Stand Loudspeaker Reviews

Sidebar 2: System

I used my four-year-old Rega Research P3-24 turntable and tonearm, and a Rega Elys 2 moving-magnet cartridge with about 35,000 hours on it. (I exaggerate, but yes, the thing is well worn.) These were augmented by Rega's drive-belt upgrade and outboard TT-PSU power supply, and a Boston Audio Design Mat 1 carbon-fiber platter mat. The entire rig would have cost around $1500 when last available. The signal from the turntable went into Parasound's Zphono•USB phono preamplifier ($349) via Kimber Kable's PBJ interconnect ($110/1m). A second run of PBJ delivered the signal to my NAD C316 BEE integrated amplifier ($380). Finally, the amp was connected, via 8' runs of RadioShack's 14AWG, braided Flat Megacable speaker wire (catalog #278-1273, $24.99/50' spool). Other speakers used were the PSB Alpha B1s.—Stephen Mejias