Connected 27 doc

CONNECTED to muSiC & moVieS issue No.27 Spring 2014

PowerKord-300™ with NEW WattGate™ 350 AU EVO - p10

Limited offer!

SAVE 25% on Kimber 8VS speaker cable - page 21

The best just got better!

SpeNdor BC1s

NEW WattGate™EVO IEC connectors - on all

How good do these classic speakers sound? - page 18

PowerKords™ pages 8-10

Russ Andrews are the sole UK distributors of Kimber Kable

Welcome Following on from my previous request for recommended recordings from the Golden Age of Stereo, I have had a number of letters from readers.

Fintan Moran wrote: “I have been a fan of Mercury Living Presence in the full sense of the word, fanatical. I love RCA Living Stereo as well, but as an audiophile, for me, no label offers better early stereo sound (a particular interest of mine) than Mercury. I listen to them a lot. If you have not already done so, please play tracks 17 & 16, in that order, on your disc no.47 of the Mercury Living Presence volume 2 box set. Those two tracks, Raymond and Mignon Overtures, are for me the epitome of Living Presence. The performances are superb, but the early stereo engineering is for me ideal. It’s dated - how could it be anything else but it has dated wonderfully, like good vintage wine.

The sound has body, a delicious aroma and a headiness that makes you want it to go on and on listening.”

I’ve found it interesting that some of the best-sounding labels from the modern era – Reference Recordings, Telarc and Sheffield Lab, for example – have followed the ethos of some of the ‘Golden Age’ labels by using a small number of microphones, short signal paths and so on. Some labels and recording engineers have taken this approach even further customer Peter Wilkinson wrote to me to tell me about an experimental recording on the Tacet label called Die Röhre (The Tube). Peter wrote “The recording was made in 1999 as an experiment to see what could be

achieved by only using valves (“transistor free”) in the entire chain from microphone / mixing / editing / to manufacture. I note my vinyl copy is a limited pressing (433/969) so you may struggle to find a copy unless they have done a more recent re-issue. It is available on CD but that somewhat defeats the object! If you can find it, play the “B” side first (which I think is the best).”

Finally, Paul Adams of Fellside Recordings (www.fellside.com) wrote to tell me about a project he thought would be of particular interest. “In March 2010 we initiated a project to recreate a small band Jazz recording of the 1930s. The idea was not to try to recreate a particular band but to evoke an era and a ‘sound’. For the session we used a single authentic 1938 RCA Ribbon Microphone and valve equipment.

We also selected a group of musicians who were experienced in, and sympathetic to, the era. Variously they have experience is playing in vintage and swing bands such as The Pasadena Roof Orch., The Charleston Chasers, The Back To Basie Orch., The Kings Of Swing, etc.” The resulting CD, (released on the Lake Records label) The 1930s Jazz Recording Project, couldn’t be described as a Golden Age of Stereo recording (it was recorded in mono!) – but I have a copy and it beautifully captures the sound of the era. Since the original CD was released, more albums have been recorded with the same equipment, and they are well worth looking out for. ■

In this issue...

Regulars Editorial Russ’s First Words News Dalton‘s Deliberations Letters Competition

3 4 5 17 22 26

Features Loudspeaker Upgrade Service 13 Customer System

14

Classic Hi-Fi - Spendor BC1s

18

Products New Products

7

Become an expert...

Kimber Hero Interconnects

16

Limited Offer: Kimber 8VS Speaker Cable

21

Recent Reviews

24

Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal LA9 6NS, UK. © Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2014. E & OE. Any views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

John Armer, Editor john.armer@russandrews.com

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE 3

Russ’s First Words

My approach to music I have just bought the wonderful mega box set – Arthur Rubinstein – The Complete Album Collection.

But before even listening to any of the fabulous recordings I sat down and started reading the book that accompanies the set. As I read through the chapter ‘For my Father’ by his son John Rubinstein, I was astounded by his description of how his father described what music meant to him. It was like reading a perfect description of my own feelings about music expressed far better than I have been able to achieve so far.

I want to share some of it with you so that you may better understand my approach to music, and from that, what I expect from a Hi-Fi system.

What I want a Hi-Fi system to do is so different from the mainstream Hi-Fi goals that I have always found it very hard to explain. Enjoy!

“For my father, Arthur Rubinstein, music was more important than just about anything else. And it wasn’t the business of music, not the planning and executing of his pianistic career; it was music itself, the metaphysical, the sublime, rousing, passionate, tragic, comic, complex, non-verbal thing it is. It was music that coursed through my father’s veins, that created pictures in his mind, that inspired him and kept him alive for almost 96 years. Music was his center, of course, and yet... when he played, he expressed himself with a directness and simplicity, a humility and love, which in his life away from the piano were not always accessible.

4 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

The moment he sat down at the piano, everything in him seemed to zero right in on the music. His playing although dynamic, was not complicated, as he himself was. It was straightforward, non-neurotic, without extraneous embellishments or mannerisms. He was able to pour his enormous range of emotions and experience of life into the

“It was music that coursed through my father’s veins, that created pictures in his mind, that inspired him and kept him alive for almost 96 years.” music without ego; he became humble in the service of the composer. His own sense of dignity and strength prevented his playing from ever becoming sentimental; and yet he was incapable of playing a phrase with only a dry, intellectual approach. It always came from his heart.

My father had an extraordinary connection to history, and knew a great deal about the lives of the composers whose music he played. He spoke of them with great love and even familiarity. Some, like Szymanowski, Stravinsky, Albéniz, and Poulenc, were in fact, friends and acquaintances. But all of them, Mozart and Brahms, Chopin and Beethoven, Liszt and Bach, were present with him when he was playing their music. And he was able, effortlessly, to incorporate a melody, a movement, an entire piece, both his own personality

and the state of mind of the composer as he imagined it.

Since music was the most important thing to my father, and because when he played he was able to convey the best parts of himself, hearing him play all my life was like being spoken to by him in a personal, meaningful, colourful, and direct fashion. I heard him practice at home all the time, I travelled with him often and heard him play in public and in recording studios hundreds of times; so that unique oneway communication, heightened and wordless, came to be a huge part of our relationship. When I listen to his recordings now, many years after his death, I hear him as though he were still in the room, telling me the most intimate, deep, beautiful and essential things in the way that he communicated best – unfettered, through music.”

This quote is condensed from an article included in the book accompanying Arthur Rubinstein: The Complete Album Collection. The box set features, in alphabetical and chronological order, Arthur Rubinstein’s complete studio and live recordings of solo, concerto and chamber music on RCA Red Seal in their best remastered versions. The collection stretches over 142 CDs and 2 DVDs and is a wonderful way to explore a pianist’s output on one label from the days of 78RPM records until just before the onset of digital recording. ■

News Music Blog If you have been following our musings in previous editions of Connected, you’ll be aware of how much we put music at the forefront of everything we do. We often feel that there is too much emphasis placed on the sound of a system rather than on its overall musical qualities. You can see this in the language that is used in describing the sound, for example breaking down the music into bass, treble and midrange. We’ve all been guilty of this at some time or another but this isn’t how we listen to live music is it? When was the last time you Visit our blog at: www.russandrewsmusic.com came out of a concert and lamented the lack of detail in the midrange or observed how impressive the bass extension was?

Hi-Fi is a means to an end and that end is the enjoyment of music. So that’s why we’ve decided to start a blog focusing on the music. This will be from a wide and eclectic perspective covering anything that is at the forefront of our minds at the time; from a favourite piece of music to competing audio formats or even recommendations on listening techniques. There are already a number of interesting articles on the blog, written by Russ and the team, and we intend to update it with new ones on a regular basis. And we want it to be interactive, so we welcome your own comments and feedback to add to the blog. So why not head over to www.russandrewsmusic.com and let us know what you think?

Social Media Our new blog is just the latest addition to our Social Media offering. Since starting our Facebook page in October 2011 we have gradually developed our presence on the social side of the web, adding both Twitter and Google+ accounts to the mix.

Recently, we have also started our own Pinterest boards. Pinterest is very visual users post (pin) images to boards, which are simply collections of images.

We currently have four boards: The World of Russ Andrews features a variety of pictures from our range of cables and accessories along with other images recording life at RAHQ ; Classic Hi-Fi gathers together some wonderful photos of ‘retro’ audiophile stars from years gone by – along with some contemporary ones too; Hi-Fi Graphic Design and Advertising is a trawl through some wonderful examples of historic printed material; and Hi-Fi Miscellany, which features just about everything else we can think of. You can see and follow any or all of these at www.pinterest.com/russandrewshifi.

Visit our Pinterest page at: www.pinterest.com/russandrewshifi

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE 5

New NewsProducts

o p e N day Russ, Jerry and John

Russ Andrews in Nottingham!

Saturday, 1st February saw Russ and John journeying south to attend a Russ Andrews Open Day at The Future of Music in Nottingham, a new dealership stocking our cables. It was a great success with several customers staying all day to experience Russ’s upgrade dem and chat to us about music, their systems, and Kimber and Russ Andrews cables and accessories.

Russ enjoyed talking to both our and Jerry’s customers

Many thanks go to Jerry and his team for putting on such a great day (and providing some delicious food, not least the wonderful The Future of Music - Russ Andrews cake!) and to those of you who came along and participated so enthusiastically.

The Future of Music is based in Colwick, Nottingham and specialise in streaming music systems from the likes of Linn, Sonos and B&O. As well as streaming systems, owner Jerry has a selection of our cables on display and for sale, and can demo them for you if necessary.

We even had a celebratory cake

www.futureofmusic.ltd.uk sales@futureofmusic.ltd.uk 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. Jerry’s listening room with our equipment ready for the dem 6 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

New Products New Super Burn-in PLUS Russ has been working on an advanced version of our Super Burn-In cable enhancement to bring you even more benefits in performance. The enhanced version – Super Burn-In PLUS - can be applied to Russ Andrews and Kimber mains cables only.

What is Super Burn In? Super Burn-In is a unique, advanced cable enhancement developed by Ben Duncan and Russ Andrews. Super Burn-In is achieved via a customdesigned and built machine that treats cables to a specific ‘recipe’.

Almost all Kimber and Russ Andrews mains cables, interconnects and speaker cables can be treated, but we are unable to treat any other manufacturers’ cables. The cables that we treat can be new or many years old – they will all benefit from the process.

Pricing We charge a flat rate for each mains cable treated with Super Burn-In or Super Burn-In PLUS, irrespective of length.

Super Burn-In

Code: 8320 £100

Single-stage process, applied to new cables or existing cables that have not been processed.

Code: 8325 Super Burn-In PLUS £150

What is Super Burn-In PLUS ?

We’ve looked at ways in which we could further improve the Super Burn-In recipe for our mains cables, to bring even better performance. We’ve developed a new, 2-stage process that brings benefits to cables handling mains voltages and it is a very effective way of bringing even more performance to your mains cables.

If you want to have your mains cable treated with Super Burn-In, you can still opt for the standard Super Burn-In or choose the new Super Burn-In PLUS. If you have mains cables that have already been treated with Super Burn-In, you can also return them to us for the additional treatment that takes them up to the Super Burn-In PLUS level.

Note, this process can only be applied to cables that have been previously Super Burned-In. Code: 8325 Add on Super Burn-In PLUS £50 Single-stage process, applied to cables that already have Super Burn-In.

How to order on NEW cables By phone: When you order your new cable, simply request Super Burn In or Super Burn-In PLUS. The treatment may add 1-2 days to the delivery time, but we will let you know at the time you place your order.

the search box of the website or type in the product code 8320 or 8325 as necessary].

How to order on your EXISTING cables

Contact us to place an order for Super Burn In or Super Burn-In 2-stage process, applied to new cables PLUS and to tell us when you are or existing cables that have not been sending your cables so we can processed. book them in. If you need us to arrange a collection, we can do If you have mains cables that have Online: Buy your new cable and that too for a small additional already been treated with Super add Super Burn In or Super Burn In charge. We aim to treat your cables Burn-In, we can apply the PLUS as an additional product and deliver them back to you additional process to take them within 2-3 days of receiving them. up to the Super Burn-In PLUS level. [Tip: search for Super Burn-In in Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

7

New Products

PowerKord-100™ fitted with W320 EVO

New EVO plugs from WattGate™ WattGate™ have spent the last two years improving their legendary IEC connectors and we were delighted to announce the introduction of the brand new range. The new WattGate™ plugs are called WattGate™ EVO and our listening tests have confirmed that they are a real evolution over the original WattGate™ ‘Classic’ plugs.

WattGate EVO at a glance: ™

WattGate™ 320 EVO – the new, entry-level IEC connector with brass terminals

WattGate™ 350 AU EVO – the new, gold-plated Audio Grade IEC connector

WattGate™ 350 RH EVO – the new, Rhodium-plated Audio Grade IEC connector

8 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 26 Winter 2013/14

WattGate™ plug plating The Gold and Rhodium plated versions of the WattGate™ EVO plugs feature WattGate’s™ multilayer plating process for high performance. On the Audio Grade Gold (AU) plugs this consists of oxygen free copper, electroless nickel to prevent the copper leeching through, followed by 24K gold plating.

On the Audio Grade Rhodium (RH) plugs this consists of oxygen free copper, electroless nickel to prevent the copper leeching through, 24K gold plating followed by the pure Rhodium plating.

WattLock™ teeth

High spring rate brass

™

WattLock terminal

New Products

WattLock™ teeth

2.5mm hex hardware

WattLock™ capture box accepts cable conductors up to 8 awg (3.2mm diam.)

New WattLock™ terminals incorporating WattLock ‘teeth’ improve contact pressure on the cable conductors for a lower resistance connection

W320 EVO

Brass, Gold and new high performance Rhodium versions available

W350 AU EVO

W350 RH EVO

Plugs accept cables up to 19mm diameter

High spring-rate contacts mean that the plugs grip securely onto your equipment socket

Non-magnetic construction with durable polycarbonate plug shell

All plugs Cryogenically treated

How do they sound?

As soon as we heard the new plugs we knew immediately that they were a big improvement. Our impressions were that the sound opened up; bass became tighter and more defined and there was a sweeter top end.

So good are the new plugs that all new Russ Andrews and Kimber PowerKords™ will now be fitted with the new plugs (See next page). ™

WattGate™ plug pricing WattGate™ plugs can be bought loose if you want to fit them yourself on your own cables.

They fit together with 2.5mm hex fasteners so you will need the correct tool to fit them.

W320 EVO plug only

Code: 1905

£30.00

™

The new WattGate 320 EVO replaces the Wattgate 320i and the new WattGate™ 350 AU EVO replaces the Wattgate™ 350iAg. The new WattGate™ 350 RH EVO – in our opinion the best-sounding plug that WattGate™ have made – is available for an additional charge on the PowerKord-300™ and PowerKord-500™ only. ™

Wattgate Classic plugs Please note that the new WattGate™ EVO plugs are only available in the 10A rating. Cables that need the larger 16A versions (as used to connect to our SilencerBlocks, PowerBlocks, and Purifiers) will continue to be fitted with the original ‘Classic’ plugs.

W350 AU EVO plug only

Code: 1912

£85.00

W350 RH EVO

Code: 1913

plug only

£100.00

Please see next page for pricing of the new WattGate plugs fitted to our PowerKords™ Issue 27 Spring 2014 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

9

Product Feature

The best investment you can make in your system

PowerKords™ Now even better performance from the superb new WattGate™ EVO IEC plugs ‘outstanding’ HiFi World, March ‘14 *

PowerKord-100™ fitted with W320 EVO

For a limited period we are offering new PowerKords™ with these new WattGate™ 320 and 350 AU EVO plugs at no additional charge – but please take advantage of this now because we will have to introduce new pricing in the future.

POWERKORD-100™ Code: 1570 fitted with

1.0m 1.5m 2.0m

‘excellent’ HiFi World, March ‘14 *

W320 EVO

£150.00 £180.00 £210.00

POWERKORD-300™ fitted with W320 EVO 1.0m £230.00 1.5m £275.00 2.0m £320.00

Code: 1575

W350 AU EVO W350 RH EVO £280.00 £295.00 £325.00 £340.00 £370.00 £385.00

PowerKord-300™ fitted with W350 AU EVO

POWERKORD-500™ fitted with W350 AU EVO 1.0m £440.00 1.5m £515.00 2.0m £590.00

Code: 1580

W350 RH EVO £455.00 £530.00 £605.00

Want us to fit the new plugs onto your existing cables? ‘outstanding’ HiFi World, March ‘14 *

PowerKord-500™ fitted with W350 RH EVO 10 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

If you already have PowerKords™ fitted with the original Classic plugs and would like us to fit the new plugs to your existing cables, the cost is £15 plus the cost of the plug and postage back to you. * The awards were given to PowerKords™ fitted with Wattgate™ ‘Classic’ plugs

New Products

For DIY upgraders...

New DIY Silencer mains filter Those of you who are keen on modifying your own equipment will be pleased to know that we’ve developed a special, DIY version of our Silencer mains filter. It’s ideal for fitting internally inside amplifiers, CD / DVD and Blu-ray disc players to bring the benefits of our mains filtering directly to your equipment.

The DIY Silencer is mounted in a robust ABS box and is fitted with 30cm live, neutral and earth flying leads for soldering internally in equipment. Full instructions provided.

Dimensions: 50mm x 25mm x 75mm WHD

DIY SILENCER

Code: 1407

£52.00

Includes self adhesive backing pad for easy mounting

Keep your phono plugs and sockets clean We were very intrigued when we saw these nifty phono cleaning tools. Looking like a combination phono plug and socket, the RCA cleaning tool is made from a blend of injection moulded plastics which are ever so slightly abrasive. To use them, insert the cleaning tool into a phono socket and remove it without twisting to remove contaminants and oxidation.

The tool can also clean phono plugs – just insert the plug into the socket on the back of the tool and again remove without twisting to keep your phono plugs clean.

Tip: for even better performance use with DeoxIt™ contact enhancer.

New USB MiniZaps MiniZaps are a micro-version of our Zapperators that are specifically designed for linelevel signals. MiniZaps can be fitted successfully to interconnect cables, or we make special phono, DIN and XLR plugs with the MiniZap components incorporated into them. The latest version of the plug-in MiniZaps are our new USB MiniZaps which mount the components into either a USB type A socket or a USB type B socket.

USB MiniZaps can be used in equipment with unused USB sockets, such as set-top boxes, CD, DVD and Blu-ray Disc players, DACs, TVs and computers.

Type B

Type A

USB MiniZap Type A in use with a laptop

USB MiniZap Type B in use in the back of a DAC

USB MINI ZAPS Each

Code: 5800

£74.00

The cleaning tool is female at one end male at the other.

RCA Cleaning Tool

Code: 5412

£5.00

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

11

New Products

NEW i80 Dock Upgrade Service Owners of Meridian’s M80 or F80 may be interested to know that Russ has developed an upgrade to the i80 iPod dock that was supplied with your unit.

The upgrade service involves replacing key components in the i80’s circuit and our listening tests show there is a very worthwhile improvement in the sound quality when an iPod is connected to the dock and played through your F80 or M80.

To have your i80 iPod dock upgraded, you must contact us to book it in for the work to be done. We will inform you of the anticipated turn-around time when you contact us.

Our i80 upgrade service is an exclusive Russ Andrews service – not a Meridian Audio service.

i80 Upgrade Service Code: 8615 £69.00

NEW Power Supply the AC-24 1000 Our new 24V AC power supply was born out of a project to replace the power supply which had failed on one of Russ’s Rega turntables. Rather than opting for a stock replacement, we set out to develop the best-sounding power supply we could and the result is our AC-24 1000.

The AC-24 1000 features a high-performance precision rack-wound transformer, which we find gives better performance than the more common high-speed wound transformers. It is mounted in a tough ABS box with an IEC input for connecting your choice of mains cable and is fitted with your choice of a 1 or 2 metre woven Kimber link cable for connecting to your kit.

What is the AC-24 for?

Many turntables require a 24V AC power supply and our AC-24 1000 is suitable as a replacement for equipment that needs a 24V AC power supply capable of delivering up to 1A (1000mA). The supply is fitted as standard with a 3mm jack plug. Other sizes can be supplied on request.

12 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

AC-24 1000 Power Supply Code: 1895

with 1m link cable with 2m link cable

£199 £219

Our Services

Loudspeaker Upgrades You may know from previous issues of Connected that we offer a loudspeaker upgrading service we can upgrade most types of loudspeakers, not just the Spendor BC1s featured on page 18. We’ve had a few enquiries recently from customers asking about the service so we thought it would be worth reminding you of it.

Who’s the service for?

If you have a pair of cherished loudspeakers that you love the sound of but you want more performance, the upgrade service could well be for you. We upgrade your speakers to make them more sensitive and communicative; the effect is that the sound becomes more musical and enjoyable to listen to.

What do we do?

Our upgrade service includes work to the cabinet to silence any rattling panels and improves the soundabsorption. We also replace any internal foam with our Acousti-Wool.

Most loudspeaker manufacturers seem to believe that the most important aspect of a loudspeaker’s

performance is a flat frequency response and develop complex crossover networks that deliver ever more inefficient, boring speakers with flat, lifeless sound.

Our upgrade aims to correct this, giving a speaker that’s much more sensitive and enjoyable to listen to but retaining the character of the sound that you have enjoyed.

We do this by simplifying the crossover - replacing it with a single capacitor, making your speakers more sensitive and efficient, retaining the speed and dynamics of the music and subjectively reducing distortion. The correct value capacitor varies from speaker to speaker and is selected by listening and measurement.

Finally, all internal cabling is replaced with Kimber Kable.

“I found that the effect of the speaker upgrade was immediately apparent. A marked improvement overall but particularly so with the retrieval of detail in the recording, the soundstage and the imaging.”

Pricing Pricing can vary from speaker to speaker but we will always let you know if there will be a deviation from the guide price before starting any work.

2-way loudspeaker full Russ Andrews upgrade: £400 3-way loudspeaker full Russ Andrews upgrade: £500 Pricing includes crossover modification with Kimber Kap capacitors, cabinet damping, fitting of Acousti-Wool, and fitting of Kimber 4PR speaker cable internally. Your removed crossover will be returned with your speakers.

If you wish to specify higher quality cable and /or better binding posts, we can incorporate this in the upgrade if required.

Shipping your speakers to us We can arrange carrier collection (£25) of your speakers if necessary. This is, however, on the condition that you have the speaker boxes originally used to transport the speakers. If you do not have the original boxes, we advise you to deliver them to us in Kendal, Cumbria personally to ensure we receive them safely.

Brian Bird, Essex.

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE 13

Customer System Last year, we received a tantalising commission. Russ’s friend Chris Bonar had met Magnus and Marije - one half of the Navarra String Quartet, an awardwinning group of performers. They had heard Chris’s system (built by Russ in the Russ with Magnus and Marije early 1990s and which Russ continues to upgrade and improve) and wanted us to build them one. Magnus and Marije’s budget meant that we would be looking at good quality second-hand kit, so we set-to and spent a busy few weeks sourcing kit and upgrading it. The system we put together was rather more modest than Chris’s, but we hoped Magnus and Marije would, as professional musicians, appreciate the musical qualities of the setup we had built them. Here are their words.

“

John and Russ busy unpacking the Torlyte® Rack

Russ and Magnus discussing the system

At last a real opportunity to sit and write to you all and thank you for the incredible audio system you put together for us. Since you came to London we

host in Dundee and within a minute of setting foot in his house we were listening to music! I can’t describe the profound effect it had on us listening to his music system.

have been on the road with our string quartet for most

It’s hard to do justice to what you’ve done for us, but here is our attempt.

As a young boy I was a chorister at King’s College Cambridge where I sang for five years. After rooting through Chris’s CD collection I spotted the legendary Roy Goodman recording of the Allegri Miserere which was recorded in Kings in the 1960s - the sound of the choir in King’s Chapel is one of the most famous and has never left me.

The Russ Andrews experience started for us very unexpectedly in Dundee when we had the good fortune of meeting Chris (a Russ Andrews supporter/customer) after giving a concert with our string quartet at the local music club. Chris was our

We sat and listened enthralled to the whole piece, moved by the experience, the sound was as I remembered it - we were in the chapel! After that, we listened on well into the night delighted with everything we heard. It wasn’t long before we were in

of the summer culminating in a trip to Banff in Canada

where we won 3rd prize in the Banff International String Quartet Competition.

14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

Customer System

conversation with Chris about where on earth he acquired his system.

From that moment on, Chris was a huge support in helping us with our system and putting us in touch with Russ and his team. Marije and I were soon to be married and we decided that as a wedding list we KEF loudspeakers, wired with Kimber 8TC speaker cable would ask for donations towards our dream music system.

Whilst we knew we could never achieve the beauty of Chris’s system with our budget (I believe that has been a labour of love for over 25 years!) Russ explained to us that it was possible to achieve something that could still achieve the character that so drew us to Chris’s system; hard to define but ultimately it was the spirit of the performances, the overwhelming sense that the performers were in the room with you and the sheer beauty, warmth and vividness of sound.

So after conversations with Russ, it was agreed that the team would build a system from second hand audio hardware, make considerable modifications to it and then dress it up with Russ Andrews accessories.

All good things come to those who wait! And finally the day came.

Russ and John arrived at our flat in London with boxes full of delights.

It wasn’t long before we pressed the play button and we sat in awe of what they had achieved for us. Put simply, we have a music system which we adore listening to.

Upgraded Rega turntable, NAD CD player and ARCAM amp supported on Torlyte®

The service we received from the very beginning right to the end was personal, friendly, supportive, informed - simply faultless. Thanks Russ, Chris B, John, Peter and the whole team at Russ Andrews for giving us something that was not only a wedding gift from all our nearest and dearest but something which we will enjoy for the rest of our lives.

We have started flying the Russ Andrews flag and so far all our friends who have heard our system are blown away by its musicality. THANK YOU!

Magnus and Marije are professional musicians and form half of the Navarra String Quartet.

All good wishes Magnus and Marije Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

15

Become an expert on...

Kimber’s Hero Interconnects

How do you improve on an already tried and tested cable?

The Kimber Hero range of analogue interconnects is the outcome of many years of development by Kimber Kable. They are the result of addressing the question of how to improve on the tried and tested tri-wire braid featured in the likes of their Tonik and Timbre interconnects. Kimber came up with a simple solution: add another conductor. This new GyroQuadratic™ field geometry doubles the number of conductors carrying the signal (the tri-wire versions use one conductor for the signal and two for ground).

As well as reducing resistance in the cable, this also has the advantage of enhancing the complexity of Kimber Kable’s unique weave, improving on its already impressive noise-reducing properties. Combined with the use of VariStrand conductors – see details on page 21 – to our minds these cables really excel in communicating the true emotion of the music, presenting the harmonic structure and intensity of the actual performance, as well as giving you amazing 3-dimensional imaging, detail and bass impact.

There are three editions of the Hero: the Hero Cu, which uses four HyperPure Copper conductors; the Hero HB, with two Hyper-Pure Copper and two Hyper-Pure Silver conductors; and finally, the range-topping Hero Ag with its four Hyper-Pure Silver conductors. All three have the same overall characteristics described above but the performance is boosted significantly as you move up the range.

"Energy and rhythmic drive are the key features here, but there is also plenty to admire in terms of detail, while tonal balance is excellent".

Hi-Fi Choice, Group Test Winner, 5 stars, Dec 2011

KIMBER Hero-Cu

KIMBER Hero-HB

Code: 2056

£399 £686

0.5m pair 1m pair

KIMBER Hero-Ag 0.5m pair 1m pair

Code: 2055

£137 £180

0.5m pair 1m pair

Code: 2057

£703 £1277

Attenuate these cables: Add £31/pair

16 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

News

Dalton’s Deliberations Write to Simon at - simondalton@russandrews.com

The Value of Music Listening to Thinking Allowed on Radio 4 recently, I was interested to hear a discussion on the value of music. In his recently published book Why Music Matters, David Hesmondhalgh, Professor of Music and Media Industries at Leeds, suggests that when it comes to judging the value of music, academia is generally too narrowly focused on its socio/political aspects. This, he argues, misses an important aspect which makes music valuable in a completely different way, but one that I suspect most people would recognise more.

Music, he says, is valued by most of us as a more subjective concern with feeling and emotion, which can be both intimate and collective, private and public. He uses a track from Candy Staton – Young Hearts, Run Free - to illustrate this. From the traditional academic perspective, the song can be read as a clarion call of feminism, reflective of discofocused values such as freedom, liberation and equality (of race, gender and sexual orientation).

Certainly, there is evidence there to support this: “What's the sense in sharing this one and only life Ending up just another lost and lonely wife”

But there’s also a more personal message here too, a melancholic and emotional one. The song is related from the perspective of a woman looking back on her life and lamenting the missed opportunities and heartache of

“Any Hi-Fi worth its salt should be able to transport us to the heart of our music and all the associations we have with it.” being trapped by her own fears of moving on: “Say I'm gonna leave a hundred times a day It's easier said than done When you just can't break away” As a listener I can see how this latter aspect engages me more, relates to me and my life, not necessarily in the same terms but nevertheless I can have empathy with the personal struggle to change.

Whilst it conveys this emotional intimacy the track also achieves, almost paradoxically, a collective meaning too. As a Disco classic, it holds reminiscences of a shared

mis-spent youth, growing up in the 1970’s and dancing around handbags or picking up the courage to ask that girl for a dance.

On both a personal and public level, then, Hesmondhalgh surely has a point. If we are to assess the true value of music it must at some level reflect these aspects of its impact.

We have often written in this magazine about the importance of musicality in a Hi-fi system and how this can largely be judged by the emotional impression the music has on us. In many ways, this reflects the attitude that music gains its most significant meaning through the emotional engagement it engenders. In the case of the ‘listening room’ this experience tends to be on the more intimate and personal level.

Any Hi-Fi worth its salt, therefore, should be able to transport us to the heart of our music and all the associations we have with it. This is a far better way to judge the value of a particular system or upgrade than the traditional emphasis on aspects such as ‘clarity’ ‘smoothness’ or ‘punch’. It’s about the overall performance of the music. Miss this and you’ll surely miss the music. ■ SD

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE 17

Classic Hi-Fi Spendor BC1 Loudspeaker This article marks the start of a new series in Connected focussing on Classic Hi-Fi components. Over the years, Russ has amassed a collection of vintage and classic Hi-Fi equipment, from wax cylinder players to reel-to-reel tape decks, valve amplifiers, electrostatic loudspeakers, DVD players and much more.

Each issue, Russ Andrews will look at a well-regarded component and give his thoughts on its performance and sound quality… and what, if anything, can be done to make it sound even better. We’re getting the ball rolling this time with a loudspeaker that Russ has owned since 1973, the Spendor BC1…

Fact file: Date launched: 1969 Date discontinued: 1994 Type: 3 way Sensitivity: 84dB / 1W / 1m Nominal impedance: 8 Ω Frequency response: 50Hz – 15kHz later to 45kHz – 25kHz Power handling: 20W RMS later 55W Weight: 14Kg Dimensions: 635mm x 300mm x 300mm HWD

The Spendor BC1 was designed in the late 1960s by Spencer Hughes who worked at the BBC. Along with co-designer Dudley Harwood, they used Bextrene (originally used for making egg cartons) which, when covered in gunk, became suitable for making loudspeaker diaphragms. The resulting 3-way design used an 8 inch Bextrene mid-bass driver, a Celestion tweeter and a Coles supertweeter. The drive units are mounted in a thin-walled reflex enclosure and at the time gave impressive stereo imaging and detail, sounding smooth, clear and with low distortion.

Russ’s Spendor BC1 loudspeakers on Torlyte® Speaker Stands 18 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

The BC1 quickly achieved cult status as a consistency and response ‘accuracy’ make it low ‘monitor’ quality loudspeaker. Better still, it was a on efficiency and limits dynamic range, softening ‘BBC monitor’ loudspeaker! In the early 1970s that bass and making the treble rather ‘hard’ in label attracted huge respect without any real character. understanding of what the term meant. At the BBC My answer is in two steps. The conventional it had a specific meaning and purpose; their approach – Type A – is to upgrade crossover engineers and producers needed to know exactly components, rewire with Kimber 4TC speaker what they were broadcasting to make sure they cable, remove the foam rubber sheets that line the weren’t sending out any annoying noises like the inside of the cabinet and replace it with Acousti16.25kHz TV line whistle or strange balances. They Wool. The result is a very big step towards giving needed an accurate, smooth, and, above all, a the sound more life and dynamics and tightening consistent reference in a the bass. compact size. They were The more unconventional obsessive about levels and It is widely recognised solution – Type B – is to remove consistency, repeatability and as ‘rich and warm’ the crossover completely, wire the reliability. Drive unit matching mid/bass direct to the input, then and pair matching were in sound, soft and feed the treble with a 2uF Kimber paramount. Power handling slightly boomy in Kap and the Supertweeter with a and dynamic range were the bass.

0.47uF Kimber Kap. The result of relatively unimportant; therein this is revelatory. You usefully lies the BC1’s limitation as a gain around 6dBs in sensitivity, a high fidelity loudspeaker. sweeter, clearer treble and a tight, clean and deep It is widely recognised as ‘rich and warm’ in bass. The music becomes truly involving, detailed sound, soft and slightly boomy in the bass, not a and dynamic, yet still smooth and ‘tidy’. And it speaker for rock music. Much more a speaker for plays rock and roll! Interestingly, the frequency speech or polite classical music played at levels response graphs are very similar and the modified that wouldn’t alarm the vicar. one is arguably flatter. I have applied this solution The BC1 was part of the system I assembled of the to dozens of speakers now and had very consistent ‘best’ Hi-Fi available in 1973. I was one of the first results. Interestingly, much of the ‘characteristic’ British Hi-Fi dealers to be allowed to sell it (I distortion I associate with dome tweeters turned remember that Spendor took some persuading to out to be an artefact of the crossover networks allow non-professional studio users to buy them in used; specifically the use of inductors. the very early days). This was the system that so If you have a pair of BC1s and want to have a disappointed me for its lack of musicality, it was more modern, expressive and involving experience just so boringly ‘Hi-Fi’. I now know how to with your music, give Type B upgrade a go; you overcome this limitation with all parts of that can easily put the old crossover back if you don’t system (and any other). like it. I think you will fall in love with them all The main problem with the BC1 is the rather over again.

Continued... complex crossover network. The efforts to deliver Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

19

Upgrading your BC1s If you have a working pair of Spendor BC1 loudspeakers it is well worth upgrading them to get the sort of improvements I have highlighted on the previous page. There are two approaches to the upgrades: if you are technically minded, you can purchase an upgrade kit from us and do the upgrade yourself or you can deliver the speakers to us so that we can upgrade them for you.

UpgRAde Kit & gUide If you have some experience with electronics, you may find it cost-effective to do the upgrades yourself. Our upgrade kit contains full instructions and all the components you need to complete the upgrade. The instructions do not assume a high level of technical knowledge, just common sense, practicality and native cunning.

The instructions are illustrated with line drawings showing what goes where.

UpgRAde SeRvice For those who have neither the facilities, time or courage to do the work themselves, we offer a complete upgrade service. To do the work, you must have adequate means to get the speakers to us safely; we recommend delivering the speakers to us to ensure they arrive to us undamaged.

With prior arrangement you could A/B our upgraded pair against yours before you make a decision; we can provide a before and after frequency response graph for you to keep.

DIY Upgrade Kit

Code 8450 containing instructions and all components needed to complete the upgrade.

Type A Early BC1 £510.00 Later BC1 £460.00 Type B Both Early and Late £180.00

StANd ANd deLiveR

Russ Andrews Upgrade Service Code 8460

Whichever upgrade you choose, the original metal stands (resplendent with period castors) should be consigned to posterity or even a skip. We have special Torlyte stands for the BC1 that match the new modern sound and considerably tighten up the bass delivery and extension.

We complete the upgrade for you.

The prices below exclude delivery.

Type A Early BC1 £960.00 Later BC1 £910.00

Know your speakers There were a few changes made to the BC1 during its production. Most literature claims 55W power handling, but this only applies to the later versions. Up until about 1977, I am certain the power handling remained at 20W. Later model BC1s contain fewer components in the crossover and it’s important to know which type you have if you are going to upgrade them. Finding out which one you have can be done with a component count: early crossovers have 15 components and the later ones have 12.

20

PRICING

CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

Type B Both Early and Late £380.00 Upgrade Type A retains the original crossover, upgrading the components on it.

Upgrade Type B goes for a far more simple crossover circuit, allowing the bass/mid driver to operate full range and using capacitors to roll on the higher frequencies.

We use only the highest quality components in our upgrades and upgrade kits, including high performance inductors and resistors (where necessary), Kimber Kap capacitors and Kimber Kable 4TC internal wiring.

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Kimber’s 8VS speaker cables use 16 Ultra-Pure copper VariStrand™ conductors for great performance with any size of system. It’s ideal for mid-range Hi-Fi and Home Cinema and won’t disgrace itself in high-end set ups either!

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Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

21

Your letters STAR

Vinyl revival

LETTER

I totally relate to the contents of Russ’s First Words in Connected issue 26 having recently pressed my aged turntable back into service.

My hi-fi rack is topped and tailed by two analogue components which together have a combined age of 50 years, the Denon tuner on the lower shelf has been pretty much in daily use for 23 years and the Rega turntable has been sat on the top since 1987. In the intervening years the space between them has seen electronics come and go together with the eventual disappearance of the once ubiquitous phono input on the amplifier reflecting the growing trend towards digital music.

Nonetheless I always held a soft spot for vinyl replay so last year invested in a phono stage and started to rediscover my record collection. To maximise this I thought I’d treat the old girl to a 26 year birthday makeover courtesy of turntable specialist Inspire. This rebuild along with a change from moving magnet to moving coil elevated the performance to an altogether different level. I ponder on how many of today’s digital music sources will still be providing listening pleasure to their owners in a quarter of a century’s time.

Malcolm Martin, By e-mail.

22 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

STAR

LETTER

In praise of your Mains Zapperators I now use several of your Mains Zapperators throughout my house. There are three upstairs in each bedroom and two others are close to my Hi-Fi and my Home Cinema.

I recently bought two more for use in the kitchen. My laptop is in the kitchen, plugged into a mains extension with a SuperClamp and I plugged one of the Mains Zapperators directly into that extension. I added the other one to a spare socket in the kitchen and even though there were already five in use in my house, the TV picture improved and the Hi-Fi sound got better. If anyone hasn’t used a Mains Zapperator, you’ll be impressed by what one can do. If you already have one, add another!

Mr K Harrison, Doncaster Mains Zapperator Code: 1443 £90

Upgrades to a Rotel Home Cinema I am looking for some advice on what to purchase next from RA for my system which currently comprises the following: Arcam CD36 CD player with Classic PowerKord, Rotel RSP1068 surround sound processor with Signature PowerKord, Rotel RMB1075 surround sound

Win a Silencer mains filter, worth £52.00

Want to share your experiences with our readers? Or simply want advice? Write to us! We’ll publish the best, funniest and most interesting in each issue of Connected.

The writer of this issue’s Star Letter receives a Silencer, worth £52.00 Get in touch at: connected@russandrews.com or write to us at: Connected, Russ Andrews Accessories 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 6NS, UK.

amplifier with Signature PowerKord, B&W CM7 loudspeakers connected with Kimber 8TC speaker cable with 8TC jumpers, B&W CM centre speaker with QED speaker cable, REL Quake with QED interconnect and Classic PowerKord, also with QED regular speaker cable for the Hi Level input, QED Signature audio XT interconnects for CD to Processor and QED Signature audio S for all connections between processor and power amp. I have an Atacama Equinox rack and two Tacima 6 way mains blocks. I use Clarity mains and Silencer plug ins.

I am currently looking to improve the ability to follow the individual instruments when the going gets busy as it does in most of the rock and metal that I listen to. Based on my current setup is there anything that you would recommend for CD replay that would be worthwhile swapping out an existing cable or infrastructure for.

I have a couple of items shortlisted specifically Torlyte platform, Kimber Timbre

Letters interconnect with MiniZaps or I was thinking of going straight for the jugular with Kimber Select interconnects. How would these both compare to the QEDs and each other. I have considered cable attenuation as well but will have to get the multi meter out... I have approximately £600 to spend and would like to do it wisely so any advice is greatly appreciated.

Mike Ellis, by e-mail.

New products punching above their weight Only last week I took delivery of your new AC-24 power supply and RF Router. First, the AC-24 power supply (see p12), which works successfully with the Rega Turntable PSU Mk2 power supply (which powers my Rega RP6 deck) and the Rega Ear Mk2 Headphone amp. With the turntable PSU, early impressions are of a more solid bass and improved detail across the whole soundstage. I expect this to improve further with time.

With a £600 budget, it’s a fairly easy recommendation. I would replace the Tacimas with our 6 way As for the RF Router, I can only say PowerBar mains extensions and WOW!!! Having initially played the PowerMax Plus mains cables. I know the Tacima well and while it’s gained Stones‘ Gimme Shelter to test the AC-24, I then connected the RFpopularity, I believe you can get a Router more between musical my sound with PowerBlock the first in PowerBar 6 Way extension £114 with Ultra our range of Sockets and mains extensions. external earth spike. From the The next stage would be to upgrade opening bars of the same track, it all your interconnects to Kimber’s revealed yet another layer of Timbre analogue interconnects. previously hidden information in Consider having the pair of Timbre the track. I was quite struck about interconnects between the Arcam two thirds of the way through to and Rotel fitted with MiniZaps, then hear a piano accompaniment I’ve standard Timbres between the never heard before, and I’ve played processor and power amp. You could this track hundreds of times. I’ve just go for one pair of Select only ever heard it previously when interconnects between the Arcam seeing the band live in concert. and your processor, but I think you Well, now I can hear it in the would get a more balanced sound comfort of my own living room. by upgrading more of your Thank you very much for interconnects - not just one pair, and introducing two new excellent the Timbre interconnects fit in with products. My only ‘problem’ is that your budget. PB I will back soon for another RF Router to connect the Power Block I use for my TV, Blu-Ray and Satellite to it and an external earth.

Timbre interconnects £103 for 0.5m pair

Andy Reay, by e-mail

Hair raising My Hi-Fi is served entirely by Russ Andrews power cables connected to a 6 Way Silencer Block or a 4 Way PowerBar that is plugged into a socket on the Silencer Block. The wall double socket is an unswitched MK unit. The Block and Bar also use Russ Andrews power cables. I have a plug-in Silencer for the computer equipment. When my wife uses her hair dryer upstairs there is a loud buzzing from my Arcam AVR400 Receiver and Naim CD player. Buzzing can also be heard from my REL Quake. I believe this is mains related but do not understand why the Silencer Block is not filtering this out?

Andrew Channell, by e-mail.

I’m afraid the problem is DC on the mains, and it’s a tricky one to fix.

DC is thankfully extremely rare, but is most commonly caused by hairdryers due to the cheap half wave rectification they employ.

The noise you are hearing is the magnetic field in the transformer collapsing and re-starting.

There is virtually nothing you can do about DC; a different hairdryer may solve the problem or simply put up with it for the short period the hairdryer is on. There are such products as DC blockers, but they’re often expensive, not guaranteed to work (until you try one), but the primary problem is that they do more harm than good to the actual sound quality. It won’t be damaging your equipment, it’s just annoying!

PB

RF Router £169

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

23

Reviews

Reviews

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

Keith Monks discOvery One™ The Keith Monks discOvery One™ Classic Record Cleaning Machine gets a Five Star review in the March 2014 edition of Hi-Fi Choice magazine.

The discOvery One™ offers pretty well all the performance of the other Keith Monks machines but at around half the price – make no mistake, this represents serious value for money. And the results are clear to hear: "It makes for a brighter, tighter, more focused sound with greater grip and power on the bass".

This is no 'budget' product either. Savings have been made in sensible ways to reduce costs without compromising performance. So rather than using the bespoke turntable of the Omni and Classic models, the discOvery One™ utilises an adapted Technics SL-1200, famed for its robust construction. This means that the new model rotates at 33rpm compared to the 80rpm of the established ones, so cleaning takes a little longer. But this also helps to make the unit quieter and, as the reviewer observes, this means that the "new cheaper design doesn’t work any less well". Indeed, he concludes that the new version "gives you almost all of the performance of the company’s more expensive machines, but at a far more affordable price" and ends: "Every serious collector should have one".

Keith Monks discOvery One Classic Verdict: Price: Magazine: Issue:

£1595.00 Hi-Fi Choice March 2014

PowerBlock™ with UltraSockets™ Hi-Fi Choice reviewed the UltraSocket™ versions of our PowerBlock™ and Ultra PurifierBlock™ mains extensions in their February 2014 issue.

This provides interesting information whether you are in the market for a new block or considering having your current block upgraded to the UltraSockets™. Either way, it’s clearly a worthwhile option, according to Neville Roberts: “The UltraSockets™ are beautifully made and clamp the mains plugs well. They are worthy of the extra cost over the standard MK socket [SuperSocket™]”.

The reviewer is particularly impressed with the Ultra Purifier Block.

Owning the original SuperSocket™ unit himself, he was able to carry out a direct comparison between the two, and concluded that “as well as eliminating clicks and pops from mains-borne interference, the Ultra PurifierBlocks™ also push the noise floor down, resulting in a cleaner and more pure sound”.

So, in conclusion, and awarding the blocks 4.5 stars and a ‘Recommendation’, he says that “both PowerBlocks™ are top quality, but if it is within your budget, the Ultra PurifierBlock™ is most definitely the way to go!”

24 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 27 Spring 14

PowerBlock™ with UltraSockets and Ultra PurifierBlock™ with UltraSockets

Verdict:

Recommended Price: Magazine: Issue:

£695 and £935 Hi-Fi Choice February 2014

Reviews

PowerKord-100, 300 and 500™ The March 2014 edition of Hi-Fi World magazine features a review of all three of our new PowerKord range. And the verdict ranges from ‘excellent’ to ‘outstanding’! Tony Bolton begins by recognising the influence that Russ has had on improving a Hi-Fi system’s performance: "Back in 1987 Russ Andrews launched the first commercially available hi-fi mains cable to a moderately disbelieving world. Some 27 years later on and everyone has realised what Russ identified: that mains cables play a large part in shaping the sound of a hi-fi system".

PowerKord-100™ Verdict:

OUTSTANDING Price: Magazine: Issue:

£150 for 1m Hi-Fi World March 2014

First up is the PowerKord-100™. Comparing this with a previous version of the PowerKord™, Tony Bolton had the following observation: "I found that I was listening to a seemingly deeper and better shaped bass sound that underpinned a smooth midrange and treble. Soundstaging was good, being both wide and deep". In his conclusion he suggests that this is "an affordable power cable that is a substantial upgrade over conventional mains leads", awarding it the full Five Globes as an ‘outstanding’ product.

Moving on up to the PowerKord-300™, the reviewer noted that there were real gains to be found: "the bass sound became more assertive, with timpani having the perception of real impact and slam." He continues, observing that whilst listening to a recording of The Grand March from Verdi’s Aida "the mixed voice chorus had better definition and I was able to place the differing groups of singers more accurately in space".

Awarding the cable a Four Globes 'Excellent' award he concludes that the PowerKord-300™ "upgrades the sound of the PowerKord-100™ and works well with power amplifiers".

Onto the top of the range PowerKord-500™; and it certainly impresses – "Plugging in the PowerKord-500™ seemed to release the sound from any inhibitions in its presentation" observes Tony. Listening again to The Grand March, he was impressed how "the bass reached down to subterranean levels, yet retained a sense of speed in its arrival and departure". In the Mid-range the cable is equally illuminating, where the "sounds of trumpets and voices stood out better from the mass of the orchestra, creating a sensation of an even bigger soundstage".

No matter what component you connect this cable to, the reviewer is emphatic that the improvements will be impressive. As he says, the 500™ "will dramatically enhance the performance of anything that it is plugged into".

PowerKord-300™ Verdict:

EXCELLENT Price: Magazine: Issue:

£230 for 1m Hi-Fi World March 2014

PowerKord-500™ Verdict:

OUTSTANDING Price: Magazine: Issue:

£440 for 1m Hi-Fi World March 2014

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

25

Competition

WIN

upto £ 36 worth producof ts

Tell us about your First Record You may recall that our last competition winner, Mr R Stockdill, suggested the idea for a new feature in Connected: “The First Record I Ever Bought”. We thought this was a great idea and asked you to send in your own reminiscences, the first of which is featured opposite. So we’ve decided to open it up as a competition. We’d like you to write a few words (300-500 words) on your first record, either single or album, and any we publish in future issues of Connected will receive a free set of ReVeel® and ReleeS® CD enhancers or 50 Mobile Fidelity record sleeves with TipTonic stylus cleaner.

So go on; give it a try – we’d love to hear about your choices.

Send your entries to: First Record Russ Andrews Accessories Limited 2b Moreland Court Westmorland Business Park Shap Rd, Kendal, LA9 6NS. Or email competition@russandrews.com with the subject line ‘First Record’.

Good luck!

Terms and Conditions 1. There is no closing date for entries.; 2. The rules of entry are given in the text of the competition; 3. No purchase necessary to enter; 4. Any winners will be notified by e-mail and/or post that they have won and that their entry will be printed in a future edition of Connected; 5. Any entries we decide to print will receive: either a pack of ReVeel and ReleeS CD/DVD enhancers or a pack of Mobile Fidelity record sleeves and a bottle of TipTonic stylus cleaner; 6. The prize is not transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash nor will a cash alternative be offered; 7. Our decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into; 8. We reserve the right to feature photographs and the names 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.

Magazine Issue 28

OUT IN JUNE ’14

Editor: Connected

Connected

PRODUCT CATALOGUE

Magazine

Magazine

OUT IN

OUT IN DECEMBER ’14

FULL

who all receive a copy of the album on either CD or Hi-Res download courtesy of Linn Records.

Connected

Coming this year...

Connected

Our last competition gave you the opportunity to win one of six Linn 40th Anniversary albums. The correct answer to the question : “How many times has Claire Martin won at the British Jazz Awards?” was ‘7’. The six winners picked at random from the correct answers were: William Dutton, Bryan Ormerod, James Robertson, David Taylor, Guy Graham, Joseph McCole

SEPT ’14

26 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 26 Winter 2013/14

Issue 29

Issue 30

OUT IN MARCH ’15

Design:

John Armer john.armer@russandrews.com Sarah Garstang sarah@russandrews.com

Advertising: Simon Dalton 01539 797301 simondalton@russandrews.com Sales: Peter Bevir peterbevir@russandrews.com

Competition First Record My

“

1966…

Summer… me, 15 years old: school’s over forever. Hoorah!

There’s five weeks holiday to look forward to before I go on to college in the Autumn.

My first purchase, music-wise with my own money, is Eleanor Rigby on 45 RPM vinyl by the Beatles. I digress, however. To obtain my first album entails a circuitous route. Namely: gardening (how I loathe it!)

Anyway, after some hard graft and blisters I receive enough pocket money to buy Revolver… the new Beatles album for ’66…

12” of pristine black vinyl, mono (of course) with a startling black and white ink drawing and collage cover.

I get home and can’t get the record out of the dust jacket quick enough. Placed onto the old Dansette record player: 2 watts of valve power! Want more bass? Close the lid! Place the stylus on the record: “clunk”.

Count in… coff! leads into Taxman first track. Mesmerised.

Wow, what is this?

Goosebumps… no more Love Me Do, this is something else.

I can’t get enough of this and the album is constantly turned over and over to bathe in the wonder of this gorgeous creation. What a

summer. Thanks: John, Paul, George and Ringo!

Because of frequency of play, my mono copy was replaced with a stereo one. This was not as good because of hard left/ right placement and the automatic double tracking (ADT) mixing was poor.

I subsequently bought this album on CD when it came out (stereo same mix); no mono available… sigh.

Revolver was purchased again when all the Beatles albums were remastered from the original master tapes in 2010. I bought the mono box set (and the stereo ones!)

This album still, after all these years, gives me the feeling that it’s a new world and possibilities are endless. The joy and excitement that comes across is still astonishing. I can now hear on CD interesting bass lines and melodies to die for: a one note hypnotic bass line on Tomorrow Never Knows, John’s enunciation of Mr Heath on Taxman in the chorus.

My preference for mono or stereo is a hard choice as there

are slightly different mixes… mono for overall sound but stereo mixes for little things that are missed from the mono mix… ahh… sigh!

I think the remastered stereo version on CD is much better than the original vinyl as hard left/ right and ADT have been more or less corrected. Especially on Eleanor Rigby. Thank you.

If I was on a desert island and could only have one Beatles album, Revolver would be the one I would have.

You’ve just been reading the scribbles of a Beatle Person, so I’m biased. No apologies.

Beatle Person number 138520 (AKA Rob Burn).

PS: It’s all about the music. Sort your system out the RA way and enjoy.

”

Issue 27 Spring 14 CONNECTED MAGAZINE 27

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

www.russandrews.com

Customer Number

Reference Code

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