NEW AUDIO PRODUCTS 1981 Summer Consumer Electronics Show
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1981 25 ® NEW AUDIO PRODUCTS 1981 Summer Consumer Electronics Show Julian Hirsch discusses: HOW MUCH FM -TUNER SENSITIVITY DO YOU NEED? FIRST TEST Sound Concepts SX-80 CX Adaptor ALSO TESTED THIS MONTH Adcom GFP-1 Preamplifier Altec 6 Speaker System Audio-Technica AT155LC Phono Cartridge Nikko NR -1000 AM/FM Stereo Receiver DISC SPECIALS Woman of the Year Jackie and Roy Chaka Khan Kitty and the Haywoods Willie "The Lion" Smith Grappelli/Grisman Gidon and Elena Kremer Sutherland/Horne/Pavarotti No Pogorelich Four Carminas Brendel's Haydn Marriner's Handel VIDEO SPECIAL "Michael Nesmith in Elephant Parts" 0 1191 1402414276 NOOTHERCASSETT TECHNOLOGICAL- Ribbon Sendust Advanced Heads: Microprocessor: Pioneer's exclusivetape head Automatically determinesprecise material provides superbsignal- bias, Dolby calibration to-noise ratio. level and record equalizationfor each tape. Three DD MotorTape Transport: Three direct drive motors provide exceptionalrecord and playaccuracy. ECK HAS ALL 'THESE RE ATANY PRICE. TIMM RESET O030-5TE000 V0^3 0 OLD PUT 6 MO ONO MN pp AUTO REve.se. MR ORR W/MS NAIL: a .a,S( a MIESC REPEAT PECOMONG MOOR TAPE C: I I OUTPUT AUTO OuriCE TAPE RE,ECT AUTO 8,E AUTO OATS is ...... a ME METAL AAMs TAAE M PIL.Ten F7700AF S 001._v Ccc a CMM TARE OPP T C: pv TVPIR AL ON C TARE L . MU T= DOLADv NR-J ,ot.c.ne 11111 IRORK EAR ",-TL -to LAM MC -- .M-AINTOE TON. CL LIME .1,vogngo 110 PA,20 ItE 11 TO Auk 0 \ O MA -70 C.707At-2 °WM,Loc-Iceo Of) /At 91,.."41[61IFO /MA STFCll fiV,VOVI tip '* 11, 010.1111. TUNInat. .:rovo 0 0 11 0 sFive Important Reasons To Own This New Realistic' Digital Synthesized Receiver. 1. The microprocessor 2. The programmable balance control and 11 -step bass, tre- controlled, digital 16 -station memory. ble and midrange controls to adjust the You can also store eight AM and eight response exactly the way you want it. synthesized, quartz You also get A -B -Both speaker switch- locked tuner. FM stations in the computer memory for instant pushbutton recall. Adding or ing, inputs and dubirnonitor controls Don't let the technical terms frighten changing memorized stations is easy, for two tape decks, hi and lo filters and you. Simply put, the tuner is comput- and memory contents are protected for more. All enclosed in a walnut veneer erized. Incredibly accurate. Very easy one hour, if AC power fails, or if you (not plastic or metal) cabinet. to use. Even easier to love. When you need to unplug the receiver. tune this new Realistic, soft -touch but- 5. We build it. We back it. tons take you to the exact center of the 3. Power and protection. Engineering and manufacturing the channel you want. Select the search The STA-2250's audio amplifier deliv- STA-2250 in our own factory helps us mode and gain instant access to all 109 ers a powerful 50 watts per channel, to price it lower, and also eliminates AM and 99 FM broadcast frequencies. minimum rms into 8 ohms, from 20- buck passing when it comes to quality Or choose the automatic mode and 20,000 Hz, with no more than 0.02% control and service. As with every stop only at stronger stations. Either total harmonic distortion. You get com- Realistic stereo receiver, you get a two- way, a triple muting system silences plete protection against overdriving, year parts and labor limited warranty, tuning noise, and a quartz crystal ref- overheating and speaker wiring shorts. honored wherever you see the Radio erence corrects the circuit over 11 mil- The sophisticated muting system even Shack sign. So if you are starting or up- lion times each second. Two major protects your speakers and ears from grading a stereo system, auditiori the causes of distortion - drift and tuning "thumps" and "pops" when you select STA-2250 at one of our 7500 + loca- error - are eliminated. With the STA- sound sources. tions today. Once you compare its ef- 2250 you get a clean, uncluttered front fortless tuning and flawless musical panel featuring a six -step LED signal 4. The heart of a performance with receivers costing strength readout and a bright LED fre- complete system. hundreds more, you'll know why we quency display you can easily read The STA-2250 is a very versatile con- put reason number six on a separate from across a room. trol center. Use the 40 -step volume/ line . The Amazing Realistic STA-2250: Only 5429.95* at Radio ihaek THE NATIONWIDE SUPERMARKET OF SOUND' 'Retail price may vary at individual stores and dealers FORMERLY (ISSN 0039-1220) ell ewe SEPTEMBER 1981 VOLUME 46 NUMBER 9 rfiecEquipment NEW PRODUCTS Roundup of the latest audio equipment and accessories 16 AUDIO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Measurement Capabilities, Off -shore Video, Specialized Speakers LARRY KLEIN 20 CAR STEREO New Equipment at CES iVANBERGER 24 TAPE TALK Different Dolbys, Tape Wear, Capstan Cleaners, Unequal Highs CRAIG STARK. 28 TECHNICAL TALK How Much FM -Tuner Sensitivity Do You Need? JULIAND.HIRSCH 35 EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTS Hirsch -Houck Laboratories test results on the Sound Concepts SX-80 CX adaptor, Altec 6 speaker system, Adcom GFP-I preamplifier, Nikko NR -I000 AM/FM stereo receiver, and Audio-Technica ATI 55LC phono cartridge JULIAND.HIRSCH 36 PREVIEW FOR BUYERS: NEW AUDIO PRODUCTS SHOWN AT CES-81 Tape and Tape Decks CRAIG STARK. 61 Receivers, Amplifiers, and Tuners PETER MITCHELL 63 Turntables, Phono Cartridges, and Speakers RALPH HODGES. 69 Minis, Casceivers, and Portables BRAD MEYER. 76 ate BEST RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH 78 Gidon and Elena Kremer: Two New Discs 78 Sutherland/Horne/Pavarotti 81 Kitty and the Haywoods' Capitol Debut 80 Woman of the Year 82 CLASSICAL MUSIC 84 Ivo Pogorelich's Chopin 86 Camerata Bern Plays the Mannheim School 100 Four NewCarminas 90 Neville Marriner's Handel 103 Alfred Brendel: Haydn Piano Sonatas 94 POPULAR MUSIC 104 Chaka Khan: "What Cha' Gonna Do 106 "Michael Nesmith in Elephant Parts" 116 Jackie and Roy: "East of Suez" 108 Stephane Grappelli/David Crisman 124 The Secret Policemen's Ball-The Music 112 Willie "The Lion" Smith 130 Wecitgulars BULLETIN WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE 5 SPEAKING OF MUSIC WILLIAM ANDERSON LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 10 GOING ON RECORD JAMES GOODFRIEND 58 ADVERTISERS' INDEX 130 COVER: Design byBorys Patchowsky; photobyBruce Pendleton. COPYRIGHT (ID 1981 BY ZIFF-DAVIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. All and at additional mailing offices. Auth.ized as second-class mail by the Post rights reserved. Stereo Review. September 1981. Volume 46. Number 9. Pub- Office Department, Ottawa. Canada. and for payment of postage in cash. lished monthly by Ziff -Davis Publishing Company. Editorial and Executive POSTMASTER: Forms 3579 and address changes should be sent to Stereo Offices at One Park Avenue. New York, New York 10016; Telephone: 212 Review, Circulation Department, P.O.Box 2771, Boulder, Colorado 80302. 725-3500. Richard P. Friese, President; Furman Hebb, Executive Vice Pres- SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: All subscription correspondence should be ident; Selwyn Taubman, Treasurer; Bertram A. Abrams, Secretary. Also addressed to Stereo Review. Circulation Department. P.O. Box 2771, Boul- publishers of Backpacker. Boating. Car and Driver, Cycle. Fly Fisherman. der. Colorado 80302. Please allow at least eight weeks for change of address. Flying. Popular Electronics, Popular Photography. Psychology Today. Skiing, Include old address aswell as new --enclosingifpossible an address Stereo Directory, and Tape Recording & Buying Guide. One-year subscrip- label from a recent issue. PERMISSIONS: Material in this publication may tion rate for the United States and its possessions, $9.98; Canada. $10.98. All not be reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission other countries. one-year subscription rate 114.98, cash orders only, payable should be directed to John Babcock, Rights and Permissions, Ziff -Davis in U.S. currency Second-class postage paid at New York. New York 10016 Publishing Company. One Park Avenue, New York. New York 10016. IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS... CLEAN RECORDS, CLEAR SOUND. A D4 f1 Safe record care is easy with the D4,,. System. The Discwasher D4 Record Care System. It's In less than 30 seconds, you can remove worth the little time it takes...and it doesn't harmful microdust and other debris that can take long to discover it works. cause permanent damage to your favorite recordings. Studies prove it. 8 But if scientific studies mean nothing to you, discwasher let the sound prove that D4 works. It's dirt PRODUCTS TO CARE FOR YOUR MUSIC free and static free sound...clearly better 1407 North Providence Road, Columbia, MO 65201 USA sound. A DIVISION OF JENSEN an ESMARK Company CIRCLE NO. 21 ON READER SERVICE CARD For a free copy of our "Guide To Record Care" write to Discwasher. Stereo Review Edited by William Livingstone PRINCE CHARLES AND LADY DIANA make for peace in Amsterdam, and scenes of disc debut! They are not appearing in their honeymoon in Paris. When they a musical called The Kinq and Di, but were shown in London in 1970, eight of by the time you read this, the BBC, the prints were removed from the show along with England's National Research by officers from Scotland Yard, but Development Corporation, will have charges of indecency were overturned recorded the wedding of Prince Charles in court, and a magistrate ruled that and Lady Diana Spencer in surround the eight erotic lithographs were sound. The audio design for the event "unlikely to deprave or corrupt." The called for five Calrec Soundfield U.S. exhibits are managed by Tour Art, microphones, one on the approach to St.a Seattle company, which will have Paul's Cathedral, four inside.