November 2003 Reviewed by Roger Kanno	Simaudio Moon Stargate Surround-Sound Processor

Description Model: Moon Stargate Price: $4295 USD Dimensions: 19"W x 6.5"H x 14"D Weight: 25 pounds Warranty: Five years parts and labor Features Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, Dolby Surround EX, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS-ES, DTS Neo:6, 7.1 Matrix Music Mode processing modes 7.1-channel direct inputs	Features (cont'd) Analog bass management on 7.1-channel inputs Six assignable digital inputs (four coaxial, two optical) One optical digital output Independent second-zone inputs and outputs Component, S-video, and composite video inputs AM/FM tuner Learning remote 24-bit/192kHz Crystal D/A converters Crystal CS3310 digital volume control Removable power cord Black or silver faceplate

A few years ago, it seemed that just about every high-end manufacturer was getting into home-theater systems and producing some very expensive reference-quality surround-sound processors, some costing as much as $10,000. These days, the market seems to be shifting away from ultra-expensive components, and many of those same manufacturers now offer products for less than $5000.

Simaudio is a prime example of such a company, and the Moon Stargate is such a product. The Canadian manufacturer has a more expensive processor, the $6500 Attraction, but their new Stargate is priced at a somewhat more reasonable $4295. Because Simaudio is best known for such high-quality amplifiers as the W-5 power amp and the i-5 integrated, I was curious to see if they could match the standards set by those exceptional products in a surround processor.

Preflight check

True to Simaudio’s high-end heritage, the Moon Stargate’s design incorporates several premium features. It uses four Crystal CS43122 24-bit/192kHz digital-to-analog converters, and a Crystal CS5396 24/96 A/D converter to transform incoming analog stereo signals prior to digital signal processing. Volume control is performed by four of Crystal’s highly regarded CS3310 chips, with "switched resistive array" technology; these are used in many high-quality preamps, as well as in Simaudio’s own i-5 integrated. And, with its heavy-duty 3/8" faceplate and attractive, removable aluminum "cheeks," the Stargate looks like a high-end audio design. The build quality appears to be quite good, and the controls and connectors all feel solid, as should be expected in a component costing more than $4000. My only criticism of the Stargate’s construction is that I would have liked it to have had even heavier-duty RCA connectors in addition to balanced XLR outputs -- but I could say the same for many other processors at or near this price.

The Stargate’s useful features include analog bass management on the 7.1-channel direct inputs, an AM/FM tuner, fully independent second-zone inputs and outputs, assignable digital inputs, and programmable analog input names. The Stargate also possesses all of the required surround formats: Dolby Digital Surround EX and Pro Logic II, DTS-ES and Neo:6, and 7.1 Matrix Music Mode. It also has video switching for component, S-video, and composite signals, along with channel delays and level calibration. Otherwise, the Stargate offers basic functionality with few frills. A conspicuous omission is the lack of an adjustable crossover frequency for bass management. The backlit, learning remote appears to be the Universal Remote Control model used by many other manufacturers.

Near the end of the review period, Lionel Goodfield, vice president of marketing for Simaudio, informed me that the Moon Stargate’s software would soon be revised to include an adjustable crossover frequency for the digital bass management. Older units can be upgraded via a computer chip swap that can be done either at the factory or by an authorized dealer.

Countdown

The Stargate’s menu system is basic and relatively easy to use, except for the counterintuitive selection of some settings. For example, to calibrate channel levels you must press the corresponding number (6) for that menu item, then the number for the channel you wish to calibrate -- but to change the level you must use the volume up and down keys. It’s not such a big deal once you’re used to it, but I would have preferred that the menu system use the arrow and select keys for navigation, as most products do.

Other than that, setup was simple and uneventful. The speaker distances are set in feet from the listening position, up to a maximum of 30’, and the channel levels are adjustable in increments of 1dB, from a minimum of -12 to a maximum of +12. Surround EX/DTS-ES processing is activated by selecting, via the menu system, one or two back surround speakers. Dolby Digital and DTS signals are automatically detected, while surround modes for analog sources such as Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS Neo:6, Music 7, or two-channel stereo are chosen manually.

I usually connect my DVD player’s component-video outputs directly to the inputs on my 32" direct-view monitor, but running the signal through the Stargate didn’t seem to adversely affect interlaced images on my TV -- an impressive result. Also impressive was the Stargate’s FM tuner section, which cleanly pulled in all of the stations in my area that I’m familiar with. I did most of my listening to the Stargate with a system consisting of a Pioneer Elite DV-45A universal disc player, Simaudio’s Aurora five-channel power amplifier, and a Snell THX Ultra2 speaker system.

Liftoff

The Simaudio Moon Stargate might have been simple in its operation, but it didn’t take long for me to appreciate its finely detailed yet smooth and involving sound. While it can sometimes be fun to futz with multiple settings and adjustable parameters, I enjoyed the simplicity, ease of setup, and superb sound that I could achieve with the Stargate with a minimum of effort. Although it extracted a lot of detail from movie soundtracks, the Stargate didn’t sound overly bright or aggressive when I played DVDs. In fact, I found it slightly on the warm side of neutral -- though this is not to say that it masked the sound of recordings by overlaying a sonic signature that made everything sound warm and fuzzy. Bright movie soundtracks still sounded bright, just not excessively so. Deep bass was always full of weight and body that lent authority and power to sound effects and music scores.

Movies from space

A great demonstration of the Moon Stargate’s abilities was provided by The Sweet Hereafter on DVD, which has an involving soundfield comprising natural-sounding foley effects and an emotional and moving score. The enveloping ambience of the wind in the surround channels during the opening credits had an amazing sense of realism. The barely audible chirping birds in the front channels were reproduced clearly, and the flute imaged precisely in the center of the soundstage, the strings placed slightly off to the right. Later, in chapter 11, the drums were startlingly powerful, and in shocking contrast to the idyllic images of children playing and laughing.

The Stargate’s smooth but well-defined sound was also well-suited to Blade 2’s sound design of intense music score, raucous sound effects, and some surprisingly subtle elements almost buried in the mix. The pounding bass in chapter 10, "House of Pain," might have been slightly rich, but it realistically conveyed the sense of being in a deafeningly loud dance club. The delineation of music and sound effects was exceptional in chapter 20, "Thirst Quenching," as Blade dispatches a group of guards to a funky techno beat. Even at high volume levels, the Stargate retained its composure and did not obscure this scene’s finely crafted aural details.

When I played back the Superbit version of Desperado through the Stargate, the clapping sound that emerges from the darkness after the opening credits tracked perfectly from speaker to speaker, panning smoothly from the right to the left surround speaker and then to the left front speaker, as if someone were actually walking around the perimeter of my room while clapping -- instead of the sound being confined to the speakers and jumping abruptly and discretely between them.

Heavenly music

Multichannel music also sounded superb through the Moon Stargate. The DTS track of Peter Gabriel’s Secret World Live DVD-Video disc features a more stage-oriented mix than the Dolby Digital track, which has a more conventional audience perspective. Because the DTS track seemingly puts you in the middle of the players, with music and vocals emanating from all of the speakers, including the very prominent surrounds, it can sound congested and homogeneous if your electronics are not up to the task.

With its excellent imaging qualities and ability to extract low-level detail, the Stargate not only unraveled this complicated mix but was also wonderfully "musical," which allowed me to connect emotionally with the music. The imaging of vocals on this DVD is a little diffuse, but the Stargate was still able to convey all of the emotion in Gabriel’s voice. I could almost feel his anguish as he struggles to reach out to Paula Cole on "Come Talk to Me," then is pulled back by the telephone cord he’s stretched across the stage to reach her. Whether it was the celebratory mood of "Shaking the Tree" or the more reflective tone of "In Your Eyes," the Stargate was always able to communicate the essence of the music.

Analog preamplification

You might think that the Moon Stargate’s somewhat warm sound, so pleasing with multichannel movie soundtracks, would be less suitable for high-quality two-channel sources. That was not the case. Listening to the stereo SACD of Peter Gabriel’s Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats [Geffen 069 493 628-2] through the 7.1-channel direct input revealed the Stargate as a very capable analog preamplifier. The SACD remasterings of Gabriel’s albums sound wonderful, and even such older recordings as "Biko" came alive through the Stargate. The angst and sincerity in his voice were unmistakable as his vocals cut through the atmospheric chanting and the pulsating drums, which were tight, responsive, and filled most of the acoustic space.

More intricate tracks, such as "Red Rain" and "Mercy Street," suffered no noticeable loss of inner detail, and the many layers of instruments were reproduced with good depth and a wide, continuous soundstage. I experimented with the Stargate’s analog bass management while playing stereo and multichannel material, and, after some adjustments to the output levels of the Pioneer Elite universal player, found that the Simaudio maintained good bass integration with my Snell THX Ultra2 speaker system. There was a minor loss of transparency, but the treble and midrange remained quite clear and smooth, and the addition of full-range bass far outweighed that loss.

Using the Stargate’s internal DACs for standard CDs resulted in excellent sound when a DVD player such as the Pioneer Elite DV-45A was used as a transport. Bass was rich and full but not overblown. The drums on "Heat Wave," from Holly Cole’s Shade [Alert 6152810392], were prominent but controlled, as was the standup bass on "Too Darn Hot." The Stargate also did an exceptional job of reproducing Cole’s expressive vocals on "Almost Like Being In Love," which is one of the best recordings of female vocals that I have heard recently. The song begins as a lament, with delicate inflections in Cole’s trembling voice, then gains momentum as it soars with a power and a clarity that were so bracing through the Stargate that I couldn’t help playing the track repeatedly.

Mission debriefing

My reference system consists of a Bel Canto PRe6 ($3800) multichannel preamplifier and Pioneer DV-45A ($700) universal disc player, which made for an interesting comparison to the Moon Stargate. The Simaudio’s excellent Dolby Digital and DTS decoding easily surpassed the built-in processing of the DV-45A fed into the analog inputs of the Bel Canto PRe6. The Stargate was better at defining precise images within the soundstage, which made everything sound clearer and more distinct. In chapter 10 of Blade 2, the muted bass that permeates the building now had a discernible beat and was less of an indistinct drone. Wind noise and distant creaking sounds were also more tangible, and more precisely localizable in the soundstage.

However, when used as an analog preamp, the PRe6 was better able to pass these signals without alteration. With the Stargate, Aaron Neville’s exceptional DVD-Audio disc, Believe [Silverline 288131-9], lost some of its sparkle. The sound was still very good, but slightly darker and not as neutral as the PRe6 with this pristine recording, which can reveal even minor shortcomings in the playback chain. I heard similar things with the wonderfully recorded FIM Audiophile Reference IV two-channel SACD [FIM SACD 029]. Nonetheless, the Stargate had an impressively detailed yet engaging sound as a preamplifier that seemed lacking only when compared to the extremely neutral sound of the PRe6. This is not surprising: The PRe6 costs nearly as much as the Stargate, but is designed as a high-quality analog preamplifier only, and lacks surround processing and video switching.

Conclusion

While relatively basic in its operation and feature set, the Simaudio Moon Stargate is an excellent-sounding and well-made surround processor that lives up to Simaudio’s high-end tradition. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to a wide variety of movies and music through the Stargate, and found it a worthy contender in this competitive segment of the A/V processor market.

Manufacturer contact information:

Simaudio Ltd.
95 Chemin Du Tremblay, Unit 3
Boucherville, Quebec J4B 7K4
Canada
Phone: (877) 980-2400 (toll-free)
Fax: (450) 449-9947

Website: www.simaudio.com

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