The BALA stand-mount speakers Deliver! Viitums Sound Labs

 

 

  The Bala Stand-Mount Speakers from Vitums Sound Labs represent all that is analog. Hand built Drivers and Cabinets ensure that these engineered beauties stand among the greats of the Golden Era of audio.  Handmade in Muskoka Canada. 

Meticulously designed crossovers with only high end components from France. Exceptionally crafted cabinet suspension ensures that any inter modulation effect from the bass cabinet is isolated. Dampening is balanced with authentic pulled Sheep's wool. 

A hand coated paper cone 8" bass driver along with a 3/4" soft dome tweeter with huge magnet deliver it's accuracy. 

So how do they sound? In demonstrations the clarity and balance is mentioned each and every time. A great balance which is highly musical, is what defines a great analog design. As if the speaker is not there. No signature on the source signal, just delivery. Although floor shuddering bass is not what you acquire when you review bookshelf sized systems, the Bala deliver a precise musical bass tone that is truly music to your ears. Again, a balance in a two-way that we haven't heard in years. You will hear signals in recordings that you inherently know that were not present in your previous delivery. 

For a Canadian company that prides itself in Vintage design and Pioneers of yesterday, this certainly is a committed start to their line of Analog gems. the Bala stand-mounts deliver precision and Craftsmanship old school. They truly make you love music all over again. 

For more information visit www.vitumssoundlabs.com

 

Vintage Bookshelf Mission 760i / the Bassface Swing Trio LP

Newly arrived are one of the nicest 2 way bookshelf speakers I've heard in a while. From the English, always impressive Mission Corp, these are a beautiful audiophile pair of 6ohm - 89db sensitive speakers. At first glance they are seemingly plain and not that remarkable due to a weak plastic grill design that looks like it belongs on a child's toy. However, behind it they have a bold and distinctive blacked out design. Protruding driver face and front-ported they are truly elegant in appearance. Only available in black ash which was the thing into the nineties.

A 5inch (130mm) low frequency driver hails suprising results as in a small room they truly fill the space quite nicely from 300Hz and below. specs state they travel down to 70Hz and its a real natural sounding bass for their minimal size, only 11 inches high. They are crossed-over at 4500Hz to the high frequency unit It's a Polymide Ferrite cooled driver with natural clarity. These are very musical and suspect the crossovers are of high quality given their sonic abilities. The demo vinyl of choice was the Bassface Swing Trio'sBDirect to Disc cut of their Tribute to Cole Porter 180gram release. If your familiar with Stockfisch records releases you will anticipate the level of sound here. A beautifully musical airiness to them with some great punch value makes them a delight to listen to for hours on end.
I cant imagine any improvement in these other than simply creating it 3 ways. A (very) slight soft spot for my tastes in the midrange but apples to apples its a sonic vintage sound home run.

PROS

• Fidelity for such a small speaker footprint
• Sleek, slick look
• Good Bass response 

CONS

•  a touch light in the midrange
• small rec room at best for driving higher 

This vinyl is a must for serious sound aficionados. Not to mention the incredible performance captured here. Absolutely a top ten pressing for demos. The technique in the recording/pressing process has not been done and is a stroke of genius. I'll let you read up on it as its quite extensive when you acquire this vinyl gem.
Frank Sinatra's Swing Easy original duo-phonic US pressing poured out of them effortlessly.

Sansui 9090db Receiver - Vintage greats

Newly arrived is this beautiful Sansui 9090. DB noise reduction circuitry is one of the many nice features that this late 70's receiver offers. At 135watts per channel it drives low impedance vintge speakers quite well. We tested the unit driving 6ohms and found the response to be quite good. 

This vintage aamplifier is stunning in appearence. Beautiful walnut sleeve and polished aluminum face. This is a Sansui flagship. A beast at 55lbs.

 Check out the specs.....

Specifications

Tuning range: FM, MW

Power output: 135 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)

Frequency response: 10Hz to 30kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.1%

Damping factor: 30

Input sensitivity: 4mV (mic), 2.5mV (MM), 150mV (DIN), 150mV (line)

Signal to noise ratio: 70dB (MM), 80dB (DIN), 80dB (line)

Channel separation: 50dB (MM), 50dB (line)

Output: 150mV (line), 30mV (DIN), 0.775V (Pre out)

Dimensions: 540 x 182 x 397mm

Weight: 23.6kg

I advanced Masked LP - Andy Summers/Robert Fripp

Here is one to add to your vinyl collection. Released in 1982 by the Police and King Crimson guitarists this progressive all guitar intstrumental album is a spectacular blend of the two talents. Very impressive recording that is a pleasure to hear over and over. One of two collaborative LP's they did together. Andy Summers and Robert Fripp. Vintage Sound!

Vintage Sound's Audio Favorites

Lloyd's Seventies Stereo

Here are the top three sites I visit to view stunning vintage audio equipment.
Add them to your list of sites to enjoy!


SEVENTIES STEREO

THE VINTAGE KNOB

HIGH FIDELITY CLASSICS

All great collections with lots of knowledge shared.

Magnaeplanar Mini Maggies

 Really? 3 way Ribbon speaker for your computer? Perhaps a vintage mini system would be a better fit with some true vintage output power...
No question that the innovation of the Maggies in the 70's set them at the top of this new speaker technology.

the original beasts

Mini Maggies

I don't know what to say...compressed digitized sound released to an innovative desktop ribbon tweeter technology. Isn't that like putting a Mercedes emblem on your Mazda??
I guess I will never really know as this analog reviewer won't be shelling $1300 a pair!

through the grill Ribbon

 If any of the readers has an experience with these please post your comments. I love the company's vintage gear and by all accounts these house the technology that set them apart though the 70's and 80's gear.

Mini Maggie System
Description	3-Way, True Ribbon/Planar-Magnetic
Freq. Resp.	40 - 40 kHz
Rec Power	Read
Sensitivity	86dB / 500Hz / 2.83v
Impedance	4 Ohm
Dimensions	14 H x 9.5 W x 1.25 D
Available in cherry, natural or black solid oak trim with off-white, grey or black fabric.

Steely Dan - Gaucho LP

My favorite pressing to spin is the original Japanese issue. Dead silent vinyl and great true to original mix. Truly an Audiophile Staple and excellent tracks for reviewing vintage audio gear!
Released in 1980.

Janszen ER139 Speaker update

Here is some important additional information. Also there is a comment posted from David Janszen - Son & President of A A. Janszen. We appreciate his comments greatly! 

These Janszen units might possibly be the only 3-way prototype built prior to closing. Interesting and fascinating audio history and yes, true vintage sound!

Originally Posted by Brian 

The ERC139 was developed as a 20 way system when we evaluated them and suggested a Philips mid range be added; there was a mid range hole, the depth of the Grand Canyon on the pair we reviewed. The company did more development to fill in the mid range with the 2-way but announced they were developing the 3-way.

The company only started delivering the 2-way systems when it closed and before it announced the 3-way was in production so I wonder if the blogger has a set of engineering samples or pre-production units.

Regardless, he has a VERY unique system as it was Art's last design and the tweeter was far different than his previous models plus so few made. I hope he continues to love them and maintains them as a guardian of a piece of history.

...from AudioKarma posting

Electrostatic Speakers - Janzsen ER139

Arrivals like this are truly what keeps me thrilled about Vintage Sound gear. I have been very interested in Electrostatic Speaker technology for as long as I can remember but had not had the opportunity to test them on my array of music. Acquired in a trade deal I came to own these Arthur A. Janszen designed ER139 Hybrid Speakers. Designed by this innovative ( i would dare to say revolutionary) sound engineer. In 1974 Electrostatic Research Corporation formed in Massachusetts and acquired Janszen for the sole purpose of developing an unprecedented omnidirectional Hybrid Electrostatic Speaker. As with most Estat speakers there is a somewhat small "sweet spot" for the listening plane due to the charge (notes+-) dropping of at the edges of the membranes of the speakers. The innovation here would be to offer the high end tweeter signals in a circular array thus eliminating the smaller listening plane then those of the traditional cone drivers. Well, these achieved that and more! The inverted cone you see mounted on the woofer magnet has an intricate array of ribbon wound tweeters. A true Janszen patent stroke of genius!
The cone extending from the woofer magnet was also designed to grab and project through a top port resonant mid-range signals although these were modified with the additional mid driver listener facing.
Here is a Popular Mechanics short review... The ERC139's
The Vintage Sound....
Come on! That's what I said when I heard them for the first run of Paul Desmond's "Take Ten" LP. (hugely recommended on vinyl - PL42045)

Said in the most excited way - not the disappointed verb age, These kicked my butt! Cymbals sooo pure I thought they moved into my listening room. Bass true and Musical. I mean these really hit an audiophile stratosphere I did not anticipate. Really up there with some recent Totem Storm's I demoed.
Really! That good. They are very thirsty and I would guess that they are 4 Ohm as it really took a lot of power to get them opened up and fully breathing!

With all electrostatics the membranes need a charge applied to them thus each speaker has an outlet plug to supply that charge. I noticed that it took a few minutes before they really opened up. Once they did it was a joy to hear. The reduced levels of (audible) distortion that electrostatics bring is really ear candy. Less distortion - less fatigue.

Here is the man himself with his electrostatic tweeter. One of 8 that would be fitted to the ER139's.
Although this design really was revolutionary A A. Janszen had to move on from ERC as they folded the company from under-capitalization. It is my understanding that only 50 sets were made and he had not even optimized a real production for them prior to closing. Timing is everything and had these been marketed as they should have they might well have taken on many large Estat companies of the day.
In the end the proof is always in the listener's hands (ears) and these are absolutely Dope!!!

Philips Full Range Loudspeakers

Hi Again Audio buffs, sorry for the lengthy absence! Sometimes our lives are just well...busy!
Here is a fine set of Holland made Philips 4 ways that I was quite happy to acquire.
An 8 inch passive and woofer bring the low end through and the Philips tweeters (which are quite respected from this era) have a very musical and precise tone to them. Keep in mind that they are 4 ohm impedance so I let loose the Pioneer A-70 on them.
I love the old cloth and in this shape they are hard to find. The curved sleek euro look set these apart.
I haven't come across a pair of these until now and really like the euro design and performance.

There is great attention to detail in the construction of these speakers. To be expected from the great Northern Europe manufacturers. Simply beautiful and rare.