16 Australian Hi-Fi
AUDIO RESEARCH CD6SE
Audio Research has released an updated version of its CD6 CD Player/
DAC... the Audio Research CD6SE. The new CD6SE’s faceplate closely
matches that of Audio Research’s Foundation and Reference-series
components to enable a uniform look across the latest 2019 model
platforms. However the new CD6SE also has the latest V3.0 USB audio
card, providing compatibility with macOS, Windows 10, and any
Linux-based system that supports ALSA devices. This feature allows
full streaming capability from products such as Aurender and Roon’s
Nucleus. This USB audio card offers a state-of-the-art FPGA design
to appropriately
re-clock data and
formats. Whereas
the original CD
had two TOSlink
inputs, this new
CD6SE has only
one TOSlink
input but adds an
AES/EBU input.
All these digital
inputs are 24/192k
capable. The
Audio Research
CD6SE uses a Philips Pro2 CD transport, which has a three-beam
GaAlAs semiconductor laser and grating unit with holographic diffrac-
tionlightpenanda digitally-controlledlow-inertialinearpositioning
actuator.Digital-to-analogueconversionis doneusingquad24-bit
DACsrunninginmonomode,withdualmasteroscillators—onefor
44.1/88.2/176.4samplerates;theotherfor48/96/192kHzsamplerates.
Samplerateconversionis selectableforallinputs,allowingplay-
backinnativeresolutionorviaupsampling,includingcompactdisc
andUSB.Additionally,thereis a selectabledigitalfilterofferinga fast
ora slowroll-off.‘Sonically,thisnewCD6SEis a stunner,uncoveringnew
musicaldetailineverycornerof yourrecordingsandprovidingstartling
dynamics,bothmicroandmacro,’ saidPhilipSawyer, ofSynergyAV,
whichdistributesAudioResearchinAustralia.‘Thetopendis extended,
airyandpure,whilebassdefinitionandimpactarepreciseandpowerful.
Likegreatanalog,listeningto musicthroughtheCD6SEdrawsyouinto
theperformance,
notjustthenotes,
withresolutionand
transparencythat
areinserviceof the
music.’
AudioRe-
searchspecifies
thefrequency
responseat3Hz
to96kHz–3dB
(192kHzsample
rate),THD+Nat
lessthan0.004%,
channelseparationat103dB(at1kHz)andthesignal-to-noiseratioas
110dB.Availablenow,theAudioResearchCD6SEretailsfor$16,
(RRP)ineitherblackorsilverversions.Formoreinformation,contactSynergyAVon(03) 94597474 or
atwww.synergyaudio.comSONUS FABER MINIMA AMATOR II
The new Sonus faber Minima Amator II is a two-way, two-driver bass
reflex design whose cabinet, as with most Sonus faber cabinets, is made
from walnut that on the front baffle and rear panel is covered with
hand-tooled leather.
The bass/midrange driver is a 203mm diameter driver whose cel-
lulose pulp cone is supported by a die-cast aluminium basket. This is
crossed at 2.5kHz, using Sonus faber’s trade-
marked ‘Paracross’ crossover network technol-
ogy, to Sonus faber’s trademark 28mm silk-
dome tweeter, with its damped apex dome...
what Sonus faber calls ‘Arrow Point’ technol-
ogy. The bass reflex port is located on the rear
panel. The Minima Amator II can be used as a
bookshelf or stand-mount speaker. When used
as a stand-mount, Sonus faber recommends
that best performance will be obtained by us-
ing its Carrara or Unicum stand.
‘The Sonus faber Minima Amator II is the
re-statement of a fundamental product first
introduced in 1992 when the company was
establishing key principles that would go on to
guide future productions: accurate design and
high-quality natural materials, combined in such a
way as to obtain a sound reproduction as natural
as possible,’ said Philip Sawyer, of Synergy
Audio Visual, which distributes Sonus faber
in Australia. ‘The compact, solid walnut wood of
the cabinet adds to the speaker’s sound quality,
resulting in a harmonious, smooth and consistent
listening experience.’
SonusfaberratestheMinimaAmatorII witha frequencyresponse
of50Hz–35kHz,a sensitivityof87dBSPL(2.83V@ 1M)anda nominal
impedanceof4Ω.Thenominalcrossoverfrequencyis 2.5kHz.For more information, contact Synergy Audio Visual on
(03) 9459 7474 or visit http://www.synergyaudio.comAUDIO RESEARCH | SONUS FABER