid to sit in extended minor key grooves, or minimalist arrangements that extend an 

interpretive sense that some may find uncomfortable. Often accused of being blasé, too emotionally 

detached or “Modern Cool”, this set can grow on you, or send you running for the more charming and 

traditional Diana Krall, or Dianne Reeves, which is fine either way. For me, she extends the art form 

in a distinctively classy, always intelligent original manner. Plus her (self produced) recordings by my 

old mate Jim Anderson are great sounding ‘up close and clear’ studio productions. John Paul 

Walter Becker: Circus Money 

Sonic 360 

Most (boomers and acolytes) could likely limber up to a new Walter 

Becker release with at least some measure of guarded reverence – 

such is/was the enduring legacy of his central control role in Steely 

Dan’s grad-savvy songbook. So, as the opening track expands 

magnanimously into that characteristic adroit haughty-but-nice 

ambience, with sage-ish vocal inflections and pristine production 

values, we seem to be in familiar urbane territory. But more of the 

same and then more of the same soon wears thin, and whilst 

familiarity doesn’t quite breed contempt in this instance, it certainly 

establishes a sense that Becker is anchored in a vein of veneer rather 

than gravity. Meticulous and svelte-sounding, yes, but its core rarely yields the anticipated wit or bite. 

Paul Green 

Chiwoniso: Rebel Woman 

Cumbancha 

Fans of African and world music will no doubt find this album 

accessible enough. The Afro-soul diva’s occasionally penetrating 

voice is influenced by both the traditional Zimbabwean and Western 

music. Featuring in all the songs is the ancient mbira instrument 

which is an inherent element in most South East African music. The 

album opens infectiously enough with Vanorapa, followed by the 

brisk hip-swinging Hi-Life jazzy dance beat of Gomo – and all seems 

well. 

The pace slows with the sweet and relaxing Nguva Ye Kufara with its background of swirling mellow


mbira and Kurima, a melancholic piece evoking images of African sunsets. Next up, Listen to the 

Breeze, offers a timely English language break from the Shona lyrics. The rest of the album continues 

in this middle-of-the-road any-time-any-occasion-style. Sounding fine but lacking originality. 

Patricia Evans 

Everest: Ghost Notes 

Vapor Records 

Bringing to mind the likes of Neil Young (whose label this is released 

on), Ryan Adams and Wilco, Everest live somewhere in a musical 

category that combines indie rock and alt-country. 

Even though it’s their debut, Ghost Notes is a cohesive and impactful 

album. The band members have been around a bit though before 

Everest playing in the likes of Sebadoh and Folk Implosion so they’re 

seasoned players and it shows in the quality of the songwriting and 

playing. There’s some tight and emotive guitar playing, neat 

harmony work and plenty of ‘space’ throughout the album. 

While Reloader is the closest they get to guitar driven rock with a memorable chorus, tracks like 

opener Rebels in the Roses and I See It In Your Eyes (slower and more emotionally charged) are more 

representative of the material on the album 

The album was recorded to analogue tape at New Monkey Studios in California and has a classic, 

warm and engaging feel to it. If you like that sound, it would be worth chasing down on vinyl if you 

can get hold of a copy. 

The songs grow on you with each listen – slowly revealing new elements. I’m sure this will be an 

album that I’ll return to a lot over coming years. Douglas Lang 

Buddy Guy: Skin Deep 

Silvertone 

Another classic demonstration of a true master delivering a set that 

leaves the imitators way behind. 

Blues guitarist Buddy Guy is now into his 72 year, and has the energy 

of much younger craftsmen, the polish of a very fine gem and the 

taste that can elude so many, coupled with a winningly convincing 

vibrancy. 

Given his age you would expect a laid back approach. You would be 

wrong. While the blues can be stretched out this only leaves more 

room for Guy’s paint stripping guitar solos. All the tracks are penned by Guy himself, with some 

standing out more than others, but as a whole this a set that finds a worthy legend just simply having 

a lot of fun. His guitar is caught in brutally honest sound with no attempt to clean or cotton wool its 

impact. The vocals remain more than capable while the guests (including one Eric Clapton) are 

indeed guests, that is, welcome friends that don’t steal the show. Allan McFarlane 

Jupiter One: Jupiter One 

Cordless Records


New York band Jupiter One brings to mind bands like Bloc Party, 

Franz Ferdinand and perhaps the Cars and Talking Heads at times – 

kind of dance based pop-rock with keyboards. 

The first half of their debut album is great. After a short instrumental 

introduction we get off to a really promising start with the upbeat 

and catchy Countdown. This is followed by the jangly guitar driven 

Unglued. There’s plenty of interest for the next few tracks as well - 

Mystery Man and Turn Up The Radio would be perfect single 

material (apart from the ‘f’ word in Mystery Man’s chorus!). 

So things start well but around about half way through the tracks get a bit samey and don’t have the 

same bounce and interest as the openers. It kind of feels like they decided to put as much material on 

the album as they could (including a couple of bonus tracks) and as a result it feels about 10- 15 

minutes too long. It’s a bit like one of those films you go to see, which you enjoy but it drags on a bit. 

A bit of judicious filleting would have made for a stronger overall result. A good example is Wrong 

Line which goes off on some 70s pomp rock keyboard extravaganza (think Rick Wakeman) at one 

point – what’s that about? 

Having said that the album is a bit too long there are a lot of good tracks here so it’s definitely not a 

dud. I’m not sure how long lasting it’ll be though. It’s kind of an instant hit and as a result I suspect I 

may tire of it quite quickly. Douglas Lang 

Mareko: White Sunday 2 – The Book of Mark 

Dawn Raid 

From New Zealand’s premier hip hop label Dawn Raid comes our 

man Marakeo. The album kicks off with Keep it Moving featuring 

Baby Down which is a rhyme about carrying on in life after the death 

of a friend. Catchy liitle number. 

Next Sunday is a food for thought tune in which Mareko looks at life 

in New Zealand without hip hop. A rhyming tribute no doubt to 

some of the pioneers of hip hop such as DLT, Che Fu & P Money. 

Favourite tunes for the ipod are the soulful Gotta Go and Against All 

Odds featuring Cydel. 

If you like your hip hop, you’ll enjoy this one! Ants Fong 

Maria Muldaur: Yes We Can! 

Telarc 

I was drawn to check this release out as Muldaur fan from way back and I spotted a few equally 

luminary guests on the release sheet. Sadly I have endured an inwards looking political preaching. 

Well intentioned I am sure but not for repeated visiting. Unless, that is, you have an unquenched need 

to hear Joan Fonda in chorus singing Down By The Riverside. Hmm. Allan McFarlane 

Tami Neilson: Red Dirt Angel 

Ode


Everybody loves a little country music, don’t they? Well, you will 

now after listening to the delightful Tami Neilson! The album kicks 

off with One Bad Day which is a great track about getting through 

those bad days we all have. “All of your tears you won’t drown, I’ll 

stick around, just in case you are lost and need to be found”. 

Distributed through our own local label Ode, there is definitely a 

great range of country music styles, from the slower ballads 

Cigarette and Beautiful to the acoustic Comin’ Around. 

Picks for the iPod are Sister Cash featuring Joanne Cash and the upbeat Same Old Devil. If country 

music is as sweet as Tami Neilson, I’m getting back on my horse back to Nashville! Lord have mercy! 

My country album for 2008! Ants Fong 

Jim Noir: Jim Noir 

my dad recordings 

Rarely does one come across such universal critical acclaim for a 

relatively unknown artist as this new release, the second of Jim Noir. 

The quotes “"uniquely loveable...the surprise soundtrack of summer 

2008" (4 Stars – Q)” and “An astonishing and inventive record…this 

is nothing less than the laptop pop Pet Sounds” (Independent on 

Sunday) had me optimistically request a listen. 

Well the influences are obvious to all. Beatles, Beach Boys in 

abundance. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Some tracks take 

a lot of spinning before they make sense. Not necessarily a bad thing. 

Repeated listening bought a resounding recommendation to work colleagues. All in all, pure pop, 

expertly crafted which equals pure fun. But the jury is out. Highly influenced pop is in end just that. 

I’ll keep it handy, as it’s a great in the car listen. And summer is promised. Allan McFarlane 

Xavier Rudd: Dark Shades of Blue 

Salt X Records 

Like John Butler (who he no doubt gets fed up being compared to) 

Xavier Rudd originates from Australia, makes use of indigenous 

musicians and instrumentation (Yirdaki - didgeridoo; Nigerian Udu 

drums) as well as lots of slide guitar, and has a passion for the 

environment. 

This is his fourth album and contains a variety of musical styles 

(reggae; slide-guitar driven rock; acoustic numbers) but all with a 

solid roots base. 

There is a nice mix of uptempo material with slower more reflective pieces like Shiver (moody and 

atmospheric). There’s a catchy circular slide guitar riff on The World As We Know It and Edge of the 

Moon brings Bob Marley to mind. 

There is a heavier ‘feel’ to this album than his previous work – the guitars are more electric, the bass 

seems more prominent, and there’s more use of studio effects. Check out opening instrumental Black


Water and the title track to get an idea of what I mean. 

There is also a fragility to the beginning of a track such as Uncle that lends a ‘live’ feel to the album. 

My sense is that some of the material was allowed to emerge in an organic fashion in the studio rather 

than everything being carefully written and rehearsed many times before being recorded. 

Check Xavier Rudd out if you like John Butler, Dave Matthews or even Jack Johnson (who he shares 

some environmental views with if not quite the same musical space). You might also want to check 

out his earlier material which is a bit more acoustic and reggae oriented. Douglas Lang 

David Sanborn: Here and Gone 

Decca US 

Alto saxophonist Sanborn, with several jazz heavyweights, plus 

special guests, do a respectful, yet earthy job, with nine traditional 

and newer blues tunes. 

The classic WC Handy, St. Louis Blues becomes fresh and new with 

Russell Malone’s smooth guitar, Gil Goldstein’s Fender Rhodes rich 

piano, and Miles Davis protégé, trumpeter Wallace Roney cleverly 

giving homage to “Pops” Louis Armstrong and Miles in a brilliantly 

conceived superb solo, that stupidly is faded out. Arghhh! 

Sanborn goes beyond his “smooth (lite?) jazz” label by some upper register stretching out on the 

Marcus Miller waltz penned Brother Ray, and he does it again on Basin Street Blues. His alto sax 

then nicely “converses” with Eric Clapton’s vocal and guitar leads on I’m Gonna Move To The 

Outskirts of Town. 

The splendid rhythm section of Steve Gadd drums, and Christian McBride bass, solidly propels things 

for a horn section with jazz veterans Lew Soloff trumpet, tenor sax Lou Marini, and baritone sax man 

Howard Johnson all adding appropriate modern harmonies and textures. 

Not challenging, nor just easy (smooth) listening, but very well considered and perfectly executed 

blues excursions. John Paul 

Frederica von Stade: Sings Brubeck – Across Your dreams 

Telarc 

Proving the old Duke Ellington truth “there’s only two kinds of 

music, good and bad” this disc captures premiere mezzo-soprano 

“Flicka” von Stade in a relaxed, fun and even funky Brubeck family 

music setting. Ten of the thirteen tunes are pretty ballads; eight of 

them penned by either (absent) pianist Dave, or his son trombonist- 

pianist-arranger Chris. Dan Brubeck adds drums and percussion on 

a few tunes, while folk music vocalist and classical banjo (really!) 

legend Bill Crofut help liven things up on three numbers. 

Opening with the lovely melancholy The Distance Between Us it 

becomes obvious that “Flicka” has no patronising notions or distance about delivering a non-operatic 

sweet song devoid of flourishes or prima donna tricks. The same is true with the next track on the


lovely Spanish traditional La Paloma Luna. Frederica puts these songs and their mood into her pitch 

perfect instrument and lets the lyric find its’ rhythm while gently carrying, but never forcing, the 

melodies along. Very pleasing vocal music. 

The big fun begins when she and Croftus team up with insanely clever lyrics on a 75th birthday tribute 

to elder composer Brubeck in his fast “difficult” 9/8 time signature (1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3/3x) Blue 

Rondo (ala Turk). There’s also a cool banjo and trombone stretch into the jagged funky phrasing of 

snr Brubeck’s It’s A Raggy Waltz. Again, the feeling of talented musicians simply enjoying themselves 

permeates the session. 

Other ballads, as the title suggests, have an inclination towards the ethereal and are beautifully 

presented in this superb sounding disc. Recorded in 1996, but still fresh and differently delicious. 

John Paul 

Taj Mahal: Maestro 

Heads Up 

Right from the first brass shout I knew I was going to be hooked on 

this release. This is the release Dr John wishes he could still make, 

an album that smacks of a wonderful eclectic world of blues, reggae, 

world music, acoustic, electric and includes guests like Los Lobos, 

Jack Johnson and Ben Harper. Apparently it's Taj's first release of 

new material for five years and he certainly sounds refreshed and 

relishing the assignment. 

Fans of his quintessential 1997 release Senor Blues need not hesitate. 

Others should investigate with equal haste. Wonderful. Allan 

McFarlane 

Tahu: Tahu 

Ode 

This locally recorded mastered and mixed CD has unsettled me. It 

was put together earlier this year by the Wellington based trio of 

Henare Walmsley and Alistair Fraser playing NZ Maori musical 

instruments and joined by classical guitarist and composer Michael 

Hogan. The work began as a celebration of the 2007 Matariki (Maori 

New Year). After a years gestation the result is a beautiful and 

haunting aural journey through ancient and modern Aotearoa. This 

is a fresh, touching and evocative sound ranging all the way from 

chants and prayers to contemporary improvisation. I particularly 

liked the way that subtle natural sounds were interwoven without this degenerating into just another 

new age licence to print musical wallpaper. 

The reason that the recording unsettled me was that it challenged several prejudices and considerable 

ignorance on my part. The first prejudice shattered is that NZ classical compositions have to be 

strident or difficult to listen to. This is not ‘easy listening’ but try it on decent headphones and it is an 

enveloping delight. The second prejudice is that taonga puoro (Maori instruments) only have a place 

in their own unique setting but this is a beautifully rich album that seamlessly integrates music and 

sounds from many sources. The final prejudice is that local home studio products will be inherently


flawed grainy and shiny while this is a clean dynamic and well-mastered recording. 

My final confession is to not in any way being bilingual or even having more than the most basic 

knowledge of Matariki. It has always seemed crazy to me however that we do not honour our own NZ 

winter Xmas and this recording should have a central role in all such future celebrations for New 

Zealanders from all cultures. Go on give yourself a treat. John Groom 

Louie Vega: House Masters 

Homas01 

A dozen bars in one relentless repeat mode, an incremental 

adjustment and further dozen looping on and on and… ah, the 

drudgery of formulaic fractionally-modified dance music. Louie 

looks the DJ guru-of-cool part on the album cover with his pork-pie- 

hatted profile and insouciant smile, but the sleeve notes are at odds 

with this show of apparent modesty. 

As is the music which, at its best, would only grudgingly deserve the 

adjective ‘modest’. Prefer instead: grinding, gruelling, interminable, 

tautological, tedious, time-worn, broken-winded and (ultimately 

utterly) insufferable. Sorry, Louie, you may well (as your liner notes declare) once have “defined a 

scene and resulted into (sic) cult status” in Studio 54 or some other allegedly legendary stateside 

location, but there’s precious little here to suggest that this is anything more than a hyped and 

obsolete reputation. 

In a world abundantly awash with exciting dance music, we’ve all got better options than this. Paul 

Green

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