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@@@ March'2001 TheAudioRevolution 评论
The Power 3 Special Edition mono amplifier is a new reference product from Sonic Frontiers, the Canadian-based audio/video electronic manufacturing company. Sonic has been in business since 1990 with a handful of products that have received industry recognition for being among the very top of their class. The original Power 3 amplifiers have been in production since 1995, with the new Special Edition version now available as of March 2001.
The Special Edition Power 3 is a hopped-up, much-refined version of the original Power 3 mono amplifier. Similar to the standard Power 3, the dimensions of the Special Edition remain the same at 18 inches wide, 22 inches deep and nine inches tall. The look is exactly the same as that of the previous Power 3, consisting of a box to the rear of the amplifier, containing the transformer and power supply electronics, and an extended platter to the front with a complement of eight power tubes and six input driver tubes. Set against brushed stainless steel, the tubes provide a spectacular glow.
One difference in the Power 3 Special Edition from the previous model is its much more powerful Svetlana KT88 Power tubes. These tubes have long been manufactured in Russia and were not available in the U.S. until recently. Most products in the U.S. continue to use the U.S.-manufactured 6550 power tube, which has a much lower output. The 6550 power tube is inferior to the Svetlana KT88 in several ways, but most notably in its reduction in power output. The benefit of the KT88 power tubes in the Power 3 Special Edition version is a boost to the already high-powered (certainly for tube amplification) original Power 3s, which are rated at 220 watts per channel. Sonic Frontiers also includes eight NOS (New Old Stock) German VALVO or SIEMENS 25 to 35 year old vintage ECC88 / 6DJ8 type input/drive tubes. The new Special Edition packs a mean 260 watts per channel.
The Special Edition Power 3 has upgraded gold-plated porcelain tube sockets for a more pure tube connection, Kimber Silver Streak input wire, Kimber AGSS output wiring, Caddock and Vishay signal path resistors – over 30 per monoblock - the highest quality RTX polystyrene MultiCap Capacitors, and a new faceplate to round off the Special Edition mods. The Special Edition Power 3 represents Sonic Frontiers’ effort to provide a no-compromise solution to amplification.
Also different is the price tag. The Power 3 Special Edition amplifiers retail for $11,999 per pair, compared to the standard Power 3s, which sell for $9,999 per pair.
Upgrades are expected to be available for the standard Power 3s later this summer. However, they are expected to cost more than $2,000 (the difference in price between the original and new models). This is due to the significant breakdown required for the retrofit.
I have been using the Sonic Frontiers Power 2, reviewed by AudioRevolution.com back in 1998, as my reference for better than two years. I am currently using the Revel Salon loudspeakers as my reference, speakers that need and benefit from higher power output. The arrival of the Power 3s meant an opportunity to hear the proposed best of an electronics line that has already earned my respect. Could this amplifier live up to my high expectations? Let’s see.
As was mentioned in Jerry Del Colliano’s Power 2 review, the act of unpacking Sonic Frontiers amplifiers is somewhat like Christmas morning for audio enthusiasts. Upon removing the amplifiers – very large ones - from the boxes, you will need to install the tubes. A nifty installation kit including tubes, biasing tools, and a white glove for protecting the tubes from any hand oils during installation, is included. After the tubes have been carefully set up, these amps are ready to fire. Fire would seem to be an appropriate word as the glow of this tube complement is an amazing orange. Biasing is performed at the top of the amplifier, using a screwdriver-type tool with built-in red and green lighting indicating when the tubes are properly set. Biasing takes about five minutes and should be performed once a month, as properly biased tubes last longer and sound better.
Once the Power 3s were connected to my speakers, I was ready to rock - almost. I fired the amps up and patiently waited until they had the recommended 200 hours of break-in time. After break-in was complete, my critical listening began. There are many aspects of any new product that need to be evaluated. This is best accomplished when the listener keeps a very open mind and avoids any pre-determined conclusions. However, once in awhile, a product comes along which gives an immediately striking performance. Such is the case with the Power 3 SEs.
There were many aspects of these amplifiers that were immediately impressive. Most notable, in addition to the abundant amount of power, was a much greater level of musical transparency.
The Music
Jazz singer Julia Fordham is a musician who I recently discovered and had the good fortune to see perform live in a San Francisco club. The Japanese release of her album Porcelain (Circa Records Ltd./Virgin Japan Ltd.) contains a couple songs not released on the U.S. pressing. In the song "Prince of Piece," I found several different qualities of her voice to be unusually engaging. I found the vocal textures to be much improved when played on the Power 3 Ses, compared to how the same material sounded when played over a couple of other amplifiers that I have recently heard. Fordham’s voice had an inherent realness that was absolutely mesmerizing. Compared to the Pass X350, the Power 3 SE had a considerably more convincing presentation. The vocals were much more set back, without the faintest suggestion of coming forward.
When a product is void of sonic artifacts that can push images forward, or artifacts from the music that can become somewhat obtrusive, you find yourself almost gasping for breath. This is the case with the sound coming through the Power 3 SEs. For me, this phenomenon is caused by the somewhat expected presence of reproduced artifacts, grain and flaws in the music. When these distractions are missing from the music, you get a feeling of relief or an unexpected relaxation in the reproduction. In the case of the Power 3 Special Editions, the relaxation isn’t slowness or laziness, but rather an absence of unnecessary harshness.
Let’s embark upon a musical journey into the past. First I am going to go with Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia Records). Bob Dylan has been one of the greatest influences on American folk music, as well as being a huge influence on rock ‘n’ roll greats like Jimi Hendrix. I admit to being influenced by Dylan as well.
In the song "Ballad of a Thin Man," Dylan’s vocals were presented nicely, with a tremendous amount of air around the vocal body. This is an area in which the Power 3s excel over many other amps. The harmonica was separated and laid back well, with great air between the ambient room information.
Sound Summary
Overall, I found the Power 3 Special Editions to perform very well. The bass is abundant, perhaps not as quick and deep as on some solid state monsters, but solid state sound shouldn’t be expected from tube amplification.
Those who have read and have followed my opinions know that I love tube gear. It offers reality. In most cases, this reality is not without compromise. The compromises are most commonly made in the lower frequencies. I found the low-frequency extension of the Power 3 SEs to be the best I have heard from a tube amplifier. The low-frequency information was more coherent and present than that provided by the Audio Research VT100 Mk II. I feel that, top to bottom, the Power 3 SEs sound sweeter and less reproduced. However, I do feel that there is some midrange coloration not found in the Audio Research VT100 Mk II. Even with this coloration, though, I still preferred the Power 3s in nearly every category.
Compared to Sonic Frontiers Power 2s that I have been using, the Power 3 SEs are considerably more transparent and better in absolutely every category - a notable improvement.
The Power 3 SEs have an enormous amount of power. I am currently using the Revel Salons as my reference loudspeakers, which need higher power to get peak performance. I found the Power 3 SEs to possess control similar to the very high-powered Pass X350s, with the exception of ultimate bass extension. Let’s face it, as stated earlier, bass extension is what solid state amps do best.
The midrange of the Power 3 SEs is incredibly palpable and engaging.
Downside
The Power 3 Special Editions, being tube amplifiers, have the same problem that scares many enthusiasts away – tube maintenance. Tubes will last you in the area of 2000 hours. Depending on how much you listen, this could mean anywhere from one to three years of tube life between replacements at a cost of about $1,000 for the two amplifiers. My feeling is that if you can afford a $12,000 set of amplifiers, you probably aren’t worried about tube replacement, although math tells you that this will represent anywhere from $30 to $75 per month.
Additionally, worries of how to determine when a tube is going, or has gone bad, and making sure you have replacement tubes on hand so that you are not without music for an extended period of time while waiting for new tubes to arrive, are additional concerns.
Tube products can be a pain to position. You can’t easily place them in a rack, because of severe ventilation problems. It can be done, but care must be taken. Tube amplifiers get very hot, much hotter than solid state. Keeping them out and within reach can present a problem for people with kids and animals – again, another case where care must be taken.
The points that I have listed are all points that exist with any tube product. The fact is that tubes are not for everyone.
Conclusion
I do not think that the Sonic Frontiers Power 3 Special Edition amplifiers are perfect. For that matter, I haven’t heard any amplifier that is perfect. There are compromises inherent in every amplifier on the market. Knowing where you are and are not willing to accept compromise brings you to your best personal choice.
The Power 3 SEs are, however, the best tube amplification that I have had in my personal sound system to date. They provide a tremendous level of resolution and ultimate enjoyment. I feel they excel in providing the most important information, the finite detail that is often called air, or information that separates the instruments from the room. It is this level of detail that makes reproduction real.
If you can live without the ultimate bass control of the solid state mega-watt amps, and have a taste for truly realistic vocals and instruments, then the Sonic Frontiers Power 3 Special Edition is a great choice. For me, it has raised the bar and will become a permanent part of my reference system.
@@@@ July'2000 Stereophile 评论
Sonic Frontiers Line 3 Preamplifier
Power 3 Monoblock Power Amplifier
Sonic Frontiers Power 3
I'm going to cheat a little here. My comments on the Sonic Frontiers Power 3 monoblock power amplifier2 are a Follow-Up to Brian Darnkroger’s review in the April 2000 issue, but the $4999 SF Line 3 preamplifier has not been given a full review in these pages. I offer my observations of amp and preamp, separately and as a team, because my feelings about the two differ significantly from Brian’s.
When I reviewed the $3299 Line 2 (December 1997, Vol.20 No.12), I was completely won over by it and was somewhat disappointed when, in response to my pleading for its return, I got a spanking new Line 3 instead! I wasn’t asking for more, and, at the time, didn’t think I wanted more.
Cosmetically and operationally, all of Sonic Frontiers’ Line-series preamps are identical, including that great remote control, and my review of the Line 2 and MK’s review of the Line 1 (Vol.20 No.11) cover that story. The SF Line preamps differ in the sophistication with which the fully balanced design is executed and, more obvious to the eye, the size and complexity of their power supplies. The Line 1 has an onboard power supply with 15 stages of regulation, the Line 2 has a small (but heavy) external power supply with 19 stages of regulation, and the Line 3 has a full-sized and very heavy external supply with 26 regulators, no fewer than eight of them of the high-voltage shunt type.
The Line 3 has three power transformers/raw supplies for the two audio channels and for the non-audio functions (display, control logic, etc.) so that all the audio circuits are isolated from the housekeeping functions. Each phase of each supply is provided with a C-L-C pi filter consisting of a 20µF Solen cap, a potted 2H inductor, and a 56µF Solen cap for excellent CMRR and separation, as well as ripple rejection and fast response to transient demands. Powerup is sequenced so that filaments are turned on first, followed by high voltage, and all high-voltage, supplies are shut down in the Standby mode. These measures reduce stress and prolong tube life.
Inside the main chassis, the 6-tube (all 6DJ8/6922) Line 1 and 2 appear somewhat similar, but the Line 2 is endowed with a more generous layout and upgraded components because there is no internal power supply. The 10-tube, 65-lb Line 3 is much more complex and elaborate, with component selections that go beyond compulsiveness and border on paranoia. Even the printed circuit boards are damped and isolated! Balanced and single-ended sources are fed via input resistors and input selection relays to the Line 3’s dual CS3310 volume controllers with differential amps (one 6922 per channel) on their outputs. SF says that this circuit arrangement offers better sound than earlier designs based on passive four-gang attenuators.
The cathode-follower output stage consists of two dual triodes per signal phase per channel, for a total of eight 6922s! One triode half of each 6922 is paralleled with that of another 6922 for low output impedance, while the second half of both serves as a paralleled constant current source. In addition, a pair of 6U8As regulates AC bias of the input stage and serves as an error amp to sense and correct phase balance in the output stage. DC servos are used around the output stage and no output coupling capacitor is used.
This results in a very low output impedance, especially for a tube preamp: 45 ohms single-ended, 90 ohms balanced.
But given that I said – in print, no less –1 couldn’t find any shortcomings in the Line 2!,” why even bother with the Line 3? Because the Line 3 corrects shortcomings of the Line 2 that are so minor that they are apparent only when removed. The two preamps share an overall balance and presentation that I continue to characterize as confoundingly neutral. That accounts for my inability to provide a lengthy subjective description, and for Brian’s wondering (about the Line 2, April 2000, p.101) diat,,ies odd that it doesn’t evoke a stronger emotional response. Is it because it’s so neutral ... or is it that it... is missing something that we don’t necessarily notice?” Like the Line 2, the Line 3 is not an exciting preamp, it’s merely exact. The Line 3 firms up the Line 2’s mid and extreme bass and removes the residual traces of grain throughout the spectrum. The Line 3 gains authority the longer one listens, and has become my reference tool for assessing other components.
I don’t share Brian’s
expressed tolerance for
small “errors to the warm,
liquid side”... I like things
tight and clean.
The Power 2 power amplifier sat in my listening room for more than a year and presented me with a conundrum similar to Brian’s with the Line 2. Over that time, and however much I resisted the prospect, I ended up choosing it – over every other amp and with almost every speaker for enjoying music. Sure, the Bryston 7B-STs had more slam and punch, the SimAudio Moon W-5 was more powerful and just as smooth, and the McCormack DNA-1 had more sparkle and fife. But I hooked up the Power 2 whenever I just wanted to listen to music. By common practice, it became my reference. ies not perfect, but the softness of the bass and its tendency to seem a bit mellow were acceptable in the context of its overall integrity of sound.
So even before I had a chance to read BD’s review of the Sonic Frontiers Power 3 monoblock amplifiers, I arranged to buy the review pair. Surely, the Power 3 would retain all of the characteristics of the Power 2 that I so prized, and the scaled-up monoblocks just might correct the 2’s lapses. The Power 3s were still on their circuitous trip from BD to TJN (for testing) to Sonic Frontiers (for a checkup and retubing) to me, when I saw BD’s review in print and read, with horror, that “These amps don’t rock.” Had Ijust blowri it?
I need not go through all the details of the Power 3, because I can find nothing to dispute in Brian’s observations: I heard the same things. Moreover, I think he and I would agree that we don’t want a component that sounds “good” or “great,” but one that doesn’t “sound” at all. Still, one needs only to glance at the comments that Brian and I have made over the years about Sonic Frontiers components (encapsulated in the “Recommended Components” listings for the Line 2 and Power 2 in the April Stereophile) to predict that we would not have the same emotional response to the Power 3. In addition to our having different heads and hearts, our system contexts (sources, speakers, rooms) are quite different, and our musical interests only partly overlap. Finally, I don’t share Brian’s expressed tolerance for small “errors to the warm, liquid side,” and I am more likely to forgive small subtractive ones that do not exacerbate the resonances that can pop up throughout the audio chain and pique me. I like things tight and clean.
The system into which I inserted the Power 3 included the already resident Line 3 and the Revel Ultima Studio loudspeakers.
The most immediate improvement of the Power 3 over the 2 was in the extension and solidity of the bass, where the Studios offer ample opportunity for demonstration. Although the 2 was warm and ever so slightly soft at the bottom, the monoblock 3s had steel fists in their velvet gloves, and dealt handily with the demands of Mahler, Widor, and Pink Floyd. No warmth? No, but satisfyingly full and dramatic.
At the other end of the spectrum, in John Culshaw’s pellucid and powerful production of Strauss’s Salome with Nilsson, Solti, and the Vienna Philharmonic (London OSA 1218), not only were Salome’s veils dropped; so, too, was any ambiguity of detail in the upper strings and percussion. The tonal quality of the midrange through the Power 2 and Power 3 may be quite similar but the Line 3s’ clarity and image depth were distinct advances on the Line 2’s. In other words, the combination of Power 3 and Line 3 was even more neutral than that of the Power 2 and Line 2: the former emulated the grinning Cheshire Cat even more exactly as they continued to disappear.
I do acknowledge Brian’s observations on the Power 3: There was some dryness throughout the midrange with the OLS Kharma Ceramique 2 speakers and compared to the McCormack Rev-A DNA-1. With the Revel Ultima Studios (and helped by some recently added acoustic room treatment), there seemed to be nothing missing. The sound was neither rich nor dry, but balanced. I did not feel that the Power 3/Line 3 combo sapped the life from the music, but rather that it offered the music stripped of added embellishment, Soundstage depth and width were beyond cavil, as was instrument localization, but these parameters are more greatly influenced by the speaker/room setup than by the electronics.
Dynamics: I knew I’d have to deal with this. Like most of us, I have two listening modes, and what I hear is often determined by which mode I’m in. With my audiophile (and reviewer) hat on, I listen for the sounds in the music. With my music-lover hat on, I listen to the sounds of the music. in audiophile mode, I heard everything that Brian, almost apologetically, describes as limitations in the Power 3’s presentation of micro- and macrodynamics and how this affects other issues. Yet I have to force myself to listen for them, and would perhaps not have noted them without his suggestion.
But even when I do, I am impressed by how often the Line 3/Power 3 combination simply ravishes me. From the revelation of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s subtly modulated vocal inflections (Cerha’s Baal Gesdnge, Berlin Classics BC 20722) and the interplay of intimate voices in a Jandcek string quartet (Bayer 10051) to the inexorable impact of Mahler’s Symphony 6 (Bernstein, DG 427 9672), the Line 3/Power 3 kept blowing my audiophile hat right offl My impression – directly opposed to Brian’s -was of a very extended dynamic range. I thought the sound quite accurate in terms of dynamics, neither compressing nor emphasizing gradations, and that some contrasts were, appropriately, just not as big as others.
In matters of the audiophile heart, everything’s subjective. If Brian were to visit, he’d probably think that my system sounds damn good; I’m sure I’d have the same response to his. More than likely, we’d both be much happier in our own homes with our own music. It’s not necessarily bad or surprising news that no single component can please everyone. The good news is that, for me, Sonic Frontiers’ Power 3 and Line 3 were completely satisfying. They just got out of the way and let me at my music. In fact, I have bought both of SF’s top-of-the-fine offerings for my reference system.
-Kahnan Rubinson
@@@@ April'2000 Stereophile 评论
Sonic Frontiers Power 3 vacuum-tube
monoblock power amplifier
By Brian Damkroger
Sonic Frontiers Power 3 monoblock power amplifier
The internal battle between the head and the heart, between the analytical and romantic sides of our nature, is a difficult one. I’m an engineer, so it seems as if my cold, calculating side should have the upper hand. This is true in a lot of cases; most of my actions and decisions are based on straightforward, logical analyses. However, things like a house full of castaway dogs, or a garage full of quixoticc British cars and Italian motorcycles, suggest that my heart holds swayreasonably-perhaps distressingly-often.
This struggle is often in full force when I venture into the audio world. Inevitably, there’s a huge gap between a dispassionate accounting of a component’s pluses and minuses and my holistic, emotional response to the music it produces. Perhaps this reflects short comings in my analysis or comunication skills. Or it could be a contracdiction that’s inherent in trying to apply a fragmented, analytical picture to something as emotional and organic as my reaction to music.
Whatever the reason, it’s rare that an audio component excels across the board: frol-n the most analytical perspective to the most emotional. LPs, for example, have obvious flaws and don’t appeal to my logical side. Yet they manage to be more musically satisfying than CD’s “perfect sound forever.” Conversely, when the Melos SHA-Gold preamplifier of a few years back impressed me mightily, though I was hard pressed to come up with specific criticisms of its performance, it never seemed as musically satisfying as an analysis suggested it should be. The music never connected with me emotionally, never captured my heart.
Perhaps the best example in my recent history is a pair of integrated amps I auditioned a few years ago: one tube, one solid-state, both from the same manufacturer. The solid-state model was a technical marvel whose engineering and performance I truly admired, but when the lights went down and the music went on, I unfailingly found its tube sibling more satisfying.
This contradiction–or spectrum of response-is the backdrop against which the Sonic Frontiers Power 3 must be judged. SF has earned a reputation as a high-eiid heavy weight, and the Power 3 is their flagship amplifier. Its $9999/pair price tag isn’t exorbitant by today’s standards, but still, this isn’t a case of an amplifier being “good for the price” or “a reasonable compromise.” I expect a product like the Power 3 to do it all: to amaze and impress my analytical side, and to enchant and captivate my heart.
Drawing baffle lines
Starting from a purely analytical perspective, the Power 3’s spec sheet confirms that it’s a serious assault on the state of the art. It combines a tried-and-true tube circuit with modern, innovative engineering. The basic circuit uses four 6922 tubes as the input/driver stage, followed by a pair of 5687s for high-voltage drivers, and eight 6550C output tubes. The driver and output.
stages are direct- rattler than capacitor-coupled, to improve transient response and to avoid any signal blocking that might occur due to residual charge on the capacitors.
The circuit is fully balanced, input to output - even including the output transformers. Although there is only one set of speaker binding posts, the amps can be configured for 8, 4, or 2 ohm loads by a simple operation of changing a set of internal connections. Mine were factory-set at 4 ohms to match the Thiel CS72s; I used the same setting to match the 5 ohm load of the Magnepan MG3.6/Rs.
A peck inside confirms that the boards and layout are neat and professional, and the assembly is beautifuly done. Similarly, the parts quality is extraordinary, even at this price. The tubes are sourced from Sovtek, Svetlana, and Philips (US JANS), and are exactingly graded and matched. Passive components include Solen and Wima capacitors and Vishay and Roderstein resistors. The heavy binding posts are rhodium-plated, solid-copper units from Cardas, and the input ‘acks and internal @ring are from Kimber.
A peek inside confirms that the boards and layout are neat and professional,
and the assembly is beautifully done. Similarly, the parts quality is extraordinary.
As I moved outward to the Power 3’s construction quality and user interface, my analytical perspective still dominated–but the less tangible, emotional response began to contribute. Sure, form follows ftinction, and I admire and respect simple, logical, functional controls. But less tangible factors like fit and finish, proportion, and feel also come into play.
The Power 3 scores 10s across the board here as well. Fit and finish are outstanding: The heavy, laser-cut, stain-less-steel chassis panels fit perfectly, and are securely assembled and thoroughly damped. The finish treatment combines smooth, brushed surfaces and black, textured, powder-coated ones. Corners are chambered exactly how and where they should be, and the overall proportions are “just so.” Imagine a top-level Mercedes or BMW sedan, and you’ll have the right idea.
The Power 3’s controls are logical and well executed. Front-panel buttons control power and select between Standby and Operate, each flanked by an LED that glows red or green to indicate operational status. Standby mode gets (or keeps) things warmed up for a listening session while drastically reducing the wear on the power tubes.
Red on the Power LED indicates that the amp is muted, which is one of the four positions on the rear-panel lnput Select switch. The Mute function not only permits cable swaps ‘ hout shutting down the amp, it also activates the Power 3’s simple, wonderfully user-friendly process of measuring and adjusting tube bias. The other three positions on the Input switch select between balanced (XLR), single-ended (RCA), and reversed-polarity single-ended. Cardas five-way binding posts and a removable power cord complete the package.
All this would be enough to put the Power 3 in good stead, but Sonic Frontiers tosses in a few more niceties that reflect their attention to detail. For example, 5687s run hot, so SF includes Pearl tube coolers. All Of the tools required to assemble, install, and maintain the amps are included, as are white cotton gloves to handle the tubes –to avoid getting fingerprints on the glass. Even the manual is simple and thorough. My favorite goody, however, is that only two screws must be loosened to remove the chassis’ top section (for biasing), and the screws are springloaded and captured.
Why can’t everything be built this well, and show the end user this level of consideration?
System and setup
I used two different pairs of Power 3's over a 12-month period, with a wide variety of systems and setups. Recent listening sessions, and most of my specific examples, refer to a system that paired the Power 3s with Magnepan 3.6/R loudspeakers and a VAC CPA1 MK.III preamplifier. Analog duties were performed by my VPI TNT IV/JMW Memorial 12” combo, fitted with a Grado Reference cartridge and suspended on a dedicated TNT stand and Bright Star TNT Air Mass/Big Rock combo. Wadia 830 and Ultech UCD100 CD players handled discs, and everything was wired up with JPS Superconductor 2 cables, single-ended upstream of the VAC and balanced from there on. To help triangulate the Power 3’s character, I used comparisons with pairs of VTL Ichibalis and Mark Levinson No.20.6s, and a VAC Renaissance 70/70 and a Krell KSA-250.
Use and listening
As I’ve noted above, the Power 3 was a delight to set up, install, and use. Mysamples were reliable, dead quiet (save for one amp that unfailingly emitted a couple of quick spits shortly after turn-on), and not much more than warm in operation. The amps’ biases drifted a bit in the first few days of operation (I ran them continuously for a week before doing serious listening), but were rock-solid after that. My experience with the Thiel CS72 suggest that the Power 3 has enough power and control to drive difficult loads with aplomb.
The Power 3’s most obvious charactenstic – one that appealed greatly to my analytical side – was its flat tonal balance and incredible consistency from top to bottom. I cued up one of my favorite LPs, the Munch/Boston reading of Debussy’s La Mer (RCA LSC-2111), and kicked back. The double basses and bass drum were deep and articulate, with superb precision and pitch definition. Moving up through the cellos, woodwinds, and violins, it was a continuous flow, with no change in the amp’s character. Instruments retained their harmonic balance and texture across their ranges, and the overall mix -instruments, sections, soundstage, and ambience -was continuous as well.
The SF’s clean, controlled presentation extended up into the top end. There was no change in character whatsoever as violins or pianos, for example, moved to the very top of their range. Cymbals were open airy, and even piccolos were obviously the same instruments playing in the same space, from the bottom to the very top of their range. Occasionally, a touch of edginess crept into massed violins during crescendos near the top of their range. The majority of the time, however, the Power 3’s top end was smooth as well as clear, clean, and open.
In comparison, all of the other amps I used had slight but noticeable aberrations in frequency response. Comparison with the Power 3 made it obvious that the Mark Levinson No.26, for instance, had a dark, sivery sound slightly bloomy upper bass, sweet, prominent upper midrange and lower treble, and closed-in top end.
Sonic Frontiers Power 3
The Power 3 didn’t sound perfectly neutral, however. Its overall character was slightly cool, dry, and distant–exactly the opposite of the VTI’s slightly warm, liquid, immediate personality. On the vinyl version of the Ray Brown Trio’s Soular Energy (Concord jazz LELP 111, Bellaphon 180gin half-speed-mas-tered version), Brown’s bass sounded a little more prominent with the VTL, but more consistent across its range with the Power 3. Similarly, the VTL had a bit more midrange and upper-midrange bloom than the SF, so Emily Remler’s guitar and Red Hofloway’s sax were tonally richer and more vivid. Recent visits to concert halls and jazz clubs suggest that reality-and true neutrality–fall some where between the two.
Another immediately obvious component of the Power 3’s sound, and one that contributed strongly to its character, was a reduction in the size of dynamic gradients. Compared to the Levinson, VAC, or VTL, the Power 3’s deltas the differences between loud and soft simply weren’t as big. The transients were clean and fast, and the dynamic swings were very well controlled, but just not as big. Rim shots had a crisp, clean initial impact. The character was correct, the sound was detailed, and the leading and trailing edges were sharp but they just didn’t have the snap-your head-around sort of impact that the other amps did, and that makes the sound seem a bit more alive.
I wrestled with this a bit, playing with different preamp gain settings,carefully matching levels, and wondering if what I was really hearing was the Power 3’s superior control of the speaker. That may be part of it, but I’m convinced that it’s not the whole story. At any volume level and with any speaker I threw at it, the Sonic Frontiers’ dynamics were genuinely smaller across the board, from micro- to-miacro dynamics.
The second movement of La Mer runs the gamut from delicate woodwind passages with barely perceptible microdynamic shadings to all-out crescendos. With the Power 3, the crescendos didn’t have as much power as with the VTL. At the bottom end, a lot of the subtle microdynamic information was noticeably reduced, and in some cases gone altogether.
Backing up a step, however, there is no doubt that the Power 3s did do an excellent job of controlling the speakers. I’ve mentioned the speed and precision of the dynamic transients. Images were tightly focused as well, with excellent edge definition and a very clear sense of the space between them. The soundstage was very wide, extending well out beyond the Maggies’ outer edges, and the space between the images gave it an open, airy feel.
The Power 3s’ soudstage didn’t have quite the depth of the other amps’, but the depth it did have was more consistent from side to side. The other amps’ soundstages were deeper, but their shapes were slightly trapezoidal, perhaps even concave on the rear edge, with more depth in the center than at the edges. With the Power 3s, the rear cortiers were pushed further back and a bit better illuminated. There was a better sense of the orchestra’s back row - the percussion on La Mer, for example-and of the stage walls behind and beside them.
The Power 3s’ image specificity was excellent, and their reproduction of the images’ boundaries was very natural. Instruments transitioned smoothly into the surrounding space, maintaining distinct edges but flowing continuously into the background ambience. That ambience itself was clearly reproduced, but not as lushly as by the VTLs or Levinsons. Similarly, the Power 3s’ images themselves were a little less dense than with the other amps. On La Mer and Soular Energy, the SFs sounded a bit bleached in comparision -not as rich, and with a slightly pale, less complex harmonic structure. In contrast, Diana Krall’s luscious when I Look In Your Eyes (Impulse!/Verve IMPD-304) was better served by the Power 3s; this disc sounded a bit syrupy on the VTLs and Levinsons.
Images through the Power 3s were smaller than they should have been. With some source material -say, the Ray Brown album -there isn’t a real reference Point, so “small” means “smaller than I’ve heard with other equipment.” With orchestral recordings,on the other hand, the spatial relationships between instruments, sections, hall boundaries, and listener form a refcrence into which the apparent image size needs to fit. The Sonic Frontiers’ image sizes suggested a listener-to-orchestra distance inconsistent with other cues.
Images were also less dimensional with the SFs than with the other amplifiers. And although the Power 3 did a great job of resolving low-level detail–the background whispers and noises on Dave Bailey’s One Foot in the Gutter (Epic/Classic BA 17008) is a great example -they seemed to have slightly less inner detail than with the VTL, VAC, or Levinson amps, as with Emily Remler’s guitar on Soular Energy. Intellectually speaking, the subtle interplay of vibrations that occurs as the string sound transitions to the body resonance were there with the Power 3, but were more obvious with the other amps. Emotionally, it’s simpler: With the other amps, the guitar was a bit more vivacious and had more texture-it was a bit more alive.
Free your mind, and your heart will show you truth
Taking the retional, calculating approch, the power 3’s sonic attributes added up to a pretty solid scorecard. it got all the big things night: it was essentially neutral, sounding flat and very low in coloration, and imposing very little character of its own oil the music. Bass,midrange, top end–all excellent, and all obviously cut from the same sonic cloth. Transients were fast, clean, and precise, and the amps’ reproduction of images and soundstage were first-rate.
The Sonic Frontiers Power 3 is an ambitious assault on the state of the art, and in
most ways succeeds spectacularly, reflecting a sound, intelligent approach.
In comparison, the Power 3’s shortcomings-reduced dynamic gradients, smallish images, slight lack of inner detail and dimensionality, and a tonal balance a bit on the light, dry side of neutral - seemed pretty minor when viewed analytically. But when I would switch out of reviewer mode and let my heart take over – when I would Just sit back and listen to music – my overall experience just wasn’t as engaging as with the VAC, VTL, or Levinson amps.
Some of my dissatisfaction with the Power 3 was mine and mine alone, and may not apply to another listener. Two of the areas in which it fell short dimensionality and inner detaiI – contribute heavily to how engaging I find any given component. Similarly. the Power 3’s tonal balance erred slightly on the light, dry, analytical side of neutral, whereas I’m more tolerant of errors to the warm, liquid side – where the VTLs and Levinsons reside.
The biggest drawback was the Power 3’s smaller-than-average dynamic gradients. Intellectually, this is only one factor on the checklist, and was a relatively minor deficiency. On the emotional side, however, the effect was more significant. Although dynamic gradients can be extracted and analyzed, they’re woven inextricably into the fabric of the music, and contribute subtly to a whole host of factors that bring it to life. In fact, the “Holiday Inn Effect” – knowing, from hearing it from your room at the end of the hall, that the music from the hotel bar is a live band -is all about dynamic gradients.
On “Authority Song,” from John Mellencamp’s Uh-Huh (Riva RVL 7504), there’s a wonderful guitar line with a rich, complex mix of textures and dynamic shadings that makes it seem as if you can hear deep into and around the guitar’s strings. With the VTLS, it bounces and careens around the instrument’s lower strings, positively screaming “Let’s party!” – a grin-inducing, toe-tapping, suck-you-in air-guitar riff if ever there was one.
With the Power 3, the tiff was still there: absolutely, positively there, each detail and aspect of the instrument’s character cleanly reproduccd – from the analytical point of view. But a few of those parameters dimensionality, harmonic complexity and richness, dynamic gradients – were slightly diminished. So, from the emotional, musical-conncction point of view, something tanble had been lost. I put down my air guitar and stopped bouncing in lily seat. Words like “measured” and “controlled” popped into my head, but Bonnie put it more succinctly as she got up to leave: “These amps don’t rock.”
Conclusion
The Sonic Frontiers Power 3 is an ambitious assault on the state of the art, and in most ways succeeds spectacularly, reflecting a sound, intelligent approach that combines well thought-out design and superb execution. It’s incredibly well built, lavislay appointed, and reflects an attention to detail that’s at the absolute top of the audio – or any other – craft.
It succeeds in many sonic criteria as well. Things like speed, precision, and clarity are excellent, and the Power 3 will effortlessly control virtually any speaker. Its low coloration, flat tonal balance, and superb performance at the frequency extremes are at the top of its class. In some respects, the Power 3 is one of the best tube amps I’ve heard, and among the best amps I’ve heard of any type.
For some listeners, the Power 3 may be just the ticket; I suggest that anyone shopping for a high-performance amplifier give it a listen. As successful as it is, however, and as much respect as I have for its design, execution, and performance, it wouldn’t be my choice. I can analyze the Power 3’s performance and explain my reactions in terms of its specific shortcomings and my listening preferences, but the simpler, truer explanation is that, as much as my head liked the Power 3, my heart Just wouldn’t sign up. |
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发表于 2006-8-3 00:07
