2nd Edition
The Annual High End Prague hi-fi show
Saturday–Sunday, October 5–6, 10am–6pm: The annual High End Prague hi-fi show will be held at the Corinthia Towers Hotel.
Listen to the Sounds
On Sunday, I took a walk through Inwood Hill Park--the last existing glimpse to the natural wonder that Manhattan once was. Tulip trees and red-backed salamanders populate these woods. Along the paved trail, a playful soul chalked in instructions for hikers: "Listen to the sounds."
We Don't Get No Respect
There are all sorts of ways of having fun, and just as many ways of spending money. Most of the time, spending money is necessary to have fun; whether it's going to a movie, having dinner out, scrapbooking, playing video games, whatever--nothin's free.
The Entry Level #33
Two of the five loudspeakers reviewed in our July issue were designed by Andrew Jones: the $29,800/pair TAD Evolution One and the $129.99/pair Pioneer SP-BS22-LR. I did the math.
Surpassing Expectations: Pioneer's Andrew Jones
In our September issue, I wrote about Pioneer’s excellent SP-BS22-LR loudspeaker. At just $129.99/pair (and often discounted), the SP-BS22-LR represents extraordinary value and may very well attract a wider and younger audience to true high-fidelity sound.
Listening #129
Volti Audio's Vittora, a borrowed pair of which now sit at the far end of my listening room, is a great loudspeaker and, at $17,500/pair, a seriously great value. After a few weeks with the Vittora, I find myself convinced by the naturalness, momentum, and force that it found in every record I played: This is surely one of the finest horn-loaded speakers made in the US.
Music in the Round #62
Recently, my wife and I made a trip to Europe, where we heard some great music in some great halls. Those concerts reinforced my already strongly held opinion that the acoustic of the venue is a major determinant of the sound of music heard in that venue, and that each space has its own sound.
Ray Dolby, 1933–2013
We are saddened to learn of the passing of inventor and audio entrepreneur Ray Dolby.
Sony DTC-2000ES DAT recorder
From the J. Gordon Holt Archives: Introduced nearly eight years ago as the first recordable digital format for consumers, DAT both failed to appeal to its target market and was blocked from formally entering the USA for four years by the RIAA, who feared for the copyright of its members' recordings.
Spendor BC-1 loudspeaker
From the J. Gordon Holt Archives: This smallish loudspeaker system has been getting high ratings in the English audio magazines for some years but was not available to US consumers until recently, when the small firm arranged for US distribution through Audio International.
1st Edition
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine from Soundstage Direct Sweepstakes
Register to win a VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine from Soundstage Direct (MSRP $649.99) we are giving away.
Harry We Hardly Knew Ye
The worlds of creating and selling music have never been in such a dramatic state of change. While the CD declines, the LP is resurrected.
Lamm Industries ML3 Signature monoblock power amplifier
Even as the gulf narrows between the sounds of the best solid-state and the best tubed amplifiers, most listeners remain staunch members of one or the other camp.
Sony SS-NA2ES loudspeaker
The door to a professional reviewer's listening room is one that revolves: As one product leaves, another enters. After a while, it becomes difficult to remember exactly when you auditioned any specific component. But some products stick in your memory.
Audience ClairAudient The One loudspeaker
As the years pass and I turn into a crotchety old man, I'm reminded of those old TV ads for the Honda Accord: "Simplify." Even though I now have more things going on than at any other point in my life, I try to eliminate complications everywhere I can.
Sony to Push Hi-Rez Downloads & Playback
It was like old times. A major consumer electronics company was presenting a press conference in a high-rent venue to introduce its new audio products. These events used to be commonplace; now they are rare.
B&W's Dr. John Dibb
Before striding into the future, John Dibb enjoyed considerable exposure to his sceptered isle's fascinating past.
Bowers & Wilkins 804 Diamond loudspeaker
I don't think that the Bowers and Wilkins 804, in any of its incarnation, gets its due respect. As the smallest floorstander in B&W's elite 800 series, it has historically been overshadowed by its larger brethren and outmaneuvered by the smaller, stand-mounted 805.
Meridian Explorer USB D/A processor/headphone amplifier
Yet more good news comes in the form of Meridian Audio's Explorer ($299), a 4"-long USB digital-to-analog converter from a company that many hobbyists would name as one of the industry's premier digital specialists.
Should Music Be Free?
No one ever had to pay for recorded music--it was always "free" on the radio--and the home taping of LPs, the copying of cassettes, and, later, burning CDs made buying music optional.
The 4th California Audio Show Report
Jason Victor Serinus provides a complete report live from the show in San Francisco and finishes with an insightful evaluation of our hobby.
Source Stereophile
