Wilson-Benesch "Full Circle" Turntable System (MSR $3,895.00), consisting of:
 ü "Circle" Turntable (MSRP $2,995.00 with W-B .05 arm, $1,995.00 with Rega RB 300 arm). U. S. distribution is not selling the table, sans arm.
 ü ACT .05 Carbon Fiber tone arm (MSRP not given)
 ü "Ply" Moving Coil Cartridge (MSRP $890.00)
Balanced Audio Technology VK P-5 Phono Stage Preamplifier (MSR $2,000.00)

One bright, crisp fall day I walked into Budget Tapes and Records in Boise, Idaho and I realized . . . they were gone . . . the records were all gone. Oh sure, they had been slowly disappearing as shops made room for the new aluminum sensation, but there was always at least some records . . . perhaps relegated to a single rack, but there were always some. Then they were simply gone. The heavily spliffed clerk, seeing my shocked expression muttered something about scurrilous record company exec’s, and shook his head sadly.

My reaction to the "final" demise of the black queen was akin to that which accompanies the inevitable ending of any ill-fated love affair. You feel badly, in spite of being all too aware of the others foibles. Trying to look forward to the future, you hope it is for the best . . . and you know that nothing can be done to change what is happening; it’s over.

In truth, I cannot say I was traumatized by the rise of the Digital Disc. Sure, they lacked some of what my records had, warmth . . . air, ticks, pops, warps . . . but the Digital Disc was NEW, and this new medium and its reproduction equipment would, no doubt, get increasingly better over time.

Convenience, ease of storage and handling, and eternally quiet surfaces were the seductive sirens calling out over the chilly sea of early digital reproduction. Besides, nothing lasts forever. Analogue had its day, just as tubes had, and now it was time to march boldly into the future!

Well . . .

I have too often found that the solution to one problem lies in the unintentional exegesis of another. Digital solved many of the complaints I had with records, while presenting me with an entirely new set of challenges and problems.

Frequently frustrated by the relatively cold and often times harsh sound of the compact disc, my ambivalence with the digital medium developed to full flower in concert with (what I hope are not) my peak earning years.

The search for solutions to the limitations of the digital medium has become a sonic (and economic) hegira. This quest has caused me to become a much more discriminating and sophisticated listener; sadly, . . . it has not always made me a happier listener.

About two years ago, I decided I was not going to live forever and resolved to do whatever was required to get my system to a point where I was satisfied, finally. I hear the howls of cynical derision in my ears, even as I write this line. However, dear reader, I am not seeking perfection . . . the absolute sound . . . just satisfaction.

After a number of blind alleys (all learning requires failure), in the past year, I have settled in on a digital-based system that does make me happy, at least most of the time.

Constructed around the stunning Esoteric Speaker Products, Concert Grand loudspeaker, the TEAC VRDS-20 player/Timbre Stage Two TT-1 DAC, the Balanced Audio Technology VK-5i tubed line stage, and VK-500 two-stage solid-state power amplifier rarely leaves me unsatisfied . . . but still . . . something was missing.

In my review of the BAT VK-5i preamplifier and its companion VK-500 solid-state power amplifier, I mentioned I did not use analogue sources much in the review, because my analogue front-end had fallen behind the quality of the balance of my system. Since the mid-1970’s I have used the same, venerable Rega Planar 3. I settled on the Rega after a succession of lesser tables, including a brief affair with a lovely, but sonically brain-dead Empire table (Can you say boat anchor?). A succession of ever-dearer Grado MM’s, culminating with the Platinum Reference, fed the Rega.

The Planar 3 is still in production (more or less the same as my 70’s vintage iteration), and the Grado Reference series cartridges have created quite a stir in the reviewing press. Not a bad set-up, but somewhat primitive compared to my current digital front-end.

During the time when analogue ruled, I used the internal phono stages in a series of solid state pre-amps, including the original David Hafler DH-101 (mod’ed) and the GAS Thaedra (eventually mod’ed by GASWORKS). Most recently, I gave one of the little Creek wall-wart numbers a try, but no amount of moving and tweeking could ever get rid of a frustratingly persistent hum (a common problem, with this unit, I am told).

Any way, back to the story . . . so, the second reason I pretty much stopped listening to records was the increasing gap between my digital and analogue equipment.

There’s more to the story, though. In addition to the demise of readily available vinyl and my increasingly long-in-the-tooth analogue ditty, there was a final blow which drove me away from vinyl . . . a divorce ten years ago, where many of my records became hors d’ combat. I know it was just out of spite (like couples fighting over the Tupperware®), and I suspect they are long gone in a yard sale, or gathering dust in a basement. Oh well, such is life.

Whatever the causes, I simply stopped listening to vinyl.

Time passes though, and wounds heal. Of late, I have been increasingly fascinated with the seemingly endless parade of new and re-released vinyl confections, and the veritable plethora of high-end tables and phono amplification equipment.

I don’t ever remember the sheer number and variety of today’s analogue reproduction equipment even in the heyday. From the crystalline cathedrals like the Spothheim and Clearaudio, to the newly granite-plinthed antique Gerrards, every month seems to produce new contenders, and nearly every major high-end amplification manufacturer seems to have at least one phono stage in the fray.

Therefore, after long and careful consideration and intense examination, I decided it was time to finish my reference system with a new analogue front-end.

I wanted an analogue playback system that was elegant, simple and of sufficient quality to be a reasonable "match" with my digital equipment. There is little question that digital will continue to be my primary source medium. And, since my personality and eye-hand coordination is not up to a multi-unit, air-bearing, or spring-suspended deck, I went looking for a "plunk and play" machine, possessing the characteristics of the balance of my system . . . great sound, operational simplicity and dependability.

However (he says with a slight frown of embarrassment), I also wanted something SEXY! I didn’t want another faceless wooden rectangle with the optional plastic lid . . . I wanted something kewl!

So . . . as I write this review, the sexy looking, silky sounding Wilson Benesch Full Circle is spinning away in my listening room nourished with a flood of new and used vinyl, providing yet another satisfying dimension in this hobby/passion/illness that continues to dominate and enrich my life.

BAT currently offers three phono preamplifiers. A moderately inexpensive add-on, internal unit for the VK-3-i line stage preamplifier (VK P-3), the top-of-the-line VK P-10 . . . and the mid-range VK P-5. In discussions with Victor Khomenko of BAT, he placed the VK P-5 at exactly the performance and price point I wanted for my system (How thoughtful of him!). Victor describes the VK P-5 as possessing a substantial portion of the considerable sonic virtues of the VK P-10 (which retails for $4,000.00), at half the price.

The VK P-5 phono stage is a dual-mono, balanced, zero-feedback and all-tube phono stage (supplied from the factory with Sovtek 6922’s (8) and 6SN7’s (2) Also, as with the VK P-10, the VK P-5 offers BAT’s proprietary Flying RIAA® equalization network.

The VK P-5 uses casework and cosmetics identical to the VK-5i line stage and VK P-10 phono stage. BAT’s typical high-quality construction is clearly in evidence. The unit’s substantial 35-pound weight and 10-tube compliment necessitate placing it on a substantial surface, with considerable room for ventilation.

The unit runs considerably cooler than the VK 5-i line stage (which also uses eight of the 6922 family triodes). BAT suggests a tube life of 5000 hours is possible (with the stock tubes).

I am on record as not caring much for the sound of the Sovtek 6922’s. As with my BAT line stage, I elected to pull and replace the stock Sovteks. Kevin Deal, of Upscale Audio obliged with a brace of carefully matched JAN Amperex 7308’s and a set each of Tungsol and RCA 6SN7’s.

Unlike my experience with the BAT line stage, the RCA’s proved to be a tad more pleasing than the Tungsols, at least in this application. This experience leaves me even more convinced of the idiosyncratic nature of matching NOS tubes and specific pieces, even within a given product line.

I should note that the scale of improvement made by replacing the power regulation tubes in the VK P-5 was not on a par with doing so in the VK 5-i line stage. Replacing the Sovtek 6922’s with the Amperex 7308 tubes was not subtle in its effect, however, and "married" the VK P-5 to the VK 5-i line stage, with the same, golden-lit sonic signature characteristic of this fine NOS tube.

Kevin indicates that the Eideswan is another tube highly favored by his customers for the BAT phono stages.

The VK P-5 provides a maximum gain of 56 dB and can be attenuated to a lower minimum of 50 dB, for higher output moving magnet cartridges. Cartridge loading resistance is selectable between 100W to 47kW, and capacitance between 100pF to 1000pF. I left the unit at its factory settings of 47kW and zero capacitance loading.

Gain adjustment is through a combination of a single switch (MM-MC) for both channels, and volume pots for each channel (both easily accessible with the top cover off). This arrangement provides easy switching between MM and MC cartridges, and the ability to adjust for differing output among specific MM and MC cartridges, as well as differences in cartridge output between the left and right channels.

I did not have occasion to plumb the depths of low output MC cartridges, but despite observations made by other reviewers concerning matching problems with the Grado cartridges and the VK P-10, the VK P-5 phono stage worked perfectly with both the high output Grado Platinum Reference (4.8 MV.) and the medium output Wilson Benesch Ply (1.9 MV.). While the Grado did prove to be an incompatible match with this set up, it was not because of the BAT phono stage.

The volume pots also allowed a rough match of cartridge output with that of my DAC, a convenience in comparing digital and analog sources and recordings.

The unit is powered on with a front switch and has the same warm-up mute cycle time as the VK 5-i line stage. Once set up for a specific cartridge, the VK P-5 offers the same bullet proof "turn it on and forget it" character of the other BAT units in my system.

The VK P-5 offers both balanced and single-ended outputs, but oddly only single-ended inputs (unlike the more expensive VK P-10). This was fine for me, because the Wilson Benesch Circle offers only captive single-ended connectors. One assumes the choice to omit balanced inputs was based on cost savings and the fact that most turntables with captive leads are single-ended.

The VK P-5 does not offer polarity switching, as does the P-10. None of the BAT phono or line stages has a mono switch.

Frankly, I have enjoyed such success with the BAT gear in my system, I decided that buying a phono stage from them was a no-brainer. Of course, this decision was subject to immediate change if the BAT piece didn’t deliver the sonic goods. After all, there are a number of fine competitors in this price range (Sonic Frontiers, conrad-johnson, Linn, etc.).

Since I am delighted with the sonic signature and balance of the VK 5-i line stage and VK-500 power amplifier, I wanted the same "sound" and impeccable build quality in a phono stage. However, since vinyl is not my primary source medium, I thought the $4,000.00 VK P-10 would be a bit of over-kill, and instead opted for the VK P-5.

I was not disappointed, and again I wish to offer my warm congratulations to BAT. The VK P-5 is perhaps the least difficult major addition I have ever made to my system. It sounded good right out of the box (once I had replaced the stock tubes), and continued to show mild improvement for about 50 hours of break-in use. The unit benefits from a 30 minute warm-up (typical for tubed equipment), before serious listening, but the differences from a cold-start are subtle and subtractive in nature. It never sounds bad.

Quiet, fast, nicely detailed, smooth and highly rhythmic, the VK P-5 is a highly satisfying and utterly reliable product.

The VK-P5 turned out to be exactly what I was hoping for. Nearly identical to the VK 5-i line stage in sonic signature and tonal balance, it was dead quiet in operation (at any gain setting), and has performed flawlessly. While I might wish for mono and polarity switches, these are minor omissions.

For two thousand dollars, the VK P-5 phono stage’s performance is within striking distance of anything out there, at any price point, and the VK P-5 build quality is better than most, regardless of asking price.

Most importantly, throughout the review when I noticed sonic or operational problems or deficits, they never originated with the VK P-5. It was as transparent in operation as any equipment I have ever used. This is a fine piece, and an excellent value.

The Wilson Benesch Circle Turntable
Specifications
Speed Accuracy .03%
Rumble -78db
Wow & Flutter .05%
Speeds 33 1/3 & 45 RPM
Dimensions 12 x 12 x 5 (plus additional 5 inch overhang for arm mount)
Weight Not given

While I am not overly swayed by equipment cosmetics, I am not immune to them either. I must confess my first reaction to the Circle was to its unique and indisputably sexy appearance. With a footprint barely larger than its software, the circular slices of black MDF and brushed aluminum, and the sensual taper of the ACT carbon fiber tone arm spoke to me of technological elegance and simplicity of operation.

And . . . this initial impression turned out to be partially true.

In the past, I mostly relied on dealers for turn table set-up and I eschewed constant fiddling with VTA and the like. This time around, I wanted the complete analog experience; unboxing and putting a table together, mounting the tone arm and doing cartridge set-up from scratch. I would never attempt such a feat with a suspended table, knowing my proclivities for mechanical ineptness and resultant bouts of savage assembler-rage, but I was repeatedly assured the Circle was a breeze to put together.

Again, this turned out to be partially true.

The Circle came in several pieces in one large box. Unpacking the lot, I found a lower plinth, an upper plinth, the acrylic platter and the drive belt. Assembly was easy, fairly intuitive and quick. I was excited! I could do this! Within a few minutes I had the table together, and mounted on a Seismic Sink®

Then came the tone ACT .5 arm . . . and a rapid decent into analogue hell.

The Wilson Benesch ACT .05 Carbon Fiber Tone Arm
Specifications
Effective Mass 9 Grams
Effective Length 230 MM
Total Weight 340 Grams
Internal Wiring Cardas
Dedicated Interconnects: Gotham Star Squad
Termination Tiffany RCA Phono

While mentally sketching out this review, I intended to quote passages from the tone arm set-up directions, which read like the author had just recently learned English from watching dubbed I Love Lucy episodes and reading a Lithuanian to English translation of some early DOS manuals. The "text" was accompanied by "graphics" that resembled nothing quite so much as the Etch-a-Sketch® efforts of someone in the early stages of occupational therapy arising from a serious head injury.

Without additional hyperbole (or the threatened quotes), the tone arm documentation can only be described as wholly inadequate and more or less inarticulate.

After an hour of frustrated, swearing effort . . . and absolute and total confusion with the directions, I finally managed to get the arm in place, presumably in a manner reasonably close to that intended by the manufacturer, largely by comparing my efforts to the various photographs I had of the arm and table.

It is unconscionable that a tone arm at this price and performance point is not accompanied by reasonable documentation.

The ACT .5 arm offers no on-the-fly adjustments. Arm adjustments are done through a combination of locking collars with hex screws, and simple friction (counterweights). Anti-skate is accomplished through a particularly primitive line–ball–rubber grommet arrangement (Psssst, Brian, I need more grommets!). VTA adjustments (short of unlocking the arm) are designed to be made only between "regular" weight records and 180+ gr. discs, through the use of a paper disc inserted between the pad and platter (in place for most records, removed for thicker discs).

Thankfully, the Wilson Benesch Ply Cartridge does not seem to be overly sensitive to minor variations in the VTA.

Adjusting the ACT .5 arm can be difficult and frustrating. Such a simple thing as adjusting the vertical height of the arm requires that one hold the arm carefully with one hand, loosen the hex screw just enough to allow movement (but not so much as to lose control of the arm) with the other hand, and then carefully slide the barrel up or down to the desired height, and re-tighten the screw. Believe me, this is harder than it sounds, and remember . . . these adjustments are made with the cartridge mounted. I sweated bullets every time, knowing that I was only one ham-handed slip away from catastrophe at any point in time.

On the positive side, once the arm is set. . . it is set, and shouldn’t require messing with, other than if the cartridge is changed, or the table moved. Still, I found it ironic that a rig with such high-tech design and materials offers such a low-tech user interface. I am sure this is because of cost containment and sonic reasons but, whatever the reason, it reminded me of my brief but traumatic fling with British sports cars. Terribly English.

Other than the appalling lack of useable documentation for the arm, there are a couple of other caveats I should offer.

I first configured the Circle with my Grado Platinum Signature cartridge. In addition to the cosmetic mismatch between arm and cartridge, which my lovely wife uncharitably described as looking like a "Ferrari pushing a milk cart," I immediately noticed a pronounced hum, which increased significantly as the cartridge moved closer to the center of the record (and closer to the motor power supply). Re-dressing cables, checking connections and moving things around a bit had no effect.

A telephone conversation with the charming folks at Wilson Benesch was not helpful in resolving the hum problem. They indicated this was the first such problem they had encountered, but also said they had no experience with moving magnet cartridges. However, they graciously offered to send a Ply moving coil cartridge (this cartridge is specifically intended for use with the Circle), subtly suggesting it would be a better match than I could do on my own.

The American Distributor (Brian Tucker of Pro Audio, in Barrington Illinois) was somewhat more blunt. He told me that the ACT .5 arm is designed specifically for moving coil cartridges of significantly lower mass than the wood-bodied Grado, and more specifically matched best with either the Wilson Benesch "Ply" or its more expensive counterpart, the Matrix.

If you are committed to a particular cartridge, I strongly suggest you audition said cartridge with the Circle before making a decision to buy.

The second caveat has to do with mounting and suspension. Literature provided by both Wilson Benesch and the U.S. distributor point to the high-tech, factory-set internal suspension (which includes space-age materials such as carbon fiber, alloys and polymers . . . oh my!).

With all of this space-age design and materials, the Circle comes with three funky little felt covered "nubs" for feet. For both aesthetic and sonic reasons, I would suggest a better mounting platform than just plumping it down, as is, on a stand and hoping for the best. In fact, without careful attention to mounting, the listener will not come close to the performance levels this deck can achieve.

This is not so much a caveat concerning a problem, as it is a condition the prospective buyer needs to understand. The Circle is specifically designed to work together as a unit with the ACT .5 arm and Ply cartridge. While the Rega arm is offered to get the price down, I suspect the user will not get close to this deck’s potential without springing for the ACT .5 arm and the Ply (or Matrix) cartridge.

Wilson Benesch Ply Moving Coil Cartridge
Specifications
Stylus Polished nude elliptic diamond
Cantilever Solid Boron
Coil Former Pure Iron
Coil Pure Copper
Weight 7 grams
Output 1.9 mV
Impedance 25 Ohms
Freq. Response 10 – 50 kHz
Resistive Load 47 ohms
Tracking 1.8 – 2.0 grams
VTA Horizontal to body shell

Motor assembly is by Benz Micro of Switzerland, body and shell design by Wilson Benesch.

When the Ply cartridge finally arrived, I was expecting a carbon fiber basketed, stealth-shaped lovely (such as for the higher priced Wilson Benesch models). What I got was essentially a redesigned Benz Glider. You know, the naked Benz . . . all open wires and painfully exposed, delicate cantilever? Brrrrrrrr!

My emotional reaction to installing the Ply was identical to the time I encountered one of my in-laws naked (them, not me), on the way to the fridge for a late-night raid on the blackberry crisp I had made for dinner that night. I was shocked and I knew that, unless the situation was handled very gingerly, nothing good was going to happen.

Trying to keep my hands steady and holding my breath about half the time, I managed to get the cartridge mounted without mishap (whew!). All I can say is that while it was not fun, if I can do it, anyone can.

Then came the set-up.

Since the Ply has no external shell and the ACT .5 arm has no straight-line surfaces, cartridge set-up proved to be a bit of a poser. However, this problem has been anticipated and solved. Brian Tucker of Pro-Audio sent me a WallyTractor®. The specific WallyTractor® in question is a protractor expressly designed for the Wilson Benesch ACT arms. Essentially a scribed mirror, this neat little tool proved a godsend in really dialing the Wilson Benesch arm in accurately. I am told the WallyTractor® is available for a number of arms. The documentation is hand-written and xeroxed, but extensive, well thought-out and very useful. Neat tool, highly recommended.

Another advantage of the "Full Circle" approach is that the Ply cartridge VTA adjustment is made by simple visual alignment of a straight "white line" integrated into the arm’s logo. Again, while mechanical adjustments are not particularly easy with the ACT .5, once set correctly, there should be little reason to tweek.

The table is light enough and small enough to fit nicely on one of the smaller Seismic Sinks® I had been using for the Rega. Initially, I used four Audio-Technica feet I had for the Rega.

The Circle has somewhat of a reputation for being a little light in the loafers as far as bass reproduction goes. This was definitely true of this initial set up. Although dynamic, fast, highly detailed and unctuously smooth, the bass could come across as light. All the notes were there, it just got a little insubstantial at the very bottom.

I wondered if tweeking the mounting set-up would impact the bass response. Figuring that carbon fiber goes with carbon fiber, I sprang for a bag full of the #3 Black Diamond Racing Cones (specifically designed to enhance "warmth and bass response"). The first three out of the bag went under the Circle; the results were most gratifying. While I do not hear the cones as "warm," they served to enhance bass extension and added a truly toothsome "relaxed" nature to the table’s performance. Visually, you would think they were custom made for the Circle.

The Rega III has long been touted as major bargain in analogue reproduction, and the Grado Platinum Signature (at $300.00) is also seen as offering a very high performance to cost ratio. That being said, when compared directly to the Wilson Benesch Full Circle, the Rega/Grado combination is simply not even in the contest.

The Full Circle, properly set up and mounted, is breathtaking. Silky smooth, lightening fast and capable of both great delicacy and panoramic sound staging, I was hooked from the onset.

While the TEAC/Timbre digital gear excels at placing instruments and vocalists realistically within the listening room, the Circle consistently created the impression of re-establishing the original recording venue within the room, complete with almost palpable boundaries.

With the addition of the Black Diamond Cones, bass extension and power rivaled all but the finest of my digital recordings. Detail, air and high-frequency extension were frequently superior when compared with the digital front-end.

The noise floor was as low as any non-air or spring-suspended deck I have ever heard. No, the Circle is not likely to drive listeners from their $5K+ suspended decks, but it is certainly a match in this area for anything close to its price range.

I found the Circle did not handle surface noise as well as most suspended decks (a characteristic often noted with Wilson Benesch tables), but this aspect of performance is greatly improved by the Black Diamond cones, and by operating the Ply cartridge at the high end of its tracking-weight range. I found that setting the cartridge at 2.0 grams significantly lowered surface noise. Again, while not world class in this regard, it certainly was eons ahead of the Rega.

The real charm of this deck lies not within any specific aspect of its sonic performance, but like its design philosophy, with the whole. Again, my life partner hit the target when she plopped down to listen to a nearly pristine copy of Big Brother and the Holding Company’s, Cheap Thrills, and pronounced . . . "Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about!"

I know I have been very critical of the set-up challenges offered by the ACT .5 arm but most users can easily solve this, either by having the dealer do the set up (knowing that ongoing adjustments will be few and far between), or by simply possessing a more normal level of mechanical aptitude than I.

In summary, my goal of building an analogue front-end that is simple to use, reliable in operation, and at least comparable to my reference digital equipment, is more than met with the Wilson Benesch Full Circle.

The Full Circle is a delight to hear, simple to operate, virtually maintenance-free . . . and a joy to look at (I know, I am so shallow). Without resorting to a litany of audio-porn adjectives . . . this table is a real winner, despite its idiosyncrasies. Once I had the table properly set up, all memory of my frustrations with it vanished.

While it was not my original intent to have CD/LP comparisons as the frame for reviewing the Full Circle/BAT combo, the lure to test my intention to build a "comparable" analogue system was too strong not to compare LP’s to CD’s. In addition, circumstances have left me with a variety of available comparisons to be made (combinations of original CD/LP, original LP/Re-Issue LP, Original LP/Re-issue CD, etc.). More to the point of this review, I wanted to offer more detailed response to the question . . . is it possible to move smoothly back and forth between digital and analogue, without having to declare a clear and immutable preference?

In a word . . . yes, it is.

Reviewing the Full Circle took me back through my existing vinyl collection and through some of the simply wonderful used stores we have in town . . . on a quest to "fill in" where I had lost LPs to the divorce, or where the records I had were too worn to enjoy. This means I listened to literally hundreds of LPs over several months, most in their entirety as I committed them to tape.

The recordings listed below are more or less representative of my listening (with a higher percentage of "audiophile" discs than is generally represented in my collection).

While no attempt was made to do an exact match in volume between the CD and LP sources, most recordings were very close.

I have had this recording in my collection for some time, and it has always been problematic. The thunderous bass drum transients, which occur in concert with full out cymbal crashes and choral fireworks, have always resulted in audible problems with previous systems (overload distortion, tracking problems, congestion, etc.); not so with the Wilson Benesch/BAT gear. While I will stop short of suggesting a relaxed rendering of this disc, there was no sign of misbehavior or strain, even with high playback levels. Superb front-to-back layering and nicely delineated images were maintained even when things got frenetic. Of particular note was the complete absence of "hardening" of mass strings during particularly dynamic passages.

LP A&M SP-4313

CD Mobile Fidelity UDCD-649

Comparing the original LP issue and the Mobile Fidelity Gold CD proved to be most entertaining. While the LP was definitely warmer (with more mid-bass) and offered a deeper soundstage, the CD had the edge in smoothness and resolution, with a wider soundstage.

I heard the trade-offs as a "push." While the CD and LP sounded different from one another, I cannot honestly say I preferred one to the other. My "control" significant-other dismissed the comparison very quickly . . . commenting that the differences were not significant, and that both sounded lovely.

Original LP BSK-3010 (Warner Brothers)

CD 3010-20

Simply Vinyl Re-issue VLP-0014

It has been suggested that the Simply Vinyl re-issues are inferior because they are not being pressed from original master tape. I don’t know if this allegation is true or not, but personally I have found most of them to be at least as good, if not better than the originals and DCC re-issues. In either case, with this famous Fleetwood Mac offering, both the re-issue and the original vinyl beat out the plain CD. While the CD does a better job than either LP in recovering the artificial studio reverb "air," it sounds thin and harsh in comparison. Balance-wise, the stock LP is in between the wetter, warmer re-issue and the somewhat strident CD. I prefer the warmth and smoothness of the re-issue.

Personal Preference Ranking

1 Simply Vinyl Re-issue

2 Original LP

3 Original CD

Tchaikovsky – Capriccio Italien (Classic Records Re-issue) RCA Living Stereo LSC-2323 (LP)

I have also heard a number of criticisms of the Classic re-issues. Being at somewhat of a disadvantage (not having the originals), I am forced to take the LPs at face value.

I started smiling the moment the needle dropped. This is classical music for people who think they don’t like classical music, unabashedly romantic and lush . . . as tuneful as any pop song. The LP is 180 grams, flat, and as quiet as any record I have ever heard. Rich in tonality and vividly three dimensional, there is no sense of the age of the recording (which I do get, sometimes, with the Mercury Living Presence CD’s). Hugely enjoyable on its own merits, I guess the originals must be truly overwhelming, if these re-issues are so easily dismissed.

Original LP Reprise MS-2038

Original CD Reprise 2038-2

Simply Vinyl SVLP-0018

This is one of my all-time faves. Like an old friend, we have spent a lot of time together and I know where all the warts and wrinkles are. While I have not been fortunate enough to come across one of the early pressings of the Reprise disc, I have to say that the Simply Vinyl re-issue gets my vote in a head-to-head. The stock LP is a little less strident than the CD, but not by much, and there is a band of upper mid-range that is annoyingly "zingy" in the stock LP. The Simply Vinyl re-issue offers the listener no reduction in detail or impact on this closely miked recording, but does add a soupçon of tube-like ambiance I find appealing.

Personal Preference Ranking

1. Simply Vinyl Re-issue LP

2. CD

3. LP

CD EMI-CDP-7-46012-2

LP EMI-SW-17003

I remember seeing Kate on Saturday Night Live, wearing this gold lame skin-suit and writhing about on the top of a grand piano . . . her sultry and frankly sexual presentation perfectly in harmony with the high-test femaleness of this recording . . . whew, bird-screeching aside, that is some woman!

Here, the CD is the clear winner, with the LP sounding somewhat murky and confused in comparison. Bass control and extension are also clearly superior on the CD.

CD Mobile Fidelity UDCD-552

LP Simply Vinyl SVLP-0019

Another classic album of my misspent youth . . . both the CD and LP are superb. Sure, a lot of Santana is inter-cultural froth, but it is well played froth and obligatory for us boomers.

The comparison . . . it was dead even. Fact is, the two were very difficult to tell apart (except for the tiniest bit of tell-tale surface noise on the LP)

CD DCC (Gold) 625-1058

LP (original) MRS-5005 (Mushroom)

LP (Nautilus Re-issue) NR3/MRS-5005

The first commercial success for the sisters from Seattle, is a bona fide pop classic, and unique in their catalog. I attended several of their live concerts and heard so many of their younger fans diss’ing their melodic ballads, that their evolution into a female counterpart to REO Speedwagon in their later albums was probably inevitable, but sad nonetheless.

Dreamboat Annie is simply and tastefully recorded, and the music ranges from dreamy pop ballads to edgy, synthesizer laden rock.

I was going to include the plain vanilla CD in this review, but it simply wasn’t in the race.

Personal Preference Rating

1. DCC CD – Nautilus Half-Speed Re-master LP - TIE

2. The original LP (sounds a bit "cardboardy," in comparison with the other two).

CD 10057-2-6

LP(s) Lab 6 – Lab 3

This CD is a compendium of selections from several Sheffield recordings including, Coming from a Good Place (Sheffield Lab 6), and The King James Version (Sheffield Lab 3).

Way back to the direct-to-disc Sheffield Labs offerings, I have always found their recordings to be a bit on the dry side (this has often been explained as a function of the recording space they use), with a tilted-up treble. These recordings of later-day James are no exception. The music is variable, the performances perhaps not up to his youthful best in every case, but there is still great fun to be had with this material. However, I have to admit to being a real sucker for big-band era swing music.

Moving back and forth between the CD and LP’s it was a matter of "tastes great!" - "less filling!" The CD was just a touch more "hi-fi" sounding, but it offered better resolution than the LP’s. It was a dead heat.

CD Audioquest AQ-CD-1075

LP Audioquest AQ-LP-1075

The Audioquest offerings presented a unique opportunity for comparisons between CD and LP. Presumably, both LP and CD were made from the same original master tape. Both were supervised by the same people, and in my case, the LP was brand spanking new and very quiet.

In direct comparison it was difficult to tell the difference between the CD and the LP, especially since their playback levels were (by ear) identical. The CD offered a bit stronger and more clearly resolved bass, but the LP had a somewhat smoother presentation. Both were completely enjoyable . . . another tie.

CD – Atlantic 7302-2

LP – Atlantic S0-7203

There is a phenomenon in psychology referred to as "state dependent memory." This term refers to a specific type of memory, which is encoded differently from normal, day-to-day record keeping. Most state dependent memories are formed from highly significant emotional experiences. Frequently not readily accessible to the individual, they are "triggered" (recovered) by exposure to circumstances similar to the original event, or most commonly by some sensory element present in the original event (such as smell or sound).

When these memories come to the forefront of our consciousness, they are typically "holographic." That is, we are returned to the original event (including how we felt at the time). Examples of these are smells (your first girlfriend’s perfume, first boyfriend’s pimple cream, the smell of a grade school classroom) sights (your childhood home, a picture of your little brother) . . . and sounds . . . a song from one’s youth.

A child of the 60’s, unlike Bill . . . I did inhale. Even the first few notes of the wet, droning ambience of the cut "Laughing" from this highly processed studio recording, immediately plunges me back into bunny land . . . without the need to toke up.

Having worn my original LP to near translucency, I replaced it a number of years ago with an early edition CD. Such a vast disappointment it was. Harsh, sibilant and completely unsatisfying, this disc has come to exemplify the worst in digital reproduction (for me).

Recently, I found an acceptable used LP copy (will someone PLEASE reissue this!). I plunked it down on the Wilson Benesch and . . . ah . . . bunny land.

To be fair, the early Atlantic CD’s have a reputation for being uniformly weedy. I have been told (but have been unable to substantiate) that the David Crosby CD has been re-issued in 20 bit form. That may, or may not be. However, in comparing the original LP with the original CD, there is simply no comparison. The CD sounds like hammered dog shit.

Classic Records reissue - RCA Living Stereo (LCS-2419)

Huge, meaty, lush string tone . . . sparkling air and a rock solid bottom end. Again, I haven’t heard the original, but I can’t imagine anyone not liking this re-issue. As with the balance of the Classics, surfaces on the 180-gram LP’s are flat and quiet.

Larry Willis Sextet – A Tribute to Someone (Audioquest) (LP) AQ-LP-1022

Sound stage is walk-in deep and extremely wide, without phony "out of speaker" phase effects. The recording may be just the slightest bit "tubby" in the bass, but it does not detract. Piano sound is creamy and rich. Altogether the recording swings!

Now it is time for this reviewer to announce his undying fealty to either digital or analogue. Well, sorry Charlie . . . for me it is not digital versus analogue, but digital AND analogue, peacefully co-existing in the same system.

Of late, in our hobby it has become increasingly fashionable to approach musical styles, media choice, and equipment selection as some form of zealous religious belief, complete with warring faiths, apostles, infidels and atheists. Sometimes it seems the only thing that sustains this hobby for some, are its controversies.

Any person, activity or philosophy that defines itself primarily in opposition to someone or something else is ultimately ill fated and unsatisfying. Witness the rancor and foolishness that characterizes so much of the debate within our hobby: subjective/objective, transistor/tube, single-ended/push pull, electrostatic/dynamic . . . analogue/digital.

All you have to do is read the letters sections in most of the journals, or participate in some of the online message services to get a feel for the rancor and hostility directed at non-believers (whatever the belief system may be).

No wonder the bulk of music listeners think that audiophiles are elitist, anal-retentive, grimly antagonistic/defensive curmudgeons. It’s because, in large part, we are. It’s endemic, from musicians to manufacturers, from retailers to consumers.

We have "not half become a bunch of borin’ bastards." This extends from listeners to manufacturers and retailers.

Recently I took a day to tour hi-fi shops in our new home of Portland, Oregon. The experience was very educational, and mostly unpleasant. In only two of the half-dozen shops I visited, was I even greeted politely.

Two of the stores I visited (one small, boutique shop and a multi-location chain store) I will never willingly set foot in again. In one suburban boutique shop, a perfunctory examination of me by the proprietor (I must not have been dressed appropriately) led him to archly suggest I should make an appointment sometime in the future (there was one other person in the store at the time). He refused to allow me to listen to any of the equipment, and actually told me to stay out of their "high-end" room.

I can only imagine what a neophyte (who did not immediately wave a platinum VISA card in the air) would have experienced. Hum . . . maybe there was a reason there was only one other person in the store?

But, all is not lost. I have had excellent service in Bradford’s Hi Fi in Eugene, and Echo and Art of Audio in Portland; each are stores staffed by people who apparently value customer service as much as they do the music. There are still music lovers in the business, but they seem increasingly a minority.

While I have encountered vile behavior from manufacturers and distributors, again . . . there are people whose behavior suggests that one can be a successful business-person, and a music-loving human, simultaneously. Sean McCaughan of ESP, Victor Khomenko and Steve Bednarski of BAT, Craig of Wilson Benesch and Brian Tucker of Pro Audio have proven themselves to be patient, knowledgeable, and professional . . . through my whining and badgering telephone calls, and requests for explanations, information and assistance.

Whether we are talking about service levels provided by manufacturers and retailers, the politics of high-end journals, or warring camps within the hobby itself, the etiology and effect remains the same . . . drawing exclusionary lines that define who is in, and who is out.

It is important to the long-term health of the industry/hobby, that we seek to build bridges between differences and gain some respect and appreciation for these differences, rather than building walls and pillorying those who do not agree with us. Framing the discussion of analogue and digital reproduction in the form of a "versus" or an "either/or" is a conceptual error, just as are the debates about tubes versus transistors, or "objective" versus "subjective" equipment evaluation methodology. As the aliens said to Woody Allen, "These are the wrong questions!"

The richness of this hobby lies within the many styles of music and types of equipment and technology used to reproduce them. The listener who can appreciate the charms of Schubert and Soundgarden, without worrying about which is "better" is going to derive more enjoyment than the exclusionist who can only listen to a narrow range of music on a narrow range of equipment.

Adding the Full Circle/BAT analogue front-end to my reference system has not caused me to be dissatisfied with digital. I don’t have to choose one or the other; I can enjoy both media, equally, although they are different. Hunting down good used records, pouring over catalogs of re-issues, and even cleaning and taping records is FUN. Having immediate access to new releases and the convenience and clarity of CD’s is also fun. Sometimes the record sounds better, sometimes the disc does, and more often they simply sound different. Both digital and analogue have their relative strengths and weaknesses, but this is not the primary issue.

Perhaps it is true that digital will eventually evolve to a level where it is clearly superior to analogue . . . perhaps not. In any case, it is much more enjoyable to have the choice.

For myself, incorporating both media without worrying about which is ultimately superior, adds enormously to my enjoyment of music . . . and after all, isn’t that what this is all about?