Musicians as Audiophiles (a la Stereophile)

Click to enlarge. David Smith, Pic from Stereophile.

New York Diary (20-20): Musicians as Audiophiles (a la Stereophile)

Addendum 5/18/20: I didn't even know it when I wrote this. Apparently Ken Micallef has all of these on youtube! Just type in his name. That's many sleepless nights!

After I posted the last Diary entry (20-19; right below this one) my colleague mrgoodsound alerted me of more in this series. Although I have been a long-time Stereophile print edition subscriber, I actually never perused their website much. I only go through the email newsletters (limited links), and I focus on vintage reviews (like those by the pioneering J Gordon Holt) that they are gradually posting (great for them, with a sense of history; contrast that with TAS). Suffice to say, I am apparently missing quite a bit of musically related posts. Among these is Ken Micallef's series, Musicians as Audiophiles. In one long day I avidly soaked up the whole series. As mrgoodsound said, it is indeed a great series, and I urge you to read them all and sincerely hope they will find more musicians to report on.

It is well known that a lot of musicians don't get into audio (and KM poses this question in every interview). I know first hand! Many years ago I had a pianist girlfriend who was skeptical of my audio  setup (my Dahlquist DQ-10 period; here). She paid attention to the music. e.g I still remember while she was listening to a Furtwangler mono recording of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, she remarked, "Listen to that! What beautiful phrasing!" On the other hand, on my advice her composer colleague bought a friend's Quicksilver 8417 monoblocks - so responses vary. One exception is guitarists, who may not be into audio per se, but every accomplished player is into tone and tube rolling, because the best guitar amps are still vintage tubed ones. In fact, a lot of the tube rolling comments on the net are based on guitar amps, not home audio!

What I am doing in this article is: 1) provide a link to each so you don't have to search. That is 11 Home Visits there! 2) comment on the equipment (or setup) because I can relate to much of it.

The Musicians mostly chose well (because they have ears!)
These are all accomplished musicians, the most famous of which is Ron Carter. They all know and influence each other, but vary greatly in their audio immersion (one is nearly as crazy as I) and budget. Paradoxically and true to my Cheaptubeaudio Roots, the ones that interest me the most are those with limited budget or space. In most cases I think for their budget they have done very well, and can serve as examples for many an audiophile, especially beginners. There is a lot they share: preference for turntables and some tubes, even vintage; attention to neutrality, presence and an open sound. But what is most remarkable (but not surprising) to me is the language they use to describe their systems and goals, all related to the actual sounds of instruments and the live event. You are not going to find much use of jargon's like "soundstage" or "imaging". The talks read like Art Dudley (a musician too), but more direct and less philosophical. I'll start with the ones that interest me the most. As our young old soul mrgoodsound commented, David Smith was the most interesting one to us vintage aficionados.

David Smith
Altec 604E (20 cu ft cabinets) First, it is absolutely correct that the larger the cabinet or the space the better, but that is out of the question for most people. It is AMAZING to see that cabinet in this small space! One can see impact is very important to him. Most of us can only live with smaller cabinets. I have heard many 604's (all iterations) and some of what I think about the 604's and Altec in general can be found in 2 of my Home visits: this 604D and this 604H. Even with 20 cu ft the bass is lean (and they are room and wall augmented), as I'd expect. Personally I'd add a subwoofer. Transmission Line I am not the only one who harbors some reservations about TL. Many years ago, in a HK forum, there was a thread on the merits or lack of of TL. I didn't weigh in, but all that vitriol was amazing! Outside of DIY efforts, the most famous loudspeaker manufacturers that use TL in some of their products are vintage IMF and current PMC. I have heard quite a bit of both in HK. IMF can sound pretty good but like a lot of vintage loudspeakers (e.g. the infinite baffle KEF 104AB) their slower transients bother me. As for PMC, a couple of times I did find the bass of their tower TL designs suspect (one-note). I understand MLTL, which many view as similar to simple ported enclosures, is popular with Altec DIY'ers. Rek-O-Kut TT That is a beauty! Even though I used to have Garrard 301's and now still use Thorens TD-125, I'd not mind owning one of that idler wheel model! Denon 103R/102 What can I say! Anyone who appreciates Denon cartridges is a fellow traveler! Scott 130 I still have a unit in HK! Perhaps my unit was not in the best of shape. I found it a bit too warm and preferred my Scott LC-21, a less lauded and less complicated model, which has its own adherents. Radiocraftsman RC-2 Regular readers know my enthusiasm for the 6V6 tube, which I prefer to all later pentode/tetrode/beam tubes. The RC-2 is one of the most overbuilt and iconic and I have heard it in HK as well as in NYC recently. Somehow, Sid Smith notwithstanding, I think it (and the C-400) may not be the best sounding one. I may actually prefer the sound of the smaller transformers (usually quicker and lighter sound) found on cheaper units . But it is great to see a musician using this tube! Dad's System That must have been something, the legendary Dahlquist DQ-10 which I used to own (my Dahlquist DQ-10 period here); how I wish I had then a muscle amp like his dad's Bryston! His Earlier Acquisitions Quite a bit of the stuff he had used are great stuff. First Loudspeakers, the man obviously has long been into efficient loudspeakers, like the Lowther PM6A, which, great as it is, would not give a Jazz man his oomph. Klipsch Heresy again too! And then The French 3A, precursor to the current Canadian Reference 3A. The history of the 3A company is quite convoluted. Being a long-time devotee of fullrange and first-order loudspeakers (my views here), I have fond memories of their affordable 2003 first generation MM de Capo loudspeakers (first-order) which I bought used in HK. It had a sloping baffle (time-aligned) and was superbly musical and dynamic for its size (though not small). It worked well with my SET amps. I sold it because, again, it lacked a little transient speed (never tried with ss amps). Researching for this article, I was surprised by an Art Dudley review that I never read. For more crazy history of this company, read ufhmag, and this unusal frenchvintagehifi site features a lot of the company's even earlier products. And then we come to the preamps. First, the Marantz 7T, the solid state version of the iconic 7C. I have never found it that good, but the Eico HF-85 is another story. It was one of my first vintage forays. My unit had a sound that was overly warm but vocals were mesmerizing and it came with all Mullard tubes. At that time I was using Russian tubes and soon found the old-stock tubes to be superior - the rest is history. In HK, my friend rcwy is an Eico freak and mans a Yahoo group. He restored many of these and was always showcasing this preamp.

John Escreet
Fisher 500C What first rocked his boat was hearing his musician friend's Fisher 500C driving the LS3/5A, thinking it was realistic, and this from a musician! Of course, I cannot agree more! Any good tube amp driving the LS3/5A is bound to be a satisfying experience. As I type I am streaming NML to my 15 ohm Chartwell's (Artemis LA-1 tube preamp and Akitika GT-102 power amp). Fabulous sound! A note on the Fisher 500C. This is THE most iconic Receiver for a good reason: Fisher makes great amps and tuners! And personally I think the 7591 is a GREAT output tube (maybe that's the reason why, with McIntosh amps, many consider MC-225 the best sounding). I should restore mine, which was given to me (one output tube glows red). Vandersteen This is just the first time this Loudspeaker name will appear in this series. The iconic original Model 2 was released in 1977 (here) and the model has been in continuous refinement and production since then. The 1's and 2's are bargains. Like Dahlquist and Alon, a Vandersteen only has a woofer enclosure, the midrange and tweeter being baffle-less. They are also time-aligned. If not for the Plain Jane look, they deserve to be more popular!

Jerome Sabbagh
In Room Placement The thing that struck me the most is that the system is set up for Near Field Listening. In my opinion, in a small space that certainly is the best thing to do. In fact, even with larger rooms and larger loudspeakers, if family situation permits, in-room is frequently much better sounding due to less room problems (as witnessed here). JR149 I am surprised this loudspeaker made its appearance. Every LS3/5A aficionado knows it and considers it a "variant". I used to own a pair. I have to say I prefer the more sassy sounding LS3/5A, though the somewhat larger JR149 can likely play louder. Fisher X-100 v3 This is another Fisher classic that uses the 7189, a ruggedized version of one of my favorite tubes, the EL84/6BQ5 to yield more power. The disadvantage is, due to the higher dissipation, other EL84/6BQ5 tubes cannot be reliably used and 7189's are rarer and significantly more expensive. Garrard 401 needs no introduction, classic idler wheel. Harmon Kardon Citation II Wow, that's a legendary amp! It makes me livid that many of these were poached for their transformers by various DIY and small manufacturers. Shame on them! I still have a beat-up stock amp in HK. It sounds great! The Jim Mcshane mod he mentions lowers the dissipation to be kinder on tubes. Previous Acquisitions In my opinion, the Quad 303 is a cheap and excellent amp and can certainly drive his JR149 very well. The problem is the Quad 34 preamp; stock it is low gain and not a lively sounding unit, good only for amps with very high input sensitivity.

Chris Lightgap
KLH 17/23 I don't know these per se, but my experience with these vintage large boxes from KLH and AR have been positive. No WAF and clumsy and heavy, but these musicians like them. I remember after I moved out of my Manhattan apartment and sold my DQ-10's I had no loudspeakers. After my father passed away I moved in with my mother and began to buy vintage stuff (yes, that Eico HF-85, which I took to and late sold in HK). Someone gave me a pair of AR's, not any of the famous models, which I had against the wall on a cabinet. One day, a jaded audiophile came to listen, and I used my McIntosh C-22 and Marantz 8B and played the BBC audiophile LP Flight of the Condor. He was shocked by the quality of the sound. Funny thing was, he had just sold his C-22 and soon after, thinking he had undervalued it, he bought another one. Crazy? Thorens 160 This is a great looking and sounding turntable, but I like even more its earlier sibling TD-150, which I used to own, because of the friendlier design of the armboard. The tonearms on these are limiting factors. I compared my TD-150 then to the LP12 (both had the SME 3009) and ditched the latter. This musician preferred the Grado Prestige Green to the Rega Bias. I'd completely agree with that. Mind you, when I restarted vinyl playing in HK, I had a Rega 3 with the Bias on it. I never heard any thing special from that cartridge (and a later Elys). I still have the much more expensive Grado Gold, which I consider an excellent entry level cartridge, and the Green is the same cartridge with probably a little less tolerance. Dynaco FM3 This is a sleeper. It is minimalist and does not have a classic display, and some worry about the cat eye tube. But it is excellent sounding. I should take mine out and run it! Fisher KX-100 Another less touted but excellent Fisher amp! It uses the 7868, which is electrically the same as 7591 but has different pinout and base (smaller noval vs larger octal) but these days you can probably find Chinese -made adaptors for very little from Ebay. Finally, another one whose dad had a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10's!

Jed Levy
Proac 2.5 This was produced during Proac's Golden Age. They were best selling, and in HK, for a long time you could always find a few pairs of these in second-hand shops. They are almost always reasonably good sounding on home visits. However, personally, I prefer their reference line, the original Response series (I have owned the 1, with outboard crossover; and 2; and heard the stunning 5, with its d'Appolito arrays), which in my opinion are significantly better than their later iterations. Spendor SP1 (original stands) I used to have these, which I prefer to their more famous predecessor BC-1. Too me, the SP-1 has the faster transient and cleaner bass. They are really good with 300B amps too! Rel Strata III Subwoofer I probably would prefer the SP1 + sub to the Proac 2.5's! Ariston RD11S Of course this turntable is much better than the Music Hall and the Dynavector 10x is the better cartridge too! Rogue Magnum Amp This name also comes up more than once. With good reason. I have heard their older upper echelon products and they were reasonably good sounding traditional tube amps. Like Prima Luna, a fair choice for newbies or people on a budget.

Adam Rogers
In Room Another example of the virtues of in-room placement. B&W CM5 Our friend Kevin still has  a pair and it sounds good there. I have also played with the slightly smaller CM1 (here). The CM series is one of B&W's best. Why? Because they are another example of First Order Crossover! Totem This is Totem's entry level and I am not so sure about it. I have heard quite a few models and did not find them to my taste. Except one. The original Model 1, which puts them on the map, is great (but needs power). AR XA An excellent turntable for sure. My friend Andy jokingly said it is the watchdog in his house: any newcomer has to beat it to earn its keep. Rogue Sphinx Another Rogue! I actually would like to hear this amp because it is a hybrid (I love my Counterpoint SA-12), which I am not adverse to and I suspect I may like it more than the all-tubed ones (no offense, no matter how good, modern tube amps don't measure up to vintage). Yamaha NS-10M One of the most iconic mini-monitors, so famous as to have a dedicated namesake website. I miss my pair (here), as well as the NS-1000M!

Paul Wells
Vandersteen 1C Yet another Vanderstein! It is interesting he used his ears and determined the 2's are not as suitable for him. Usually audiophiles try their best to overreach and sabotage themselves! :)

Billy Drummond
Now, that's a real audiophile! SO much equipment and so many systems! Just a few of what interests me. Magnepan 1.6 The excellence of Magnepan needs no introduction. Heard many of these in HK and I own in NYC the 1.7 (here), which I am thinking of dragging out recently. California Audio Labs Sigma II Tube DAC Despite its Delta-Sigma credentials, this is a very musical DAC and still commands a good price on the market. Micromega MyDac One of my favorites, and being used right now as I stream music! A great bargain these days! Vandersteen 3A and 2CE 2  pairs! ARC preamp and Bryston amp I have used before and it is a good combo. Technics Turntables Of course I am a Technics Direct-Drive Fan, but I don't understand why the GREAT SP-10 is languishing in the dining room when the 1200 is used often? Glass Toslink This got me curious. I won't buy one, but I'd love to hear a comparison between plastic and glass!

Dan Weiss
In Room This is a very basic system which I am sure sounds pretty good. Rega (I liked my first generation Brio but the power was limited) and Spendor cannot go wrong. But look! The way he has his loudspeakers in room, and there is so much room behind the loudspeakers. Imaging will be very good and the sound would be airy. Sennheiser HD-600 Great choice and among the best. I brought over my pair from HK. My HK friend BenYC swears by it and I think my colleague mrgoodsound likes it too! Reader's Comment Under this article, a reader said, "...It is encouraging that professional musicians in these articles seem to get by with good, reliable, but by no means exorbitantly priced audio equipment. And let's remember one thing, technicalities aside about whether these great musicians are "audiophiles" or not: they have a keener ear than most of us as they make their living off of producing the real thing. With each successive article in this series I gain a growing sense that my audio equipment is good enough, and that I should focus my limited budget on good recordings, perhaps of the very figures covered in these articles..." Well said, and indeed! Applause!

Ron Carter
This is a relatively sparse and "simple" system, but I am kind of surprised by the loudspeakers. Tetra Loudspeakers are unknown to me. Here, Carter has more to say about them. But then after researching I know why. The 606's are what Carter's colleague, the great Pianist Herbie Hancock, uses and promotes (here). They are 33K in list price!!! But, aside from a AMT (prevalent these days), I really don't see why that is so different conceptually from Dahlquist, Alon, Vandersteen. Hmm...I do think of one thing. With AMT or ribbon tweeters, due to our intrinsic ability to equalize, paradoxically the bass would be very clean, good for both bass and piano. We experienced HK audiophiles say, a super-tweeter is to tighten the bass, and a subwoofer will make the treble better! That is a half-truth, but it is true! But I think equally good results can be gotten for much less. Get a decent loudspeaker, and dial in a bit (never too much) subwoofer and super-tweeter to see what you get. After all, it is no big secret, and that's what these speaker designers are doing. But, YOU can do it for way less. Ribbons tweeters today are cheap (and good), and the same for subwoofers.

John Hebert
Vandersteen 2Ci Another! Very humble stuff but I believe they would sound good together. I am particularly interested in the very solidly built Sony Turntable. What I am saying is that a LOT of vintage TTs are very good. You don't need a much vaunted gear (like Garrad 301, Thorens 124 etc) to have musical satisfaction. As an example, my Pioneer PL-10, my first TT, still entices me!

I am not sure that is all there is, but that's the result of my search.

Observations

• The Musician Cohort Obviously, these (jazz and pop) musicians all know and influence and help each other. So there is a tremendous overlap in equipment. But audiophiles would do well to examine the factors that influence these musicians, all deeply attuned to what real music sounds like, to subscribe to certain ways. Also, I have to point out, most of them are not classical music listeners and do not crave the lowest octaves (otherwise we'll see more subs".

• Catholic Tastes and The Box For the most part, these musicians do not tolerate complicated stuff. Do you see any of them using super-hi-tech Computer Audio? No. When it comes to Loudspeakers, it cannot be clearer: 1) They prefer less electronic components in the signal path.  Their loudspeakers are overwhelmingly higher efficiency or have simple crossovers (first order, like 3A, B&W and Vandersteen's) ; 2) They prefer a boxless sound, as exemplified by the numerous baffle-less Vandersteen's or Magneplanar, and the Tetra; 3) when it comes to more complicated crossovers, the BBC influence is apparent (LS3/5A, JR149, Spendors's). Note the absence of modern stuff.

• Turntables There is a huge age gap between them, but down to the last one, they ALL love to play vinyl. And ALL think vinyl sounds better. Quite a few of them may benefit from TT upgrades! Lower end Rega and Music Hall, and VPI's can all be bettered by a solid vintage TT in good shape.

• Tubes Tubes are preferred somewhere along the way! Of course! We know that!

• Vintage Vintage equipment is respected and loved and preferred by these musicians. That is a TALL indictment of modern hifi, and I cannot agree more. I particularly love all the Fisher integrated amps! Before I left HK, I sold my treasured Fisher X-101-C to a friend and he just wallows in it with his LS3/5A's. Also, my yumcha friend KC has a triode-modified Fisher 101 (EL84) which is superb (here).

• Placement To me, the musicians mostly intelligently made use of their space. Those with larger speakers place them against the wall (no detriment, but bringing them forth can still be beneficial), but those with small monitors mostly use in-room settings. Exactly as it should be.

• Impact of this Series I just love that readers comment (under Dan Weiss)! What that reader said is very important, because a lot of audiophiles have been led by all the industry talks and hyperbole's into endless upgrade "paths", paying undue attention to Levels (1, 2, 3, etc), Class (A, B, C), instead of saying "Good Enough" (which I champion). The musicians mostly display the kind of sense often lacking in reviewers, and perusing what they use is a lot more fun than perusing the magazines. The "higher" the end, the more boring the review, don't you think?

What a great series, and I hope that it will continue! Again, thanks to my colleague mrgoodsound for alerting me to this great series!