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IIDICI-5***********96SZS ZZI:1 *L60A0068H38 Z6h0Ch H38 1.60A0069 ri.w. oedivr 21W ClIAV9 S NVMVHOnfl 33in 0068 MOT13A 900M 1d 311IASI1101 AN zhzoh GIFTS HOLIDAY HI-FI MORE... SYSTEM, SPEAKER ACOUSTICS DESIGN PLAYER, CD CONRAD-JOHNSON RECEIVER, ONKYO REPORTS: TEST 1 LISTENING FOR DESIGN TESTS LAB VIDEO AND AUDIO COMBI-PLAYERS: TOP 3 FIDELITY' HIGH I'44=ZIRPORATING If you've vowed not to compromise this time around, necessary to achieving musical realism from digital sources. consider the rich rewards of owning Carver. Each compo- Accuracy and musicality through Transfer nent includes unique innovations designed to confront and Function Modification. Over the past two decades, Bob solve real -world sonic problems. Carver has worked on the problem of replicating one power Power unleashed: Simultaneous high current/ amplifier's sonic signature in another dissimilar design. high voltage output. The TFM-25 is capable of deliver- Through thousands of hours of painstaking tests and mod- ing more simultaneous current, power and voltage into a ifications, he has been able to closely match the TFM-25's wider range of speaker loads than any other competitively transfer function with that of his highly acclaimed priced design: 225 watts per channel into 8 ohms $17,500.00 Silver Seven vacuum tube reference power 20-20kHz with no more than 0.5% THD. Its patentedamplifier. When you hear the warm, natural sound of the Magnetic Field Power Supply can draw up to 200% more TFM-25, you'll know that Transfer Function Modifica- line current, store more joules of energy in its unique dis- tion is an audible reality. tributed capacitance system, and then deliver up to 500% New flexibility in a classic preamplifier design. more current during musical peaks. With the right speakers,The Carver C-16 is at once a purist, "straight -wire -with- this kind of serious power can achieve a full restoration of gain" design and a wonderful wealth of sonic options. the robust percussive attacks and lightning transients so Including individual left/right tone controls with variable POWERFUL MUSICAL ACCURATE BE THE MASTER OF YOUR OWN SONIC DESTINY 410 turnover, full -band Spectral Tilt. Hear why we stack up ahead of and of course Sonic Holography the competition. The TFM-25, C-16 with a new Blend control that fur- and TX -I2 are just three of over a dozen ther extends the remarkable spacial resto- new Carver designs. Each.is designed to ration abilities of this exclusive Carver technology. rekindle your sense of musical wonder. It all ACCD turns "dirty" FM into fresh air. Unlike any begins with a visit to your nearest Carver dealer. competitive tuner model, the Carver TX -12 can actually To receive White Papers on Simultaneous High Current High transform a noisy, multipath distortion -ravaged FM signal Voltage Transfer Function Modification and Sonic Holography.' details into clean, hiss -free music with full stereo separation. The of Spectral Tilt and the name of your nearest Carver Dealer, key is the TX -12's Asymmetrical Charge -Coupled FM call 1-800-443-CAVR, 8-5 PM Pacific time. Detection circuitry. A lengthy name for a wonderfully fast solution to expanding your listening possibilities. When you experience ACCD's effect, you may consider the TX -12's full remote control, 20 FM/AM presets with pre- view scan, stereo/mono switch and dual antenna inputs, CARVER CORPORATION, LYNNWOOD, WASHINGTON, U.S.A. mere icing on the cake. Distributed in Canada by EvoLur N AUDIO INC. 144161847-8888 High Fidelity Meet High Styr?. For ti-fi thet makes its stat ment im sight as well cs sound, hang it up: JAM.) AR: uania- 425 Huen Rd.Eicig 3A Northbrock.I16&52 312 498 A548 CIRCLE AO 115 ON READER SERV CE CARD Stereo Review Incorporating High Fidelity® BULLETIN 5 TECHNICAL TALK 48 LFI'TERS 8 POPULAR MUSIC 129 NEW PRODUCTS 13 CLASSICAL MUSIC 147 SIGNALS 22 1989 EDITORIAL INDEX164 AUDIO Q&A 24 THE. HIGH END 172 EQUIPMENT THE BASICS 39 Magnets and music by Ian G. Masters PAGE 113 HIRSCH-HOUCK LABS EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTS 57 Onkyo TX -890 AM/FM Receiver. page 57 Hafler IRIS Preamplifier, page 65 Design Acoustics PS -3 Micro -Monitor Speaker System, page 69 Conrad -Johnson DF1 Compact Disc Player, page 72 Pioneer SP -91D Digital Sound Processor, page 82 THREE. TOP COMBI-PLAYERS 94 How leading players measure up in audio and video performance by Ed Foster DESIGN FOR LISTENING 102 PAGE 94 When great looks and great sound go together by Warren Berger SIGNAL PROCESSORS 107 Should you add one to your system? by David Simon HOLIDAY GIFTS 113 Suggestions for audiophiles and music lovers by William Livingstone MUSIC Tom Tom CLUB 100 PA( iE 144 "Whatever we do always has a strong beat" b) Ron Givens BESI' RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH 123 Linda Ronstadt, Strauss's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Martial's piano music RECORD MAKERS 144 The latest from David Byrne, Liza Minnelli, Kyung-Wha Chung, Jefferson Airplane, Tears for Fears, and more Corers The Pioneer PLD-3070 combi-player (see page 94). Design hr Sue Llewellyn. photo hr Roberto Brosan. 4') 1989 BY Ill.\ 1.% \ DI SOS1111 \ It 110 \S I\( ll rights reserved. Stereo Review. December 1989, 'plume 54. Number 12 Stint Hest t. (ISSN. 0039-1220) is published iiimithls I,, 1.111111111111.11.1, III( . at 1633 Broadway, New York. NY 10019: telephone (212) 767-6000. Al.." in11,11shur Car Stereo Review. Stereo BM, ( ;1161, (1111111/:11 t DIM 1)11\11`: ( ;111111. Mid Video Buyers' Guide. One -sear subscription rate tor the United States and its p,ssessiims. $13.94: Canada. $18.94: all of hett 1)111111 its. $21.91. s Is. 1,..s.11)1e in U.S. currency. Second-class postage paid at New York, NY 10001, anti at aultlir Iliaililig 1,111itvs. Printed in the I.S. A. hi ori/ed as set .01,1-, lass mad In the Kra Office Department, Ottawa, Canada. and for payment of postage in cash. /1).5 ASTF I? I SI HIP 110.5. %/.e17( rirase seed change-1/1-a(lirt, II11111and all subscription correspondenc-e to Stereo Review, P.O. Box 55627, Boulder, CO 80322-5627. Please allow al least eight weeks for the change of :whirs:, to become effective. Include both your 4,1,1 and your new address, enclosing. ifpossible, an address label Dom a lei cot issue. II sou have a subscription problem. write to the :drove address or call (800) 876-9011 PkkAf/SS/ONS.- Material inthis publication mar not be rept-411,1m ed in am 140 tit without permission. Requests perm ii should be directed to: The Ed' . Stereo Res 1)iamandis Communications Inc., 1633 BrliadwasSiew Turk. NY 10019. I.:1)111M! ..11. '110.Ymust be .144 ompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care. but the publisher as , nu responsibilits lor return or salt -is ol unsolicited art, photos. or manuscripts. Vol.. 54 No. 12 STEREO RI V1EAA' DEC:EMBER1989 3 The most remarkable breakthrough in digital technology since the introduction of compact disc players. That's 3D Bit Stream. Exclusively from 33,868,800Harman Kardon. 3D Bit Stream turns digital data into musical experience at 33,868,800 times per second. timespersecond.(100 times faster than conventional CD players.) That's .DBITSTREAM new 111 The 3D Bit Stream CD players offer unsurpassed linearity, low-level accuracy, and freedom from technolo phase irregularities. Or, quite simply, 3D Bit Stream lets the music flow. HOMO°Capser Plpr, paw /Worm Sena low.9111.....mmr, "'TT UM NE n fl ("I fl U LI. L/ nor etv Apr ow harman/kardon I Rryo vIr org/ to oteirom k "f ,, , From the delicate sound of a classical Spanish guitar to the driving rhythm of a bass, 3D Bit AmoreStream captures all the dynamics, dimension, and drama of a live performance. Harman Kardon has a history of firsts: musicalfrom the world's first high fidelity receiver. The first cassette deck to incorporate Dolby*. The introduction of the active tracking tuner. experience.And now, bit stream technology with totally discrete analog circuitry in compact disc players. That's Harman Kardon. Pioneering technology for people who love music. That'sTake your favorite CD to your Harman Kardon dealer. Listen. And experience the music as you never have before. Harman Kardon,Also ask for a detailed explanation of 3D Bit Stream, or write: Harman Kardon, Engineering Dept., 240 Crossways Park West, Woodbury, NY 11797. harman kardon H A Harman International Company CIRCLE NO40 ON READER SERVICE CARD BULLETIN by Christie Barter in a performance by Cleveland of the year.... Italian conductor and Rebecca Day Opera, which gave the work its Claudio Abbado is the new music world premiere earlier this fall. director of the Berlin BETTER AM SOUND Philharmonic, succeeding the late The Electronic Industries PRODUCT NOTES Herbert von Karajan. .. Finnish Association and the National Thomson Consumer Electronics conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, an Association of Broadcasters have has announced plans to exclusive Sony Classics/CBS agreed to join in promoting resuscitate the RCA audio brand Masterworks artist, becomes high -quality AM sound by name in 1990 with a line of mid - music director of the Los Angeles developing a certification mark or price to high -end components.... Philharmonic as of the 1991-1992 logo to be used on the faceplates Denon America has reduced the season.... The composer William of high-performance AM receivers prices of its high -bias audio Schuman is scheduled to receive and tuners. Under the plan, cassettes by 4 to 12 percent...