Stereophile: Mono a Mano

This year, J-DeV was showing off The Nines ($6500/pair), which he described as a 2.5-way DeVore Fidelity Super 8 ($4000/pair) clone "that just kept getting better." The side firing 8" woofer begins to taper off "around 100Hz or so," DeVore explained.

Very smooth—and very deep.

"What's that?" I was pointing to EMT's JPA-66 Varia-Curve Full Function Preamp (price TBD). I was hypnotized by its VU meters, but Tone's Jonathan Helpern had something cooler to show me.

"It takes four different phono inputs, different phono equalization curves, a scratch filter, and a subsonic filter. Are you guys ready for some mono?"

Seconds later, we were listening to a 78rpm 10" single of Frankie Lyman. It sounded great. "Yeah," Halperin said, "and this was a jukebox copy, so it got played to bits. That scratch filter really works!"

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Posted Wed Jan10, 2007, 1:02 PM — By Stephen Mejias

DeVore Fidelity speakers make me happy, energize me. Even after a long day of treading the show halls, I can sit down to listen to these speakers come out feeling revitalized.

If you recall my factory visit, you'll know that an early iteration of The Nine featured a downward-firing woofer. The final product, seen here, however, is sideways-firing. I asked John DeVore about this.

"We found that the downward-firing driver was a little limiting," he said. "The sideways-firing woofer allows for more placement options. You can walk around the room while music is playing and hear that the tonal quality remains consistent."

I trust him on this, having no desire whatsoever to walk away, compelled, instead to sit, happily enjoying the music.

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