THE DUELUND-ALTEC PROJECT!

I am so inspired and pleased by the way the Duelund-Altec Project turned out that I practically have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming!

Be sure to get out and read the feature article at Positive Feedback at the above link, as I think you'll really enjoy it, and it will inspire you to dream about hifi adventures along with me!

End view of the Duelund CAST Sn-Cu crossover.

I mean, wow, just wow! What an incredible adventure the Duelund-Altec Project turned out to be!

I'm such a hifi nerd. Sometimes I just walk behind the Altec's and just stare at the Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers, they are truly a sight to behold!

I also want to thank all of you who posted comments or sent me emails about how much you enjoyed the feature article at Positive Feedback about the Duelund-Altec Project.

I really appreciate your feedback, it means a lot to me, and your encouragement helps me keep on plugging away writing about my audio adventures.

Kudos to Frederik Carøe at Duelund Coherent Audio for being so courageous as to take on a project of this magnitude, and many, many, thanks to Frederik for being so patient with me over the last year as I went about getting the Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers designed, built, tested, and installed into the remarkable vintage "Stokowski" Altec loudspeakers.

The combination of the Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers and the vintage "Stokowski" Altec's pushes all of my buttons for what is important to me in loudspeaker performance, and nothing else - and I truly mean nothing else - has come close to being so satisfying to listen to music with. I mean, wow, just wow!

I would like to extend a huge "Thank you!" to Frederik for the herculean effort involved in supporting the Duelund-Altec Project by developing, building, and providing all of his amazing Duelund CAST tinned-copper components that made this project such an impressive success. Frederik, you are amazing!

UPCOMING REVIEWS

I always get more feature review requests for Positive Feedback than I can handle from a scheduling perspective. I truly enjoy writing about audio kit and telling you all about it, and I try hard to accomodate everyone I can who requests a review.

Sometimes I have to cap accepting review requests for a while - like I've had to do recently - and put requests on a waiting list for some point in the future. When that timeline doesn't work for those requesting a review, I have to decline doing the review, which is always painful for me. My apologies to those so affected. 

If reviews are scheduled too far out into the future it is a disservice to those requesting a review, and it makes it really hard for me to manage the schedule of my review queue, which at the moment extends out approximately to the second quarter of 2020. So much cool audio kit, and so little time!

Enough about the woes of scheduling audio equipment for reviews, now let me tell you about the cool audio gear is coming up in the review queue over the next so many months!

THE PASS LABS XA25 STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER

The Pass Labs XA25 single-ended Class stereo power amplifier is up next for review (I'm working on writing it now), and I can tell you already it is one amazing little 25 watt per channel amplifier.

I've been listening to the XA25 for a good while now while completing the Duelund-Altec Project, and it is now fully run-in and sounding really impressive. 

The Pass Labs XA25 stereo power amplifier is transparent, dynamic, resolving, authoritatively powerful, and musically expressive.

On the 16 Ohm "Stokowski" Altec's it's only putting out about 12.5 watts per channel, but it sounds like its 300 watts per channel.

I don't know Nelson manages to get that kind of perceived power out of a 25 watt per channel power amplifier, but he did, and in the very near future I'll be interviewing him to find out how he did it.

Stay tuned, there's lots of cool Pass Labs XA25 single-ended Class A stereo power amplifier adventures to come!

GREAT PLAINS AUDIO 416B-16B LOW-FREQUENCY AND 802G-16G HIGH-FREQUENCY COMPRESSION DRIVERS

I think most of you reading Jeff's Place are familiar with Great Plains Audio, who are to Altec what Altec was to Western Electric, and are the heirs apparent for building current versions of "Altec" drivers, which are designed and manufactured by original Altec employees who were part of Altec during their glory years, as well as continuing to provide service and parts for vintage Altec drivers.

GPA 416-8C low-frequency driver (MSRP $1240 USD).

After the Pass Labs XA25 stereo power amplifier review is completed, next up for review are the Great Plains Audio 416B -16B low-frequency drivers (MSRP $1240 USD) and the Great Plains Audio 802G-16G high-frequency compression drivers (MSRP $900 USD), which are the current versions of the vintage 803B 16 Ohm low-frequency drivers and the 804A high-frequency compression drivers used in my vintage "Stokowski" Altec's. 

GPA 416-8B low-frequency driver.

I'll be telling you all the details about Great Plains Audio 416B -16B low-frequency drivers and the Great Plains Audio 802G- 16G high-frequency compression drivers, and what changes have been incorporated into the drivers since my vintage Altec 803B 16 Ohm low-frequency drivers and 804A high-frequency compression drivers were made.

I will be installing them in the "Stokowski" Altec's with their Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers, so we can hear what they are capable of in an ultra-high-performance context.

I'll also offer a few impressions on how they compare performance-wise with my vintage Altec 803B 16 Ohm low-frequency drivers and the 804A high-frequency compression drivers used in my vintage "Stokowski" Altec's.

GPA 802-8G Series III high-frequency compression driver (MSRP $900 USD).

In the Great Plains Audio drivers' feature review for Positive Feedback I shall also offer detailed measurements of the "Stokowski" Altec's cabinets, and if you were so inclined you will be armed with enough information that you could build very close replicas of the "Stokowski" Altec's and their uber Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers with all new components.

That would be an exciting audio adventure for sure!

AUDIO NOTE UK OTO PHONO SE SIGNATURE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

As I mentioned in my Today's Fresh Catch post, the beautiful Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier arrived yesterday, and it is a beauty!

Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier

I'll tell you what, when the nice person from DHL person dropped off the Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier at my door I was immediately impressed by the professional packing treatment it received.

The box containing the Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier was shrink-wrapped to a wood pallet, and securely strapped into place. It's been a long time since I've seen that nice of a packing and shipping arrangement.

After removing the shrink-wrap and strapping, inside was the shipping carton. The Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier was wrapped in heavy plastic and suspended on each end with foam inserts.

After lifting the Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier out of the shipping carton I noticed the faceplate with its gold lettering and gold knobs were further wrapped with a foam protective layer to make sure they arrived in pristine condition at their destination.

Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier.

Let's just say that when that much attention to detail was expended on the shipping and packaging, you know that they hold the customer (or audio writer in this case) and their own work in high regard, and see it worthy of carefully protecting it - well done!

The Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier is now installed into my system with my vintage Altec Corona 832A loudspeakers and is getting some run-in time playing Jazz24 and sounding quite nice.

Much more to come about the Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier!

Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier.

There's more in the review queue to tell you about as its time for review gets a little closer, so expect another update in a month or so.

Until then you'll be seeing some fun posts about all of cool hifi kit above, as well as a few other things!

As always, thanks for stopping by Jeff's Place,  and may the tone be with you!