ANALOG vs DIGITAL - Ultra High Fidelity Magazine

TAVES did, however, run into a
problem that may be peculiar to Toronto,
namely enforcement of safety standards.
Electrical goods that are to be plugged
into the power line must be certified for
safety, and that means, generally, by the
Canadian Standards Association. There
will be a CSA certification number on
products from table lamps to microwave
ovens to the coffee warmers at the dollar
store. The number on this last one may
be counterfeit, but it’s there. High end
audio gear mostly doesn’t have CSA
approval.
Why not? The process doesn’t lend
itself to the nature of high-end gear.
Certification is expensive (CSA is not
a government agency), and the testing
involves essentially destroying the
product. If it doesn’t pass, you modify
it, pay again, and supply another sample
to be destroyed. It’s obvious that this is
better suited to toasters than to $30,000
amplifiers. There was panic when it was
announced that there would be inspectors
on site the first day of the show.
When I saw the “Naim Unplugged”
sign, above, I figured this British company
had decided on a static display (not
so — Naim was
actually showing a new wireless
streaming system). There was, finally,
a workable compromise. If you paid
the inspectors a small fee, they would
inspect your gear non-destructively
and certify it for use at the show,
though not beyond. Some
exhibitors paid, but some
didn’t, and the inspectors
never did see everybody.
As at other recent
shows, fewer exhibitors
were using CD players,
with many favoring either
computers (MacBook Pros
using Pure Music software)
or else vinyl. One turntable
which got a lot of attention
was the Brinkmann Bardo
(below left) with its unique
Rönt tube power supply (the
black cube on its left). Also spectacular
in appearance was the Basis B Signature,
above right, which was sharing a huge
room with rather too much gear.
It sounded quite good with the Italian
Strumento No. 4 power amplifier,
middle right. But the previous
day it had sounded nothing
less than horrible with
a six-chassis NBS
amplifier that cost
$82,000. NBS is
known for expensive
cables, not
electroni
c s .
B a c k
to the
drawing
board!
There were other illdesigned
products, such as the
turntable whose arm pillar you see above.
The “designer” of this table, which by
pity I shall not name, clearly thought
that, if it makes sense to put the motor
in a separate housing, it must be a good
thing to do the same with the arm.
That’s wrong-headed, of course, but I’ve
been seeing a number of tables with this
ULTRA HIGH FIDELITY Magazine 17
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