The latest addition to the brand’s amplifier range, the Advance Paris A12 Classic builds on the hybrid concept of the A10 Classic to bring even more power and finesse to the brand’s signature sound. With a tube preamplification stage and transistor amplification, the A12 delivers a very comfortable 190 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and above all offers a plethora of connections to integrate into all environments and possible uses.
The largest hybrid amplifier from the brand, the Advance Paris A12 Classic sits between the impressive X-i1100 and the already powerful A10 Classic, from which it borrows most of its design. With an additional 60W of power, it peaks at 190W per channel into 8 ohms and 280W into 4 ohms.
Designed in class AB, it can be used in class A on the first few watts thanks to a High Bias switch located at the rear, which has an immediate effect. With the left and right sides managed separately on the amplification stage, the A12 Classic incorporates two vertical toroidal transformers, just behind the information management boards on the front panel. Another board handles the amplification via push-pull bipolar transistors.
On the rear panel are two large heat sinks, between a first printed circuit board for the analogue inputs and a second for managing the plethora of digital inputs, converted from digital to analogue using the Burr-Brown PCM 1796 chip already used on the manufacturer’s aforementioned devices, with signals processed up to 192 kHz at 24 bits.
Unsurprisingly, the designers at Advance Paris have taken the preamplification model from the A10 Classic and integrated two ECC81/12AT7 double triodes into the A12, which are of excellent quality thanks to the use of JJ Electronic products. It should also be noted that some components are sometimes connected by cables, but when you open the device, you will notice two high-quality secure connection bridges, the one on the left being wider than the second.
On the front panel, the two tubes are discreetly highlighted by a subtle orange light, placed in the centre between two backlit VU meters in a beautiful blue colour that is easily recognisable as the brand’s signature colour. At the bottom, three knobs are framed by a subtle white light, which is also visible on the Power button at the bottom left.
In the centre, the largest knob controls the volume, while the smaller one to its left adjusts the analogue inputs and the one on the right adjusts the digital inputs. Opposite the start button, two sockets allow you to listen to the amplifier through headphones, either via a 6.35 mm jack socket or simply via a small 3.5 mm socket next to it.
A PLETHORA OF CONNECTORS
Separated by a few millimetres from the metal chassis, the smooth glass plate on the front contrasts with the casing, which is then perforated to allow the components to breathe, before reaching a copper-coloured plate on which an impressive number of digital and analogue inputs and outputs are integrated.
After a mains socket and an on/off switch, there are two pairs of terminals on each side, available for two pairs of speakers or for bi-amplification. Two RCA connectors also allow you to connect subwoofers, and a pair of RCA connectors offer integration with the power amplifier section alone, alongside a Pre and a Rec Out.
Five other pairs of RCA connectors are provided to connect as many unbalanced sources, which can also be connected in balanced mode thanks to two XLR inputs – compared to just one on the A10 Classic. An XLR Pre Out output and an RCA phono input with ground and cartridge management switch (MM, low MC or high MC), impedance and gain controls complete the impressive analogue arsenal, rivalled by an almost equivalent array of digital inputs.
Located at the top, four groups offer two Trigger inputs (for turning on multiple devices at the same time), two HDMI inputs including one ARC (Audio Return Channel), two USB-A inputs including one for a USB stick, and one USB-B input to improve connectivity with a computer. A final group offers three S/PDIF coaxial inputs and three Toslink optical inputs, as well as an AES/EBU XLR input.
Last but not least, Bluetooth is not standard, but can be added via a socket to integrate a module from the brand, X-FTB01 (aptX) or X-FTB02 (aptX HD), which are even better than the WTX-500 and WTX-Microstream modules that can be connected to a pair of RCA inputs, the latter having been very useful for years due to their compatibility with most competing electronics. The very long plastic remote control is functional, as it allows you to remotely control not only the inputs and volume, but also the treble, bass and balance, as well as a CD player when paired with another Advance Paris product.
INSTALLING THE ADVANCE PARIS A12
Tall and wide, the A12 Classic weighs in at a hefty 18 kg, so you need to know where to put it! With its hybrid configuration, it also gets relatively warm, so we think the ideal solution is to integrate it into an audiophile shelf, on its own on a shelf, which will also have the advantage of limiting vibrations.
Once connected to as many sources as you wish via its digital and analogue inputs, as well as to the mains and speakers, of course, simply flip the switch on the back and then press the Power button on the front. Initially red, this turns white and lights up the entire front panel of the device: the VU meters in blue; the tubes in orange; the knobs outlined in white.
The small screen on the left displays “Warm Up” while the one on the right counts down 30 seconds. Once sufficiently warmed up, the amplifier is ready for use, and the first screen shows the volume level while the other displays the selected input.
To test this complete device, we connected RCA and XLR sources, then compared its phono preamp to our Gold Note PH-10 and the Lehmann Black Cube SE II. On the digital side, we connected the DAC of the A12 Classic to the network sections of our network players via an S/PDIF input and compared the result with the network players themselves connected to the amplifier via RCA. The HDMI section was not tested, nor was Bluetooth, as we did not have an optional module. However, we were able to try out the two headphone jacks, which automatically cut the signal to the speakers when a jack is plugged in.
THE SOUND OF THE ADVANCE PARIS A12
More powerful than the A10 Classic, the A12 Classic easily drives fairly complex speakers thanks to its 190W per channel. However, it is particularly surprising in its temperament, never abrupt or overly dynamic, but rather with very smooth attacks, far from what some might expect at first glance from such a high power level. Whether using RCA or XLR connectors – the difference is not obvious –
the sound is fluid, supple and never tense, as if the tube preamplification approach invites you to seek a supple sound, calm enough to relax at home, take the time to listen to music and forget all your problems.
A jazz album from the golden years will particularly benefit from this sound, even on the A12 Classic’s phono input, tested only with a Hana EL cartridge (the brand’s entry-level MC) and which does not fault the Advance Paris’s internal card.
Admittedly, the new Lehmann goes much further in terms of breadth and clarity, but it costs almost half the price of the A12 Classic, which not only has a selection for high or low level MC cartridges in addition to handling MM cartridges, but also offers a few levels of gain and impedance adjustment! We can therefore easily forgive the more subtle rendering compared to a standalone phono preamp, and the DAC section is completely convincing compared to those of our reference players, without going as far in terms of musicality and detail.
Tested on all musical styles, the Advance Paris rarely finds itself in difficulty and never in saturation, with little constraint from a bandwidth filter available from
10 Hz to 50 kHz. However, its character makes it a personal device, with a more refined stylistic approach than its price range might suggest. In a way, its style invites it to seek what high-fidelity listeners want: naturalness rather than showiness, but neither its price positioning nor the brand’s positioning really places it in this category.
We are therefore faced with a paradox, which is that the A12 Classic could be compared directly to a Luxman or Canor amplifier, without going as far as them in terms of musicality, but far surpassing them in terms of practicality and modularity, as well as costing two to four times less. With the same quality of implementation on the internal circuits, the headphone jacks are also totally convincing, especially the 6.35 mm one, which can compete with some high-priced standalone headphone amplifiers in terms of warmth.
OUR CONCLUSION
A true Swiss Army knife, the A12 Classic demonstrates at a very high level what the French brand has to offer in terms of high-end amplification. Somewhat paradoxically, this product seems to do it all, from fine musicality to impressive modularity, which means you can almost do without any other device apart from a streamer, a PC and a turntable.
It will meet all your expectations, without ever surpassing standalone components from higher ranges, but always offering convincing results in terms of warmth and finesse of sound, as well as its ability to drive high-efficiency speakers. This amplifier may not be perfect, but it costs £2,690 and delivers results that could easily place it in a range one and a half or even twice as high.
Author: Vincent Guillemin
TECHNICAL SHEET: ADVANCE PARIS A12
Origine : France (conception) / Taïwan (fabrication)
Prix : 2 690 €
Dimensions : 435 x 195 x 455 mm
Poids : 18 kg
TYPE D’AMPLIFICATION : Classe AB/préamplification à tubes
PUISSANCE NOMINALE
2 x 190 W sous 8 ohms
2 x 280 W sous 4 ohms
RÉPONSE EN FRÉQUENCE : 10 Hz à 50 kHz
CONNECTIONS ANALOGIQUES
Entrées : 5 x 2 RCA ; 2 x 2 XLR ; 1 x 2 RCA phono MM/MC ; 1 x préamp RCA
Sorties : 1 x 2 XLR Pre Out ; 1 x 2 RCA Pre Out ; 1 x 2 RCA Rec Out ; 2 x 1 RCA caisson de basses ; 1 sortie casque 6,35 & 3,5 mm
Regularly featured in our columns, particularly because we can no longer do without its Bonn N8 switch when listening to digital music, the brand takes the concept of Internet data purity even further with its new Silent Angel Bonn NX switch, which comes with an equivalent Genesis NX external clock. With dimensions and prices that speak for themselves in terms of the level of excellence sought, these two devices take network playback to absolute new heights, at the cost of an uncompromising approach to recording quality.
While the Bonn N8 comes in a small, discreet box that can easily be placed anywhere near your Internet box or network drive, the Bonn N8 Pro, at 17 cm long, requires a specific location, but is still nothing compared to the new Bonn NX, which weighs 6.4 kg and measures 43.9 cm long, 25 cm wide and 6.3 cm high.
This can already be combined with a Genesis GX clock of the same size, and will soon be able to be combined with an external power supply from the same range. The power supply currently offered to ensure a reliable power supply is the Forrester F2, which was designed to work with the Bonn N8 Pro. These high-end devices are also top of the range in terms of price, with the Bonn NX costing £3,499 and the separate clock costing £3,299.
BONN NX: A NO-COMPROMISE SWITCH
Available in silver or black, the Bonn NX is made from the finest materials, as evidenced by its ultra-rigid chassis. It consists of an inner layer of galvanised steel and an outer layer of thick, high-quality aluminium alloy, designed to shield the device as much as possible from interference and noise, with particular attention paid to the effects of Foucault currents – or, more simply, external magnetic fields.
With a modern design that reflects its level of solidity, the Bonn NX has no LEDs on the front panel to avoid any internal distortion, revealing only the engraving of its name, the only noticeable difference from the Genesis NX clock. Three 6 cm stainless steel and rubber feet, arranged in a triangle under the chassis, dampen mechanical energy from the device and other sources, further reducing mechanical and electrical noise.
At the rear, eight gold-plated Gigabit Ethernet ports are spaced apart to avoid interference between them, while next to them is a stylish gold-plated earth connection terminal and two mains inputs, the first IEC 100-240 V for direct connection to the internal power supply, and the other DC 12 V/1 A for use with an external power supply, such as the aforementioned Silent Angel Forrester F2.
Above each Ethernet port is a small LED, green to indicate the data input signal and orange to indicate when the signal is output. These LEDs can be disconnected using a small switch if they are found to cause very slight interference. A second switch allows you to switch from the internal clock to an external clock.
Using the latest technologies, the Bonn NX features an ultra-precise clock and power supply circuit with two 25 MHz TCXO modules to limit jitter to 369 ps, powered by a multi-stage power circuit that eliminates crosstalk. Next to this is the power supply circuit for the switching system, a very low-noise voltage regulator consisting of Texas Instruments TPS56623x blocks. A final switching power supply circuit, combined with an exclusive AC power supply module, completes the device, with the aim of minimising all parasitic noise as much as possible.
GENESIS NX: THE ULTIMATE CLOCK
To match the Bonn NX, the Genesis GX clock uses exactly the same chassis, but consists of four completely independent TCXO (Temperature Compensation Crystal Oscillator) crystal clocks, two under 10 MHz and two under 25 MHz, the latter value alone being used in our tests, which were carried out exclusively with the brand’s switch. A Radar-Grade switching power supply module also does its job, and can be replaced by an external power supply. Even more accurate, the clock improves jitter effects, without Silent Angel elaborating on its value, which we were unable to measure given the equipment required to reach such low levels.
INSTALLING THE SILENT ANGEL BONN NX
Tested with and without a clock, the Bonn NX was connected to three of our streamers, although given its price range, we would have liked to test its qualities with the best devices on the market, including CH Precision’s DAC with C1.2 network card, which unfortunately had been returned a few weeks earlier. Connected via Audioquest Vodka and Esprit Eterna RJ45 cables to a Bouygues Ultym box and an Orange Livebox 6, the Bonn NX was successively compared to listening without a switch and to listening with the Bonn N8.
We also took advantage of the 3D-Lab Nano Power test to power the Bonn NX via its 12 V socket, then the switch and clock using a splitter. These tests were repeated with our Ferrum Hypsos, which is always connected to ensure a reliable power supply to our auditorium boxes.
THE SOUND OF THE SILENT ANGEL BONN NX
Placed between the Internet box and the network player, the Bonn NX necessarily requires the addition of a second RJ45 cable, with the better of the two always connected from the switch to the player, rather than from the box to the switch.
As soon as the Bonn NX is integrated, especially when compared to listening without a switch, the clarity of the soundstage changes completely. The sound becomes more airy, the room opens up and the message is better defined, finer and more lively.
On Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert, the piano is more present and the live effect is better defined (the laughter and then the creaking door at the beginning). On Beethoven’s 9th (Karajan DG 1965, HD), the choir breathes more and is even more generous in the crescendos when using separate power supplies. All these advantages also bring a slight improvement in timbre, effects that were already obvious with the Bonn N8, but even more accomplished and perfect with the Bonn NX.
When adding the Genesis GX clock, the dynamics seem more limited, probably because our best streamer, the Mark Levinson 5101, is no longer quite up to the task of handling such a switch-clock combination, which is more expensive than it is.
However, the timbres are still improving, as is the placement of instruments and voices on the stage. Without the clock, the tests are just as conclusive when the switch is used on the 3D-Lab Nano Player Platinum and Atoll ST300 streamers, although upgrading to a higher-end player and DAC makes the differences even more noticeable.
The purity of the network data is unforgiving with recordings, and the tendency to inflate the microphones for slow movements in concertos (on Glenn Gould’s Sony albums, for example) or quiet passages in symphonies (Mahler’s 8th by Dudamel, DG) is immediately noticeable.
OUR CONCLUSION
Since the arrival of the Bonn N8, the contribution of an audiophile switch has been indisputable in network playback whenever you want to use a streamer and HD files, especially if you have a Qobuz Hi-Res subscription. With the Bonn NX, Silent Angel has gone even further to take data purification to unprecedented levels.
Obviously, at £3,499 and with an optional separate clock costing £3,299, these new products are intended for very high-end systems, but now seem essential if you want to enjoy music from digital files at the highest level.
We are delighted to be presenting a product from the young Alsatian brand Revival Audio for the first time. From its catalogue of four loudspeaker models, we have selected the beautiful Revival Audio Atalante 3, little sister of the more dominant Atalante 5, for a listening pleasure shared by most of the music tested during the few weeks we were able to enjoy this model.
Created in 2021, Revival Audio is the fulfilment of a desire that its designer Daniel Emonts has had for over 30 years: to make the best loudspeaker possible at a price that is still reasonable. After many years’ experience in hi-fi, the Frenchman has decided to team up with Taiwanese Jackie Lee to put all his knowledge to good use and offer new products designed using the most advanced materials and technologies.
To complete this partnership, the two engineers have called on the Franco-Japanese designers Aki and Arnaud Cooren, whose Paris-based agency A+A has been involved in numerous collaborations with leading modern furniture brands, including Roche Bobois.
The smaller of the two Atalante models, the 3 has many qualities, starting with its deliberately retro but superbly constructed look. Its appearance is complemented by an indisputably top-of-the-range finish and construction, with no visible joints or screws on the body, except of course on the speakers. A fine laser-cut border has been used to create a demarcation between the tweeter at the top and the bass-midrange underneath, with the addition of the brand logo, also very finely crafted. Two grey magnetised covers, also separated by the border, can be placed on top, each covering one of the two drivers.
A true two-way speaker, the Atalante 3 certainly looks to the past in visual terms, and to some extent follows this style in terms of sound, but it uses the most recent and innovative technologies available. Rather than being bought from competitors, the speakers are therefore purely in-house design and benefit from many of the brand’s patents. The 28mm RASC™ tweeter is made up of nine elements, including a soft dome aluminium voice coil preceded by a small component called ARID (Anti Resonance Inner Dome).
Placed in close proximity to suppress potential standing waves and conduct almost all waves to the rear chamber, it results in 95% resonance absorption (manufacturer’s rating). The BSC (Basalt Sandwich Construction) bass driver is just as important and well thought-out, being constructed from twelve elements, with an aluminium basket and a copper ring, and above all with the visibly unprecedented contribution in high-fidelity of basalt in the design of the cone.
Found in lava flows, basalt is extremely light and more resistant than Kevlar or glass, which are often used in hi-fi. The cones are made from fabrics impregnated with this stone, with a sandwich construction that is well known for its damping properties. The ferrite magnet uses a less noble material than neodymium, but which offers very similar or even better performance in some respects, while keeping the price down.
In order to combine the two channels, a crossover is integrated on a single card, hand-assembled with capacitors and copper coils made for Revival Audio, connected by Skyline Hybrid cables from the famous Dutch manufacturer Van Den Hul; it offers a cut-off around 2.8 kHz. At the rear, a round port reinforces the bass, while two WBT terminals allow for the connection of forked or banana plugs.
The set up
Available in a single colour, Atalante 3 has its own dedicated Stand 3 legs, also designed by A+A Cooren. Built on four iron columns, they are completed by a base on four spikes or rubber, depending on the floor on which you wish to place them. Delicately retro, these speakers actually blend just as easily into old furniture as they do into a modern flat, where their natural wood finish adds an ever-flattering touch to the object. Despite a rear port, distance from the wall is not a real problem when it comes to getting the most out of the bass.
With their musical approach and 87dB sensitivity, the Atalante 3s are easy enough to match, as long as you have a relatively comfortable amount of power upstream, at least 50W in class A/B and 15/20W in class A. Tube amplifiers can also be perfectly adapted to their sound, as demonstrated by a test on the Luxman SQ-N150 (although only 10 W in class A at 6 ohms) and the Jadis Diapason (15 W in class AB at 4 ohms).
As for the source, here again we’re leaning towards analogue and the pleasure of trying out our best vinyl records, particularly jazz, but a fully digital system on the source and transistor amplification also enabled us to listen to a wide range of music.
The sound of the Revival Audio Atalante 3
The name of the brand is obviously not a haphazard choice, and while Revival Audio, as we have seen, displays a visual style of the past, the sought-after sound also tends to hark back to the great moments of hi-fi. Immediately, the Atalante 3’s sound is full-bodied and balanced throughout the available bandwidth, with no desire to over-amplify the effects of brilliance or brightness that can be heard in some recent speakers.
The choice of components and the most modern technological research have made it possible to combine the sound of yesteryear with all the characteristics of today, particularly in the reduction of noise and the quality of filtering. More interestingly, the basalt bass-midrange develops lightness for the benefit of clarity of message, and a quality of timbre that is rare for a product in this price range. The Atalante 3s are highly accurate both in the upper and lower registers, and do superb justice to pure recordings such as Bis’s 14th Symphony by Shostakovich, where Nicolas Stavy’s piano benefits from well-defined nuances across the entire keyboard.
Even more captivating, the percussion, and more particularly the bells, stand out singularly, with a marked resonance time right to the very end of the wave. The vocal flesh of the great soul singers benefits just as much from the rendering, the relatively wide image not locking them into a box, but giving them plenty of room to blossom, and still allowing Nina Simone to cast a spell on us (‘I Put a Spell on You’), even though she died twenty years ago.
Less full in height, the soundstage reminds us that we are in the presence of bookshelf speakers, available to be listened to relatively loudly in a large living room, but better suited to relatively close listening in small or medium-sized rooms.
In the same way, they are particularly at ease with small ensembles, but retain their versatility in large ensembles with choirs, without blurring the information, even when these are very full. Switching to R&B also means that the bass is very stable, clean and never unpleasant, even when listening for long periods at high volume levels; here again, the grain is deliberately old-fashioned, adding a real charm to the sound.
Our conclusion
Flattering to the eye with their impeccable finish and wooden cabinet, Revival Audio’s Atalante 3s are a fine entry into the new world of this young Alsatian brand. Deliberately turned towards the past, like the grey covers that can be affixed to the front panel if you wish, these compact speakers manage to offer a sound that is both old-fashioned and at the same time perfectly modern in everything we can expect today, as much for the quality of the crossovers as for the precision of the details and the clarity of the soundstage. At €2,490, these French-assembled speakers from Daniel Emonts are a real success.
Unveiled at the Paris Audio-Video Show, the new Luxman D-07X immediately passed through our hands for its first test outside Japan. We were therefore able to spend more than ten days analysing in detail one of the very first models, the one used for MQA certification, and the brand’s second implementation of the best Rohm conversion chip, currently only available on the larger D-10X. Like the D-10X, the D-07X can read very high-quality files, in addition to offering high-class CD and, above all, SACD playback.
Still selling more than 70% of its products in Japan, Luxman develops products primarily for its domestic market. Although its engineers have finally announced a network player for 2023, the brand remains loyal to its customers for the time being, offering them a genuine range of CD/SACD/DAC players. Compared to other global markets, where consumers in China and South Korea, like those in Europe and the United States, have shifted heavily towards streaming in recent years, Japan remains very focused on CD and SACD playback, with network players mainly used to share music from personal file libraries rather than to stream content from external platforms.
This important point helps to understand why, rather than revisiting its standalone converters, the brand has chosen to first introduce a fourth CD player, which is all the more necessary as it fills the gap between the D-03X (£4,790) and the D-10X (£18,990). Less bulky than the latter, the D-07X features a similar architecture, with dual-mono Rohm BD34301EKV chips combined with a new buffer circuit made entirely of discrete components balanced by four transformers, developed to also handle bandwidth filtering outside the audible range (above 5 Hz to 20 kHz), resulting in the reproduction of an extremely pure analogue waveform.
Replacing the D-06u and D08u, the D-07X benefits from a power transformer with a capacity that is said to be 50% higher than the previous generation, in addition to new digital clocks with very low jitter and phase noise, which allow the digital signal to be refined from the input stage right through to its analogue conversion.
Located at the far left of the unit to minimise signal paths, the player section features the LxDTM-i (Luxman original Disc Transport Mechanism – improved) mechanism, an upgrade of the LxDTM, whose main improvements are increased rigidity and vibration damping. Featuring a die-cast aluminium disc platter, the mechanism is encased in a rigid box structure that reduces resonance to a level very close to that of the D-10X.
Supported by four cast iron feet, the chassis uses a shielded structure designed both to eliminate vibrations from the surface on which the player is placed and to dissipate vibrations generated by the player when in operation. The front panel features the basic functions of a player, with the addition of a monochrome display that can enlarge the information up to four times when the player is used remotely with its remote control.
Like all players, the D-07X also features a standby button, buttons to open and close the tray, start and stop playback, and pause and change tracks. In addition, there are four more discreet buttons for reversing the phase, selecting the CD or SACD option, and connecting the player directly via its ‘Digital In’ section or outputting exclusively via its ‘Digital Out’ section. Only available via coaxial and optical outputs when using the CD/SACD transport section alone, the player adds a USB input for files up to PCM 768 kHz/32-bit and DSD 22.4 MHz formats. In analogue mode, it offers balanced output via its shielded Neutrik XLR terminals and unbalanced output via gold-plated RCA terminals spaced 32 mm apart.
THE SET-UP OF THE LUXMAN D-07X
Tested using one of the very first production models, the D-07X displays Luxman’s unique identity right out of the box, in keeping with the Japanese brand’s previous models. As explained above, the continued widespread use of CDs and especially SACDs in Japan explains why the development of this product was prioritised over that of a streamer or a new standalone DAC. But while the SACD/CD playback section is still very important, this device should also be considered a converter in its own right, whose superiority is evident with the highest quality PCM and DSD files.
To carry out our tests, we connected the device to several Japanese amplifiers, Accuphase and Spec, using RCA and XLR connectors, with surprising results in the case of the asymmetrical connection. We then used the player with CDs, SHM-CDs imported from Japan and finally SACDs and hybrid SACDs, the latter allowing us to hear the enormous gain when listening to an HD file compared to AAC encoding. Similarly, we used the DAC in coaxial and USB modes, with a clear improvement in sound quality when transferring Hi-Res files via the USB input.
THE SOUND OF THE LUXMAN D-07X
A Luxman will always be a Luxman, and that’s what you feel when you listen to the D-07X! This player is very musical and never tries to be exuberant, instead allowing the music to blossom with a focus on smoothness and benchmark timbre quality. With very low residual background noise, the player is also very quiet on its turntable, allowing you to listen to headphones right next to it without hearing any unwanted noise.
Its very low output gain means that the amplifier volume has to be turned up quite high, resulting in a muted sound that is less dynamic than that of an Accuphase or our Mark Levinson, both of which use ESS chips, but softer and more fluid, seeking out nuances and colours that are particularly well revealed. In a style reminiscent of analogue sound, the D-07X delivers great detail, whose realism allows you to define the soundstage precisely without exaggerating the volume.
Listening to Scott Walker or Nick Cave, it’s a real pleasure to hear the rich voices of the crooners, as well as the clarity of the guitar strings and other accompanying instruments. The same level of detail is evident with jazz and soul singers, whose voices are warm and smooth, with highly nuanced tones.
Even more striking, listening to a SACD or Hi-Res DSD file via USB seems to lift a veil from the image, opening it up and making it even more airy, with added nuance and realism. When comparing CD and SACD formats on our Hybrid SACDs, for example Janowski’s Wagner recordings on Pentatone or the Amsterdam Concertgebouw recordings, switching to SACD shows how much more information is revealed and how well the Luxman player is suited to this type of file, with the difference between the two levels being much more obvious than on our Mark Levinson.
The same comparison produces the same effects when sending Hi-Res files via USB rather than coaxial, with USB coming out on top, bringing a lot of relief and colour to the palette, allowing you to discover, for example, what type of piano is being played and to differentiate between Gould’s recordings on Steinway and those on Yamaha.
Surprisingly, although the entire architecture of the D-07X is dual mono, the XLR output does not seem to be any better than the unbalanced output. During testing, the fact that we were able to go up to Esprit’s Eterna range with RCA even showed a better result than when listening with an Esprit Célesta XLR, whereas in many previous tests, the XLR from a lower range showed results almost equivalent to the RCA from the range above.
OUR CONCLUSION
Designed primarily for the Japanese market and its SACD consumers, the new Luxman D-07X remains an attractive device for the British market for any music lover who still enjoys CDs. Its build quality ensures long life, and its high-quality conversion, which can also be integrated via USB, makes it the ideal main source for a high-fidelity system, with the addition of a network transport or simply a computer for sharing digital files.
Smooth, nuanced and very well balanced, the D-07X comes close to the performance of the D-10X while costing £6,000 less and remaining more discreet in appearance. At £9,990, this Luxman is certainly not for everyone, but it is a purchase for life, a product in a range where there are only a few Japanese competitors left, or even more expensive products from Switzerland or Scotland.
TECHNICAL SHEET : LUXMAN D-07X
Origin: Japan
Price: £11,990
Dimensions: 440 x 132 x 410 mm
Weight: 17 kg
DIGITAL INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
DAC inputs: Coaxial, optical, USB
CD transport outputs: Coaxial, optical
ANALOG OUTPUTS
XLR; RCA
AUDIO FORMATS
CD; SACD; USB (DSD): 2.8 MHz-22.4 MHz (1 bit); USB (PCM): 44.1 kHz-768 kHz (16, 24, 32 bits)
Already described with the Beta series (Vumètre 44), the 9th generation of Esprit cables continues to take listeners into the realms of ultra-high fidelity, starting with the polarised Eterna range. Above this, the Aura range further develops the substance and precision of the sound elements, adding above all an impressive notion of presence, notably with the Esprit Aura G9. Thanks to this, the music takes centre stage in the listening room, as demonstrated by the contribution of both loudspeaker cables and interconnect cables on a system.
The sixth of the ten series offered by Esprit, still run by its creator Richard Cesari, the Aura, like all the others, has recently been upgraded to G9. This generation, which makes the difference with its changes in casing, offers even greater protection against internal and external interference. Like the Beta, the RCA inerconnect cable is made up of 720 pure copper strands with a diameter of 0.08 mm, with a symmetrical electrical structure, but its dielectric part is twisted, with the advantage of better protection.
There is also triple insulation and air shielding, the latter always partial in order to use – as on the entire G9 range – all the possibilities for limiting interference and noise to increase the bandwidth, while letting the unshielded part bring out the suppleness and naturalness of the sound. The result is a superbly balanced sound.
The XLR interconnect cables, with their 0.24 mm strands, no longer benefit from triple air insulation. They do, however, benefit from polarisation, like the Aura RCAs and all cables from the Eterna range onwards. Polarisation is made possible by a battery built into the sheath in a classy casing. It creates a direct current in the shielding, which at the same time prevents parasitic phenomena such as static electricity or micro-discharges.
A small button on each case allows you to press it to see a fine blue light to check that the battery is still charged; it is advisable to change the battery every five to ten years, depending on use. With 10 micron multilayer copper/silver plating for the RCAs and silver plating on pure copper for the XLRs, the technologies of the Aura series are virtually identical to those of the Eterna or Lumina ones.
Like the Celesta and Eterna, the Aura RCA has an Esprit EH100 connector, while you have to go up to the Lumina to take advantage of the EH200. On the loudspeaker front, the game of seven technological errors can also be played out between the Aura and the Eterna, at least as far as the manufacturer is concerned. Both are made of 1,680 strands of pure copper, have insulation and partial shielding on air, polarisation and a twisted dielectric, the only notable difference being the plating, the Aura having, like the XLR, silver plating on pure copper. However, as you’ll see below, the differences between each series can be seen in a matter of seconds!
The set up
Added to mid-range and top-of-the-range systems, the Esprit Aura RCA, XLR and HP cables were compared to those of the Beta G9, Celesta G8 and Eterna G8 & G9 ranges. Already very convinced by the naturalness and substance of the Eterna G9 loudspeakers, even on compact speakers such as the Fyne Audio F500 SP or the Atohm GT1, we were able to put them directly in front of the Aura G9, then coupled with the Jern 15H.
Then, with the help of a colleague – himself a tester – a blind listening protocol was set up, with a sheet in front of the speaker stands to prevent any possibility of seeing which model was being used. Each time, the results seemed obvious to us in less than fifteen seconds, and even flagrant as soon as the music used included a lot of bass. The same protocol was then used to test the interconnect cables.
The sound of the Esprit Aura G9
Very well defined and already very well timbred with the Beta range, especially since the last generation, the sound of a system expands even further when you move up to the Esprit range. The Celesta adds more substance, while the Eterna, especially in the loudspeaker range, further reduces noise and refines the spectrum.
From the Aura range onwards, the world really changes, and this time we reach a high-fidelity level that increases tenfold not only the above-mentioned components (all improved), but above all the presence of the music. With Nick Cave or Astrud Gilberto, the voice is not only more nuanced and precise from the moment it appears: it now comes across as if the artists were face to face with us. This impression enhances the realism and atmosphere of the listening experience, as the music emerges outside the speaker cabinet.
The soundstage obviously benefits from this, as it gains in both width and depth, as well as better positioning of all the elements, such as the musicians around the aforementioned artists, all of whom gain in contour, particularly with speakers like the Davis Olympia One Master 35, tested at the same time for this issue. The sound spectrum is wider and more open in the treble, which is less acidic, but also and above all in the bass, which is tighter and much better controlled, particularly in transients.
With interconnect cables, everything increases still further, for an even more obvious result with the symmetrical cable compared to the asymmetrical one, the Aura HP-XLR pairing taking sound levels to extremely high levels, with a realism for which it seems incredible that we can go even further, despite the existence of four even higher ranges from Esprit! Between the Atoll ST300 streamer and the Sugden Masterclass HA4 headphone amp, the improvement in sound with both XLR and RCA was just as rapid, always deploying musical quality and precision, at the same time as noise and interference were reduced.
Our conclusion
With the impression of doubling the volume of the loudspeakers as each cable is added, preferably starting with those for the loudspeakers, so as not to create any bottlenecks and to optimise the fluidity of the signal at the last link in the chain, the Aura G9s enthralled us, so much so that we are considering keeping them in our test arsenal in place of the Eterna.
Conducted only with lower-priced or equivalent loudspeakers, when we know that the purchase of a pair of 3m (€4,000) loudspeaker cables is primarily intended for more expensive products, blind listening always produced clear results and perfect versatility with the four loudspeakers tested. On more coherent products (Accuphase, Mark Levinson, Kora), interconnect cables bring the same power to a system, with a slight preference for the symmetrical version (from €2,600), particularly in the presence it gives to the music!
