connected 26 doc

CONNECTEDto Music & Movies

Issue No.26 Winter 2013/14

The Evolution

of Spiked Feet

- page 14

NEWPowerKords™

REV I EW - PAGE 2 3“changing to a PowerKord-100™ brings a

considerable increase in three dimensionality, thesound of Gregory Porter and his band expands into

the room in quite a palpable fashion.

CUSTOMER

SYSTEM

FEATURE

page 16

Mail Order Direct • 60 Day Cable Home Trial • Cable Upgrade Scheme • Free Delivery (orders over £100 within UK Mainland)

Buy online at www.russandrews.comCall UK Orderline 01539 797300International Tel +44 (0)1539 797300

Exclusive UK distributor

Stop listening to your Hi-Fi and start listening to your music

With Musicality Built In™, Russ Andrews products willhave you listening to your music, not your Hi-Fi system.

Contents

Regulars

Editorial 3

Russ’s First Words 4

News 5

Dalton‘s Deliberations 19

Letters 20

Competition 27

Features

The Evolution of Spiked Feet 14

Customer System 16

Competition Winner Feature 26

ProductsNew Products 7

Recent Reviews 23

3Issue 26 Winter 2013/14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

© Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2013. E & OE.Any views expressed are those of the writer and donot necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal LA9 6NS, UK.

Editorial

WelcomeThe growth in music downloads iscrossing over to classical music, withmore and more music in higher-resolution available to download fromthe likes of Linn Records, HD Tracksand 2L. So should we all startdownloading music and never buyanother CD? Well no, because rightnow is probably the very best time tobe buying classical music on CD. Andthat’s largely thanks to thephenomenon of the last couple ofyears known as the Classical Musicbox set.

I don’t know whether it’s the Classicallabels’ last-gasp attempt to get asmany sales as possible from what theyperceive to be a dying format, orwhether they’ve found a cunninglycheap way of producing the boxesneeded to contain typically 50, 100 or150 CDs, but one thing’s certain - theyoffer an amazing way to increase yourmusic collection, explore newcomposers, discover different styles ofmusic and experience moreperformers and conductors.It should be said that these are notbox sets of current releases: in somecases they are box sets ofperformances recorded over 50 yearsago. Far from this being a bad thing,many of these boxes containrecordings made during the GoldenAge of Stereo and the sound quality isastonishing.

As I write this, it‘s Benjamin Britten’sCentenary weekend and I’m remindedthat Decca saw fit to commemorate itwith a 66-disc Complete Works boxset, allowing you hear everything thecomposer ever wrote.There are other setscelebrating othercomposers - withComplete Editions ofBach (160 discs) andMessiaen (32 discs)to name just two.

If you want toexperience more of

a range of composers and conductors,pick a box set celebrating a particularclassical music label: The DeccaSound: The Analogue Years (54 discs)contains a diverse collection of musicfrom performers such as Ashkenazyand Pavarotti and composers likeBruckner and Sibelius. There areplenty of other label-focussed boxeswith music from Philips, DeutscheGrammophon, RCA Living Stereo, andMercury Living Presence as a fewexamples. Or you might want toinvestigate a particular performer orconductor. The box set which comesimmediately to mind has beenreleased by Sony containing all therecordings made by Arthur Rubinsteinfor RCA - 142 CDs and 2 DVDs! Butthere are plenty of others such asKarajan - 1970s (82 discs); Dame JanetBaker: The great EMI recordings (20discs); and Julian Bream: The ClassicalGuitar Anthology (42 discs).

However you want to investigatethese box sets, in many cases theyrepresent astonishing value formoney, typically costing £2 or £3 perdisc. Whatever the reason for theirproliferation at the moment, grabthem while you can; I don’t think theopportunity will be around foreverand if you are anything like me, they’llhave you falling in love with musicand performers you just hadn’t heardbefore.

John Armer, [email protected]

To a pre-vinyl dinosaur like me, theresurgence of general interest invinyl and turntables is heart-warming. I welcome it because itallows me to show off the deepknowledge of the subject I haveaccumulated over my 55 years or soof working to get the very best outof the vinyl records. Knowledge andexperience I thought was now ofonly historical interest except tosomeone like me who has neverabandoned the LP (having some4000 in my collection!).

Now, I find that I am being askedmore and more questions aboutvinyl replay, but almost everyonehere has wanted to hear forthemselves just what is so attractiveabout vinyl. To address thatpressure, and let them hear forthemselves, I have dusted off someof the turntables in my museum, setthem up properly and lined themup for comparison.

What a rewarding exercise it hasturned out to be! At the entry-levelcomparison, even the inexpensiveProJect Debut 3 impressedeveryone with its presentation of agreater sense of dynamic range andmusicality than they were used tohearing from comparable CDplayers. At the very top end, theywere completely astonished by theshear reality of the music from myupgraded SOTA Star Sapphire (circa1986!).

The experience has opened theireyes to the real potential for

musical enjoyment and sense ofreality (that ‘like being there’feeling) that is possible withrecorded music. That was the heart-warming bit; at last they understandthe scale of the musicality potential

I have been talking about. Theywere so excited about it they areinsisting that I demo with the SOTAat the next Whittelbury Hall Show.Along the way, I demonstrated whata difference different turntable mats

made on each turntable and alsothe benefits of our PowerKords onthe mains driven turntables and ourA/C power supplies on the oneswith 12V and 24V motors, furtheradding into the mix the benefits ofSuper Burn-in on the variousKimber tone arm cables.

The result of all these listening testsis for us to have a re-appraisal of ourturntable products with several newproducts. This will be followed upnext year with a guide to gettingthe best out of vinyl LP.

My final thought on this is anyonewho hasn’t heard what a vinyl LPhas to offer in musical terms is reallymissing out.

4 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 26 Winter 2013/14

Russ’s First Words

“The experience hasopened their eyes to thereal potential for

musical enjoyment andsense of reality.”

Russ Andrews

Turntables lined up for listening, from left to right: modified Garrard 301 in Torlyte® plinth;modified LP12 with Torlyte® plinth, subchassis and armboard; Rega Planar 3.

We’ve been rediscoveringwhat’s so great about vinyl...

News

5Issue 25 Summer 2013 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

NewsDeoxIT®deliveryWe are no longer able tosend some of our traditionalDeoxIT® and DeoxIT® Goldcontact enhancers to UKmainland addresses via thepostal service. Regulationsconcerning the type ofpropellant used in DeoxIT® D5, DN5 andDeoxIT® Gold and DeoxIT® GN5 mean that it cannot be sent via Royal Mail. Be warned if you’re buying it from anunauthorised supplier, as it may bedestroyed by the postal service.

The good news is that we’ve been able to source a range of even betterperforming DeoxIT® products, that are fully compliant with shippingregulations for both the UK and abroad.

To see all new DeoxIT® products online and their new prices visitwww.russandrews.com/deoxit

It’s worth knowing that if you’re yet toexperience the performance benefits of DeoxIT®and DeoxIT® Gold,then we have asample pack of wipeswhich we can post.Each pack containsthree wipes of each and costs £4.95.

Connected e-newsHave you seen our regularemail newsletter yet? If youlike what you see in thismagazine, our ‘Connectede-news’ is well worthchecking out. Publishedevery fortnight, ournewsletter keeps you up todate on the latestdevelopments at RussAndrews HQ. If there’s anew product, you’ll likelyhear about it here first andthere’s always news andinformation on buying andusing our products.

But it’s not allabout us. We’veintroduced awhole host of

regular features tokeep you interested andentertained; each issue hasa short review of arecommended album orfilm; a ‘Website of theWeek’ where we trawlthrough the internet to find you the most interesting anddiverse websites of interest to the music and movie fan; a‘Key Idea’ where we explain some key concepts orproblems often encountered in the world of homeentertainment; and an interesting and/orobscure fact under the heading of ‘DidYou Know?‘ All in all it’s a great way to getyour Connectedmagazine ‘fix’ everyfortnight. To subscribe, just go towww.russandrews.com and enter youremail address in the ‘Join the Club’ box,near the top left on our homepage.

DeoxIT® & DeoxIT® Gold WipesOrder code 5438 £4.95Impregnated wipes, three of each. Enough to clean your system once.


News

Thanks again to all of you whocame along to our stand anddemos at this year’s NationalAudio Show on the 21st and22nd September. This year’sshow was the busiest yet, withthousands flocking to see what wason offer throughout the labyrinthinecorridors of Whittlebury Hall. And ourroom was consistently one of thebusiest throughout the wholeweekend.

Again, this year Russ combined hisdemos in the room with a couple ofpublic lectures put on by the showorganisers. The common threadbetween the two was the love andappreciation of music and the waysin which both the performance andthe system that replays it have a vitalbearing on how enjoyable or movingthe experience is.

In our own dem, this idea ofmusicality was explored in thecontext of two systems; one budgetand one high end. Two very differentlevels of hardware, but what wasdemonstrated was the way in whichboth were capable of providing anenthralling and musicalperformance. So, although our littleArcam Alpha 6 system couldn’tpossibly equal the levels of bassdepth and heft of theMeridian/Plinius/PMC combination,the way it conveyed the mid-bandand sound-stage was extremelyinvolving and really quite remarkablein comparison. At a comparative costof around £2000 including hardwareand cables, it offered a high-endexperience that most would be morethan pleased with had they invested

five times that amount.

Leaving the demo in the capablehands of Simon, Russ continuedthe theme in his public lectureby discussing the best way tolisten and assess a system so asto avoid making costlypurchasing mistakes. Like ourown dem, this focused on theway that the music moves usand engages us emotionallyrather than how good or bad thesound is.

We need to trust our owninstincts and be sensitive to howwe respond emotionally to theway the music is presented to us.This is a very different approachto the prevalent one which tendsto emphasise the sound of asystem rather than its ability tocommunicate music (thisapproach will often separate outdifferent aspects of the music –bass, mid and treble, for example– rather than judging it as a wholeentity, as a piece of music).

To illustrate this, Russ played aselection of cover versions tocompare the way two performerscan interpret a song in acompletely different way, onecommunicating the emotion andmeaning of the lyrics in a way thattouches us where the other perhapsleaves us ‘flat’. Following this personalresponse to the music will alwayslead you in the right direction. Whenit comes to listening and comparingsystems, you can use this principle tojudge which is musical and which isjust ‘sound’ – perhaps a veryimpressive sound, but nonetheless,

lacking in that musical insight thatmoves you. Trust your own instincton this, ignore the brand, the price orhow the sound is created e.g. bymore spent on hardware or cables,and you’ll always manage to avoidthe pitfalls of continuingdissatisfaction.

National Audio ShowReport

Mains cables for sale in our shop

Russ during one of his demonstrations

Simon during one of his demonstrations

New productsKimber have recently introducedtwo new tone arm cables to theirSelect range. The Kimber Select KS-1216 is an all-copper Select tonearm cable, and KS-1236 is the all-silver version. Available with bothright angle SME DIN plugs orstandard DIN plugs, they are aperfect choice for top-flightturntables that have detachabletone arm cables of this type.

One of our long-standingcustomers, Mr Pettigrew, recentlytook delivery of the KS-1236 afterour recommendation. Having hadthe cable a few weeks and allowingit to burn in, he sent us an email tolet us know how things had beengoing. His description of what it islike to actually live with the KS-1236was so incisive that we thought itwas worth reproducing here:

“The new KS-1236 is astoundinglygood ... There are many thingswhich it does so well it’samazing. Deeper andmore tuneful bass,a cleaner andpunchier soundacross a farfullersoundstage.All very usefulfor the Indie,Drum’n’bass andelectronica I enjoy listeningto. The lines from bass guitars cannow clearly be heard to have much

lower registers and a tune in thoselow octaves. More than this,though, is the way the bass nowdrives the music along.With all instruments, acoustic orelectronic, the notes stop and startmore convincingly and the musicsomehow seems more togetherand powerful. There is more detailand information. The decay onpiano notes, for example, soundsfar more accurate.

Over and above these slightlytechnical benefits to the system,though, is the increased emotionalimpact and sheer musicality. Withthe KS-1236 in place the music ismore attention grabbing and thesystem makes me want to listen tothe music much more intently. Inmany ways it’s now similar to thegigs I go to with good

quality sound systems. Great,strong presence and a sense ofbeing more closely connected tothe musicians and the music. Inmany ways the system is betterthan live gigs, of course. Greaterclarity and detail.

Overall the KS-1236 has been ahuge step forward for the system,so thank you for the cable, andplease thank John forrecommending it.”

New Select tone arm cable

6 discrete conductors

Constrained matrixgeometry

Solid core silverClear FEP dielectric


Kimber Select KS-1216 Tone Arm Cable Code: 2951

1m £617.001.5m £709.00

Kimber Select KS-1236 Tone Arm Cable Code: 2238

1m £1715.001.5m £2391.00

Kimber Select KS-1236tone arm cable

Flying grounding lead

SME 90˚ plug

WBT 0102 Ag phonos

Readers of Connectedmay recallthat Russ is a big fan of the KeithMonks Record Cleaning Machine,having owned one (whichremains in use today) since the1970s.

Up until now, entry into the KeithMonks ‘club’ came at a premium - a

minimum of £3000 to be precise.

We were particularly pleased, then, tohear that a new, consumer-friendlymachine had been developed andlaunched. The Keith MonksdiscOveryOne incorporates many ofthe features of the larger, professionalversions of the Keith Monks machinesbut is more compact and very quiet in

operation - so quiet in fact that youcan use the machine in the sameroom that you are listening to yourrecords in.

There are two models available. ThediscOveryOne features a manual washsystem. You apply the cleaning fluid tothe record and use the suppliedprecision brush to gently clean therecord by hand. The discOveryOneClassic features a built-in Mini Cooperfluid hand pump and on-deck brushsystem to more evenly and efficientlydistribute the fluid and clean therecord.

With both models the surface of therecord is then completely vacuumeddry. The cleaning and drying processremoves excessive mould releaseagent left as a by-product of recordmanufacture and without over-stripping the vinyl of its naturalplasticisers, and the machine isrecommended for anyone wanting to get the very best performance from either new records or pre-owned treasures.

CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 26 Winter 2013/148

New Products

MA Recordings Inner SleevesTodd Garfinkle of US based MARecordings contacted us recentlyregarding a new type of recordsleeve that he has developed. Whatmakes MA Recordings Innersleevesunique is the material that is used intheir manufacture. As Todd explains;“They are made of the samemodern, synthetic materials used inJapanese Shoji room screens. Thematerial allows for air flow duringthe hot and muggy seasons, thuskeeping mould and mildew to a

minimum. The material is alsosuper soft and very elegant”.

The material itself also has excellentinherent anti-static properties and,combined with its inability to trapmoisture, makes it ideal for thestorage of your precious vinylcollection.

Sold in packs of 50, they alsorepresent excellent value for moneyat 70p per sleeve.

MA Recordings Inner SleevesCode: 5080

Pack of 50 sleeves £35.00

Keith Monks Record CleaningMachine Code: 4260discOveryOne £1295discOveryOne Classic £1595

NEW Keith Monks Record Cleaning Machine

Automatic functions including auto off andauto shutdown if the waste container is full -means you can set the record drying and themachine will switch off when completed.

Suction arm for removing fluidand drying the record

Classic Keith Monks precision washsystem (discOveryOne Classic only)

Machine uses fresh cleaning fluid forevery record, depositing it in separatewaste container

14daytrial

3 year warranty


New Products

Upgrade your turntable‘s motorOrigin Live‘s DC motor kit is one of theirmost well-regarded products and offersan ingenious way of improving theperformance of almost all belt-driventurntables. The kit contains everythingyou need you to replace your existingturntable’s AC motor with Origin Live‘sDC motor - giving a very smooth, verylow vibration drive for your turntablethat gives a very large improvement intransparency and much betterdefinition.

The kit comprises the replacement DC motor and pulley, electronic speed control giving 33 and 45 RPM, DCpower supply and strobe disc foraccurately setting your turntable’s speed.

Some minor modifications to yourturntable may be required to fit themotor but almost all people succeed

with no problems. The DC motor is astraight swap for the standard ACsynchronous motor used on most decksand does not require decoupling due toits inherently low-vibration design. It canbe used on almost all decks from budgetto high end: Linn, Roksan, Pink Triangle,Rega, Thorens and Project are just someof the turntables that have beensuccessfully upgraded.

“This is an effective and substantial upgrade that rejuvenates a classic and well respected turntable (the LP12 in this case) - and as such comes highlyrecommended” Hi-Fi World magazine

“this enthusiasts upgrade pathprovides a real performanceimprovement, and may be firmlyrecommended”Hi Fi Critic magazine

New Origin Live productsRuss recently caught up with Mark Baker of Origin Live who encouragedhim to audition their turntable mat. Having tested it on a variety ofturntables we were so impressed that we had to include it in our range -and we couldn’t resist finding out what else he had on offer!

Upgrade Platter matWe think this is one of the best lowcost / high value upgrades you canmake to your turntable regardless ofits brand.

Origin Live’s Upgrade platter mat is1mm thick and 296mm in diameter. It isa straight swap for almost all existingturntable mats.

High Performance Upgrade BeltNot all turntable belts are createdequal. Origin Live’s High PerformanceUpgrade belt uses a special type ofrubber to give increased grip - undertest, we found it made the sound moresolid, with better, more musical bass.Available for: Linn LP12 Belt (550mm) Code: 7655Pink Triangle Belt (438mm) Code: 7654All Origin Live MK2 & MK3 decks (995mm) Code: 7653All Origin Live MK1 decks (560mm) Code: 7653Origin Live Classic MK2 deck (940mm) Code: 7653

Cartridge ClipsIf you are comfortable soldering,it’s well worth replacing thecartridge clips that connect yourtone arm’s internal wiring to thecartridge. Origin Live’s are gold-plated copper beryllium and veryhigh quality.

Origin Live Upgrade Platter matCode: 7650 £39.95

Origin Live Upgrade BeltSee individual codes above £29.60

Origin Live Cartridge ClipsCode: 7652 Pack of four £10.25

Origin Live Advanced Code: 7651DC Motor Kit £345.00

CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 26 Winter 2013/1410

New Products

MERIDIAN PRIMEHEADPHONE AMP Code: 4655

£1200.00

Meridian Prime is a new headphone amplifier fromMeridian Audio. It’s headphone listening at its best,allowing you to maximise the sound from high-end,full-sized headphones or high-end ear buds. Don’tbe fooled by Prime’s compact footprint; this is aserious headphone amp capable of givingexceptional performance.

Where can it be used?Meridian Prime forms the heart of a high-performanceheadphone system. It offers a USB input enabling you toconnect your laptop or desktop PC or Mac and listen tomusic files stored on your computer; it can play backMP3s, CD-quality, and high-definition audio files of up to24bit/192kHz resolution. Prime incorporates Meridian’srenowned Resolution Enhancement Technology includingApodising and upsampling to help make digitalrecordings sound natural and involving.

In addition to USB, Meridian Prime incorporates twoanalogue inputs for connecting a CD player, MP3 player orother source. A simple front button allows you to selectyour source.

Meridian Prime can comfortably drive a variety ofheadphones. There are three headphoneoutputs on the front panel; a 3.5mm outputsuitable for earbuds and two full-sized 1/4”stereo jacks, suitable for driving two pairs ofheadphones simultaneously if required;alternatively they can be used to connect asingle pair of headphones that have separatecables to each driver.

Prime incorporates Meridian’s new AnalogueSpatial Processing (ASP) which, if selected when listeningto headphones, gives the sound less of an ‘in-your-head’presentation, making the sound more like you arelistening to loudspeakers.

Not just a headphone ampMeridian Prime includes a pair of analogue outputs so it can also be used as a high-performance preamp forconnection to a power amplifier or pair of activeloudspeakers - meaning that it’s capable of being theheart of a conventional Hi-fi system, controlling up tothree sources. If Prime is being used solely as a headphoneamp, the preamp circuitry can be switched off.

Stereo line levelinput

3.5mm stereoline level input

Mini-B USBinput

Stereo line level output forconnecting to power amplifierwhen using Prime as a preamp

160mm x 50mm x 150mm WHD2 year guarantee

14daytrial

1/4” headphoneoutputs

3.5mm stereoheadphone output

P R I M E

headphone listening at its best!

Both suitable for headphones in the range16 Ω-1K Ω, with sensitivity higher than80dBspl/mW or 96dBspl/V


New Products

Try Meridian Prime with these:Kimber USBAvailable with USB A & Mini-B connector for connecting to a PC or Mac.

Kimber Mini-B USB Code 28000.5m £43.001.0m £51.50Kimber Mini-B USB Ag 0.5m £86.00 Code 2802

1.0m £142.00

MERIDIAN PRIME POWER SUPPLY Code: 4656

£800.00

Clover leaf adaptorUse with Meridian Prime PowerSupply and your choice ofmains cable Code: 1879 £9.00

How does it sound?‘it comes with those long-standing Meridianvalues of excellent detail retrieval and clean,honest sound built in. Any brand joining theheadphone amplifier gladiatorial arena has afight on its hands, but Meridian seems betterequipped than most.’Hi-Fi Plus, November 2013

‘In terms of the criteria that I listen for in anyamp, transparency, noise, dynamics and theability to get me out of my head and into themusic, Prime is well, prime... All in all, a seeminglyimpressive effort that covers all the bases.’The Absolute Sound, November 2013

Upgrade the powersupply

Prime canbe poweredvia theincluded plug-topwall wart or by the new, matching MeridianPrime Power Supply. Prime Power Supply givesa big upgrade in the sound quality, making itmore solid, with greater dynamics and betterdetail retrieval.

Meridian Prime Power Supply is a toroidaldesign, and has five 12V DC outputs. As well asbeing a perfect partner for Prime Headphoneamp, Prime Power Supply can also power otherMeridian products such as the Director DAC orthe Audio Core 200.

Meridian Prime Power Supply also incorporatesa USB output designed to provide clean 5V USBpower. It can be used solely to power any USBdevice. Alternatively, the Prime Power Supplycan be used as an interface between yourcomputer and DAC (such as Meridian’s Directoror Explorer) passing cleaner audio data ontothe output device and at the same timeimproving the power supply.


We have developed anexciting new product - the RF Router - that allows you tomake the very best use of theearth terminals fitted to ourSilencer Blocks andPowerBlocks, and ourSuperSockets andUltraSockets.

Using the RF Router means that anyconnections you make - particularlyif they are to an additional externalearth rod - comply with the latestelectrical wiring regulations whilsteffectively ‘dumping’ high frequencynoise out of your system. In use inour systems, the RF Router broughtabout a surprisingly largeimprovement in sound qualitygiving a cleaner sound with less‘hash’, more solid bass and bettersoundstage width and depth.

About the wiring regulationsThe latest (17th) edition of the IEE‘sWiring Regulations state that you

should now no longer add anadditional earth rod to yourdomestic ring main earth. This issomething which was previouslyallowed and many people have hadan additional earth rod installed toimprove their system‘s soundquality.

We’ve developed our RF Router toallow you to continue to use anadditional external earth rod andcomply with the latest regulations.When installed, it means that youradditional earth rod is not directlyconnected to the mains earth, whileensuring that noise and RF isdumped out of your system.

Who should use the RFRouter?Every system that incorporates anadditional, external earth rod that isconnected to the mains earthshould use an RF Router fitted inline between the rod and theearthing point.

The RF Router can also be used very successfully even if you don’t use an

external earth rod. Use it to link thecasework grounds of your CD playerand amplifier, for example, to theearth terminal on the front of oursockets or our mains extensions toground casework ‘RF’.

If you have more than acouple of pieces of kit,you will find our StarRF Router easier touse - it can link thegrounds of up to eightpieces of kit.

Now available fitted insidePowerBlocksPowerBlocks can now incorporatethe RF Router internally, meaningthat you can link the terminaldirectly to an earth rod and complywith the regulations.

If you have an older PowerBlock andwant to use an additional externalearth rod, you should fit an RFRouter between the PowerBlock‘sterminal and your earth rod tocomply with the regulations.

New ProductsGet the very best out of your earth terminal

Star RF Router

13

New Products

RF-ROUTER Earth Rod

Ground Weave

RF-ROUTER Earth Rod

GroundWeave

Ground Weave

RF-ROUTER Earth Rod

Ground Weave

RF-ROUTER Ground Weave

Earth Terminal

Earth Terminal

RF-ROUTER

Ground Weave

Ground Weave

Power Cable

Power Cable

Power Cable

How to use the RF Router

a. Between earth terminal on socket andadditional external earth rod

b. Between PowerBlock earth terminal andadditional external earth rod

e. Between casework grounds and additionalexternal earth rod

d. Between casework grounds and earth terminalon socket

c. Between PowerBlock earth terminal andearth terminal on socket

Earth Terminal on socket

Earth Rod & Clamp Code: 1201£21.00

Ground Weave Code: 1090Off the reel Terminated

0.5m £4.50 £19.501.0m £9.00 £24.00Each additional 1m £9.00

Ground Wire Code: 1022per metre unterminated £1.15

Issue 26 Winter 2013/14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

4mm binding posts -accepts bananas, barewire & 6mm spades

Supplied with two0.5m lengths ofGround Wire fittedwith spades.

RF Router with GroundWires attached

Fit RF Router to a PowerBlockCode: 8136

Fit to a new PowerBlock add £110 to PowerBlock price

Retro fit to an existing PowerBlock £140

RF Router Code: 1843£169.00

WHD: 155mm inc terminals, 37mm x 59mm


The Evolution of Spiked FeetRuss Andrews customer JohnEllson contacted us recentlyand in conversation remindedus of the after-market standshe made back in the early1980s to support QuadElectrostatic loudspeakers.His stands - Quadropod - led to hisdevelopment of spiked feet, oncemischievously referred to by PaulMessenger as the most important Hi-Fi development of the 1980s. Oftenoverlooked, spiked feet are animportant component for anyonewanting to get the best out of a Hi-Fisystem and we thought it would befun to ask John, as inventor of spiked

feet, to recount hisdevelopment work.

I designed theQuadropod standsduring the winterof 1981/82. They

were evaluated using oldESLs and ESL63sbelonging to two friends(I was using Linn Saras atthe time).

They were approved bythe management andtechnical staff at Quad,for both stability andmechanical integrity.They subsequentlyprovided me with theircomplete dealer list,both in the UK andabroad. Quadthemselves purchaseda considerable numberof both types. Salescommenced in March

1982. A number of versions weremade and more than 400 pairs soldas far as Australia, Canada, USA, theFar East and Europe. Numerous Quaddealers in the UK bought them,including Russ Andrews High Fidelityshop in June 1983! [Though Russhad left the Edinburgh shop by then- Ed].

During the winter of 1982/83 I wasexperimenting with my Linn Saraloudspeakers. At the time we had avery long pile carpet in the listeningroom and the Saras were anythingbut rigid or stable on the carpet.Jimmy Hughes had tried puttingconcrete paving slabs under hisspeakers about that time. I tried thisbut my wife was not impressed withthe aesthetics and I suspect manyother wives would not have beentoo keen on this also. Linn had justproduced their ‘plastic cup onwoodscrew in hole-in-floor’ idea. This was very difficult on a woodenfloor, and totally impractical on aconcrete floor.

So the thought occurred - why nottry to penetrate the carpet tocontact the rigid floor beneath? Afriend in the engineering trade (I wasan industrial chemist), suggestedvarious methods of fixing a threadedbolt into a steel tube. The solutionwhich appeared the most practicalwas the anchor rivet bush, which Hi-Fi enthusiasts could fit relativelyeasily to their existing stands. I fittedthese to my Sara stands, handmadeeight ‘spikes’ from high-tensile 6mmbolts by hacksawing the heads off,spinning the bolt in a Black & Deckerdrill and grinding the point with an

“

Issue 26 Winter 2013/14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE 15

Dalton’s Deliberations

angle grinder. These werescrewed into the bushes, thestands and speakers placed inposition, carefully levelled,with no rocking. And then thelistening commenced. Wow!

Further sets were made bythe same method and weretried by various friends usingLinn Isobariks, Quad 63s,Quad ‘radiators’ and KEF104aB. Without exception, thesound was transformed.

By early 1983 I haddeveloped a very goodrelationship with Studio 99,the Hi-Fi dealers in SwissCottage, London. They hadmade regular sales ofQuadropod Stands. DavidDavies, the Managing

Director was a particularlyastute and forward-thinkingyoung man; on one of myvisits to deliver some stands Itook along my spiked Sarastands. He duly listened tothem and was immediatelybowled over by the sound. Herequested I get ten sets tothem as soon as possible - hehad them from me in twodays! He fitted the spikes tothe Linn stands for the Kan,Sara and Isobarik speakers.These stands were taken tothe London Hi-Fi show andthe first public demonstrationof spiked feet was carried outin the Linn/Naim room.

Several sets of spikes weregiven to both Linn and Naimfor their own trials; this iswhere Peter Turner [formereditor of Hi-Fi Answersmagazine] obtained his set.

A set of spikes were sent toHi-Fi Answers and the reviewsby Peter Turner and KeithHoward soon followed.Advertisements were placedin the magazine and the Hi-Fiworld beat a path to ourdoor. Mass production startedin May 1983; various versionsevolved over time asillustrated. Studio 99 acted asagents and distributors andthe rest, as they say, is history.

1. Original Quadropod DCLS Feet. Together with locking nut and bush.2. First auto-lathe-made version.3. Second version.4. Final version.5. Linn made ‘Plastic Spike’.6. Linn made ‘Plastic Cup‘ to be used with round head woodscrew.

”“Jimmy Hughes had tried putting concretepaving slabs under his speakers about thattime. I tried this but my wife was notimpressed with the aesthetics”

Customer System


Customer System

Our featured system this timebelongs to a customer inLondon. John Armer finds out about it. Our system’s owner Edward has beenan enthusiastic Russ Andrewscustomer since the early 2000s,gradually building up his system andhis cabling to a level which in hiswords ‘now sounds just as I like it’. Iasked him how long he‘d beeninterested in music and when hestarted putting together a Hi-Fisystem.

“I was about 14 or 15 when I went to afriend’s house” says Edward, “and theywere playing Diana Ross or ArethaFranklin records on a turntable. I thinkthey were making compilation tapesoff the records to play in the car. In anycase I was transfixed - it sounded sogood, like nothing I’d heard before. Ispent the whole day listening to theirrecords!”

The first system that Edward puttogether was a Denon mini systemconsisting of an amplifier / tuner / CDplayer but that soon gave way in thelate 1990s to what we’d call a ‘proper’Hi-Fi separates system. It comprised aMarantz CD 63 KI Signature CD player,a Marantz tuner and a Sony amplifier.“My friend Charles was already a RussAndrews customer and he had anAudiolab system with Dynalabspeakers” says Edward. “He had itpowered with your YellO Power mainscables and a YellO extension [TheYellO range has now been replaced byour PowerMax Plus™ cables and thePowerBar] and I think he used PBJinterconnects. I remember thinkingthat his music sounded so good onthat system.

“He had a copy of your informationbooklets The Music and the Magic andThe Power and the Glory and I readthem all. I learned about cabling andthe mains supply and went ahead andordered identical Russ Andrews mainscables and a mains extension - andPBJ interconnects - for my ownsystem”.

Edward started putting together thesystem he uses now - Pioneer CDtransport, Musical Fidelity DAC, AudioResearch preamp and Musical FidelityPower Amp - about 13 years ago. “Iupgraded my YellOs to yourPowerKords™ when I started with theMusical Fidelity system. I also got aPurifier mains filter about the sametime. I followed your Upgrade Pathquite strictly so I upgraded my mainsfirst, followed by interconnects andspeaker cable, and finished withTorlyte® equipment supports.”

I was intrigued by Edward’s use of ourTorlyte® Platforms in conjunction withthe full Torlyte® rack system and askedhim about it. “I read all about yourTorlyte® racks in your catalogues andwhen I tried Torlyte® it sounded reallygood. I’d read on a forum somewherethat someone had used multipleTorlyte® platforms stacked on top ofeach other so I tried it. It was wellworth it; the sound became muchcalmer and less in-your-face”.

In addition to a CD player, Edward hasa DVD player and I wanted to knowhow much he used it in his Hi-Fisystem. “I use the DVD player forwatching the few music videos I have.My system is strictly two channelthough. My Sky box isn’t hooked up tomy Hi-Fi system at all; the sound fromTV broadcasts comes through


Customer System

Hi-Fi system

• Pioneer PD91 CD player with modifications (used as transport)

• Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 DAC (modified)

• Audio Research SP16 tube preamp

• Musical Fidelity A308 power amp (modified)

• PMC FB1 loudspeakers (with Russ Andrews upgrades)

TV system

• Toshiba SD9000E DVD player (modified)

• Pioneer Kuro Plasma with separate speakers & control box

• Sky HD box (with Russ Andrews upgrades)

Kimber & Russ Andrews cables

• Russ Andrews Reference and Signature PowerKords and PowerKord-500s (with Super Burn In)

• Russ Andrews PowerBlock fitted with UltraSockets, incorporating ClarityMains and wired with silver and copper

• SilencerBlock

• Mini Purifier and UltraPurifier mains filter

• MegaClamp Ultra and The AbZorber spike protection

• Russ Andrews SuperSocket and UltraSocket

• Kimber Select KS-1021 analogue interconnects fitted with MiniZaps

• Kimber Select KS-2020 digital interconnect

• Kimber HD29 HDMI cable and Kimber DV75 component video cable

• Russ Andrews Crystal-24 speaker cable with Super Burn In

• Russ Andrews Torlyte rack system and platforms

• Russ Andrews The Damper, Focus rings and Shorties

separate speakers that are attached tomy screen - wired up with Kimber 4TCspeaker cable”.

Edward’s listening is almostexclusively to CD. I asked if he’d everhad a turntable. “I used to have onebut not all music is available on vinyl.CD is much more convenient for me.And when you follow Russ’s UpgradePath you can get a sound that’s muchcloser to vinyl. Your SignaturePowerKord™ in particular reallyhelped my CDs to sound much morenatural when played on my system.”

I asked what his favourite componentupgrade was. “The Musical Fidelitypower amp” he admits. “I met a formerservice engineer who advised mewhich model power amp to get andhe was able to upgrade it internallyfor me. He used Kimber Silver Streakcable for the signal wiring and yourwoven PowerKord™ internally for thepower. He also upgraded the DACinternally too, using KCAG for theinternal wiring.

“My favourite Russ Andrews upgradewas the Signature PowerKord™. I initially bought a 2m cable toconnect my PowerBlock to the wallsocket; in my previous house thesystem was quite a distance from the

Pioneer PD91 CD player with modifications(used as transport) on Torlyte® Rack

Audio Research SP16 tube preamp on Torlyte®Platform

Musical Fidelity A308 power amp on twoTorlyte® Platforms

Cont. >


Customer System

mains outlet. It transformed the soundof my system - after being wellburned-in the sound became ‘calmer’.Since then, I have changed all of mycomponents‘ mains cables to theSignature PowerKords and mostrecently your newest PowerKord-500cables. I was also very happy with theAbZorber: it really made the soundclearer and cleaner. The mains cablethat feeds my power amp isconnected to the 16A outlet at theend of your PowerBlock. This meansthat there is one less fuse in thesystem and my music sounded moredynamic with the power ampconnected that way. I‘ve seen thatsome of your customers connect theirPurifiers to that 16A socket, but I‘durge everyone to connect theirintegrated amp or their power ampinto that socket.”

I asked him what upgrades heplanned to make next to either hissystem or cables. He admitted that hehas no plans for equipment upgrades;the last upgrade he had made was tohis speakers about 18 months ago. Hefound that as he had upgraded hiscables the bass stood out; it wasn’t asclear as he wanted and it was muddy.His speakers were duly sent to us forupgrade which solved the problem.He would really like a Balanced Mains

Unit next, a BMU 1500KVA is on hiswish list. “It would be really nice if Russcould gift wrap one for me and send itas a Christmas present!” he joked.

My overwhelming impression ofEdward is of someone who reallyloves his music and really cares abouthow it sounds. He is even someonewho - dare I say it - is content with hissystem‘s sound. I commented that heused the word ‘calmer’ more thanonce when describing his system oran upgrade. “I like to listen to musicquietly, I don’t like it in your face” hesays. “With your upgrades, you canturn the volume up so the system isflat out and there‘s still no distortion.It sounds really good.”

PMC FB1 loudspeakers (with Russ Andrews upgrades)

The non-Torlyte® racks are reserved for AV componentsand our PowerBlocks and filters

Current favourite CDs:

Gregory Porter: Liquid Spirit;

Jeremy Pelt: Soul

Recommended recording: Tutu Puoane: Quiet Now‘This is a great CD. It’s really well recorded andsounds really good - to my ears anyway!’

Accordingto TheEconomist,‘Beats by DrDre’ nowaccount for

almost half ofthe market for

premium-priced headphones inAmerica. Not that surprising really,as The Economist.com observes:“They have all but created a newproduct category: premium-priced($100-plus) cans whose soundquality is good enough, but whichmainly sell on their brand image”.Style over substance seems to bethe order of the day, then. Soshould we just shrug our shouldersin acceptance that the nextgeneration of potential audiophileswill never appear? I’m not so sure...

The pessimistic view suggests thatthe downturn for demand inseparate Hi-Fi components isdirectly proportionate to thedevelopment of the ‘iPodgeneration’. The argument goes thatthe younger generation aren’tinterested in sound quality and, inany case, they only listen viaheadphones so won’t be interestedin purchasing a larger, stand alonemusic system.

Support for this argument comesfrom a) the proliferation of lowresolution mp3s and b) the factthat sales of headphones alonevery nearly outstrip the rest of theAV industry combined. A prettyconvincing case then?

But before we all start getting toodepressed, let’s just think aboutthis. Why has the mp3 come to

dominate? Is it because the markethas demanded low quality music?No. Mp3s came to dominate musicconsumption because of thelimitations of the technology usedto play them. The whole point ofthe iPod was to be able to take yourmusic collection with you. Thedownside of this was that thedevices had limited storage so toachieve the capacity goal,

resolution had to be compromised.Storage is now a lot cheaper than itwas when the first iPod wasintroduced back in 2001. And asbroadband speeds improve too,there is now more of anopportunity to enjoy higherresolution files.

So far, this has been limited to theHi-Fi fraternity but there is everyreason to think that higher soundquality will be a goal for the likes ofApple in the not too distant future.Why wouldn’t they? Commercially,the opportunity to sell higherresolution music through theiTunes platform is a no-brainer.After all, it gives Apple the potentialto sell a whole new range of higher-capacity iPods along with higher-resolution versions of the music

you already own. And, of course, themarket now has better qualityheadphones to benefit from thishigher resolution music. This bringsme onto my second point.

Why is the value of headphonesales so high? One reason,suggested in The Economist article,is fashion: ‘Beats by Dr Dre’ are goodto be seen wearing. But there is alsothe motivation of improved soundquality, shown by the increase insales of premium performingheadphones such as those fromBowers & Wilkins, AKG, Sennheiser,etc. And don’t forget, even the Beatsheadphones offer significantlybetter replay than Apple’s ownoffering. Whatever the motivation,the use of better qualityheadphones introduces the user tothe experience of better soundquality, and that has to be a goodthing.

But what of Hi-Fi? Even with high-res music and high-qualityheadphones, we’re still talkingportable. But I think there is hope. Ifpeople are introduced to the ideathat the equipment you use tolisten to your music can have a bigeffect on how much you enjoy it,then there is potential for aninterest in taking that further. Atpresent, the simple docking stationis the preferred way of listening tomusic outside of headphones. Butonce you’ve been introduced to theexperience of better music throughyour ears, are you really going to besatisfied with a docking system? Orwill you be tempted to have a listento some ‘proper Hi-Fi’...?

“the use of betterquality headphonesintroduces the user to the experience ofbetter sound quality,and that has to be agood thing”

Write to Simon at - [email protected]


What’s the future forthe iPod generation?

SD

Dalton‘s Deliberations

Want to share your experiences with our readers? Or simply wantadvice? Write to us! We’ll publish the best, funniest and mostinteresting in each issue of Connected. The writer of this issue’s Star Letter receives a Silencer, worth £52.00

Get in touch at: [email protected] or write to us at: Connected, Russ Andrews Accessories 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business ParkKendal, Cumbria, LA9 6NS, UK.

Silencer mains filter,worth £52.00

Your Letters


This letter comes from a long-standing customer and regularcontributor to our letters page. Such is their enthusiasm that they wereresponsible for first introducing us to Jerry Krawczyk of ‘The Future of Music’.

In praise of streamers I am a privileged, dedicatedcustomer of both Linn and RussAndrews. Jerry Krawczyk, with anoutstanding professional reputationat Nottingham Hi-Fi Centre and nowDirector of ‘The Future of Music’multi room music streamingspecialists, continues to help mecare for my magical Linn system.The Future of Music exemplifies thesimplicity of modern streamingsystems in reproducing music to thehighest quality. This has beenemphatically demonstrated duringthe well-attended ‘launch week’ andregular ‘Linn Lounges’.

Since the installation of my KlimaxDS system in 2008 (see p.20,Connected Issue 12) developmentand innovation in custom-designedsupport components and softwarehave banished any formercomplexity and unreliability (asthere was then no alternative, Itransferred my own CD collection ina similar laborious way to your issue25 ‘Star Letter’ customer!). Thusstreaming systems can now easilyappeal to all generations, regardless

of technological ability; and theirunparalleled versatility andexcellence in conveying digitally-produced music could perhaps bethe salvation of the shrinking Hi-Fimarket which Russ lamented on inhis article ‘In Search of musicalNirvana’ (Connected Issue 24).My own experience has shown thatwith the appropriate Russ Andrewsand Kimber cable upgradesstreamers will always wayoutperform any comparable CDplayer. This has inspired The Futureof Music to supply its full range ofstreaming systems complete withRuss Andrews cable upgrades to thecustomer’s specification, againemphasising their commitment to auniquely personal and individualservice.

At the same time, I continue tovalue and so much enjoy analoguemusic on vinyl, the fully upgradedLP12 absolutely excelling in its 40thanniversary year. I was thus veryinterested to read the inspirationalarticle by ‘The London JazzCollector’, and especially that just ashe heard but couldn’t understand‘the effect of improving power andinterconnects’, it was very obviousfrom his eloquent description of hismusical journey that through hiscable upgrades he experiences andfully understands ‘musicality’although not recognising it with a

name! Also, I too have found that Inow listen to all sorts of music,particularly from the DS, streamingsystems so ideal for pursuing this -all music genres so easily accessibleand the entire family’s diverse musiccollection, from any digital format,available at the touch of a screen!

Name & address supplied.

Read more about ‘The Future ofMusic’ on p22.

Upgrading a PowerBlock

I am getting in touch regarding therecent upgrade you carried out onmy PowerBlock with Ultra sockets.First, many thanks for the quickturnaround. I have to admit when itwas first powered up it did improvethe sound but not as much as I hadhoped. However, as usual with allyour upgrades, given time to burnand settle in - WOW what adifference! I don’t know much about‘noise floors being lower’ etc notsure what it means. All I can say is itsounds sweeter and more musical. A real treat to listen to my CD andLPcollectioneventhroughmy modestsystem.

Existing owners of PowerBlocks can upgrade the sockets toUltraSockets for £299


Letters

Anyone still not sure about gettingtheir old block upgraded don’thesitate... its well worth the money.Recommended. Many thanks for allyour upgrades over the years.

David Fenwick, by e-mail

A recording with aspecial meaningThe recordings thathave a special place inmy affections are oftwo concerts that I waslucky to be at before therecordings came out.In February 1972 I was at anunforgettable gig at Finsbury Parkwhen Pink Floyd did a massive setfeaturing Set the Controls..., Meddleand a new work... Eclipse. This waslater released as Dark Side of TheMoon with famous results. Tributehas alreadybeen paid tothatwonderful

recording in Connectedmagazine,so I will tell you more about theother concert and recording whichis also very close to my heart. Thisconcert actually took place beforethe Pink Floyd one.On a nice warm day May 31st in1970 I drove with my girlfriend tothe Royal Festival Hall for theLondon Symphony Orchestraconducted by Jascha Horenstein in

Mahler’s 3rd Symphony. Theentire printed booklet for theconcert series was two shillings -10p! This was 43 years ago.

I was a huge Mahler fan from 1967and I had recently discovered thismighty work. The music of bothPink Floyd and Mahler was not wellknown at that time. The choice ofMahler recordings was small. Howthings have changed! I had got toknow it from a two disc recording ofthe 3rd by the Boston SymphonyOrchestra conducted by Leinsdorf;records of Mahler symphonies werenot plentiful in local record shopsthen (but at least we had localrecord shops!).

I was lucky to have got tickets forthis performance; apparentlyHorenstein only conducted itpublicly three times. It was alreadyone of my favourite symphoniesand I sensed that a performance ofit would be a great event.

The performance was staggering,thrilling and moving. As the finalnotes were hammered out Iremember Horenstein standingwith his arms outstretched likesome primitive shaman exhortingthe orchestra to even greater effort.The audience rose and remainedstanding and applauding for ages -

the longest standing ovation I haveseen. Tears filled my eyes. Noconcert had hit me so powerfullybefore and few have since.Later an LP of Horensteinconducting the LSO came out andwas a Gramophone favourite formany years. And I think the BBC‘sBuilding a Library too. I have the CDand can now listen through anArcam DAC and KGSShv/STAX setup which takes me back to thatsummer evening when I was somoved as a young man.

Geoff Clarke, Shropshire.

Servicing an LP12I just want to say thank you, forsaving my early Linn Sondek LP12(s/n about 123?? can’t rememberthe last two digits). My motor diedand I wanted to also fit new rubbersand springs. I got all my parts fromyou last week and at the weekendstripped my Linn down and put itall back together after doing all theadjustments courtesy of my originalinstructions when I bought it(middle to late 1970’s getting old)and all the information on the net,and it now has the correct bounceand sounds wonderful again!! Sothanks again. No worries if you wishto use this email for yourselves andyour wonderful service, if I needanything else I will be back.

Philip Straker, New Zealand.

We are authorised sellers of LINN accessories. See them all on our website at:www.russandrews.com/linn.

We are delighted to announce that the range of

Kimber and Russ Andrews cables is now available to

view and buy in the Midlands. We are working with

Jerry Krawczyk of The Future of Music based in

Nottingham who is able to demonstrate and sell our

mains, interconnects and speaker cables.

The Future of Music specialises in streaming music

systems, with kit from Sonos, Linn, B&O and Simple

Audio to name just a few of the brands represented.

Pop along to hear it wired with Kimber Kable!

www.futureofmusic.ltd.uk

[email protected]

Phone 0115 9870516

Open for appointments Tues-Fri 9am-5pm

Available Saturdays for home demonstrations

The Future Of Music

Unit 1, Colwick Quays Business Park

Nottingham

NG4 2JY

dedicated dem roomswired with Russ Andrews & Kimber cables

ReviewsReviewsKeep up to date with new reviews in our news section at www.russandrews.com/news

23Issue 26 Winter 2013/14CONNECTED MAGAZINE

PowerKord-100, 300 & 500™

PowerKord-100, 300 & 500™

Verdict:

Price: from £150 for 1mMagazine: Hi-Fi ChoiceIssue: January 2014

All three of the new PowerKords™ received agroup review in the January 2014 edition ofHi-Fi Choice magazine. Starting first on aNaim UnitiLite, the reviewer Jason Kennedynotes how “changing to a PowerKord-100™

brings a considerable increase in threedimensionality, the sound of Gregory

Porter and his band expands into the room in quite a palpable

fashion. The noise floor seems to drop and the instruments and voices become more lifelike.”Not what you’d call insignificant

improvements, then.

The plaudits continue: “It manages to combine a

polished presentation with thedynamics that give the music life. It alsoworks well with older recordings, whichcan show their age in revealing systems.The PowerKord-100™ lets the body of themusic through along with its dynamicpotential”.

Pretty impressive stuff. But things get evenbetter when we move up the range to thePowerKord-300™. On the same NaimUnitiLite, Jason observes that “thePowerKord-300™ adds punch and greaterdynamic capability to the picture createdby the 100™, it also has more low-end wellyand adds vibrancy to brass instruments ina rather appealing fashion”.

Given that the PowerKord-300™ sits higherin the range, notwithstanding the positiveeffect the cable has on the Naim, Jasondecides it’s worth moving up to a higherlevel of equipment with the introduction ofthe MSB Platinum IV Signature transportand DAC as a source. This new, far morerevealing setup highlights the even greater

capabilities of the 300™, “delivering an extremely lifelike, well separated and low noise result”.

The doubling of the number of conductors over the 100™, “produces real light and shade in the music with power and pace also well served ... the 300 produces a greater sense of realism, vitality and pace,delivering an extremely coherent result”.

So what of the range-topping PowerKord-500™? Is there still room for improvement?The answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Taking theconductor count up to 24, the 500™ iscapable of bringing out even more subtletyfrom recordings, “revelling in microdynamics”. The overall effect of thePowerKord-500™ is to produce a “fullerpicture with a lot more instrument toneand dynamic detail. All of which cometogether to produce a really propulsive sense of pace when the music needs it”.

Looking across the range of these three cables, the effects can be seen as similar but on different levels, improving in significant steps as you progress through the range. Whichever cable you go for and whatever level of equipment they are used on, the investment is clearlyworthwhile in terms of musical enjoyment.This is clear from Jason’s summary, where hestates that “they let equipment bothrealistic and high end deliver more of the musical detail, and that in turnmeans morerewards for your listening efforts”.

Reviews

The SilencerVerdict:

Price: £52Magazine: Hi-Fi ChoiceIssue: September 2013

24 CONNECTED MAGAZINEIssue 26 Winter 2013/14

The SilencerIt's pleasing to see an established productlike the Silencer receiving an up to datereview, especially when it gets such anunequivocal recommendation from Hi-FiChoice magazine: "These devices really dowork as described".

In Neville Roberts’ case he found that TheSilencer was even able to cure the annoyingproblem of clicking through his speakers.Having traced the cause of the problem backto his refrigerator he found that pluggingThe Silencer into a spare socket near to hissystem completely eradicated the issue.

In terms of the effects of The Silencer onsound quality he notes the drop inbackground noise and improvements inlevels of detail extracted from recordings -just what we found and the effects are amuch more involving musical experience.

All in all summed up as a "great productthat won't break the bank".

The Clarity Mains DIY module can beeasily fitted inside equipment if you arehandy with a soldering iron. Is the timeand effort of fitting one worthwhilethough? Neville Roberts of Hi-Fi Choicecertainly thinks so. Having fitted the unithe reports: “at once I detect animprovement in overall clarity with myrecordings sounding more alive andrealistic. He continues; “Vocals are easierto pick out and identify and everythingsounds that bit cleaner on my system”.

In conclusion, he states that “with thesekinds of sonic benefits I have nohesitation in recommending it as a veryworthwhile upgrade!”

Sep ‘13

Clarity Mains DIY

ClarityMains™ DIYVerdict:

Price: £111Magazine: Hi-Fi ChoiceIssue: November 2013

Nov ‘13

Reviews

25Issue 26 Winter 2013/14CONNECTED MAGAZINE

A little bit of elbow grease makes a bigdifference with one of these impregnated cloths,which come in “three flavours to cater forcopper, silver and gold”. Neville Roberts,reviewing, notes that “in use, I find that they allwork a treat” for cleaning any number ofcontacts, from internal fuse ends to the pins ofmains plugs. Well worth the effort, then, andthey receive a handsome recommendation and4.5 stars.

TipTonic is a turntable stylus cleaner which employs aspecial formula designed to remove baked on depositswhich can develop over longer periods of time. As NevilleRoberts, reviewing, states “although it may soundstrange to refer to some deposits as baked-on, it isconsidered by many that a stylus tip can get quite hotdue to friction during playing – some say as high as160oC – so a cleaner that can gently remove this depositis very desirable”.

And it does the job very well: on examining his stylusunder the microscope, Neville observed what a thoroughjob the cleaner had done, prompting a solid 4.5 stars anda recommendation.

HC2 Headphone Cable

HC2 Headphone CableVerdict:

Price: £169 for 2mMagazine: Hi-Fi ChoiceIssue: August 2013

Tip Tonic Stylus Cleaner

TipTonicVerdict:

Price: £11Magazine: Hi-Fi ChoiceIssue: November 2013

Nov ‘13

HC Cleaning Cloths

HC Cleaning ClothsVerdict:

Price: from £4Magazine: Hi-Fi ChoiceIssue: June 2013

June ‘13

Our HC-2 headphone cable, used for upgradingSennheiser headphones, was reviewed by Neville Roberts in the August 2013 issue of Hi-Fi Choice magazine.

The first thing he noted was the “hugeimprovement” in clarity and reduction inharshness. The reviewer previously attributed this harshness to the headphones he was using (the Sennheiser HD 580) but with the new cable fitted this “completely vanishes”.

He goes on to note other improvements including better imaging, a vastly improved sound stage and a fuller bass. Summing up, he states “I really can’t find anythingnegative to say about this cable upgrade. It offershuge improvements and represents, in my humbleopinion, excellent value for money.” Result!

Aug ‘13


Competition Winner

The first record I ever bought was as a young lad of about 13 inthe early 1950s and it was a 12-inch 78 by Chris Barber’s JazzBand. The A-side was a number which was intimately associatedwith Barber for many years called “Whistlin’ Rufus”. On the B-sidewas “Hushabye” by the Monty Sunshine Quartet.

I got into traditional jazz barely into my teens when a chum andI sneaked off to the Victoria Hall, Halifax, to see bands likeBarber’s and Humphrey Lyttelton. The first time I heard “Whistlin’Rufus” I couldn’t get it out of my head, so I bought a copy atHalifax’s only record shop with my precious pocket money.

My parents had a pub and got a second-hand radiogram tokeep me out of mischief while they were busy in the bar. HardlyHi-Fi but I thought it was wonderful! Chris Barber’s “Whistlin’Rufus” was the only record I owned and I played it constantly,driving my parents and customers almost potty until my dadcame into our living room behind the bar and threatened tosmash it over my head!

The original 78 has long gone butI have “Whistlin’ Rufus” on a CD ofThe Great Reunion Concert whichthe original Barber band,including Monty Sunshine, gaveat the Fairfield Hall, Croydon, on5 June 1975. Sixty years after Ibought the 78 I can still play“Whistlin’ Rufus” and I am backin my mum and dad’s pub inYorkshire.

Mr R Stockdill

Our previous competition inConnected issue 25 askedyou to contact us with yourideas of how our Connectedmagazine can be improved.We had some really goodentries with lots of goodideas but, as always, therecan only be one winner. So congratulations go to Mr Stockdill of Dorset whowins a 0.5m pair of Timbreanalogue interconnectsworth £103. Mr Stockdillsuggested a new regularfeature and here is hissuggestion...

The First Record I Ever Bought

You asked for ideas for a new feature in Connected. Could Isuggest the following.....

Readers would name the first 78rpm single, vinyl album, tape orCD, etc, they ever bought, who the artist was, why they bought itand why it still means something emotional to them today. Themaximum length of a contribution would be, I suggest, 250 words.

Here, as an example, would be my own offering.....

We think this is a great idea toinclude in Connected and weplan to include a First Recordfeature in future issues of themagazine. If you want to have your ‘First Record’ featured, write to us at:

First Record FeatureRuss Andrews Accessories2B Moreland Court,Westmorland Business Park,Kendal, LA9 6NS or [email protected]


Editor: John [email protected]

Design: Sarah [email protected]

Advertising: Simon Dalton 01539 [email protected]

Sales: Peter [email protected]

Connected

ConnectedMagazine

OUT INJUNE ’14

OUT INDECEMBER

’14

ConnectedMagazine

Issue 28 Issue 29

FULLPRODUCTCATALOGUE

OUT IN SEPT’14

OUT INMARCH ’14

ConnectedMagazine

Issue 27

Terms and Conditions1. The closing day for entries is 10th February 2014; 2. The rules of entry are given in the text of the competition; 3. No purchasenecessary to enter; 4. The winner will be picked at random from the correct entries and the winner will be notified by e-mailand/or post by Friday 28th February 2014 ; 5. There are six prizes, each prize is of one copy of either the Linn 40th Anniversary CDor Studio Master download to be won ; 6. The prize is not transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash nor will a cash alternativebe offered; 7. Our decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into; 8. We reserve the right to feature photographs andthe names and counties of all entrants in future publications and publicity; 9. This promotion is not open to employees of Russ Andrews Accessories or their families, or anyone connected with the promotion; 10. The promoter is Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal, LA9 6NS, UK.

Competition

This year, Linn Products celebrates its40th anniversary and to celebrate, LinnRecords have produced a limited editiondouble CD and download featuring 40tracks from a range of the artistsfeatured on the Linn label.

Artists on the album include Claire Martin whohas established herself as a tour de force on theUK jazz scene winning at the British Jazz Awardsmultiple times and she is represented alongwith fellow British Jazz singer, Carol Kidd.

Representing Linn's commitment to home-grown Scottish talent are Maeve O'Boyle, FionaMackenzie and newcomer Amy Duncan andnames Linn fans will be happy to see back on the bill include Hue & Cry, RayGelato Giants, Martin Taylor and Jon Strong.

The strength of Linn's classical catalogue is clearand resulted in the label being namedGramophone ‘Label of the Year' 2010. ThePalladian Ensemble, Sir Charles Mackerras andthe Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the DunedinConsort and Magnificat have enjoyed longassociations with Linn whilst newer signingssuch as Katherine Bryan, Kuniko and RichardTunnicliffe continue the high standard; all arefeatured on the album. James Jolly(Gramophone) contributes booklet notescharting Linn's path to its 40th anniversary year.

We have sixcopies to giveaway as prizes – you can choose from either the CD version(worth £13) or one of their Studio MasterDownloads (worth £18). The total running timefor the whole collection is 154 minutes.

To be in with a chance of winning one of the sixcopies of the album on offer, simply answer thequestion below and either email your entry [email protected] with the title‘Linn Competition’ by Monday 10th February2014, or mail your answer on a postcard to: LinnCompetition, Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd,Unit 2B, Moreland Court, Westmorland BusinessPark, Shap Rd, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 6NS.

How many times has Claire Martin won at theBritish Jazz Awards?A. 5B. 6C. 7

WINone of 6 CDs (or downloads)worth upto £18

Mail Order Direct • 60 Day Cable Home Trial • Cable Upgrade Scheme • Free Delivery (orders over £100 within UK Mainland)

Buy online at www.russandrews.comCall UK Orderline 01539 797300 Int Tel +44 (0)1539 797300

Exclusive UK distributor

Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2b Moreland Court,

Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal LA9 6NS, UK.

Return address: Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd,2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park,Shap Road, Kendal LA9 6NS, UK.

Customer ReferenceNumber Code

www.russandrews.com

Get the very best out of your earth terminal

RF RouterRF Router Code: 1843

£169.00

Supplied with two 0.5m lengths ofearth wire fitted with spades.See pages 12 - 13

We have developed an exciting new product - theRF Router - that allows you to make the very bestuse of the earth terminals fitted to our SilencerBlocks and PowerBlocks, and our SuperSockets andUltraSockets.

In use in our systems, the RF Router brought abouta surprisingly large improvement in sound qualitygiving a cleaner sound with less ‘hash’, more solidbass and better soundstage width and depth.

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