2nd Edition
Paradigm Prestige 95F loudspeaker
Apart from being reminded of this Yogi-ism by the death, in September 2015, of its originator, I was all set to begin by commenting that this would be my first review for Stereophile of a Paradigm loudspeaker. But--the recent online posting of my June 1992 review of Paradigm's Studio Monitor took me back.
Apogee Electronics Groove D/A headphone amplifier
When I saw Apogee pop up at the consumer end of the market with a technically unique product, budget-priced at $295, it got my attention.
Technics Premium Class SB-C700 loudspeaker
I listen carefully as Michiko Ogawa--former Technics engineer, renowned classical and jazz pianist, and current director of Panasonic's Technics division--speaks these words: "In honor of our 50th anniversary, we at Technics are determined to blaze a new audio path and deliver new and emotionally engaging musical experiences for another 50 years."
Listening #157
In a typical phono cartridge, the stylus is at one end of an oversize cantilever (oversize in comparison with the cartridge's other moving parts), the fulcrum of which is nearer the cantilever's other end.
Accuphase DP-90 CD transport & DC-91 D/A processor
In 1995, as the compact disc enters its second decade of commercial reality, it's fair to say that the associated hardware has come of age, exorcising at last the digital gremlins of time-base jitter and quantization noise.
Tannoy E11 loudspeaker
The Tannoy E11 ($349/pair) is the company's least-expensive model in a wide range of consumer loudspeakers. Tannoy is most often known for its professional models, especially their nearfield, dual-concentric monitors that have become de rigueur on the top of recording consoles.
Best Jazz Albums of 2015
It's that time of the year again. Here are my picks for the 10 Best New Jazz Albums of 2015 and the 3 best reissued/historical albums, with links to reviews that I wrote in this space over the span of the year.
A Holiday Soul Party!!!
There needs to be a new musical term coined: “Daptone-ized.†Is there anything Gabe Roth and his funky band of players, writers, arrangers cannot turn into snappy, retro but somehow still new, horn-peppered funk?
To the Simple, Everything Appears Simple
My spirits sank as I read the comments on Stereophile's Facebook page. In the November issue, we had published reviews of UpTone Audio's USB Regen device by Kalman Rubinson, Michael Lavorgna, and myself.
1st Edition
From the J. Gordon Holt Archives: Too Good to Be True
Two letters from readers (see below) started us thinking again about something we've mulled at, off and on, for the past year or so: Does today's high-fidelity equipment, for all its vastly improved performance, actually sound that much better than the best of the early components?
From the J. Gordon Holt Archives: Beveridge 2SW loudspeaker system
This is an electrostatic column speaker, 6' tall and costing $6000/pair. An integral, fan-cooled amplifier is located in the base. The 2SW is said to cover almost the entire frequency range and is based on a patent, number 3,668,335, issued to manufacturer/designer Harold Beveridge on June 6, 1972.
The Aiaiai Studio Modular Headphone Preset Sweepstakes
Register to win a pair of Aiaiai Studio Modular Headphone Preset headphones ($225.00 Retail Value) we are giving away.
A Record Seven Grammy Nominations for Reference Recordings
"I'm still in shock," Reference Recordings recording engineer Sean Martin blurted out during a conference call with his recording engineer stepfather, Keith O. Johnson. "When Jan Mancuso woke me up at 5:30 or 6 to tell me the news, I couldn't imagine who would be calling so early," was Johnson's follow up.
Gramophone Dreams #7
The golden rays pouring in through the left oculus transport a tiny child carrying a cross: ". . . the devil was vanquished, as if he had just swallowed the bait in the mousetrap."
Joanna Newsom: Kingdom of the Harp
"I had to master this record 11 times to get it to sound the way I wanted," Joanna Newsom growled with the knowing grit of someone who's worked through a sonic ordeal. "Instead of test pressings, we had test lacquers for this one."
Questyle Audio QP1R hi-rez portable player
The 2015 T.H.E. Show in Southern California clashed with my having to be in the office to ship our August issue to the printer, so I wasn't able to attend. But in devouring the online coverage on www.stereophile.com and its sister sites, on InnerFidelity.com I found a report by Tyll Hertsens about two new hi-rez portable players that made their debuts at T.H.E. Show: Questyle Audio Technology's QP1 ($599) and QP1R ($899).
Jadis Orchestra Reference Mk.II integrated amplifier
I don't think Americans dislike the French a tenth as much as the corporate media, in their endless struggle to sell our pettiest ideas back to us in cartoon form, suggests we do. Our nations' histories are intertwined, to our great mutual benefit. Americans envy the French their centuries of cultural accomplishments, the French envy Americans their sense of industry and their wide-open spaces.
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