Doesn't Get Much
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That perhaps only 10 people in the Itivity Paradox," by Kevin Stiroh and "Yup," came the laconic reply, "350k. But world will buy? Robert H. McGuckin III,' that discussed you do get two amplifiers for that money." Ifully admit that J. Gordon Holes the apparent fact that the widespread use To get an idea of Stephen's sense of vision, when he founded Stereophile, was of computers has not resulted in any sig- humor, it was he who, when Sam Tellig that such factors as aproduct's price were nificant increase in worker productivity. told him that he didn't have apiece of subservient to its sound quality. As we This is indeed aparadox, as my experience Musical Fidelity gear to review for our have said in the introduction to every in the magazine business has left me with June issue, said, "Why don't you write "Recommended Components" listing in the opposite impression. We all do more, about one of Antony Michaelson's wrist- the four decades since, "The ratings given with less, than at any earlier time. watches?" Very funny, Stephen — here's a components.. are based entirely on per- When Ijoined the English magazine can of gasoline for you to go put out some formance — ie, accuracy of reproduc- Hi-Fi News, almost 26 years ago as you fires. Turn to "Letters" (pp.9-11) to read tion." And yes, Mikey was knocked out read these words, Iwas the junior mem- the latest excoriation we've received from by the Wavac's sound (though Mikey's ber of an editorial and production staff of readers who feel our magazine covers too and my positive opinions of its sound eight, in addition to two full-time typeset- much gear from the English manufactur- require some bending of the concept of ters, and two specialists to process the ad- er even without having read Sam's time- "accuracy"). But, pace Gordon Holt and vertising halftone plates? A current issue piece paean. with apologies to Mikey, who did agreat of Stereophile publishes, on average, 25% Talking about readers' letters, there's a job of characterizing the amplifier's per- more editorial content than alate-1970s steaming epistle from Jeff Smith on p.9, in formance, with the Wavac the issue of issue of HFN, yet it is produced with a which he castigates us for ignoring the price cannot be laid aside. full-time production-editorial staff of five needs of audiophiles with real-world dis- A few days after Ihad driven 550 lbs people, with the help of two contractors posable income. "Despite protests from of one Wavac channel back to Michael's for copy-editing and design. Being gener- me and others," he thunders, "Stereophile after adepressing couple of days measur- ous and counting these two as equivalent (barring achange in its leadership) will ing the beast, Iattended the East Coast to one full-time person gives the modern continue to primarily review insanely debut of 'Wilson Audio's Alexandra X2 magazine astaff count exactly half that of high-priced equipment while rarely re- loudspeaker at Manhattan retailer In- the non-computerized magazine of a viewing the affordable." Apparently Mr. novative Audio. Set up with Naim CDS quarter-century ago. Smith is not impressed with Bob Reina's Mk.3 and Linn Unidisk players, aNagra In the 21st century, writers still write, four-year odyssey through the world of V hard-disk recorder feeding a Mark editors still edit, and designers still de- sub-$1000 loudspeakers, Join Marks' jour- Levinson No.360S DAC, Spectral sign — though the tools used have ney of discovery that has uncovered such amplification, and MIT cables, the evolved beyond what could have been gems as the $1500 Sugden A2la integrated Alexandras produced a sound in imagined in the mid-20th century. It is amplifier last November and the $975 Showroom No.3 that, while not without the typesetters and layout and paste-up Benchmark DAC1 digital processor ayear some room-related problems, was to die people, even the secretaries and stenogra- back, Mikey Fremees ongoing unearthing for: awesomely unforced dynamic range, phers, who no longer exist. But amaga- of high-value LP playback equipment, and a superbly transparent view into the zine still needs someone to organize Sam Tellig's wetting his pants when he recorded soundstage, and palpably real logistics, maintain databases, arrange the uncovers something offering better sound images of voices and instruments hang- shipping of review samples, fact-check than it has any right to for the price —such ing in the air in front of the listeners. the prices and availability of the compo- as the Audio Analogue Primo amplifier Wilson's Peter McGrath played avari- nents being reviewed, arrange for pho- and CD player ($799 each), with which he ety of recordings of equally diverse, most- tography, and — most important — make prefaced his review of the Musical Fidelity ly unfamiliar types of music, and, just as sure that invoices from writers, photogra- wristwatch in June. would happen with live music, the medi- phers, and contractors are processed for But then, just as Iwas getting comfort- um got out of the way of the message. payment in atimely manner. able in the thought that Icould justifiably Whether it was unaccompanied Russian In the Stereophile office, Stephen Mejias respond to Mr. Smith that the coverage folk songs, Handel opera, "And So Do l" does all those things (and many more). So glass is half full rather than half empty, from Christy Moore's This Ethe Day CD, when Stephen mentioned to me back in along came Michael Freiner, who, when arehearsal tape of awork for orchestra March, when we began production on asked by the affable Jim Ricketts of tmh and prepared tapes by Edgard Varèse, or this issue, that the Wavac SH-833 mono- audio if he'd like to review the world's Pinchas Zukerman performing the Bruch block amplifier that Michael Fremer was most expensive amplifier, answered Violin Concerto, the music communicat- reviewing cost $350,000/pair, Iasked him "Yes." Yes, Mikey does say in the intro- ed in away Ihave rarely heard from re- duction to his review (p.73) that he first produced sound. laughed "at the ludicrousness of the situ- The kicker for me was that, for the 1 www.conference-board.org/publications/describe.