www.americanradiohistory.com the flPJ that's 7 -WAYS BETTER than ever! IMPROVED BALANCE between high and low Audio Devices now offers you a new and frequencies without sacrificing low- frequency output. vastly superior professional sound recording tape, at NO INCREASE IN PRICE NEW MOISTURE- REPELLENT BINDER with lower coefficient of friction. Absolutely eliminates tape squeal under hot, humid conditions. Runs Here's a radically improved sound recording tape, per- well even on machines badly out of tension ad- fected after long research in Audio Devices laboratories - justment. a tape that sets completely new standards of performance. NEW ANTI -TACK AGENT virtually eliminates Any one of the seven new and improved features listed po<sihility of sticking on hot erase and record here would be important news to the tape recordist. Col heads. Especially important to owners of older lectively, they spell a degree of perfection heretofore un- type machines. attainable in any magnetic recording tape! NEW DRIER -TYPE FORMULA greatly reduces Such a premium quality product could easily justify a l danger of oxide rub -off, even on dirty heads. premium price. But it has been made standard for all i Keeps clean heads clean. Audiotape, on plastic base or Mylar* polyester film -and j is available at previous standard prices. * IMPROVED HOT SLITTING of standard plastic hase. Edges of tape cleaner and smoother than Try the new Audiotape -test it- compare it with any other ever, danger of tear or breakage greatly reduced. product on the market. It will speak for itself! NEW LOW BACKGROUND NOISE through DuPont Trade Mara better dispersion of finer oxide particles. A fea- ture of importance to all serious recordists. AUDIO DEVICES, Inc. 444 Madison Avenue, New York 22, N. Y. *NEW DUST -PROOF PACKAGING in protec- Of /ices in Hollywood Chicago tive, re- usable polyethylene bag. Export Dept., 13 East 40th St., New York 16, N. Y, Cables "ARIAS" üf .a,«,< dentJp.LA" cuUliOtape culdiacliscs www.americanradiohistory.com A C H I E V E M E N T O F A For those who pursue the ultimate -the rediscovery of perspective in musk... Imp cviô1 The stimulat.on and pleasure :._.._ gained by listening to a live per- - formance is the result of much more than frequency range con- siderations. Here is a revolution -the use of true proportions of sound in authentic reproduction including smooth coverage of the complete useful frequency range and thus recreating the fine perfcrmance with the greatest possible degree of accuracy. Voices come to life and there's a new almost geometrical separation of instruments. A three -way system with 1 -f unit loaded by a new -cesign reactance -annuling trilateral -mouth horn for bass; selected compression- driver horn -loaded mid charnel with intrarange equalizer for a final touch to precise balance and coloration elimination; and superlatively smooth, space- blended supertweeter top. Each instrument is indi- vidually sefial numbered and accompanied with a signed certificate certifying that the reproducer fully meets the ex- acting performance standards set for it. (Components and performance are the same as for RS -100 Laboratory Reference Standard Reproducer.) PR -100 "IMPERIAL' REPRODUCER ST -919. Selected Mahogany. Net Price $525.00 ST -918. Satin Korira. Net Price 535.00 LABORATORY STANDARD Built for research comparison The Imperial was designed by the Jensen engineering staff for their own use as a reference standard of the highest quality of high -fidelity reproduction. In this original laboratory version the RS -100 Laboratory Ref- erence Standard Reproducer is a new and important tool for sourd, recording and broadcast engineers, workers in psy- choacoustics and music critics who require an unusually high quality of reproduction. Some music lovers and audio- philes will undoubtedly want to own an RS -100. Cabinet is plywood attractively two -toned in blue gray. RS -100 LABORATORY REFERENCE STANDARD REPRODUCER ST -920. Net Price $468.00 Jensen -world's quality standard for more than a quarter century. e ensen of the Muter Co. Division 4 MANUFACTURING COMPANY 6601 S. Laramie, Chicago 38, Illinois www.americanradiohistory.com "Why I bought a Stan White Speaker" "Stan White Speakers are the most We use them exclusively in all our reproduction Duke Ellington Work." was crowned "Mr. Hi -Fi" at both the Chicago and New York Audio Fairs, 1954 (MR. HI-FI) Stan White, of Stan White, Inc., with Mr. Ellington. Photo taken at Chicago Audio Fair. Featuring curled, not folded, ex- ponential horn (1c7. of formula) Multiple flare formula (patent applied for) Passive phasing chambers 24db /octave acousti- cal crossover Distributed throat characteristic (not found else- where). Complete Line of Cabinet Speakers Esquire (Illustrated) -28 x 22 x 18 ", Frequency Response: 30 to 16,000 cycles 194.00 Le Sobre -24 x 15 x 12 ", Frequency Response: 40 to 16,000 cycles 79.50 Le Petitte -19 x 12 x 9 ", Frequency Response: 60 to 16,000 cycles 49.50 4 -D x x See your high fidelity dealer or write -5' 3' 2', Frequency Response: 15 to 16,000 cycles 994.00 Famous Powrtron Amplifiers Model W10, 10 watt amplifier 119.50 Model W20, 20 watt amplifier 174.50 Dept. H -1, 727 South La Salle Street, Chicago 5, Illinois Model W2010, Crossover Amplifier A DIVISION OF EDDIE BRACKEN ENTERPRISES System _. 299.50 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE www.americanradiohistory.com Ulyb Jidelilq T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R MUSIC LISTENERS The Cover. In case anyone had any Volume 4 Number II January 1955 doubts, the gentleman reading to the Revere recorder is Mr. Saroyan, in his house at Malibu, California. In the back- ground: the Pacific, which looks a good Noted With Interest 4 deal more pacific than it sounded in his finished record. We were - as you may AUTHORitatively Speaking 9 be - especially intrigued by the item of floral decoration on the desk, midway Letters 20 betwixt the binoculars and the letter- basket. As The Editors See It This Issue. Advancing the desirability of 33 an article on the elements of high -fidelity Are Writers Worth Listening To? by William Saroyan shopping, Associate Editor Roy Allison 34 on to generated a slight local shock by pointing Some comments. whimsical and otherwise, the current urge record out that approximately one -third of our authors reading their ou'n works. readers have been with us less than one year. This makes it reasonable for some of Comeback in Chicago, by James Hinton, Jr. 36 them to demand a basic guide to audio Opera returned to the Windy Metropolis in a big way last November . componentry, so to speak, and so we've but is it likely to stay? given them one (page 42). But what will they be wanting a year from now - a Hi -Fi Goes To Constitution Hall, by Paul Sampson 39 third Beethoven discography? A symphony orchestra vs. $5000 worth of loudspeakers. Next Issue. If all goes well, the February Custom Installations cover will depict the Philadelphia Orchestra, 4° or as much of it as will fit comfortably Read Well Before Shopping, by Roy Allison 42 into a cover -design. Inside will be a to exploration of high profile (to borrow an expression) of this A New Year's nod people who are starting their illustrious organization by Roland Gelatt. fidelity. In February, too, Robert Marsh gets into the most currently pertinent part Adventurers in Sound, by Martin Mayer 44 of his Toscanini discography - the Maestro Leibowitz and Charlin of Paris. in high -fidelity sound. Music Makers, by Roland Gelatt 49 Record Section 51 -81 Records In Review - Building Your Record Library - Dialing Your Disks- Toscanini on Records, Part II. CHARLES FOWLER, Publisher JOHN M. CONLY, Editor Tested In The Home 83 Audiogersb Record Changer and Turntable; Craftsmen Ci5o Control; Roy H. HOOPES, Ja., Managing Editor Audax Micro- Balance; Newcomb Compact ro; D a. R Turntable; Rol' F. ALLISON, Associate Editor Gibson -Girl Tape Splicer: Leak TL , io Amplifier - Preamp; Electro- 18: r Iralsco Window ROY LINDSTROM, Art Director Sonic Cartridge; Rauland -Borg Amplifier: -Thru Bushing. Editorial Assistants Miriam D. Manning, Cora R. Hoopes Tested In The Home Index - 1954 89 ROLAND GELATI, New York Editor Audio Forum I08 Contributing Editors C. G. BURKE Traders' Marketplace 113 JAMES G. DEANE JAMES HINTON, JR. Professional Directory 114-115 MANSFIELD E. PICKETT, Director of Advertising Sales HIGH FIDELITY Magazine Index - 1954 116 WARREN B. SYER, Business Manager Advertising Index 119 FRANK R. WRIGHT, Circulation Manager High Fidelity Magazine is published monthly by Audiocom, Inc. at Great Barrington, Maas. Telephone: Great Barrington 1310. Editorial publication, and circulation offices at: The Publishing House, Great Branch Offices (Advertising only): New York: Barrington, Mass. Subscriptions: $6.110 per year in the United States and Canada. Single copies: 50 cents Room 600, 6 Mast 39th Street. Telephone: each. Editorial contributions will he welcomed by the editor. Payment for articles accepted will he arranged Murray Hill 5-6332. Fred C. Michalove, Eastern prior to publication. Unsolicited manuscripts should be accompanied by return postale. Entered as Manager.- Chicago: John R. Rutherford and Assoc- second -class matter April 27, 1951 at the post office at Great Barrington, Mass., under the act of March 3. iates, 230 East Ohio St., Chicago, III. Telephone: 1579. Additional entries at the post office, Pittsfield, Mass., and Albany. N. Y. Member Audit Bureau of Whitehall 4- 6715: Los Angeles: 1052 West 6th Circulation. Printed in the U. S. A. by the Ben Franklin Press, Pittsfield, Mass. Copyright 1955 by Audio - Street. Telephone: Madison 6 -1371. Edward Brand, rom, Inc The rover design and contents of High Fidelity magazine are fully protected by copyrights and West Coast Manager.