First Sound
Presence Deluxe Statement With Paramount Upgrade MKII
Zen And The Art Of Compromise
Review By Todd Warnke
If you use
more than one source – and with all that great old vinyl for just about
free, plus all the new music you can play with off the web not to mention
hard-coded digital in all its various formats and the even the radio
(assuming you can find a non-ClearChannel station), you should – then
you have a problem, and that problems’ name is “preamplifier.”
Charged with the background, necessary evil of routing signal, volume
control, buffering source(s) and power amplifier, there is nothing
intrinsically glamorous about a preamplifier. Indeed, how can there
be glamour when the task list mandates that there is no way to do the job
perfectly, which is, without coloring the sound. This means that
even the best preamplifier’s performance must be measured by separation
from, not degrees of perfection. Not a job I want, but there are
preamplifier wizards out there who revel in this stuff and who, in my
opinion, sweat more design details than just about anyone in audio. Some
of them are famous; Emmanuel Go of First Sound Audio is not, though in a
fair world he would be.
Those who do know
Go, most likely heard of him initially back in the late ‘80s or early
‘90s when he launched the lavishly titled and extremely well received
First Sound Reference Quality Passive Preamplifier. A purely passive
product, it offered unmatched levels of clarity, detail retrieval and
dynamics. Well, dynamics if the match between source and power
amplifier were correct. It also rendered wonderful, complex and full
harmonic texture – again if the source and power amplifier cooperated.
And therein lie the problem that Go’s passive preamplifier faced, one it
shares with every passive – correctly matching source and power
amplifier. To do this right – unless the source and power amplifier
have been expressly designed to work together as a unit, or unless you are
just bloody lucky – seems to need a gain stage. Being the type of
detail-obsessive geek that we in high-end audio most admire, Go set out to
solve these issues with his passive whilst simultaneously retaining its
clarity and musicality, a process that led him to introduce a line of
active preamplifiers, the first of which was the rather sensibility named
Presence Audio Linestage 1. That product has served as the basis for
his lineup, with various upgrades in power supplies, attenuators and
chassis configurations accounting for the changes as you move from the
Linestage to the Deluxe, the Paramount and the Paramount Statement models.
Working from the same base design has allowed Go to upgrade past customers
to current specs for quite reasonable fees, while also allowing the
purchase of a current version lower priced model and then elevating it to
a higher model for not much more than the price difference between the
two.
Anyway, about four years ago,
and at the end of a long string of preamplifier reviews, including
products from C-J, Thor, Lamm, Sonic Frontiers, Ayre, BAT and Hovland, I
reviewed the Presence Deluxe MKII. Even in such well-known and august
company the largely unknown First Sound stood out. When properly
setup, the Presence Deluxe offered all gain and no pain (sorry for the
pun) – and so I purchased a First Sound preamplifier for my reference. The
model that eventually ended up in my system is an unusual configuration;
best described a Presence Deluxe Statement with Paramount Upgrade MKII.
What that is, is a four-chassis dual-mono preamplifier. Each channel,
in essence, is a single Presence Deluxe with a dedicated power supply, a
power supply that is designed to drive an entire preamplifier but in this
drives but a single channel. This results in a setup that has,
amongst other things, a power supply with 367,000 microfarads of
capacitance per channel. In case that number means little to you, go
take a look at the storage in your power amplifier’s power supply.
I’ll wait... WOW, each channel of this First Sound preamplifier
has a stiffer power supply by a factor of 2 or 3 than your entire power
amplifier! Can you say overspec’ed? I knew that you could. Of
course the value of any audio spec lies in the listening and not the
writing on the page, but I have to say that I am impressed by this stat of
the First Sound, even on paper.
Visually,
the First Sound line is cut from the same robust cloth as the power supply
spec. At 17.5” wide, 5.5” tall and 15” deep, the main chassis
of each channel takes up a fair amount of room, even more than it appears
as the power supply is housed in a separate chassis. Each power
supply chassis is 7.85” wide, 5.5” tall and 12.75” deep and is
connected to the preamplifier proper by a permanently attached 6’
umbilical. In my rack the First Sound takes up three shelves, one
for each channel, while the power supplies share a shelf.
Controls are straightforward.
The power switch is on the rear of each power supply (with two little boys
running around the house I appreciate this, but think Go might be served
better in the long run by moving the switches up front). The control
units each have two toggles, one to move the preamplifier off mute and one
to engage the tape outputs. Each unit also has two rotary controls,
one for source and one for volume. With six possible sources
(labeled Line 1, Line 2, Video, Tuner, Tape, and CD), plus tape output,
you can hook-up all your line-level stuff at once. The volume
control has 24 discrete steps and deserves its own paragraph.
Every volume control is hand
built, with the entry-level attenuator using 48 Holco resistors, in a
series step configuration and in exact 2dB steps. The Deluxe attenuator
uses 96 Holcos in a ladder type step sequence, again in precise 2dB steps.
Paramount and above models use Vishay resistors in place of the Holcos,
and in the ladder configuration. Opening the case reveals that these
attenuators are pieces of industrial art – though again the pertinent
matter is how not how they look but how they sound.
Round back, each chassis has
six high-quality gold-plated input RCA jacks, a high-quality gold-plated
RCA tape out jack and two RCA output jacks. I appreciate the dual
output jacks as it facilitates a powered subwoofer without system
compromise. And, in a nod to his purist roots, Go has wired the CD
input separately from the rest of the inputs, giving it a slight edge in
performance – so if you use a single source or one primary source, place
it in CD. Inside, the entire line uses an extensively shielded and
heavily grounded circuit, though the upgraded models sport an even more
massive grounding scheme. There are but two tubes per channel, an
OA2 regulator and a 6N-1P signal tube.
In all the design of the
entire line of First Sound preamplifiers is remarkably direct. With
massive power supplies, ultra high-quality, hand-built attenuators,
detailed and effective grounding and in a true dual-mono configuration,
the First Sound preamplifiers are models of doing all the fundamental
things as well as they can be done. This design approach reminds me
of nothing so much as the high art of French winemaking. Take the
right grapes, in the right climate, grow them using the best nature has to
offer and, after harvest do only what has to be done to turn grapes into
wine. Then, in the case of grapes, if they are worthy, the wine will
be as well. If not, then no amount of American-styled oaking and
blending will restore what was not there to begin with. With French
wine this uncluttered approach can result in either epiphany or thin, weak
vinegar, likewise Go’s preamplifiers live on the same edge. Direct
design, premium parts, hand-built and minimal messing around make this a
fine unit. Then if it is right (assuming the rest of the system is up to
snuff), so too will the music be right. If not, no amount of
technical gimmickry can save them, or any other audio product, it must be
said. So, without more electrons going to waste, let’s listen.
Mindfulness
If audiogeeks controlled the
music labels, Sarah McLachlan would be a universal heroine. No, not
the tasteful but over-produced, modern pop-rock Sarah who already is a
heroine to some, but the nearly unknown McLachlan found on the Freedom
Sessions [Classic Compact Disc RTHCD 2000]. Officially a nine
track collection of demos and outtakes from the recording sessions that
resulted in her breakthrough album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, the Freedom
Sessions are minimally processed, Zen Koans, each with the power to strike
sudden awareness of the vapid state of modern rock. But the most
powerful of the koans – uh, songs – is a hidden, 10th
track. About 20 seconds after covering Tom Waits, "Ol’
55", Sarah does "Hold On" with acoustic guitar, bass and
drums only. This track is truly transcendent, in the moment beauty;
and is so well recorded that a correctly setup system can render it
incarnate. With the First Sound taking signal from a Cary CD-303/200
and passing it on to the Sophia Electric 300B amplifier and then on to my
Merlin VSM-M loudspeakers I heard Sarah as tonally tangible, organically
whole and as dynamically real as my own voice. Yep, you read that
right. As real as my own voice. Now, not having had Sarah
visit my room (except in several late-night fantasies) I cannot say if
what I heard was a real as her voice, but what I did hear was
closer to an actual human voice then I have ever heard from an audio
system. Sure, the recording is among the highest quality pop/rock
recording ever made, but, it nonetheless remains up to the system to play
it back correctly, and this system did so to the highest degree.
Ok, so pop isn’t your style
– or your idea of a test of a system, so let’s try jazz. One of my
favorite late night discs is The Call by Charles Lloyd [ECM 1522].
Lloyd gives Bobo Stenson on piano a generous amount to room to explore and
work out his meditative sound and follows suit in a telepathic, symbiotic
manner. The tonal colors are rich, with bassist Anders Jormin and
drummer Billy Hart adding complex time signatures and a powerful
underpinning. Not a swinging album, The Call is deeply reflective,
stately and – for purposes of this review – superbly recorded.
The opening track, "Nocturne," begins with Lloyd’s tenor sax
gently probing the darkness and slowly turns the stage over to Stenson’s
equally insistent but muted piano, all while Jormin and Hart
intermittently count time. The feel is so late night, so
contemplative that the sun has been known to run and hide while I play
this track. In the above listed system the layout of the band is
laid bare, while depth is so real that the back wall of my room just about
literally disappears. And the tone! Stenson’s piano sounds
as real as my own in my listening room. Again, I cannot say it
sounds exactly like his piano, but it sure does sound real with the First
Sound in the system.
Alright, you need more and
full scale proof. So this time let’s turn to Sergiu Celibidache
and his, uh, expansive version of the already expansive 8th
Symphony by Anton Bruckner. How big is this? Celi’s 1998
release with the Munich Philharmonic [EMI 56696] clocks in at over 107
minutes! Take away the almost two minutes of applause and you still
have an hour and 45 minutes of Zen-Master meets pious Catholic organist.
Though not a first rank orchestra, Celi raises the performance of the
Munich players through out this piece to such heights that the 35 minute
Adagio never slacks. To accomplish this, the performance suspends time and
concentrates on harmonic and dynamic relationships. I’ll admit
that with middling gear the Celi 8th does lag, but not here.
Through the First Sound preamplifier the orchestra was suitably spread and
showed absolutely spot on depth. The range of the tonal palette
reached from purest white light to darkest black while the rendering of
dynamic shading was as broad as, well, almost real life. Again, we
are talking about sonic performance that exceeds that of any preamplifier
I have heard in my room and seems to be limited only by the quality of
partnering gear
Looking back I see that I have
written about these sonic examples without the normal audiogeek,
“let’s break it all down into a gazillion small pieces” commentary.
orry. I’ll try to be a better geek, so here goes.
The First Sound has bass that
is solid, tangible and quite even. It is only when you move to the
real low stuff that there is even the slightest deviation from dead flat
response while above that point response runs as flat as the Kansas
horizon all the way out to doggy land. he dynamic envelope is
startling, both in its opening attack and subtle, long and detailed decay.
This results in resolution that far exceeds that of just about any
accompanying piece of gear. Staging is superb, with non-wavering, 3D
images. I would place the size of the soundstage as very good but not
quite the best I’ve ever heard. I imagine that this is the case because
the First Sound is not given to exaggeration in any area of performance.
Lastly, this thing is a quiet as the very best solid-state preamplifiers
with no tube rush being detectable with your ear near the loudspeakers,
much less at the listening seat.
Soulfulness
Personally, as good as all
this sonic stuff this is, I find it more significant that the First Sound
offers emotional purity that is of comparable level. I know this is
a fairly controversial area of audio reproduction and so I’m walking on
thin ice here – but let’s be honest, if an audio product doesn’t
allow you to feel more connected to the music it plays, then why
bother with it? Sure, a particular setup or component may allow you to
hear more stuff from a recording, and that certainly is interesting, but
with the exception of all but a few fringe artists, musicians make music
to move you. They may do that, in part and for example through mental
processes such as those employed by Bach or, more recently, Brian Eno, but
the bottom line is music has the goal of moving you from one emotional
state to another. Some gear allows this to happen with ease.
Tubed gear seems to have an especial ability in this area, even if
occasionally it is deficient in the sonic arena. Other gear, such as
older Wilson Watt speakers, appeared criminally negligent in their ability
to communicate emotion while simultaneously sporting phenomenal sonic
skills.
There are, however, a few,
select products that come quite close to having it all such as SoundLab
loudspeakers or Dynavector cartridges to name a couple. Others, like the
Linn SP-12 turntable tip the balance slightly to the emotional while the
top of the line AKG K1000 headphones tilt slightly the other way. But in
all these products are the few, special, timeless ones that become
classics. To this elite list I would add the First Sound
preamplifier.
Again, I know I’m on
subjective ground here, or at least terrain that is difficult to navigate
with a map alone. My sisters (all three of ‘em), bless their
otherwise kind and good hearts, love modern country music, and so some
types of “music” connects with them that I simply cannot find a way
into. Situations like this leads to problems when describing emotional
connections – but being just stupid enough to try to describe music in
reviews, I’ll go ahead and try to do this as well, though with the help
of an example.
About seven years ago I began
to bore of the state of popular rock music as everything, at best, had the
stale scent of product. This discontent led me to explore deeper
what had previously been only an occasional dalliance with electronica.
The ever-suffering Robin found this to be almost too much to bear as the
bleeps, burps and bangs coming from the listening room sounded like so
much noise to her. To be complete, while learning more about the
genre there were many times I secretly agreed with her. Still, the
great electronia is great music, but until I placed the First Sound
preamplifier in the system (driving an Art Audio Clarissa power
amplifier), she never got it. Then, late one night when I was working and
figured she was asleep I popped in The Place Where The Black Stars Hang by
Lustmord [Side Effects DFX 16]. After about five minutes she walked in
the listening room and quietly sat down. After the album ended she
exclaimed, “That is the creepiest music I’ve even been able to listen
to”. Yes, she made the connection. From there she has moved on to
listen to and connect with Biosphere, Blind Light and Autechre.
To test my
theory that the First Sound is the key to this I have removed it
from the system many times and had her listen – and since we listen to
this stuff in the dark, it was a true 100% blind test. Every single time
she has walked away, even from albums she had previously connected with.
Proof? For me, yes. For you, perhaps not. And most especially if you come
from the, “It’s all sonics” school of audiogeekism. But if you
love music not just for the sound but also for the way it makes you feel,
then perhaps it’s enough of a proof to make you go listen to a First
Sound preamplifier. I hope so, as it is a stunning experience.
Totality
Listening to any music with
the First Sound preamplifier in my system has become a complete mind-body
experience. The sonic capabilities are such that the informational
side of my brain and personality are completely sated and I never feel
like there is more there in the recording than I hear in my room. But of
far more import, the emotional side of me is equally filled as the First
Sound pulls off that most tenuous of balancing acts, matching feeling to
intellect. In this respect it has few peers in audio and is the reason it
has become my personal reference.
At around $10,000 for the
Presence Deluxe Statement with Paramount Upgrade MKII, it is far from
cheap – but neither is a Patek Philippe wristwatch or a Ferrari sports
car. Each of these objects takes a different approach to being the
“best” with Patek employing craftsmanship of the minute, of the near
invisible in polishing their product to obscene tolerances while Ferrari
looks for every compromise and systematically removes it. Mr Go’s
preamplifiers lack the flash of a gold watch or the aggressive stance of a
race car, but they evidence the same attention to detail and lack of
compromise as these better known products with result of Go’s labors
being a product that can stand with any as example of workmanship, quality
and reward.
After
re-reading these words I know that few will believe my impressions.
That’s as it should be. Surely audio beauty is in the ear of the
listener, but I do hope my words at least raise the question of my
experience to you and lead you to discover the First Sound line in your
own.
Specifications
Type: stereo preamplifier
Inputs: Six line-level inputs
Outputs: Two main outputs, one tape output
Frequency Response: 5Hz to 250kHz
Input Impedance: 150 kOhms
Absolute Phase: Inverting
Total Harmonic Distortion: less than 0.4% at 2V
Noise: Better than 91dB below 2V
Maximum gain: Greater than 15dB at 1kHz
Tube Complement: two 6DJ8 or comparable, two OA2
Maximum input: 7 Volts RMS
Dimensions (WxDxH in inches):
Main chassis: 19 x 14 x 5.5
Power Supply: 7 x 11 x 5.5
Price: $10,000
Company Information
First Sound
833 SW Sunset Blvd.
Suite L57
Renton, WA 98055
Voice: (425) 271-7486
Fax: (425) 277-8653
Website: www.firstsoundaudio.com