The Ethernet pipeline as a source has matured to the point that there are many products that have come to market in a similar way that unfolded for USB. When computer audiophiles started to be concerned about “galvanic isolation”, USB quality, and data integrity, a whole cottage industry of fixes sprang up. We saw USB “purifiers”, re-clockers, isolators, USB cable with split data and power leads. You name it, it appeared.

Because it is now widely believe that USB as a pipeline does have considerable issues, many of these products did indeed improve the sound. We found the Intona USB Isolator was the best of the bunch and when placed between the network file player and DAC paid sonic dividends. The unit also seems to have good synergy with Wireworld USB cables.

As with USB, Ethernet purifying solutions have sprung up faster than weeds. It is fair to say that many of these types of products have been used in mission critical industries for decades, for instance in military and medical settings. For audiophile applications, opto isolators have become very popular, and are a cost effective way to reduce noise and any potential interference. Other approaches include LAN isolators with transformers built in, and we even no have “audio grade” networking cables.

We have used some of these products in our systems, and devices from SOtM, Acoustic Revive, and even units from non audio companies like Emo Systems have made positive differences. Audiophile grade networking hardware has entered a relatively new era with routers and switches being designed specifically for audio use. One such company, The Linear Solution, sent me their TCXO switch to spend some time with. The company also makes routers, power supplies, LAN cables, and computer cards. The TCXO is $429, with the linear power supply additional.

We have two complete networked systems, and several streamers used as Roon end points, including the Sonore microRendu, and a Bryston BDP-2. There is also a Simaudio MiND DLNA streamer in the mix. Everything is hooked up via Ethernet, with various Apple iPads as control points. WiFi for the control points is supplied by Google WiFi modules.

Listening to music from the networked library with the Linear Solution switch in the path resulted in a very stable connection, with no dropouts, glitches, or any other issues. This was regardless of resolution, from Redbook CD to DSD128. The system sounded excellent, and whether the TCXO switch was responsible or not, it is hard to say, but the noise floor certainly was very low, and just removing a cheap wal wart power supply from the mix has to have benefits.

The Linear Solution switch is very nicely made, feels like an industrial grade product, and according to the company, is made with higher grade parts than any off the shelf unit. We cannot promise that these products will for sure improve the sound of your system, but they will create less unwanted noise. We would strongly suggest contacting the company with any questions. Computer audiophiles looking to go the extra mile should without a doubt take a look at these products.

Q&A with The Linear Solution:

Q) For digital audiophiles, playback of of digital files via network seems to have become the standard. How important is the configuration of the network with respect to audio?

A) The best approach to a  configuration of the network is simplicity, that  is the key. A simple and a separate network connection is best. A separate linear power supply for each component should be used as well. 

In our opinion, it is best to avoid All-in One devices for your networking audio set up. Because those device tent to create tons of unwanted noise.

Q) How are your networking products superior to consumer grade products? What were your design principles and goals?

A) Our network switch was created with audiophile networking audio in mind from the beginning. We understand the jitter and noise interference, therefore, we spent quite a long time to improve the data accuracy , reduce jitter and noise interference.

The Linear Solution:

Manufacturer website

TCXO  Switch– Specifications
– 2oz Copper
– PCB +/- 1.0ppm
– Ultra low Jitter <1ps RMS
– 9V DC input 2.1mm x 5.5mm

LINEAR POWER SUPPLY – Specifications
– AC 120V, 60Hz
– 9V Ouput
– Oyaide DC connectors
– Furutech IEC

Here is a list of 5 really great sounding phono preamps under $500, based on panel listening, and direct experience.

These are listed in order of  cost-

1-Schiit- Mani-$129

2-Hagerman Labs Bugle3-$219

3-Lounge Audio LCR MkIII-$300

4-Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE-$410

5-Lehmann Audio Black Cube Statement-$449

Links:

Schiit

Lounge Audio

Hagerman Labs

Graham Slee

Lehmann Audio

Vinyl Rip using the Schiit Mani, from the Vinyl Room YouTube Channel

Jeff Leaming

I’ve come full circle in the world of phono cartridges. Back in 2005 I decided to get back into the world of vinyl and 2 channel analog audio. As a child and teenager I grew up with vinyl. From spending hours in front of my parent’s mid-century console record player to getting my first direct drive turntable at the age of 17.

Then came the 1980’s. I worked for a national chain record store from 1980 to 1985. I saw our record bins turn into CD bins and I became an early adopter to the world of compact discs. I boxed up my LP collection, bought my first CD player and began years of buying the shiny, silver discs. I went in heavy. I had believed the hype.

Fast forward to 2005. Vinyl records and turntables were seeing a resurgence. My wife and I were living in Charlotte, NC and there was a couple in our neighborhood that we had become close to. One summer night we had gone to our friend’s home for one of our regular cookouts and evening of libations and lively banter. My friend Scott said, “Jeff, you have to come upstairs and see my turntable!” The stylus dropped softly to the vinyl with that familiar sound that I hadn’t heard in years. As Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” played through his large and somewhat dated Advent speakers a feeling of pure joy came over me. Why had I given up on this format? I was hearing things I simply did not hear on my “Wish You Were Here” CD. And of course I picked up the jacket of the LP and stared at for several minutes. I scoured the liner notes. I hadn’t done this in years either. The little CD inserts were very rarely perused. I didn’t feel like getting out a magnifying glass to look at the art or attempt to read the lyrics.

It was that evening in which I decided to buy first turntable and phono cartridge since the late 1970’s. There my journey began switching from a home theater/surround sound setup to the type of two channel system I had in my teens. I began with a used Technics SL-1200MK2, used Pioneer receiver and very inexpensive phono preamp. I started off with moving magnet cartridges. Then my journey hit warp speed and my money started disappearing.

After a slew of different moving magnet cartridges I decided to take the plunge and go moving coil. During a span of about 5-7 years I bought 3 different phono preamps and probably a dozen different moving coil cartridges. 2017 came and I had now come full circle. I’m back to moving magnet cartridges and will more than likely stay with them. Why? To save money on cartridges and preamps because I’ve found I’m very satisfied and actually prefer the sound of a good moving magnet cartridge.

2018. Enter the Aric Audio Transcend MM Phono Preamp

Currently, I own and use a Schiit Mani preamp and for $129 it is a steal. An incredible little preamp. But lately I’ve been longing for that tube sound. It’s been several years since I ran a Jolida JD9II tube phono stage and I’ve found myself itching to get back in to tube nirvana. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to audition the Aric Audio Transcend Moving Magnet phono stage for my YouTube channel. I’ve been running this beautiful piece of equipment for a couple of weeks now and the sound has been silky, warm and downright luscious. I’ve played more vinyl the past couple weeks than I’ve played in quite some time. After hours of exhilarating listening, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Aric Audio Transcend will be my next preamp.

It suits my needs. Moving magnet cartridges will all I will be using for the foreseeable future and as I said earlier, I’ve been wanting to get back to a tube phono stage. I wanted something that would last for several years and the build of the Transcend is something to marvel. I’ve been alternating between NOS Mullard 12AX7 and Tung Sol Gold. The Mullard tubes have been occupying the two 12AX7 seats for the past several days. The transcend delivers a syrupy smooth, 3D-like experience. The detail is amazing without giving up anything on the lower end. The bass is quite a joy to hear and feel! Getz, Davis, Coltrane and Brubeck from my jazz collection have graced my turntable as well as a wide variety of many different genres. Some examples are Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, Nitzer Ebb, Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt, Emmylou Harris and AC/DC. Everything I’ve thrown at the Transcend has been returned to me in a wide, holographic-like sound that I just want to keep hearing.

If you prefer moving magnet cartridges and are considering a tube preamp, the Aric Transcend most definitely deserves your consideration. If you decide on the Transcend be prepared to feel like you just don’t have enough time to listen your favorite albums.

The Aric Audio Transcend Tubed Phono Preamp: $795

Aric Audio

Jeff Leaming is the creator of the fabulous Vinyl Room YouTube channel. We are fortunate that Jeff has agreed to be a regular contributor here at Fair Hedon. He has decades of experience with gear and is especially passionate about vinyl playback.

The VInyl Room on YouTube

2-Marantz HD-DAC1 DAC & Headphone Amp/Preamp: $799

3-Magnepan MMGi Speakers: $650

4-Rega Planar 2 Turntable: $650

5-Wireworld USB Starlight 7 USB Cable: $100 for 1M

6-Schiit Freya Preamplifier: $699

7-Black Rhodium Symphony & Foxtrot Interconnect/Speaker cables: $275/$450

8-JL Audio Dominion d108 Subwoofer: $799

9-Roon Software: $500

10-Lounge Audio LCR MKIII Phono Stage: $300

Enter Aric Kimball who hangs his shingle up as Aric Audio. Aric makes wonderful, old school tube preamplifiers and power amplifiers. He sells them direct via his website, and his prices are more than fair. He also will gladly customize any of his products for a customer’s particular needs. Aric has a particular passion for high fidelity tube components, and it is clear his goal is to continually improve designs. His workshop, pictured below, is a laboratory where he strives to get the most performance for the lowest cost by smartly sourcing parts and refining signal paths.

I had been particularly curious about Aric’s preamps, as many consider this particular component the heart of a system.  Compromises there can detract from overall system performance. A lackluster volume control, noisy inputs, cross talk, and other poor implementations can be deal killers. Aric has several in the line, starting at $775 for the Transcend MM phono stage, and $950 for the 12AX7 Unlimited line stage. However, what caught my eye was his new Transcend 6SN7 based tube line stage, which sells for $1400. The 6SN7 has not been a common preamp tube for a while.

However last year, Schiit Audio, known mainly for headphone amps and DACs, surprised everyone by bringing to a market a 6SN7 preamp with several selectable output stages (passive, JFET buffer, or tube) with balanced inputs and outputs. It is a very nice sounding unit with a remote, and a very attractive price, $700. Aric’s sent us his preamp to spend some time with and right out of the box the build quality was impressive and the feel had a classic, rugged Made In the USA feel. Our staff loved the retro knobs and the side panels.

The preamp is configured as such:

• Up to 15 db of gain (variable)
• 5U4G tube rectified power supply
• DC used for 6SN7 filaments for low noise
• 4 sets of gold-plated stereo inputs
• 2 sets of gold-plated stereo outputs

Further evidence of old school design is the tube rectification, and variable gain, via knob on the back. This is separate from the master volume control on the front. This feature is very useful for matching the preamp to different power amps and speakers of varying sensitivity.  With high powered solid state amps, about half way to three quarters gain was more than good enough. For moderately powered tube amps, full output gain did the job.

I asked Aric what inspired him to design a preamp around the 6SN7 tube:

“As far as what drew me to the 6SN7 tube for this design- it is an exceptionally linear dual triode with large current swings and exceptionally low distortion. What this means is that the tube is a very predictable and accurate performer. In this design I operate the tube in a “Mu Follower” configuration. This puts both triodes of the tube (a 6SN7 tube is two triodes in one envelope), in a sort of “push pull” design- much like a push-pull amplifier. This allows the tube to produce even lower distortion, as the first half of the tube loads the second half- so one draws from the other. When there is a current swing- the first triode pulls from second, and vise versa. It’s essentially two men sawing a tree in that each triode only does half the work. I really love the tube in this design because of not only how well it performs, but that the 6SN7 has been around since 1939, and has always been considered an excellent audio amplification tube.”

First off, this preamp is noise free, with no detectable extraneous sounds what so ever. Preamp noise, whether from tubes, or leaky circuits, is a not a good thing! The second set of outputs was very welcomed for use with a subwoofer. There is no remote control in stock form, however it can be ordered with a remote as an option. The unit ships with Tung Sol tubes, which we have found to be very reliable, and quite good sounding, and very high value.

The preamp was used in two separate systems for almost three months. Both systems featured Magnepan speakers. Each system also had both high quality analog and digital playback. In both systems the Aric preamp performed at a level that was musically enjoyable far beyond expectations in relation to it’s modest cost. The sound of the preamp even without extensive warm up was  excellent, with nothing seemed amiss…there were no gaps anywhere that we could detect in the sonic fabric.

Clearly, there were superb midrange holographics, the by product of “tube magic” from well designed components. But let’s add that there was superbly articulated, accurate bass, and very sweet and smooth treble frequencies. Regardless of format, or genre of music played, the Transcend was an absolute pleasure to have in each system.

Playing stacks of classic LPs on a Rega Planar 3 was super fun, and the Transcend flattered many of these older recordings, mostly form the classic progressive rock genre, and a good amount of classic rock and jazz, with original pressings by Sly & The Family Stone, Beatles, Pink Floyd  Jeff Beck, The Moody Blues, Blood, Sweat, & Tears, and Santana in heavy rotation. We also made sure to spin off the beaten path experimental stuff like titles form Vangelis, Jean-Michael Jarre, and even some Windam Hill.  The music was presented in a gloriously lifelike spread, with the intent of the artist was wonderfully communicated.

Serving up high resolution streams via Sonore Micro Rendu  feeding a Simaudio 280D DAC also offered an excellent representation of the high end digital. We have a large library of 24 bit FLAC albums and they were presented with tremendous dynamic range and resolution via the Transcend. As much as we love vinyl playback, it is nice to hear vintage albums like those from The Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane without any surface noise. New recordings from brilliant current artists like Glen Hansard, Steve Gunn, Olden Yok, and Gloria were loads of fun, and it was easy to get immersed in the sound. The server also highlighted how solid the bass performance was from the Transcend.

Since the Schiit Freya is the only other affordable 6SN7 based preamp we are currently aware of, a comparison is warranted. The Transcend is far more ruggedly constructed, and far more attractive. The Freya ships with rather cheap Chinese sourced tubes stock, while the Transcend comes equipped with Tung Sols. The Transcend is also more organic sounding, with a bigger sound than the Freya. The Freya is rather smooth sounding, but a bit on the polite side. It does however feature balanced inputs and outputs, and of course you can bypass the tubes. Both are very high value components, with the Freya being a solid Honda Civic, and the Transcend more of a classic Ford Mustang.

Ergonomically, the volume knob offered excellent range, which made finding the exact level a snap. The second output was used with a subwoofer but you can also use it with a headphone amp or a second amplifier if desired. Both outputs are controlled by the master volume.  The toggle style power switch on the back was way cool!

The Transcend’s rugged construction and the quality of the connectors and inputs inspires confidence, and Aric’s circuit implementation is ultra quiet and and start up is super smooth. I have had much more expensive tube preamps is the system that did not match up to the Transcend’s low noise floor or smoothness of operation, not to mention sonic presentation.  Tube rolling is certainly an option but we think the Tung Sols are a great choice based on price, availability, and reliability.

If readers are in the market for a very high quality tube preamplifer, we would strongly suggest contacting Aric Kimball for more information about his products. You will be supporting a small USA manufacturer who makes in our estimation high quality audio products, and you will be getting a heck of a deal. Aric has a few other preamps in the line, as well as some very attractive looking tube amplifiers as well.

Aric Audio Transcend 6SN7 Linestage: $1400

http://www.aricaudio.com

Contact:

Aric Kimball

We believe this system can provide long term enjoyment without need for upgrading

anytime soon.  The system covers high quality vinyl and digital playback.

Sources:

Sonore microRendu + iFi iPower-$700

Rega Planar 2 + Schiit Mani-$875

Integrated Amplifier/DAC:

Marantz HD AMP1=$1100

Speakers:

Magenpan MMGi-$700

Interconnects, Speaker Cable, Power Cords:

WireWorld Solstice 7: $64 (IC), $140 (Speaker)

WireWorld Stratus 7: $104

USB Cable: 

WireWorld UltraViolet: $60

Magnepan speakers are very different than those with cone drivers mounted in an enclosure. They use planar-magnetic technology, which you can read all about on the company website.  There are several benefits to this. First, a top-to-bottom,  uniform presentation, as well as realistic, lifelike musical images. Magnepan customers also are loyal to the company, and they are rewarded with models that stay in the line up for years, with no churn. In fact, Wendell Diller, marketing manager for Magnepan says they only introduce or upgrade models if they find they can implement significant improvements.

I currently have both the 1.7i ($2,000) and the .7 ($1,400) in my home, in two separate systems and after three months with them it is time to frame my observations. This is not a “review”, in the traditional sense. I believe that format is dead in the water.  What I hope to do is communicate what it is like to listen for, and enjoy music on these speakers without the usual audiophile micro dissections.

A few things to get out of the way. Magnepan speakers, especially from the .7 on up, require a few considerations for the prospective buyer. First, as they are dipoles, they require at a bit of space around them, four or five feet if you can manage it, but you can probably get away with a bit less. Secondly, they really need a high current amplifier, you will want at least 50 high quality watts per channel. No big deal for most motivated purchasers.

Setting ‘Em Up:

When setting up the Maggies, the manual provides some very common sense guidelines. First, the distance between the speakers should  be about 2/3 of the listening distance. You have a choice of situating the tweeter on the inside or outside. Tweeters inside provide a bit sharper imaging, and tweeters on the outside  provide a slightly more expansive presentation. It will be 100% room and listener dependent. Lastly, toe in is required, and again that will depend on the room and listener.  So all in all, not brain surgery to set up Magnepans. Experimentation, and a some patience will bring you many rewards.

I installed the 1.7i in my living room, which has high ceilings, and allows for a listening distance of eight to ten feet. I spaced the speakers about six feet apart.  Initially, for the first month or so, I had the tweeters on the outside, with about a fifteen degree toe in.  By the second month I decided to try the tweeter in, with additional toe in, approximately twenty degrees, maybe slightly more, and this is how they stayed. I felt at this point they were nicely dialed in, and left well enough alone.

I managed to listen to  a very wide variety of music, which allowed me to get a comprehensive overview of how Maggies present recordings. In a word, with virtually no undue interference. There is no coloration from a cabinet, no driver discontinuity, no miniaturization of the music, and no artificially large images either, which I have found can happen with big, multi driver floor standing speakers.

Musical Impressions:

The words that come to mind are seamless, effortless, and most of all, immersive. The Magnepans did something that has rarely every happened in our systems, and that it took any thoughts of “I’m listening to speakers” from the equation. The music flowed like water from a tap. The ability to virtually remove itself from the setting is the ultimate goal of a speaker, many believe, and I agree. If your focus is on “listening to the speaker”,  you are taking your eyes off the prize, and that is musical enjoyment. All the listeners who joined me agreed that Maggies effortlessly brought to your attention to nuances of the recordings, and you notice things that help you understand the performance better.

We used both a very highly regarded solid state power amp rated at 200 wpc, and a KT120 based tube amp, rated at 50 wpc. Both were driven by a tube preamp. With the solid state amp, images were sharper, bass a little more precise, and the sound was spacious. The tube amp sacrificed a bit of precision for a plusher, more holistic midrange. Both presentations were easy to enjoy. Cabling was U.K. sourced Black Rhodium all around.

One listener, who is a serious jazz lover, with an incredible LP collection, was utterly absorbed, lost in the groove as we played one classic Blue Note album after another. Having not heard Magnepans for quite some time, he noted that these were by far more impressive than he remembered.  He was particularly taken by the depth of the sound field, and the drive.

The pair of .7’s were installed in the den, with the tweeters in, and ample toe in and spacing. A very nice tube preamp and a 200 wpc solid state amp were used, and again Black Rhodium cables connected it all up. We heard everything with the .7’s we heard with the 1.7i’s, but on a slightly smaller scale, with less overall bottom end. The same coherence, and sense of a complete musical fabric was intact.

Spinning some excellent, but obscure progressive fusion albums, like Walking In Space (1969, A&M), by Quincy Jones, and Firefly (1977, CTI), by Jeremy Steig, were like time traveling, all that was missing were bell bottoms, and incense!. Brand new albums, like u2’s epic Songs Of Experience, came off as far more cohesive one would imagine, with tremendous emotional impact and musical texture.

The long awaited remastering of Pentangle’s late 60’s/early 70’s discography, The Albums: 1968-1972 (2017, Cherry Red), arrived at the perfect time. These recordings are astonishingly good for the era, and the music contained in the box is of the highest artistic order if you are a fan of their fusion of British-folk, jazz, and blues. It was hard not to listen over and over to all seven CDs, which proves there is never too much of a good thing.

To Sub Or Not To Sub:

After about a month I did use high quality subwoofers with both speakers, and found it very satisfying. I was under the impression it would be very difficult to integrate and dial in subs, but it was not anywhere near as tricky as anticipated. Because the 1.7i and .7 are so “quick” and agile, the fear would be a sub would lag behind and there would be audible discontinuity. To my great delight, the sub only added positives, adding bit of weight and foundation.

But as noted, “cheap” home theater style subwoofers need not apply. There are more than a few high value subs from respected companies available. I would also suggest ported designs are not the best choice.  Magnepan also makes an optional passive bass panel that can be used and would probably provide the most seamless  solution. I can also imagine that visually, it would be desirable.

Speaking of bass, the only issue that I could possibly complain about concerning the performance of these speakers is that certain notes in the lower register, seems to activate a “rattle” in the panels. I understand this is known as panel slapback. This came up infrequently, and mostly with acoustic bass, interestingly enough. It seemed to happen with notes played on the lower strings, higher up on the fretboard. But again, it was infrequent, and random.  No speaker is perfect, and this seems to be the one flaw in the design I heard in my set ups.

Summing up-Two Amazing Speakers:

The Magnepan 1.7i and .7 offer up what very few speakers designed as “drivers in a box” can. Namely, superb, top to bottom coherence, and a freedom from any enclosure colorations. Speakers should provide an immersive experience, and the Maggies do this superbly. In fact, I found myself listening to more music with the Maggies installed, than with any other speaker I have had.

I asked Magnepan’s marketing consultant, Eric Norgaarden, what he thinks sets Magnepan’s design apart from most other speakers on the market. He replied “It’s a little difficult to not get technical when attempting to describe the difference between listening to favorite music on multi-driver box/enclosure designed loudspeakers versus dipole magnetic planar speakers like those from Magnepan.  When properly set up in a room, the dipole speakers tend to disappear, and get out of the way of the music.  Some people would call this an increase in transparency or  the experience of listening to a more musical speaker.  When one gets up out of the listening position and walks around the room while the music is playing, the staging is much different with a box/enclosure than a dipole. 

Closing your eyes and walking down the center between the two speakers, you can still envision the soundstage right in front of you, even after you pass the speakers on your left and right, ending up behind them.  That is part of why dipoles need to be pulled out into the room a bit more than a box/enclosure.  In the case of dipoles like Magnepan, I feel like I can hear more of what the artist, producer or engineer intended when they made the recording.  I also feel like I am getting an idea of what the recording room environment was like, whether in a studio or live venue.  To borrow a phrase, dipoles from Magnepan make me feel like I am there, as opposed to they being here.”

I, too, would sum up my experience with the Magnepan 1.7i and .7 as “being there”, as much as one can with a home playback system. I will boldly proclaim I don’t believe there are better speakers on the market at the $2000 and $1400 price points, all things considered. In fact, one experienced listener, who owns monitors costing five times more than the 1.7i, remarked that the tweeters are essentially “state of the art” within their price ranges and even beyond.  If state of the art means tonally natural, transparent, and non fatiguing, I agree!

Product links:

Magnepan 1.7i

Magnepan .7