The Setup
I listened to the Cinénova with a Denon DVD-5900 DVD
player, Yamaha Universal Player, Lexicon MC-12B SSP, and Carver Amazing Mark
IV ribbon speakers. Cables (XLR) were Nordost.
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Like the five-channel version that we
reviewed in 2004, the seven-channel version in 2006 sounds a bit
laid back in the high frequencies. This is a very good thing in my
opinion, because as a massive power amplifier, this product will
likely be installed for consumers who like their music and sound
tracks loud.
This new Heads Up SACD (HUSA-9107) of
the modern jazz group Spyrogyra, called Wrapped in a Dream,
just literally stomps out some fast paced music, and is not
something you would play as background music.
The Cinénova
did its thing right along with the musicians, never missing a beat.
Man, there is nothing like discrete surround sound music, especially
with an amplifier like this.
One thing I listen for is the rasp of
the saxophone's reed, and it was clearly there, not that I stopped
tapping my feet to listen for it. |
Although there is a
world of difference between jazz and Brahms in style, the need
for a fine amplifier does not change at all, especially when the
fingers are hitting the keyboard like jack hammers, as they do
in this Virgin CD of Brahms Paganini Variations
(0-94633-26282-9).
The music sounds much
like Rachmaninov preludes, thundering across the strings.
This disc in
particular, showed off the incredible bass capabilities of the
Cinénova. Remember, the lowest note
on the piano has a fundamental of 28 Hz. This is the 4 kVa power
supply in action. |
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Well, now this is a unique
disc, Mozart in Egypt (Virgin Classics
7-24354-53112-5) where Mozart melodies are played in
Egyptian style, with instruments of that country.
Some of the stringed
instruments have very unusual overtones, and a lesser
amplifier would have mushed them up so they might not be so
recognizable. |
Ah, now, chamber
orchestra, there is something you can listen to
as background music, but that does not mean clarity is
unimportant.
This EMI Classics CD,
Vivaldi Flute Concertos (0-94634-72122-6) has Emmanuel Pahud playing a flute with a small orchestra. When you
can hear the whoosh of the wind from his mouth over the
flute mouthpiece, you know the amplifier is articulating
the details, and at low volume, this is not an easy
thing to do, as many amplifiers, surprisingly, have a
problem at low levels. |
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The human voice is
always a critical test with any audio product,
particularly with speakers, but also with
amplifiers.
In this Virgin Classics
CD, Rolando Villazon: Opera Recital, he sings
Puccini, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Strauss, and other
pieces with full orchestra backing him up.
The amplifier has to
back him up too, and keep his voice distinct from
all those violins playing several octaves, and
kettle drums pounding away, which it did
marvelously. |
OK, so it was not a very good movie.
But, Doom certainly gave the Cinénova
a good workout, although it did not request a towel
afterwards.
I don't know how many thousands of
rounds they shot off during this film, but the Cinénova
was none the worse for it. I was amazed at how rapid
some of the guns they used will fire their rounds, and the
amplifier kept each shot distinct, all the while with
the remaining channels being just as active with other
sound effects. Again, amazing bass
output, a sign of a top notch power supply. |
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