Biasing
For many readers, ease of biasing tubes is a bottom line consideration when
choosing an amplifier. My Jadis, for example, is a total pain in the butt,
requiring one to turn the 90 plus pound behemoth on its side, remove the
bottom plate, warm it up for 30-60 minutes with speakers and inputs
connected, and then carefully bias, ideally by using a plastic screwdriver
to avoid a major shock and potential system fry. What's especially
frustrating is that one must do some mathematical calculations, averaging
the voltage reading of the three power tubes in a given row, to get values
correct. Also, the slightest turn of the biasing screw can make a major
difference, which frequently translates into having to readjust. First it's
too high, then it's too low, then it's almost there, etc. I am certain that,
once I pass 70 or 75, I will not be up for doing this.
The Genesis I60, on the other hand, presents no such challenges. While the
company claims that rebiasing will only prove necessary in the event of a
tube change, the procedure is relatively painless. Little holes on either
side of the amp are provided for the two leads from a RadioShack multimeter,
with a third hole in the center to adjust bias. You insert a small
screwdriver, take a reading, and adjust accordingly. You have to rotate the
screw a lot to raise the bias more than a tenth of a volt, so fine
adjustment is easily accomplished. I've done it, and it's a snap. Plus, the
current passing through the screws is very low, so that there is no danger.
Great Sound
I was, and am, amazed by the sound of the I60. If I had to single out a
single aspect of its performance, it is this integrated amp's ability to
bring the listener in intimate contact with the musical source. By this I do
not mean that the soundstage is forward or in your face, or that the sound
is overly detailed. The soundstage lies a natural distance away, between and
to the rear of the speakers, and presents natural sounding images graced
with a goodly dose of the depth and air one would hope for from tube
equipment.
What is unique, however, is the way the I60 brings one close to the point of
artistic creation. A case in point is Susanne Abbuehl's laid back
jazz-inspired vocals on her disc Compass (ECM). Far more than with my
Jadis DA-7 Luxe, the I60 pulled me into Abbuehl's throat, highlighting her
every nuance. The degree of intimacy was at first startling, but ultimately
revelatory.
The I60 also allowed me to discern the difference between the acoustic space
surrounding Abbuehl and the other instruments heard on the CD, as well as
the different degrees of electronic enhancement employed for each. While
nothing sounded etched or overly detailed, the music was presented with an
uncommon degree of completeness.
I auditioned a host of recordings, some familiar references, and others
being new discs that I couldn't help but play because I was enjoying the
sound so much. On Terry Evans' "Blues No More" from his album Puttin' It
Down (JVC XRCD), his voice was presented with a wonderfully smooth,
seductive warmth. Bass was very convincing, the overall presentation
glowingly full and even. On the chamber music reduction of Canteloube's
Songs of the Auvergne (CBC Records) featuring soprano Karina Gauvin, I
could hardly get enough of the beautiful yet natural midrange, and an
equally gratifying, but never over-hyped sense of depth and air. The highs
were perhaps not the most extended on record, which made the piccolo totally
enjoyable in the room's live acoustic environment.
On Endless Vision (World Village), an exceptional, Grammy nominated
CD of Persian and Armenian songs featuring Hossein Alizadeh and Djivan
Gasparyan, I especially welcomed the realistic portrayal of the natural,
airy acoustic of the outdoor environment in which the concert was held.
Overtones and resonance came through in spades. Also notable, both on this
CD and all the other recordings I auditioned, was that turning up the volume
produced greater revelation rather than overwhelming decibels or harshness.
My notes include the comment, "I hear the breath of the woodwind very
realistically."
At the last few audio shows I've attended, the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and
CES 2007, one of my new orchestral test faves has been Sir Simon Rattle's
extremely atmospheric rendering of Kaija Saariaho's special commission,
"Asteroid 4179," found on the new two-disc set of Holst's The Planets
(EMI). The I60 got the outer space-like presentation just right, handling
complex orchestral passages with ease. The sound was a mite slower and
softer on attack than I'm accustomed to with my reference, but it was
equally hypnotic.
I noted a similarly mesmerizing sense of atmosphere on percussionist Manu
Katché's Neighborhood (ECM). Jazz vocalist Ana Moura's seductive
voice sucked me right in, the different lines of her accompaniment
beautifully defined yet blended. Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's voice on her
much-lauded Handel SACD from Avie sounded gorgeous, and the bass
continuo was a standout. While woodwinds on ye olde symphonic standby,
Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances (Reference Recordings Minnesota
Orchestra version), were not as rich as I've sometimes heard, Ivan Fischer's
SACD of Mahler's Symphony No. 2 was shattering in its intensity and
soul-shaking beauty. My educated hunch, based on listening to far more music
over far more days, weeks, and months than I'm recounting here, is that the
modified Philips 1000's CD section cannot match the Theta Gen. VIII's on
many counts, especially when it is required to process a lot of complex
musical information simultaneously, and that the I60 does a bang up job.
Conclusions
I suspect my feelings are clear. I love the sound of the Genesis I60
integrated tube amplifier. It conveys all the benefits of tube
amplification, with virtually none of the drawbacks. With its 60 watts per
channel being most compatible with higher efficiency speakers and/or smaller
rooms, it seems perfect for most real world setups.
In a world where so many go without food each day, I'm reluctant to call
anything that costs in the thousands a bargain. Nonetheless, given the
quality of the sound, and the fact that it comes from a U.S. company with a
long track record for quality, the ratio of quality to price is extremely
high. Given that these amps were produced in limited numbers, I would urge
those who hear the call to act without delay.
- Jason
Victor Serinus -
REFERENCE AND UPSTAIRS SYSTEMS:
Digital Front
End
Theta Gen VIII DAC/Preamp
Sony 707ES transport heavily modified by APL Hi-Fi
Amplification
Jadis DA-7 Luxe with GE 5751 Jan and Jan Philips 5814A tubes and cable from
Pierre Gabriel
Loudspeakers
Talon Khorus X speakers MK. III (with latest upgrade and Bybee Quantum Noise
Purifiers)
Von Schweikert VR-4jr. loudspeakers
Cabling
Nordost Tyr interconnects and speaker cables
Nordost Valhalla single-ended and balanced interconnects
Nordost Valhalla balanced digital interconnects
Nordost Valhalla bi-wired speaker cable
Nordost Bass-Line cable for subwoofer
Nordost Silver Shadow digital interconnect for DVD-Video
Nordost Valhalla Power Cables
Elrod EPS-2 Signature power cables
Power
ExactPower EP15A equipped with outlets from Sound Applications
Nordost Thor Power Distribution System
IsoClean fuses in most components
Dedicated 10 amp line
Analog
Clearaudio Emotion turntable with Satisfy arm
Benz MC-Gold phono cartridge
Classe 6 phono preamp
Accessories
Symposium Ultra Platform under transport
Ganymede ball bearing supports. Acoustic Resonators.
Michael Green Deluxe Ultrarack, Basic Racks and Corner Tunes
Echo Buster and Corner Busters
Shakti stones on amp, Theta, transport, ExactPower and circuit breaker
Shakti Hallographs
Bedini Dual Beam Ultraclarifier, Audioprism CD Stoplight,
Marigo Signature 3-D Mat v2; Ayre demagnetizing CD.
Also on hand and sometimes used:
PS Audio P600 Power Plant power synthesizer with MultiWave II
Interconnects: WireWorld Gold Eclipse 5 and Gold Starlight 5 digital,
Harmonic Tech Magic One, Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II balanced, and
Nirvana BNC-terminated digital.
Power cables: Elrod EPS Signature 3 plus EPS 1, 2, and 3; WireWorld Silver
Electra 5, PS Audio X-treme Statement, Harmonic Tech, and AudioPrism
SuperNatural S2.
Room
24.5' deep, 21.4' wide in the listening area. The actual dimension at the
speaker end of the room is 37' wide, extending from the front door into the
living room through an 8.33' wide archway opposite the right channel speaker
to the rear wall of the dining room. Ceilings are 9' high with heavy wooden
cross-beams each 17" in height. Curtains cover windows behind the
soundsystem. Floors are hardwood and carpet in front of the system, and
hardwood elsewhere. Walls in the living room are a combination of plaster
and wood, with a large granite fireplace in the rear. Dining room is all
plaster. There is RoomTune and Echo buster treatment in corners, and either
an Echo Buster or heavy tapestry at the two side wall first order reflection
points.
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