Stereophile

Linn Klimax Solo 500 Mono power amplifier Associated Equipment Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment Analog sources: VPI HMW-40 turntable, VPI 12" Fatboy tonearm, with Lyra Etna λ Lambda cartridge, Ortofon Bronze Cadenza cartridge. Pro-Ject Classic EVO turntable, with Sumiko Amethyst cartridge. Digital sources: MacBook Air running Tidal, Roon, Qobuz. Bricasti M21 DAC, Musical Fidelity M1 CDT transport, Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T. Preamplification: McIntosh C12000.

Linn Klimax Solo 500 Mono power amplifier Specifications Sidebar 1: Specifications Description: Solid state, class-AB monoblock amplifier, with Utopik 240W power supply and Adaptive Bias Control. Inputs: one each balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA). Output: one pair Furutech FT-816 banana/spade binding terminals. Passthrough: one balanced (XLR), one unbalanced (RCA). 12V trigger in/out. LAN service input. Output power: 250W into 8 ohms, 500W into 4 ohms (both 23.9dBW).

Linn Klimax Solo 500 Mono power amplifier Measurements Sidebar 3: Measurements The Linn Klimax Solo 500 was preconditioned for 20 minutes with approximately 60W IEC 60268-1 shaped noise. At the end of that time, the temperature at the top exhaust vents had plateaued at 99°F, in a room with adequate ventilation held to 68°F. For a class-AB amplifier, this is on the cooler side, even with the power-saving settings disabled for the duration of the test.

Founded in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1972, Linn Products Limited is in an elite club whose members have been around for 50 years or more. You're doing some things right if you can prosper in the quirky audiophile marketplace for more than 50 years (footnote 1). Ivor Tiefenbrun and his son Gilad have carried on a family trade, helming their company for all that time.

Wharfedale Heritage Series Super Linton loudspeaker Associated Equipment Sidebar 3: Associated Equipment Analog sources: Benny Audio Odyssey turntable, Benz Micro Gullwing cartridge. Digital sources: Tascam CD-200iL CD player, HoloAudio May DAC. Preamplifiers: Allnic H-5500, Manley Chinook, Ampsandsound Yellowstone. Power amplifier: Air Tight ATM-1 2024. Integrated amplifier: Unison Research S6 Black Edition. Loudspeakers: Spendor BC1.

Wharfedale Heritage Series Super Linton loudspeaker Peter Comeau on IAG in China Sidebar 1: Peter Comeau on IAG in China I asked IAG Director of Acoustic Design Peter Comeau about the split of Wharfedale and IAG activities between the UK and China. He wrote back by email from Shenzhen. "When I joined IAG in 2009, the R&D center and factory were on the one premises, here in Shenzhen.

Wharfedale Heritage Series Super Linton loudspeaker Specifications Sidebar 2: Specifications Description: Three-way bass-reflex, standmount loudspeaker with two ports on the rear. Drive complement: 1" (25mm) soft-dome tweeter; 5" (135mm) woven Kevlar-cone midrange; 8" (200mm) woven Kevlar-cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: 550Hz; 2.5kHz. Sensitivity: 90dB/2.83V/1m. Frequency response: 39Hz–20kHz, ±3dB, –6dB at 32Hz. Nominal impedance: 6 ohms; minimum impedance: 3.9 ohms. Peak SPL: 110dB.

Sidebar 4: Measurements I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone with an Earthworks microphone preamplifier to measure the Wharfedale Super Linton's farfield frequency behavior and dispersion. I used an Earthworks QTC-40 mike for the nearfield responses. I usually leave a loudspeaker's grille off for the measurements.

From those humble basement beginnings, Briggs and his wife Doris moved Wharfedale into a small factory near Bradford, about 12 miles from the River Wharfe. There, the two Briggses assembled components by hand. Demand grew, employees were added, and by the start of World War II, Wharfedale was producing more than 9000 units per year. The company's main product was moving coil dynamic drivers primarily for use in radios and accessory radio speakers. Their first product was the Bronze Wharfedale.

The jazz world is accustomed to losing its greats too soon. Charlie Parker was gone at 34. John Coltrane at 40. Clifford Brown at 25. Rollins was, wonderfully, not one of them. He lived to 95. Rollins made his first recording at 18, in 1949. His final recordings were made in 2012. In his large, 63-year discography, the acknowledged masterpieces came early. They include Saxophone Colossus (Prestige), A Night at the "Village Vanguard" (Blue Note), Way Out West (Contemporary), and The Bridge (RCA Victor).