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31 qsowwing clum tzeleags OMR'JOUTIV10110/111111111. 7 - 4DRO5 E01 94 APR 1J 94430492 ""000Y091 E; 11111111111111111111111111111111111IIIiihilildsill 40242 5-DIGIT 4BXBDI-111Y******* Is 50 St SEIV3A 0 0 .7 RISC ABISEMINNV aNnosauw I ) Izzativrtzutnnatittatt--.*,-.4110-0ZUMO , 4;34*it Now this is news: A 2Y2 inch disc that you can record on over a million times with no wew- younr insc find any song in a second.That ofcomes sound in quality.its own Thatprotective stores cartridge for dura- up to 74 minutes of digital sound and lets wherever bility. That virtually eliminates skipping from shock and vibration, soyou go and have your music flow uninterrupted. Meet the digital, recordable, you can go 1993 SonyivridDE1 Corporation of America Al rights reserved Sony and MiniDisc logos are trademarks of Sony biggest step yet instandyinpersonal accessible, music entertainment virtually unshockable, for people portable who never MiniDisc from Sony. It's the stop moving. Hear Them Like You've Heard Them Irt,A II MAIM" Never Stereo Review Before! MasterSound Music Offer

The year was 1958. "Wert Side Story" was playing onBroadway. Van Cliburn won the In:ernarional Tciaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Three guys named John, Paul and Georce had just forned a band in Liverpool. Columbia Records introduced the stereo LP record. The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles. And the magazine known as Stereo Review, the world's most popular music enthusiast publication, was born. Signi icantly, from its very inception, Stereo Review strived to provide no- only the lates- news from the world of mus c, but the latest info-mation on the technology behind music reproducton itself. Now, to commemorate this spacial event, Stereo Review ald Sony Music are pleased to offer this exclusive 35th Anniversary Compact DiscSampler. It features renowned reccrdings from the MasterSound Series- the industry's most hichly a:claimed collection of reference reissues: West Side Story, Somewhere (from the original cast album) Miles Davis, AJ Blues (from the "Knd of Blue" album) Dave Brubeck, Take Five (from the "Time Out" album) Bob Dylan, Ra'ny Day Women #12 and 35 (from he "Elonde Cn Blorde" album) Janis Joplin, Me & Bobby McGee (from the "Pearl" album) Aerosmith, Sweet Emotipn (frorr the "Toys In The Attie" album) Boston, Hitch A Ride (frcm the 'Boston" album) Billy Joel, Until The Mght (from the ' 52nd Street" album) Bruce Springsteen, Thunder Road (from the "Born To Run" album) To ensure the highest sound cuality possible, these recordings have been carefully remastered using Sony's rEmarkable new 20 -bit "Super Bit Mapping" technology And to ensure its co lectiblity the sampler comes complete with 3 24 karat gold reflec-ive surface and deluxe packacing. Normally, each MasterSound album carries a suggested retail price of almost $30.00.But for a lirrited time only, you can receive this exclusive Stereo Review 35th Anniversary sampler for only $9.95 (includinc shipping and handling). So join Stereo Review and Bony Music. And experience firsthanc this celebration c a m lestone in mu§c and technology.

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Beam Me Down, Scotty The nation's first high -power direct broadcast satellite (DBS) system is scheduled to go on-line next spring, according to DirecTV, a divisicn of Hughes Communications and the major force behind the new service. The system is slated to offer some 150 channels of digital audio/video programming. including pay -per -view movies, professional and collegiate Contest Winners Contest conducted by House The winners in the Bad Song of Guitars in Rochester, New sports. special -interest programs. and a number of CD - Survey conducted by the York, were still listening to quality audio services. humorist Dave Barry have the more than 5,000 tapes Anyone with a TV set will be able to receive DBS been chosen. No. 1 as Worst submitted from around the Overall Song and Worst world, and more were broadcasts-all you have to do is pay a subscription fee and Lyrics is MacArthur Park as still coming in. Watch this purchase a hardware package consisting of an 18 -inch sung by Richard Harris (and space. satellite dish and a TV -top decoder box. RCA has announced later by Donna Summer). The Similarly, Anthem! runner-up in both categories America, of Raleigh, North that it will offer a package that includes a universal remote was Yummy Yummy Yummy Carolina, has postponed control for about $700. (I've Got Love in My Tummy) announcing the winner in its by Ohio Express (and later search for a new U.S. by Julie London). Third place national anthem until the There are two floor -standing Academy of Recording Arts went to (You're) Having My Fourth of July, when we can models ($650 a pair) and two and Sciences accepted two Baby by Paul Anka, a deeply all rally round the flag. We'll bookshelf models ($450 a classical recordings into its hated recording. Great keep you posted. pair), each of which uses an Hall of Fame: Stravinsky's hostility was registered for 8 -inch woofer and an Allison - Rite of Spring with the Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Speakers with Clout designed convex :weeter. Boston Symphony conducted Ray Cyrus, and a Lifetime Roy Allison, noted speaker RDL speakers are available by Pierre Monteux (1951) and Bad Achievement Award designer and founder of by mail-order only and carry Verdi's "Celeste Aida" sung went to Mac Davis (for Baby Allison Acoustics, and Edgar a thirty -day money -back by Enrico Caruso (1908). Both Don't Get Hooked on Me and Villchur, inventor of the guarantee as well as a full are RCA recordings. other lousy lyrics). Honorable acoustic -suspension speaker five-year warranty. RDL is Mention was voted to Bobby and a founding father of located at 26 Pearl St., #15, Musical Television Goldsboro by those who hate Acoustic Research, have put Bellingham, MA 02019. Major musical programs on his Honey. their talents behind a new PBS this month include The Feelings (as waxed by speaker venture, Room Off the Beaten Path Beatles Songbook, May 5, in various weenies) did not win, Designed Loudspeakers, or Sanyo's new SPT-1500 which songs made famous place, or show, but Barry RDL Acoustics. The Sportable personal AM/FM by the Beatles will be was pleased to learn that company's initial offerings cassette player ($70) features reinterpreted by headliners others besides himself include four speakers a built-in pedometer for of today including Los Lobos, cannot stand Stairway to designed to compensate for calculating distance, a Dr. John, Buddy Guy, and Heaven. Our hat is off to Mr. the acoustical effects of stopwatch, and a calorie Kathy Mattea. . On May Barry for his public service. specific room locations-next counter so you can watch 26, The Real McTeague, a At press time judges in the to a wall, on a shelf those calories disappear. documentary, will give

World's Worst Guitar Player surrounded by books, etc. . . . Mass Engineering background to a new opera

of Orlando, Florida is by William Bolcom. . . .It offering an electrostatic will be followed by a No Sticky Floors speaker system for the car. performance of Stravinsky's Home -theater systems deliver a big bang for the buck, It includes a 1,200 -volt Oedipus Rex starring the power supply and four 3'/2 x dynamic American diva according to the findings of a national leisure -time survey 5 -inch panels; price is $799. Jessye Norman. Ms. Norman, sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Group of the who just received Japan's Electronic Industries Association. Nearly 90 percent of home - Halls of Fame Grand Prix International Artists inducted into the Music Award for the best theater owners say their systems represent an "excellent" or Rock -and -Roll Hall of Fame performance by a classical "good" value. (Home theater was defined as a system having this year are Ruth Brown, artist in 1992, was included a big -screen TV, a hi-fi VCR or laserdisc player, surround - Cream, Creedence on this year's list of the Clearwater Revival, the world's ten best -dressed `7' sound processing, and four or more speakers.) Two-thirds of Doors, Etta James, Frankie women. Like Ms. Norman's 7 those surveyed said they spent $3,000 or less on their Lymon and the Teen-Agers, weight, her dress size has systems. We suspect that the absence of the sticky floors and Van Morrison, Sly and the never been made public, but Family Stone, and Dinah Norman -watchers report that overpriced candy common in movie theaters figured Washington. it has decreased greatly in prominently in their enthusiasm for home theater. This year the National the last two years. 0 3'

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EQUIPMENT Cover 32 There's more than one way to control a trunk - Car Stereo mounted CD changer like the Alpine Model In the lab and on the road with 5957S: Alpine's options include its Model the Eclipse ECD-412 CD receiver by Ken C. Pohlmann 7807 CD receiver (middle) and its Model 1203 controller (top) with wireless remote Equipment Test Reports 30 (on changer magazine). See page 54 McIntosh MC7100 power amplifier, page 38 for more car CD options. Denon TU-680NAB AM/FM tuner, page 42 Photograph by Jook P. Leung Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8000 loudspeaker system, page 48 Klipsch kg2.2 loudspeaker system, page 50 BULLETIN 4 CD for the Road 54 A guide to getting CD into your car by Daniel Kumin LETTERS 8 35 Years of Autosound 60 TIME DELAY 12 From AM to DSP: What a trip! by Ken C. Pohlmann NEW PRODUCTS 15 Systems 66 MUSIC MAKERS 22 Private concert hall by Rebecca Day 69 SIGNALS 28 Pumped -Up Preamps Preamplifiers are changing to meet new digital and AUDIO BA 30 AN requirements by David Ranada

TECHNICAL TALK 36

POPULAR MUSIC 83

BACKBEAT 92

CLASSICAL MUSIC 96 0 0 THE HIGH END 112

COPYRIGHT C 1993 BY HACHETTE MAGAZINES. INC. All rights reserved. Stereo Review. May 1993. Volume 58. Number 5. Stereo Review (ISSN 0039-12201 is published monthly by Hachette Magazines. Inc. at 1633 Broadway. New York. NY 10019: telephone 12121 767-6000. Also publishers of Car Stereo Review. Sound & Image. and MUSIC Stereo Buyers' Guide. One-year subscription rate for the United States and its possessions. $15.94: Canada. $23.94 (includes 7% GST. GST registration number 126018209. Samuel Ramey 14 Canadian Saks Agreement Number 99236): all other coun- tries. $23.94: cash orders only. payable in U.S. currency. How many opera singers get to be Second-class postage paid at New York. NY 10001. and at a sex symbol? by William Livingstone additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A. Authorized as second-class mail by the Post Office Department. Ottawa. Canada. and for payment of postage in cash. POSTMAS- Best Recordings TER / SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: Please send change -of - address forms and all subscription correspondence to Stereo of the Month 77 Review. P.O. Box 55627. Boulder. CO 80322-5627. Please Robyn Hitchcock, the Brahms allow at least eight weeks for the change of address to become effective. Include both your old and your new Piano Concerto No. 1, address, enclosing, if possible. an address label from a recent issue. If you have a subscription problem. write to the Scott Hamilton, and Bartok's above address or call (303) 447-9330. PERMISSIONS: Ma- terial in this publication may not be reproduced in any form The Wooden Prince without permission. Requests for permission should be andCantata Profana directed to: The Editor. Stereo Review. Hachette Magazines. Inc.. 1633 Broadway. New York. NY 10019. BACK ISSUES are available. Write to Stereo Review-Back Issues. P.O. Box 7085. Brick. NJ 08723. Enclose a check for the cover price of each issue you want plus $1.75 each for shipping and handling. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS must be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of unsolicited art, photos, or manuscripts.

VOL. 58 NO. 5

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 7 Stereo Review LEITERS Vice President, Editor in Chief 'I'1,1litit \ DAN

Executive Editor it must be realized that these bass signals are MICHAh1. HIGGS Ready for DCC always related to front -channel signals and are Art Director think the DCC players sound great! I don't therefore redundant. As long as at least the SUE LLEWELLYN have one yet but plan to buy one. When are front speakers (or a subwoofer) reproduce the Director, Hirsch -Houck Laboratories the portables coming out and what will the bass, it will not be missed if the surround JULIAN HIRSCH prices be like? MICHAEL WICKENSIMER speakers only go down to, say, 100 Hz. Luck- ily, people cannot easily determine a source's Senior Editor So. Plainfield, NJ direction at lower frequencies, so the overall BOB A N KOSKO system sounds capable of good bass even Maeopleg Editor The first DCC portables are expected this fall when it is contributed only from the front. DAVID STEIN from Philips and Technics. The list prices for both models will be $549. This same "error" of ignoring the surround - Popular Music EditorClassical Music Editor channel bass occurs in movie theaters and in STEVE SIMELS ROBERT RIPPS dubbing stages where movies are mixed, so the howdahs Art Director MiniDisc Insight result at home is not far off the original even MINDY OSWALD congratulations to David Ranada for his when small surround speakers are used. Assistant Editor Assodate Editor 111 excellent "Inside MiniDisc" articlein Therefore, we feel that excellent home theater MARYANN SALTSER JAE SEGARRA March. His writing is clear and easy to under- results are available without reproducing the Editor at Large stand. Best of all, he was not afraid to talk redundant surround -channel bass signals, thus WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE about the techniques Sony used to make Mini - making it unnecessary to use large speakers Contributors: Robert Ackan, Chris Albertson, Disc. As a chemistry and geology student, I for the surround channel. ROGER DRESSLER Rebecca Day, Richard Freed. Jost Garcia (Buyers' Guides), wish my textbooks were half as well written as Technical Director Phyl Garland, Ron Givens, David Hall, Mr. Ranada's article. ANDY CHANG Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corp. Bryan Harrell (Tokyo), Roy Hemming, Ralph Hodges, San Francisco, CA Geerge Jellinek, Stoddard Lincoln, Ian Masters, Ithaca. NY Alanna. Nash. Henry Pleasant, (London). Ken Pohlmann, Parke Puterbaugh, David Ranada, Charles Rodrigues, Eric Salzman, Craig Stark, David Patrick Stearns Who Needs Surround? Do -It - Yourself Surround Why in the world would anyone get some- The diagram of "a crude ambience-extrac- eke President Group Publisher thing called surround sound? The signal tion system" on page 46 in February is THOMAS Ph. WITSCHI that comes out of the rear speakers is in mono. erroneous. You ran the same illustration with Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of lis- Peter Mitchell's previous article on surround Consumer Eledronics Group Advertising tening to a stereo system? You're better off sound in April 1992, but this time he describes VP/Associate Publisher Tony Catalano getting one of those old time -delay devices- in detail just how to hook it up wrong. The VP/Regional Advertising Director, East Coast: at least you'll get a stereo signal out of the rear surround speakers should be connected in Charles L P. Watson, (212) 767-6038 speakers. RICHARD PUCZKO series, with the + terminal of one connected Regional Account Manager. East Coast: Tucson, AZ to the - terminal of the other, the remaining Christine B. Forbes, (212) 767-6025 + terminal going to a + output of the stereo VP/Regional Advertising Director, Midwest: Recordings encoded in Dolby Surround have amplifier, and the remaining - speaker termi- Scott Constantine. (212) 767.6346 four channels: left, center, and right in the front nal going to the other + amplifier output. VP/Regional Advertising Director, West Coast: Hobert Meth, (213)954-4831 and surround to the sides or rear, usually repro- Connected as Mr. Mitchell recommends, Western Adverting Manager: duced by two speakers. That the surround the rear speakers are out of phase with each Paula MayerL (213)954-4830 channel is mono does not impair the basic other, canceling low -to -middle frequencies. If Sales Assistant: Nikki Parker stereo effect in the front, which establishes the speakers are closely spaced, the sound will National Record Label Sales Representatives: lateral placement of sound sources. The sur- be thin, with increased apparent distortion due The Mitchell Advertising Group (MAG Inc.) Mitch Herskowitz. (212) 490-1715 round channel is used for ambient effects and to loss of fundamentals. Except for that, the Steve Gross, (212)490-1895 will sound pleasantly diffuse if the speakers circuit works beautifully, especially for music. Assistant to the Publisher: Aline). Pulley reproducing it are set up carefully. Some sur- Unfortunately, most television labeled "In Ste- Operations Manager: Sylvia Correa round processors-notably the Home THX va- reo" is essentially mono, possibly because it is Adve g Coordinator: Linda Neuweiler DON L. BONHAM Sales A ant: Yvonne Telesford riety-process the signals going to the surround basically talk. Classified Advertising: (800) 445-6066 speakers to make them slightly different and Tarzana, CA Production Manager: Vicki L. Feinmel thereby increase the sense of spaciousness. Production Director: Patti Burns Many surround processors provide modes Peter Mitchell replies: The wiring scheme Business Manager: Christine Mantel designed specifically for ambience enhance- shown does put the surround speakers out of General Manager: Greg Ropertl ment of two -channel stereo music recordings, phase with each other, causing partial cancella- and these modes often generate stereo sur- tion of their bass output. Usually this is unim- H Stereo Review is published round signals. Digital signal processors can do portant: In many recordings the L -R signal is thx.jit-mt: by Hachette Magazines. Inc. this much better than the old delay lines did. bass -shy anyway, so low frequencies come mainly from your front speakers. If you want to Chairman: Daniel Filipacchi President, CEO, and COO: David J. Pecker experiment, you could put the surround speak- Executive VP and Editorial Director: Jean-Louis Ginibre Surround Bass ers in phase by swapping the connections at the Senior VP, Director of Corporate Marketing: Paul DuCharme We want to comment on the conclusions left rear speaker, but then you may perceive the Senior VP, Director of Corporate Sales, ambience as a monophonic wodge of sound in Hachette Magazine Network: Nicholas Matarazzo regarding surround -channel bass in Pe- VP. Director of Strategic Planning, Advertising, ter Mitchell's February article on upgrading to the middle of the back wall. With the normal & Circulation: Patrice Listfield home theater. In "Stage 5: Getting Down," he out -of -phase connection the reproduced ambi- VP, Chief Financial Officer: Paul DeBenedictis says that there may be genuine sonic benefits ence is diffuse and spacious. VP. Corporate Communications: Jolie Cross Doyle VP. General Counsel: Catherine Flickinger to full-size woofers in surround speakers. We VP, Manufacturing & Distribution: Anthony Romano agree that the low -frequency signals he de- have been contemplating connecting four VP, Circulation: Leon Rosenfield scribes do sometimes find their way into the 1speakers to my system for surround sound tit surround channel, and we would not say there as shown on page 46 in the February issue. I Me 31h is any reason to prevent reproducing them, but have been told, though, that doing this would

8 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 change the speaker -load impedance and could kets" seem to have eliminated all audible edge about genocidal maniacs like Pol Pot, Saddam damage the amplifier. Is this correct? And if effects. The entire "fix" cost under $20! Hussein, Stalin, Mao; anyone who imposes connection is possible without damage, should WILLIAM C. LLOYD more government as a way to improve any- the surround speakers have the same rated Madison, WI thing; and driveling dopes like Waters. impedance as the main ones? ED NICHOLS GREGORY LEHMAN Franklin, KY Who's to Blame? Port Reading, NJ Additional speakers wired in parallel as in the negarding Parke Putcrbaugh's review of published diagram will reduce the total imped- Mi Roger Waters's 'Amused to Death" last We wekome your letters. Please address ance "seen" by the amplifier 18 ohms in parallel November: No, you don't "got to agree" with correspondence to Editor, Stereo Review, with 8 ohms is 4 ohms, for example). That could that eminent political strategist Waters that 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, be a problem with some amplifiers if the imped- "the militaristic mentality of the West is large- You should include your address and ance got extremely low (2 ohms or less), hut it ly to blame" for the messed -up world. Such telephone number for verification. Letters

should not happen in most cases. Amplifier blame more properly falls on . . . oh, how may be edited for clarity and length, manufacturers sometimes warn against connections that create a common ground between the two channels, and you should check the manual before using the circuit, but that isn't a problem with most current models, nor with receivers. Surround speakers do not have to have the same impedance as the main speakers. Home Theater Test Candidates Are the very few audio components that you review in a year supposed to be representative of their classes of equipment, or are they the best on the market? KEITH FRICK Made Simple Santa Barbara, CA

We test a representative selection of good equipment from a variety of manufacturers, and surprisingly affordable. with an emphasis on products we think most of our readers would consider interesting and affordable. Selecting only the best for review would require us to test almost everything, EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF TI'EATER AT HOME WITH THE MTS-1 SYSTEM. THIS KIT CONTAINS ALL YOU NEED IN ONE BOX. SIMPLY I -00K IT UP TO YOUR EXISTING which is impossible. STEREO, TV AND VCR TC ENJOY TRUE DOLBY PROLOGIC SURROUND SOUND. IT PUTS YOU IN THE CENTER OF THE ACTION, LIKE YOU'RE THERE LIVE. AUDIOFILE Fixes HOME THEATER'S MTS-1 KIT BRINGS THE DRAMA OF MOVIE THEATER SOUND INTO YOUR HOME FOR JUST A FEW -IUNDRED DOLLAPS... aniel Kumin's "Troubleshooting" in De- ._AND YOU CAN KEEP THE LOW -PRICE SECRET. cember reminded me of how I fixed my Pioneer receiver several years ago. The left channel sounded great, but the right was ane- mic. I spritzed the volume and balance controls to no avail, and of course I checked the cables. Finally, on a hunch, I removed the speaker fuses mounted on the back panel, polished the ends on my shirt sleeve, and reinserted them-terrific volume from both speakers again. Since the receiver is over twenty years old, this maintenance shouldn't be needed again for another twenty years. CHARLES R. SCHAECHTER SAT 4.0 tear Satellite Speakers (2) MTVS-1 Dolby ProLogic TV4.5 Shielded Center Channel Moline, IL Features a 4" poly -impregnated cone dr, Decocer/Amplifier Speaner ver and I " ells dome tweeter The perfect Utilizer the stateof-tleart Anaog Devices Feoturas two 4" po ypropylene drivers rear surround sound speaker. Dolby 'roLogic chip, center and rear and one 3/4" dome tweeter for vivid nat- Einally upset enough over the baffleboard channel amplifiers, auilt-in crossover and ural sound. W and edge reflections/diffraction from my pre-amolifier subwoofer outpu. otherwise wonderful fifteen -year -old AR -II speakers to do something about it,I recently cured the problem. Perhaps others with these speakers (or the similar AR-107r's) will be One Box contains all the items above, and hookup interested in how it was done. is easy. Au-cliofile Home Theater makes it simple! I bought a yard of 72 -inch -wide black felt and cut it into fourteen rectangular pieces that would justfitthe upper half of the baffle - AUCHOFILE boards. I made a paper template for the tweeter, midrange driver, and upper part of the woofer and cut each piece accordingly. I then $4 9 0 0 0 lightly glued the pieces into two seven -layer COM PLE E Call for a dealer near you. stacks and stitched them together around the edges. I also stitched strips of the "velvet" 800-833-6252or 714-666-0313 part of Velcro fasteners to their backs and attached Velcro "hook" patches to the baffle - boards. These homemade "Acoustic Blan- CIRCLE NO 3 ON READER SERVICE CARD

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 9

AWARD -WINNING POLK CS100 AT ITS LOWEST PRICE EVER. FREE. Tha-'s right, Polk's Grand Frixz award -winning center chanrel speaker is yours - FREE, at participating Pol< dealers! Just purchase any pair of Polk Audio loudspeakers (S4 or larger) for your front charnel and any other set o: Polk ho -le or in -wall speakers for the rear. We' I complete your home theater surround sound system by giving you the award -winning CS100, a $169 valie. The CS100, featuring two high definition 4.5" drivers and a dome tweeter, provides full range performance and rich de -ail for all on -screen action and dialog. Its low profile, uniquely angled cabinet cffers unmatc-ied flexibil t -y for unobtrusive placement. And since it's magnetically shielded, it won't disto-i your picture. Folk's S and LS series speakers incorporate Dynamic Balarze-rm, the result of yeors of laser research in partne-ship with Johns Hopkins University. Dynam c Balance significantly improves sonic performance -a cifference you'll hear in your 5 channel home -seater system. For the best reproduction of surround sound encoded movies and TV programs, all five speakers should have closely matched sonic characteristics, so it makes sense to surround yourself with the exciting sound of Folk. But do it now - your Free CS100 is at your participating Polk dealer for only a sho-i time - April1 through May 31, -993. Hur-y, nothing is free forever

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Contributing Editor Bert Whyte declared it perhaps "the best stereo recording yet

released ... run, do not walk to your nearest dealer to get a copy." [The Mercury Living Presence LP version also included works by Virgil Thompson and Colin McPhee; it was remastered from the original tapes and reissued on CD last year.]

,CHMANINOFF: A CENTENNIAL MEMOIR The Bee Gees in 1973: not mired In HIpnoss7

"Wonderful claptrap on the conventional turntables "for 35 years ago Flentrop," and Peter Reilly, probably another decade." In his "Sounding Board" reviewing "Killer Joe" by column in the May 1958 issue, Little Jimmy Osmond, What's a turntable? In Managing Editor David Hall youngest of the singing clan, "Choosing a Turntable," announced that next month the declared, "I developed an author Alan Lofft suggested magazine would review its first irresistible, W. C. Fieldsian that every home should have stereo discs but wondered impulse to strangle him on the two-"a modest automatic whether developments in spot." model for family and friends, stereo technology would lead and an uncompromising to "a magnificent new listening Errata: In the April Letters manual with separate tonearms medium for the home-or a column, irate reader Doug for purists." fiasco like color TV." Scharf of Des Plaines, Illinois, claimed to have spotted a New products this month "blatant" mistake in a March included an early receiver, 20 years ago article. "I refer," Scharf Knight's I5 -watt KN-3I5 Attention, Mario Brothers: An wrote, "to Noel Coppage's tuner/preamp/amp combo, a ad for Fisher's Model 504 four - 'The Troubadour as Middle Stereocorder tape deck from channel receiver featured a Class Hero,' in which Noel Superscope ($549, without full -page close-up of its master discussed the musical speakers), and Metzner's 60A balance control, which is eerily attributes of Neils Young and Starlight turntable, advertised suggestive of the sort of Diamond and was dead elsewhere in the issue with the joystick common years later serious!" for video games.

In the Best of the Month section, Igor Kipnis went Unminced words: Reviewing multicultural with a rave the NAD Model 7150 AM/FM review of Las Cantigas de receiver, an ebullient Julian Santa Maria, a Vanguard Hirsch declared, categorically, recording of a work by the that "it is difficult to imagine a thirteenth -century Spanish combination of separate tuner king Alfonso X, and Noel and amplifier units that could Coppage took a liking to the match this receiver's poignant question, "Why buy Bee Gees' "Life in a Tin functional and listening a changer when there's a Can," which he found to be qualities-let alone surpass Starlight costing less?" "intelligently crafted and not them." Equipment tested included mired in Hipness." Elsewhere Sherwood's S-1000 II 36 -watt in the review section, Coppage Next! In "Tape Talk," a amplifier, which was praised succinctly dissed a Harry reader asked Contributing for its lack of "wasteful, Chapin album ("Oh, shut Editor Craig Stark, "Does it useless gadgetry." up!"), Chris Albertson hurt to leave my cassettes in dismissed Sonny Rollins's the car during really cold Sessions Man: Reviewing unimaginatively titled "Next 10 years ago weather? If I play them cold Mercury's open -reel tape Album" as "routine," Eric Dewey Beats Truman: William they seem to drag severely." version of Roger Sessions's Salzman hailed Daniel Livingstone's May editorial Stark's reply: "I think you've Black Maskers Suite conducted Chorzempa's Liszt organ predicted that CD players answered your own question." by Howard Hanson, recital on Philips as would coexist with -Steve Simels

12 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 The gentle scrape of fingers fretting a music in its purest digital form, rende The result is pure Alpine. A sound clean

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the latest in digital and analog components No matter how many times

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your digital DigitaIMAX it's like

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uses fiber optic first time.

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LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR CD'S REALLY SOUND LIKE, CIRCLE NO 42 ON READER SERVICE CARD GCD-600 CD Carousel

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model GCD 600 disc I disc 1 disc 3 disc trick time,-..nalnIng

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t has been, perhaps, Adcom's toughest act to GFP-565 preamplifier - more clearly define follow. The GCD-575 CD Player achieved low-level information for superior resolution and breakthroughs in musicality unsurpassed by dramatically more musical CD reproduction.You will CD players at almost any price. Stereophile not find such superb component parts in any other 1writes, "... in the under $1000 class the Adcom CD player at any price. is the player to beat - or, more to the point, the play- The cure for "digititis". er to buy."* Stereo Review credits the GCD-575 with "in general pushing the state of the art in The GCD-600's technically advanced analog and digital -disc playback."** digital circuits and the user -selectable polarity inver- So when the engineers at Adcom went back to the sion switch are designed to overcome the problems drawing latest success, they inherent in CD sound. Midrange harshness and glare were hard-pressed to find areas for improvement. are dramatically reduced. Sound stage imaging is The electronics and sound reproduction were already deeper, more focused, more musically natural. near perfect. And then,Voila! The idea: add a The benefits of digital sound are realized, without the carousel changer. accompanying drawbacks. Round and round she goes. Take the GCD-600 for a spin. One disc, superbly reproduced, was a magnificent If you've been searching for a CD player that accomplishment...but five discs mean five times the offers the convenience of a carousel changer and the enjoyment. In typical user-friendly fashion, the sonic superiority of high -end single -disc models, take Adcom GCD-600 lets you change four discs while the GCD-600 for a spin at your authorized Adcom one is playing, offers true random capability for one dealer. You won't have to go round and round to disc or all five, allows direct clockwise or counter- decide which CD changer gives you the most sound clockwise access for faster searches, and plays 3" for your money. discs without an adapter. The standard remote control gives you complete access to all playback features- *Peter W. Mitchell,Stereophile, Vol. 12No. 6, June 1989 including variable volume control-from the comfort ** Stereo Review,1989 of your favorite chair. Class "A" without compromise. The GCD-600's Class "A" analog audio amplifier section uses very fast, low noise, linear gain semi- conductors. These no -compromise audio circuits - A based on the proprietary amps used in Adcom's details you can hear

11 Elkins Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 U.S.A. (908) 390-1130. Distributed in Canada by PRO ACOUSTICS INC. Pointe Claire, Quebec H9R 4X5

CIRCLE NO. 4 ON READER SERVICE CARD NEW PRODUCTS

L.A. CONCEPTS The Model 2302-2 CD Torctierei from L.A. Concepts is a steel CD- st)rage rack that doubles as a stylish floor lamp. The 71 -inch - tat II rack colds sixty discs and features a 300 -watt halogen lamp with a simmer control and a patented FlatPlug that protrudes only 14 inch when plugged into a standard electrical outlet. Price: S129. L.A. Concepts, Dept. SR, 195E0 So. Vermont Ave., Torrance, CA 90502. Circle 121 on reader service card

as SANYO Sanyo's MDX-P1 is the smallest access time is said to be less and lightest portable MiniDisc than a second. The MDX-P1 player yet. measuring 3.4 x 1.4 x comes with a rechargeable Ni-Cd 5.2 inches and weighing 0.8 battery pack, an AC adaptor, and pound. Highlights include a 10 - a carrying case. Price: 5600. second "shock -resistant" butter Sanyo. Dept. SR, 21350 Lassen memory and thirty -two -track St., Chatsworth, CA 91311-2329.

programming. Track -t3 -track Circle 120 on reader service card RCA The RCA WHP101 cordless a supplied audio cable. A battery headphones operate in the 900 - charger is built into the stand: a MHz band, which offers improved single charge is good for six performance over other radio hours. Pr ce: $149. Thomson bands. Operating range s Consume Electronics, Dept. SR, specified as 100 feet from the 2000 Clements Bridge Rd., transmitter stand, which plugs Deptford, NJ 0809E.

into the source component using Circle 123 on reader service card

YAMAHA The DSP-A2070 is an advanced output is 80 watts for each of the version of Yamaha's popular front left, center, and right DSP-A1000 surround processor channels and 25 watts for each of amplifier: it offers greater control four effects channels. Inputs for over sound -field characteristics five audio and six video sources and is said to produce a more are on hand as well as line -level refined sense of space in its subwoofer outputs. Price: 51,999. surround modes. There are Yamaha, Dept. SR. 6660 twelve music and eleven video Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, surround modes, incliding DSP- CA 90620. enhanced Dolby Pro Logic. Power Circle 122 on reader service card NEW PRODUCTS

KENWOOD Kenwood's LVD-320 combi-player time -base corrector for enhanced accepts standard CD's as well as picture quality, S -video and fiber- 8- and 12 -inch laserdiscs. optic digital -audio outputs, and Highlights include a Midnight twenty -track CD programming. Theater audio -compression mode Price: 5599. Kenwood, Dept. SR, that boosts quiet dialogue 2201 E. Dominguez St., Long passages and softens loud Beach, CA 90801-5745. sounds, picture scan, a digital Circle 124 on reader service card

KLH KLH says that its Performance Series speakers are designed for loud rock music. The 33 -inch -tall SX-9 (front left, 5350) and the 30 - inch -tall SX-8 (rear, S275) are three-way systems with 15- and 12 -inch woofers, respectively: the SONANCE- 161/2 -inch -tall SX-7 (front right, Designed to be flush -mounted in S325 a pair) is a two-way a wall, Sonance's PSW1 bookshelf design with an 8 -inch subwoofer has a dual -voice -coil woofer. KLH, Dept. SR, 11131 Dora 8 -inch woofer and a 150 -Hz St., Sun Valley, CA 91352. passive crossover. Retrofit and Circle 125 on reader service card new -construction mounting brackets are available, as well as a cloth or paintable metal grille. Price: S349. Sonance. Dept. SR, 961 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, CA 92673.

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SONY Editing is a strong suit of Sony's control has keys for entering disc MDS-101 bookshelf -size MiniDisc track information, which is recorder. In addition to being displayed on the deck's LCD able to erase, combine, and panel: up to 1,700 characters per reorder tracks, you can insert disc can be stored. Price: 51,000. cueing points for up to 255 Sony, Dept. SR, 1 Sony Dr., Park musical segments. The remote Ridge NJ 07656. * CFI The AV 4319 A V component rack from CFI is 43 inches high and features six 19 -inch -wide smoked -glass shelves. It's made of 20 -gauge steel and has black Plexiglas side panels. Price: SOOYM YSt-ii: S499 CFI, Dept. SR, 31 Pulpit AI 0 OW^ Wimp Rock Rd., Pelham, NH 03076. Circle 127 on reader service card

la STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 e--- Madonna -Erotica. Title Cut "The Bodyguard"-Orig. Sndtrk. Michael Bolton -Timeless (The Wreckx -N- Effect -Hard Or Sade-Love Deluxe. No plus Deeper And Deeper; and I Will Always Love You; plus more. Classics). To Love Somebody; Smooth. Rump Shaker; more Ordinary Love;yLove; Kiss Of Life; more (Maverick/Sire) 453.655 (Arista) 448.159 more. (Columbia) 445.494 (Future/MCA) 448.118 more. 449.439 R.E.M.-Automatic For The Garth Brooks -The Chase. Eric Clapton-Unplugged. Layla; Bobby Brown -Bobby. Humpin' George Strait -Pure Country. People. Ignoreland; Drive; many Somewhere Other Than The Night; Tears In Heaven; much more. 4round; Good Enough; plus more. Cross My Heart; many more. more (Warner Bros.) 448.522 more. (Liberty) 448.746 (Reprise/Duck) 448.187 (MCA) 445.403 (MCA) 448.753

Heavy D. & The Boyz- Shal-If I Ever Fall In Color Me Badd-Young Bon Jovi-Keep The Reba McEntire -It's Your Elton John -Greatest Hits Blue Funk (Uptown/MCA) Love(Gasoline Alley/_ Gifted And Badd - _ Faith (Jambco/Mercury) Call (MCA) 450.361 (MCA) 450.353 453.472 MCA) 453.092 451.310 (Giant/Reprise) Mary Chapin Carpenter Richard Marx -Rush House Of Pain (Tommy Yes-Yesstory(AT4C9(9.;)324 -Come On, Come On Street (Capitol) 433.110 453473 446411/398418 (Columbia) Boy) HOT NEW JAZZ 410.560 Hammer -Too Legit To Nirvana-Incesticide Bad Company -Here Harry Connick, Jr. -25 Carlton -Kid Wilson Phillips -Shadows Quit (Capitol) 4334194 (DGC) 453.340 Comes Trouble (ATCO) And Light(SBK) 440271 (Columbia) 451.443 GloLarryves(GRP) 445.589 Tanya Tucker -Can't Run 446.203 Harry Connick Jr. -11 Neil Diamond -The GI. ("SnBecIturky.)(aWrha :DB:its:- From Yourself (Liberty) Tony Bennett -Perfectly (Columbia) 451.435 Frank (Columbia) 445.486 Hits 1966-92(Columbia) Records) 432.690 449.728 439.778/399.774 Jimmy Scott -All The Jodeci-Forever My43,13_ Helmet -Meantime Branford Marsalis-I Way (Sire) 450.734 Heard You Twice The First The Cure -Wish (Interscope) 449.686 (Eteldra) 438455 Charlie Haden Quartet Time (Columbia)445.480 S(RACteppenA)wolf -Born To9 Bob Dylan -Acoustic/ West -Haunted Heart The RIppingtene_ Jon Secede (SBK) Be Wild (MCA) Good As I Been To You (Verve) 450.726 438.184 43047W390474 (Columbia) 449.454 Weekend In Monaco Dr. John-Goin' Back To (GAP)Pat445 ZZ Top -GA. Hits (Warner The Allman Brothers Shabba Ranks-X-Tra New Orleans (Warner 438.010 Band -A Decade Of Hits Naked (Epic) 449.199 Bros.) 450.718 1969-79 (Polydor) Billy Ray Cyrus -Some Story (Geffen) 444.422 BruceBms)Springsteen- Phil Collins -Serious Ramsey Lewis -Ivory 430.439 Gave All (Mercury) Bob James & Earl Lucky Town (Columbia) Hits...Live (Atlantic) 441.451 Pyramid (GRP) 450.213 436.600 Brooks & Dunn -Brand 448.944 Klugh-Cool(Warner New Man (Arista) 429.989 Travis Trttt- Mace° Parker -Life On Bros.) 439432 Bruce Planet Groove (Verve) The Chipmunks - T-R-O-U-B-L-E H(Columbia)u m a nSg"Tou' teen- Bryan Adams -Waking Chipmunks In Low Places (Warner Bros.) 445.787 449.991 Miles Davis-Doo-Bcp 436692 Up The Neighbours (Sony Kids' Music)448779 (Warner Bros.) 439.224 Damn Yankees -Don't George Duke -Snapshot Tears For Fears -Tears 429.779 (Warner Bros.) 44847 David Sanborn -Upfront 10,000 Maniacs -Our Tread (Warner Bros.) Roll Down (The Hits 1982- 11,%)!'M69tle)yCrile-Decade Time In Eden (Elektra) 445.759 ENane Elias -Fantasia (Elektra) 438.994 92) (Fontana) 436.008 Of Decadence '81-'91 448430 (Blue Note) 448.019 Ugly Kid Joe -America's The Brecker Brothers - Steely Dan--Gold-G. (Elektra) 429.316 Red Hot Chili Peppers_ Least Wanted (Mercury) Betty Carter -It's Not Return Of The Brecker Hits (MCA) Garth Brooks--Ropin' The What Hits? (EMI) 448409 About The Melody (Verve) Brothers (GRP) 448.191 Wind (Liberty) 428462 ®445479 447.904 k.d. tang -Ingenue Extreme -Ill Sides To INXS-Welcome To Lincoln Center Jazz (Warner Bros./Sire) Spin Doctors -Pocket Every Story (A&M)447.540 Wherever You Are Kenny Garrett -Black Orchestra -Portraits By 435.404 Full Of Kryptonite (Atlantic) 445.023 Hope (Warner Bros.) Ellington (Columbia) Foreigner -The Very 445.965 449.181 "Wayne's World" Best... And Beyond "Honeymoon In Vegas" (Sndtrk.) (Repnse)434.498 Toed TheWet.) (Atlantic) 447.524 -Origjnal Soundtrack -Fear (Columbia) 428.466 (Epic/Soundtrax) 444.919 I4 -Five --Keep On Goin' Nirvana-Nevermind Michael Jackson - After 7-Takin' My Time On (Jive) 444.331 u(DaGC) 442448 Dangerous (Epic) 433.920 Ozzy Osbourne-No (Virgin) 446.971 George Thorogood And Trisha Yearwood- Tina Turner -Simply The More Tears (Epic/ Patty Smyth (MCA) The Destroyers -The Associated) 428.128 Baddest Of The Bad (Hits) Hearts In Armor (MCA UnpluggedCae VA(umbia1)TV Best (Capitol) 433.342 446.773 Nashville) 444.042 (EMI) 444.505 R. Kelly & Public The Byrds-20 Essential Neil Young -Harvest Temple Of The D Saigon Kick -The Lizard Announcement -Born Tracks (Columbia/ Moon (Reprise) 450.304 Megadeth-Countdown 426.940 To Extinction (Capitol)4.48 (A&M) 442.780 (3rd Stone/Atlantic) Into The 90 s (Jive) David Bowie -Diamond 441434 433.250 LeVs::ecs'sf)aWilliams -The Dog! (Rykodisc)442.442 Comfort Zone (Wing) Genesis-We Can't Prince And The New Billy Joel -Piano Man 428410 Dance (Atlantic) 448.936 Vince Still Believe Power Generation (Columbia) 239.863 In You (MCA) 448.571 (Edited) (Paisley Park) Alice In Chains -Dirt 448.514 (Columbia) 445.833 © 1993, The Columbia House Company Entertaining America...One Person at a Time MORE SELECTIONS >

PLUS A CHANCE TO GET EVEN MORE *TAKE ANY 8 CDs FOR 1'MUSIC- FREE! See details below

OA ACE IBOYZ II MEN JOHNNY OILS .11/1. DAWN SHANK' NsnH WA SNINOTON PLUS MORE

AC/DC-Live.Back In Black; Hells Gloria Estefan-Greatest Hits. Kenny G -Breathless.Forever In "Boomerang" -Original Bells Heatseeker.and more Features her latestAlways Tomorrow Love; Sister Rose; In The Rain; Soundtrack. Features Boyz II Men (ATCO) 453.217 plusGet On Your Feet; Conga; more. (Arista) 448.142 P M Dawn. Babyface, plus and more. (Epic) 448.506 others (LaFace) 442.335

Mary J. Mg. -What's Elton John -The One Guns N' Roses -Use "Singles" -Ong. Sndtrk. Arrested Development Wynonna Judd- The 411? (Uptown/ MCA) (MCA) 442.772 Your Illusion I (Geffen)131 (Epic/Soundtrax) 439604 -3 Years, 5 Months &2 Wynonna (MCA/Curb) 445.197 442.087 C & C Music Factory - Bad Company -10 From Days (Chrysalis)436.204 435409 Rod Stewart -Downtown Gonna Make You Sweat Guns N' Roses -Use 6 (Atlantic) 341.313 Eagies-Grt. Hits, 1971- Al 8. Sure -Sexy Versus Train/Selections From (Columbia) 416.933 Your Illusion II (Geffen) The Doors-L.A. Woman 75 (Asylum) 287403 (Warner Bros.) 446.088 The Storyteller Anthology Michael Bolton -Time, 442.038 (Warner Bros.) 425.322 (Elektra) 340410 Eagles -Hotel California Soul Asylum -Grave Love & Tenderness Roy Orbison-The All - Jimmy Buffett -Songs (Asylum) 288.948 Dancers Union (Columbia) James Brown -CD Of JB (Columbia) 415.711 Time Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 445.510 (Polydor) 425.025 Madonna -The (CSP) 377.945 You Know By Heart (MCA) Meat Loaf -Bat Out Of O 339.911 Hell (Epic) 279.133 Barbra Streisand- Boyz II Men-Cooley- Immaculate Collection Fleetwood Mac-Grt. Hits (Wamer Bros./Sire) Bob Marley & The Highlights From 'Just For highharmony (Motown) (Warner Bros.) 375.782 Chicago®- Greatest Hits The Record (Columbia) 424.754 414.557 Wailers -Legend (Tuff (Columbia) 260438 Journey's Greatest Hits Gong/Island) 337457 444.372 Amy Grant -Heart In (Columbia) 375.279 7r '1/41:01.1:tilt....ixi Faith No More -Angel Motion (A&M) 424457 Billy Joe16,-GrtHits, Dire Straits -Brothers In Vols.1 & 2 (Columbia) Dust (Reprise/Slash) Rush -Chronicles (Mer- Arms (Warner Bros.) 336496/39649D 439.307 cury) 4238780/393485 336.222 Bruce Springsteen- Ton Amos -Little The Moody Blues-Gn. Marvin Gaye's Grt Hits Born In The U.S.A. Earthquakes (Atlantic) Hits (Polydor) 423.756 (Motown) 367.665 (Columbia) 326.629 436.352 John Cougar George Michael -Faith The Charlie Daniels Tom Cochrane -Mad Mellencamp- Uh-Huh (Columbia) 362.228 Band -A Decade Of Hits Mad World (Capitol) (Riva) 423.574 (Epic) 321067 435485 Pearl Jam -Ten (Epic/ Guns N' Roses - Alan Jackson -A Lot About Eric Clapton-Time Associated) 428.433 Appetite For Destruction Motown's 25 01 Hits Livin' (& A Little 'Bout Love) Enys-Shepherd Moons Pieces (Polydor)423.467 359.984 Years (Mo- (Arista) 447.458 (Reprise) 431.718 Garth Brooks -No Bonnie Rain -Luck Of The town) 319496/3994E8 Curtis Stigers Fences (Liberty)411.587 Best Of The Doors (El- Santana's GA. Hits (Arista) 429.977 Draw (Capitol) 423.186 ektra) 357418/397412 Creedence Clearwater (Columbia) 244459 Janet Jackson- Rhythm Don Henley -The End Of Natalie Cole - U2 -The Joshua Tree Revival -Chronicle -20 Boston (Epic) 269.209 Nation 1814 (A&M) Grt. Hits (Fantasy) 308.049 The Innocence Unforgettable (Elektra) 388.918 (Island) 354.449 Simon & Garfunkel's (Geffen) 383402 422.279 Aerosmith-Pump Aretha Franklin -30 AC/DC-Back In Black Greatest Hits (Atlantic) 305.045 John Lennon/Yoko Van Helen -For Unlawful (Geffen) 388.009 Greatest Hits (Atlantic) (Columbia) 219.477 Ono -Double Fantasy Carnal Knowledge Tom PetlyFull Moon 350.793/390.799 Electric Light Orch.- Red Hot Chill Peppers (Capitol) 3M774 (Warner Bros.) 420.273 Fever (MCA) 382.184 Rolling Stones -Rewind ELO's Greatest Hits -Blood Sugar Sex Magik (Jet) 300.095 The Who -Tommy (MCA) Paula Abdul -Spellbound Skynyrd- (Rolling Stones Rec.) (Warner Bros.) IN 428.367 345423/395.228 (Virgin) 420.257 S nyrd's Innyrds/Grt. Hits 350.736 James Taylor's Grt. HitsDI Contains explicit lyrics which may be objectionable to some members. Luther Vandross- (M 381.129 Van Morrison- (Warner Bros.) 291.302 HERE'S HOW TO GET YOUR 8 CDs FOR to... Power Of Love (Epic) Grateful Dead -Skeletons Moondance (Warner Best Of The Doobles 418.848 From The Closet (Warner Bros.) 349.803 (Warner Bros.) 291.278 Just mall the coupon together with check or money R.E.11.-Out Of Time Bros.) 378406 The Police -Every Breath The Steve Miller Band- order for $1.86 (that's 1 for your first 8 CDs, plus $1.85 (Warner Bros.) 417.923 Kris Kross-Totally You Take -The Singles Grt. Hits 1974-78 (Capitol) for shipping and handling). Krossed Out (Ruffhouse/ (A&M) 348.318 290.171 You agree to buy just six more selections in the next En Vogue -Funky Divas three years, at regular Club prices, currently $12.98 to (eastwest) 435.750 Columbia) 435.743 71-C-O000000hhh... U2- Achtung Baby 434421 $15.98 -and you may cancel your membership at any (LaFace) (Island) 431.213 time after doing so. (A shipping and handling charge will Seledions with Iwo numbers contain 2 CDs and count as 2 -so write in both numbers. be added to each shipment.) n Free Music Magazine sent every four weeks (up to 13 COLUMBIA HOUSE, 1400 N. Fruitridge Ave. 543/593 Send these 8 CDs for 10 times a year), describing the Regular Selection for your Write one number in each boys listening interest, plus hundreds of alternates. And Special P.O. Box 1129, Terre Haute, Indiana 47811-1129 Selection mailings up to six times a year (total of up to 19 Please accept my membership application under the terms outlined in this buying opportunities). advertisement. I am enclosing check or money order for $1.86 (that's lc for the 8 Buy only what you want/ If you want the Regular or CDs indicated here, plus $1.85 for shipping and handling).I agree to buy six Special Selection, do nothing -it will be sent automatically. selections, at regular Club prices, in the next three years -and may cancel If you'd prefer an alternate selection, or none at all, just membership anytime after doing so. mail the response card always provided by the date specified. My main musical interest is (check one):(But I may always choose from any category) You always have 10 days to decide; if not, you may E. Hard Rock .71J Soft Rock r Alternative Light Sounds F.; Rep return the Selection at our expense. Van Helen, Michael Bolton, Nine Inch Nails, Neil Diamond. L.L. Cool J, Eric Clapton Mariah Carey Momssey Barbra StreisandPublic Enemy New "Buy More -Pay Less" Bonus Plan. If you continue your membership after fulfilling your obligation, Heavy Metal'Z. R&B/Soul E Easy Listening Jazz Dance/Pop you'll be eligible for our generous bonus plan. It lets you get Megadeth, Luther Vandross, Frank Sinatra, Branford Marsalis, C&C Music Factory, a single CD for as little as $3.99 (or a single cassette free) OzzyOsboume Boyz II Men Ray Conniff Pat Metheny En Vogue for each CD you buy at regular Club price. Country:Reba McEntire, George Strait Classical:V Horowitz, J.Rampal 10 -Day Risk -Free Trial. We'll send details of the Club's

operation with your introductory package. If not satisfied, El Mr. return everything within 10 days for a full refund and no D Mrs. Age further obligation. Print First Name India! Last Name flExtra Bonus Offer: Miss 'also send one more CD Extra Bonus Otter: you may take one additional CD Address Apt. now, for which I am enclosingright now at the super -low price of only $6.95 -and you are an additional $6.95. then entitled to take an extra CD as a bonus FREE! And you'll receive your discounted CD and your bonus CD with

City your 8 introductory selections -a total of 10 CDs In all! If the application is missing, write to: Columbia House, to 1400 N. Fruitridge Ave. Terre Haute, IN 47811-1129. State Zip thisilndrm extra CenDitFRedEE!get Do you have a VCR? (04) Yes No A telephone? (01) Yes- No A credit card? (03) '. Yes No Entertaining America..,

Nola we reserve the 45 to toted any application of cancel any members* These oilers not available in APO. One Person at a Time.- FPO Alaska. HaWall Puerto Pro ante for details of allematrve offer Canadran residents will be serviced from Toronto BPV-8F-RN Applicable sales tax added to all orders NEW MUCH

TECHNICS The Technics RS-TR979 is two adjustor. and an automatic tape recording cassette decks in one. calibration (ATC) mode that sets Both decks feature the company's recording level, bias, and EC) for new AR1 transport, which is said a given tape. Price: S420. to ewind a C-60 tape in 45 Technics, Dept. SR, 1 Panasonic seconds, Dolby B and C noise Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094. recuction, Dolby HX Pro, a bias Circle 12i on reader service card

PIONEER The LC -V200 Autochar ger from Pioneer Laser Entertainment FORTE holds up to fifty discs-CD's or 8 - Designed with home theater in and 12 -inch laserdiscs. The mind, Forte's FT -1 power amp is changer is available separately rated to deliver 125 watts into for 54,600 or as part of an 58,000 each of three front channels and karaoke package that licludes a 55 watts into each of two rear controller with an RS -422A channels. The FT -1 features computer interface, a 240 -watt automatic -turn -on circuitry and a amplifier, and a rack for the separate gain control for each controller and amp. Pioneer Laser channel. Price: 51,590. Forte, Entertainment, Dept. SR, 2265 E. Dept. SR, 7325 Roseville Rd.. 220th St., Long Beach, CA 90810. Sacramento, CA 95842. Circle 128 on reader service card Circle 130 on reader service card

MONITOR Monitor Audio's Studio 6 combines a 61/2 -inch ceramic -3n - metal woofer and a 1 -inch gold - on -aluminum dome tweeter in a 81/2 x 133/4 x 10 -inch cabinet with NORDOST dual ports. Each speaker pair is The -eflon-encapsulated-copper said to be matched to a 0.25 - cons ruction of Nordost's Flatline percent tolerance. Frequency speaxer cable is said to make it response is rated as 40 to 30,000 ideal for use outdoors or in the Hz ±3 dB. Prices: 52,499 a pair car. -he 12 -gauge -equivalent in rosewood or black ash veneer; wire is thinner than a dime. Price: S3,199 a pair in piano lacquer. 52.99 per foot. Nordost, Dept. Monitor Audio Kevro. Dept. SR. SR. 420 Franklin St., P.O. Box 1355 Buffalo, NY 14235. Framingham, MA 01701.

Circle 131 on reader service card Circle 132 on reader service card

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 17 INTRODUCING CONCEPT 6 BY ETHAN ALLE

$1149

AUDIO CABINET VIDEO CABINET UNIT UNIT AND AUDIO CABINET UNITS

VIDEO CABINET UNIT CIO

COMBINING THE EXCITEMENT OF LARGE SCREEN STATE-OF-THE-ART TELEVISION WITH THE SENSATION OF HOME THEATRE WITH THEATRE QUALITY SOUND FOR THE DYNAMIC STYLE

ULTIMATE HOME THEATRE EXPERIENCE. NOW AT SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY SAVINGS

THREE DISTINCT

STYLES TO MATCH

ALL OF YOUR HOME

ENTERTAINMENT

NEEDS.

GEORGIAN COURT COUNTRY FRENCH

State-of-the-art technology, high-performance design and superior quality cabinetry combine

in the six components of Concept 6, Ethan Allen's new home theatre collection. Designed to

accommodate up to 35" televisions, laser discs and surround sound components, Concept 6

organizes your high-tech equipment with style.

Price does not include cost of audio and video equipment. Country French pricing same as American Impressions. Georgian Court prices slightly higher on selected items.Introductory prices featured in this ad are manufacturer's suggested prices effective through June 27, 1993 and are optional with retailer. Consult your local retailer for their prices.01993 Ethan Allen Inc. FOR THE RETAILER NEAREST YOU CALL TOLL -FREE 1-800-228-9229 11411111111111111111104QCABINET NIT, AUDIO CABINET UNITS AND SPEAKER CABINET UNITS i

ETHAN ALLEN HOME INTERIORS

!MATE HOME THEATRE EXPERIENCE NEW PRODUCTS

Wi B&W AUDIO CONCEPTS B&W's THX-certified home - deep and houses a 12 -inch ACI's Encore IIis a dipolar theater package has seven subwoofer: and two triangular speaker designed for side -wall pieces: 23'/2 -inch -tall front left, surround speakers, each of which mounting in surround systems. center. and right speakers. each is 14 inches tall and houses pairs Each of its side -firing panels has with two 6 -inch woofers and three of 6 -inch woofers and 1 -inch a 5 -inch woofer and a 3 4 -inch 1 -inch tweeters: two passive bass tweeters. Price: around S6,000. tweeter. Dimensions are 1034 X modules, each of which measures B&W of America, Dept. SR. P.O. 81/4 x 7 inches. Available by mail 221/2 inches wide at the base. 23 Box 653, Buffalo, NY 14240. order in oak or cherry for 5399 a inches high. and 2314 inches Circle 133 on reader service card pair (plus S24 shipping and handling). ACI. Dept. SR. 901 So. 4th St., La Crosse, WI 54601.

Circle 134 on reader service card

A TOSHIBA Toshiba's TX923 car CD receiver faceplate for security. Rated features eight -times power output is 25 watts each into NIKKODO oversampling, random and repeat one pair of channels, 7 watts Nikkodo's Karaoke Ninja KN-X1 is a three -band equalizer, and an CD playback, controls for a six- or each into a second pair. Price: an outboard device that adds eleven -step digital key controller ten -disc Toshiba CD changer, an 5549. Toshiba, Dept. SR. 82 sing -along capability to any CD for matching the musical pitch of AM FM tuner with thirty station Totowa Rd., Wayne NJ 07470. player. VCR. or CD -based a song to the singer's vocal presets, and a detachable Circle 135 on reader service card videogame system. The compact range. Price: 5199. Nikkodo USA. 7 x 1 x 4 -inch component features Dept. SR. 4600 No. Santa Anita two microphone inputs, an Ave., El Monte. CA 91731. adjustable digital echo processor. Circle 136 on reader service card

A ONKYO Onkyo's TX-SV5153130 A V two rear channels (surround), or receiver features Colby Pro Logic 80 watts each into two channels. and Hall surround modes. an AM In a nonsurround setup, the rear FM tuner with forty presets. and amps can be used to drive a pair three video inputs. Power output of remote speakers. Price: S500. is 55 watts into each of three front Onkyo, Dept. SR. 200 Williams channels plus 20 watts each into Dr.. Ramsey. NJ 07446.

20 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 YOU CAN'T IMPROVE THE SYSTEM UNTILYOU IMPROVE THE SPEAKERS.

So the values are a bit distorted, 13..it that's no reason to thrash the system. 11)Just get new Pioneer speakers. Added to your existing stereo, they're the easiest way to dramatically improve the sound in your car. Our injection -molded polypropylene cones (unlike those lame paper ones) deliver ideal performance for every type of music imaginable. And since we offer over 70 models, there's no problem finding one to fit your car (maybe that's why we're the number one car speaker manufacturer). Call us atI -800 -PIONEER, ext.904, to find out (y) PIONEER more about our speakers. Or the best place ii town to go for a demonstration. The Art of Entertainment

1993 Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., Long Beach, CA MUSIC MAKERS

Ago get to the U.S., where he made6 his Cleveland Orchestra debut and paid a return visit to thez Atlanta Symphony. But his London job takes up most of his time, and new recordings BY ROBERT RIPPS, with the LPO, all for EMI MARYANN SA LTSER, AND Classics, include a Stravinsky STEVE SIMEI.S Oedipus Rex due this month and a Bartok Miraculous Man- darin set for October. He'll be *Canadian national weekly back in November for appear- OW magazine recently select- ances with the L.A. Philar- ed Ofra Harnoy as one of Can- monic, the Boston Symphony ada'stwelvemostdistin- (another debut), the New York guished citizens. Not bad for a Philarmonic, and the Philadel- classical musician, much less a phia Orchestra. By then he'll cellist, not to mention an Is- have reached the ripe old age raeli -born woman. Harnoy, an of thirty-three. RCA Victor/BMGClassics artist since 1984, is also the only Canadian classicalin- strumentalist since Glenn Gould to have a long-term ex- clusiverecordingcontract with a major international label. The pop -star image on the cover of her latest recording, "Trilogy," is not surprising for an artist who is a regular on

Isserlis plays for Thomas

HE cellistStevenIsserlis Distinguished citizen Ofra Harnoy: Pop star? Cellist? was the recipient of this year's Piatigorsky Award from disc by I Solisti Veneti con- N 1990, at twenty-nine, the the New England Conserva- ducted by Claudio Scimone. 1Austrian -born conductor tory. Honoring the memory of Franz Welser-Moest became the great cellist Gregor Piati- THIS is shaping up as a very the youngest -ever music direc- gorsky, the award is presented good year for the apparent- tor of the London Philharmon- every three years to a young ly ageless crooner Tony Ben- ic Orchestra. Now thirty-two, cellist (under thirty-five) who nett. First came a January ap- he found time in February to exemplifies the ideal repre- pearanceatthe"Callfor sented by the legendary Rus- Reunion" Inaugural concert at sian. In addition to a $10,000 the Lincoln Memorial. Then, cash prize, concerts and recit- on February1, Bennett re- als are arranged for the win- ceivedthesecondannual ner. Last month Isserlis was Mother Hale Special Lifetime soloist with the New England of Caring Award at a ceremo- Conservatory Symphony Or- ny in New York City, present- chestra, conducted by Michael ed by none other than Lena Tilson Thomas, at concerts in Horne. And ifthat wasn't Boston and New York. On the Tony Bronnalf . frankly enough, Bennett's most recent program was the North Amer- Columbia album, "Perfectly ican premiere of The Protect- Canadiantelevisionshows, Frank," a collection of classic ing Veil, a concerto for cello where she reports on arts and torch songs associated with and strings by the contempo- entertainment topics. The CD FrankSinatra,receiveda rary British composer John St features three not -so -pop eigh- Grammy for Best Traditional Tavener. Isserlis has recorded teenth -century cello concertos Pop Vocal Performance. Per- The Protecting Veil for VirginS Iby Boccherini, Myslivetek, sistent rumors that Sinatra Classics. g and Giovanni Battista Viotti (a will be returning the favor

1/4' world -premiere recording of with an album called "Yo, "WHAT'S in a name?" asked 3 his Concerto in C Major). Har- Tony!" remain unconfirmed at Shakespeare. As RCA's noy is accompanied on the press time. Welser-Moest: wunderkind countrygroupShenandoah

22 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Why The Critics Love Ensemble And EnsembleIL

"Ensemble may be the best value mance tweeter and a 4" woofer. Small and audition our speakers the right veay-in your in the world:' Audio unobtrusive, they'll fit into the decor of any own home, with your music, with no hovering room. Available in scratch -resistant gunmetal salesman. Ensemble and Ensemble Il are subwoofer- grey Nextel, or primed so you can paint them If you're not completely satisfied, return the satellite speaker systems designed by Audio any color you wish. system within 30 days fora full refund.'A,t even Hall of Fame member Henry Kloss (founder of Ensemble and Ensemble II subwoofers use reimburse the original UPS ground shipping AR, KLH and Advent). Cambridge SouncMbrks :-teavy-duty woofers in true acoustic suspension charges (in continental U.S.) makes and sells Ensemble and enclosures. Robust The dual-subwoofer Ensemble system with Ensemble II (and a number construction is used handsome black -laminate subwoofers is $599. of other audio components) throughout, includ- The same system with black vinyl -clad sub - factory -direct, with no ex- ing solid MDF woofers is $499. Ensemble II is priced at $399. pensive middle -men, so cabinets and solid you can save hundreds of Ensemble II metal Mies. Individ- Rue acoustic dollars. All purchases are ual crossovers are suspension, backed by a 30 -day money - built into each cab- sealed subwoofer cavity. back satisfaction guarantee, inet for maximum The atm substoofer in our Ensembk so there's no risk. vstem wiring flexibility provides mutimum placementfler Cavity acts as acoustic band-pass "Can be compared only with "What's the difference between filter much larger speakers Ensemble and Ensemble II?" Cal 24 hours a day 365 days a year. In many rooms, Ensemble II sounds virtu- at substantially higher prices:' Mil send you our catalog with stereo and home ally the same as Ensemble, especially when Stereo Review theater components and systems from Ensemble's two subwoofers are placed right Ensemble and Ensemble H are constructed Cambridge SoundWorks, Pioneer, Philips, Sorry next to each other. But the Ensemble system's with the very best materials and no -compromise and others. Because we sell factory -direct, tun ultra -slim subwoofers (41/2 ") give you workmanship. Both systems use satellite speak- eliminating expensive middle -men, you can more placement flexibility than any speaker ers that are virtually identical.* Unlike many save hundreds of dollars. system we know of (including Ensemble II). competing systems, they are true two-way Ensemble is most likely to provide the perfor- speaker systems, each containing a high performance you want in the real world of your Call 1-800-FOR-HIFI istening roorr We Know How "You get a month to play with 7b Make Loudspeakers. the speakers before you have to either return them or keep them. CAMBRIDGE But you'll keep them:' SOUNDWORKS Esquire Choosing a loudspeaker after a brief listen 154 California St., Suite 102M, Newtcn, MA 02158 Ensembk satellite speak's are auvlabk primedfor 1-800-367-4434Fax: 617-332-9229 Canada: 1-800-525-4434 at a dealer's showroom is like deciding on a car Outside U.S. or Canada: 617-K2-5936 paintiw, so they C011 matchX111" decor exactbi. C to,6=SoundWxks. Ensemble is a repsteled trademark 4Carnbudge after a trip around the block. So we let you . Pros and specificanais siva to change vita,'nonce. CIRCLE NO 6 ON READER SERVICE CARD MUSIC MAKERS

Arts label, include an all -Bee- thoven CD and the second volume in her 'American Piano Music of Our Time," consisting entirely of music that she has commissioned.

couldtellyou,sometimes GRACENOTES. Relativity quite a lot. Seems when the Records,whoseartist Alabama natives signed with roster has until now been con- CBS/Sony a ways back, their finedmostlytoalternative producers came up with the rockers (Overwhelming Color- moniker and the band as- fast) and guitar heros (Joe Sa- sumed that the appropriate triani),has signed reunited trademark search had been multi -Platinumchart -topper made. No such luck: They Toto. The new album, "King- soon discoveredthatlocal dom of Desire," features the bandsinLouisville,Ken- last recordings by the original tucky, and L.A. had already Toto drummer, Jeff Porcaro. claimed the name, and so had . .. The 1993 winner of the Arlo Guthrie's road group. Richard Tucker Award What followed-despite sev- ($30,000 and other valuable eral Gold records-was two considerations) is Ruth Ann years of expensive litigation Swenson, an American lyric - that ultimately forced the band coloratura soprano, who can to declare bankruptcy and dis- be heard on CD with Samuel solve their Sony contract. Un- Ramey inKismet(Sony Classi- daunted, Shenandoah finally bought exclusive rights to its name from the other groups and has reappeared on the RCA label. Proving that good Shenandoah: out standing in their field things come to those that wait, Shenandoah's new (and obvi- gest sellers. All the surviving rsula Oppens is among ously appropriately titled) al- quintet members-Fuller, thesmallbutgrowing bum, "Long Time Comin'," Benny Golson, Tommy Flana- group of classical performers 2 has already generated two hit gan, and Al Harewood-were who successfully program and country singles. reunited for the taping, with record contemporary works as Ray Drummond sitting in on well as masterpieces of the bass for the late Jimmy Garri- Classical and Romantic eras. son. "Blues-ette Part II" will Not content to perform the be followed this year by four tried and true, she actively Oppens: contemporary patron more new albums, and plans commissions new works as are to release around five titles well for her recitals and con- cal) and can be seen on video annually thereafter. cert appearances around the withPlacidoDomingo in U.S. and Europe. Last year L'Africaine(HomeVision). 01100D news for fans of the the New York -born pianist . .. Silo/Alcazar has released Canadian pop singer and embarked on a three-year pro- "Don't Get Killed" by the sa- songwriter Bruce Cockburn: ject with the Arditti Quartet to tirical folk singer Andy Breck- As part of its project to make expandthechamber -music man, who may be better known all of Cockburn's twenty Ca- repertory by commissioning as the author of screenplays nadian albums available in the and performing new works for for movies starring Dudley "Blues-ette Part II" U.S., Columbia has just re- piano quintet. Oppens's latest Moore(Arthur2) and Richard leased four more on CD, fol- recordings, on the Music and Pryor(Moving). 0 o ENON Records has already lowing the eight released pre- Et.reactivated the legendary viously. The new titles include Bruce Cockburn (second fromleft) and pals Savoy jazz label (prominent "SunwheelDance"(1972), ofrom 1942 till the late Fifties) "Night Vision" (1973), "Joy with an extensive reissue pro- Will Find a Way" (1975), and gram. Now it's lauching a new "In the Falling Dark" (1977). Savoy Jazz series featuring Cockburn, whose second an- legendary creators of the be- nualliveChristmasradio bop sound as well as its youn- broadcast last year featured as U ger exponents. The project is special guests Rosanne Cash, being inaugurated with a se- Lou Reed, and Rob Wasser- quel to the 1959 Curtis Fuller man, is finishing work on a Quintet album "Blues-ette," new studio album scheduled one of the original label's big - for summer release.

24 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 The Surround SoundComponents That Have The Audio &VideoPress Jumping Out Of Their Seats.

At the press event where we introduced Run Your Stereo our new surround sound speakers and systems, Into A Home Theater. we had startled members of the audio and Our Surround Sound Add -On system con- video press literally "ramping out sists ofour Center Channel Plus speaker, a pair of their seats." These Henry Kloss of The Surround il surround products are startling lot only because of their performance and speakers and quality, but also because of their affordable, factory -direct prices.

Center Channel & Center Channel Plus. \At offer two high performance, magnetically shielded center channel speakers. The Center Channel is acoustically identical Powered Subwoofer & to a satellite from our ensemble® system, and ideal for use in a Dolby Pro Logic system. $149 Slave Subwoofer. factory -direct. Center Channel Plus is a larger Our Rmered Sulmofer uses a heavy duty, speaker for the most sophisticated home 12 inch long -throw acoustic suspension woofer our PLIO0 Dolby theater systems. It has four 3" woofers and integrated with a 140 watt amplifier. A control Pro -Logic Decoder/Amplifier. a tweeter that panel includes a If you already have a great stereo, TV and VCR, matches the bass level control add this system to create a great home theater. acoustics of our and an 18 dB per $867 factory -direct. Ensemble sys- octave, electronic If you'd like a free catalog or our new booklet, tem. Because crossover fre- "Getting The Most From Your Dolby Surround of its wide, low quency selector. System," call our toll -free number any time. profile, Center It reproduces Channel Plus is accurate bass ideal for place- down to below ment on top or, 30 Hz-better with an optional than most support unit, theaters! $599 beneath your TV. factory -direct. $219 factory -direct. For all-out performance, you

SlawSubwoofer can add our The Surround & The Surround II. Skive Subwroofer, Our new PLIO0 Dolby Pro Logic decoder with 3 -channel Both The Surround ($399 pr.) and The which uses the amplifier and controls built amplOe*; low profile Center Channel Plus speaker; into the Thwered Subwofer. Amplifier out- The Surround II dipole radiatiqg surround speakers. Surround 11 ($249 pr.) speakers use dipole Factory -direct pnee, $867 radiator technology to recreate surround sound put jumps from 140 to 200 watts when it's effects the way they were meant to be heard. connected. Out -of -phase drivers race to the front and rear of The combination of the two speakers can Call 1-800-FOR-HIFI the listening room, for best -possible reproduce a 30 Hz signal cleanly to a sound ambient sound reproduction. pressure level of over We Know How 100 dB! That's enough 7b Make Loudspeakers. clean, deep bass for the largest home theaters, and the most CAMBRIDGE demanding listeners. SOUNDWORKS The factory - direct price of the 154 California Si, Suite 102M, Newton, MA 02158 1-800-367-4434Fax: 617-332-9229 Canada: 1-800-525-4434 Slave Subovofer Outside U.S. or Canada: 617-332-5936 is $299. © 19930,44r SouricflAbrks. Ensembk is a regstered oackmark ofCambriolg SounclAtIrks. Ttr Suntund is a trademark of Cambridge Soundinbrks. Prices and TheSlomund 11 71rSiomund spectsanions sublect to charge without recce. CIRCLE NO. 6 ON READER SERVICE CARD NoOther Loudspeaker Co

Our Center Channel speaker ($149) and our Center Channel Plus speaker ($219) are perfect for Dolby Surround Pro tic systems. They offer veryu performance, and are magnetically shielded. Center Channel Plus can fit under your TV.

Henry Kloss, creator of the dominant speakers of the '50s (Acoustic Research), '60s (KLH) and '70s (Advent), brings you Cambridge SoundWorks, a new kind of audio company with factory -direct savings.

Our surround speakers, The Surround ($399 pr.) and The Surround II ($249 pr.) use dipole radiator technology to reproduce surround effects the way they were meant to be heard. Non -directional ambient sound literally surrounds you.

The Surround MeSt/170102d The Powered Subwoofer ($599) and Slave Subwoofer ($299) by Henry Kloss provide room -shaking NEW! The Cambridge SoundWorks Model Six continues a 40 year bass (over 100 dB at 30 Hz!). Great for pipe organs and tradition ofhigh performance, high value two-way acoustic effects in movie soundtracks. Built-in 200w amplifier. suspension loudspeakers by Henry Kloss. The Model Six with its 8" 151/2 " x 26 1/2 " x 10 'A " (each model) woofer, delivers very natura, accurate, wide -range sound-for only $119 each, factory -direct. Your choice of three beautiful cabinet finishes.

Ambiance- In -Wall speakers ($329 pr.) offer an unbeatable combination of performance, value and ease of installation. mpanyCanRunThisAd.

The dual-subwoofer Ensemble® speaker system gives you ultimate room -placement flexibility for best real world performance. Audiomagazine says it "may be the best value in the world." With black - laminate subwoofers ($599), or black vinyl- Everything you need to change your clad subwoofers 00, great stereo into ($499). a great home theater. $867.

NiAN010,, The Ensemble II subwoofer-satellite speaker system by Henry Kloss is one of the best values in the country. lAt think it's better than speakers costing twice as much. Because we sell it factory -direct, it's only $399. Stereo Reviewsays it "performs far beyond its price and size." With a Cambridge SoundWorks Charge Card, qualified customers can charge purchases from our catalog-with no payments and no interest for three full months. No annual membership fee. Our catalog includes If you have any questions...if you'd like a components from CSW, free color catalog...or if you'd like to order, Pioneer, Philips, Sony call us toll -free, 8AM-Midnight ET. and more. All products backed by a 30 -day satisfaction guarantee. Call 1-800-FOR-HIFI We Know How lb Make Loudspeakers. CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS

154 California St.. Suite 102M. Newton. MA 02158 1-800-367-4434Fax: 617-332-9229 Canada 1-800-525-4434 Outside U.S. or Canada: 617-332-5936 © 1993 Cambridge SoundMbrit.s. Ensemble is a registered trademark of Cambridge SoundiAbrks. Bose is a registered trademark of Bose Corporation. The Surround is a trademark of Cambridge SoundMbrks. AR & Adwnt are trademarks of lessen Laboratories. Prices do not include shipping. Prices subject to change without notice. CIRC-E NO. 6 ON READER SERVICE CARD SIGNALS

BY KEN C. PONLMANN

anvil, and stirrup-provide imped- Not convinced? Hold your hand Getting Psyched ance matching to efficiently convey over this page: Itis clearly visible. sound vibrations in the air to the fluid - Now put it under the magazine, where filled inner ear, where the miracle of it is concealed. That's an instance of ARGUABLY,the second coming of hearing takes place. The coiled basilar visual masking (just as only Superman audio technology occurred last membrane detects the amplitude and can see through walls). Aural masking Christmas. The Digital Compact frequency of sound; those vibrations is the same. The signal exists acousti- Cassette (DCC) and MiniDisc are then converted to electrical im- cally but not perceptually. (MD) formats record and repro- pulses and sent to the brain along a Perceptualcodersemploy DSP duce signals in a way that fun- bundle of nerve fibers. computers programmed with models damentally differs from any previous That biological design, coupled with of human hearing to encode only the high-fidelity method. First -generation the brain's interpretation of the aural audible parts of a sound. The systems technology, from Edison's cylinder to information, forms the basis for psy- are so efficient that they require just a the compact disc, stores signals lin- choacoustics. Our threshold of hear- fraction of the data needed by a linear early, as a continuous or sampled ing, the softest sound we can hear, system. Although data reduction is an waveform. The goal of such systems is varies with frequency. Our ears are important objective of perceptual cod- to reproduce a waveform that is physi- most sensitive around 2,000 to 4,000 ing, better fidelity can also result. Lis- cally identical to the original. Second - Hz. Sensitivity decreases at high and tening tests have shown that there is generation technology uses perceptual low frequencies. For example, a tone no audible difference between DCC coding, in which physical similarity is at 25 Hz would have to be 60 dB louder copies (using PASC perceptual cod- waived in favor of perceived similar- (a million times greater intensity) than ing) and original CD's (using linear ity. That is a radical change, merging a 1,000 -Hz tone to be barely audible. A coding). Now, instead of limiting the discipline of audio engineering perceptual coder compares the input PASC to a quarter the data rate of CD, with that of psychoacoustics. signal to this threshold and discards suppose you gave it half the rate. The Whereas traditional audio engineer- any parts of the signal that fall below perceptually coded signal might sound ing is to a large extent a matter of it, because our ears will eventually better than a CD. specificationsandmeasurements, discard them anyway. DCC and MD are already on the psychoacoustics is one of psychology Most people can tell the difference shelves, numerous movie soundtracks andperception.Traditionalaudio when a 1,000 -Hz tone is sounded and have been released in Dolby's new technology is based primarily on the raised to 1,002 Hz. The difference SR -Dmultichanneldigitalformat principlesgoverningthephysical between 50 and 52 Hz may be inaudi- (based on the AC -3 perceptual -coding world around us, but psychoacoustics ble, however. Everyone who can hear system), and the Electronic Industries dwells on the less accessible world can perceive pitch, although studies Association (EIA) is evaluating per- inside our brains. Clearly, as Lord suggest that pitch perception changes ceptual coders prior to endorsing a Rayleigh said in 1877, "All questions connected with this subject must come for decision to the ear, as the organ of hearing; and from it there can be no Aperceptually coded signal could actually appeal." But it is only now, with the advent of powerful digital signal pro- sound 'sonar than a linearly coded CD. cessing (DSP) circuits, that audio engineers can design systems that "hear" sound the same way humans do. Psychoacoustics is an exciting field, with age. It may be that middle-aged standard for digital audio broadcast- full of insight and paradox and undis- people hear music a semitone higher ing. Perceptual coding is probably the covered secrets. Everything about the than they did as children. hottest topic in audio engineering to- ear, and the way it conveys sound to When tones nearby in frequency are day, and it's advancing rapidly. Fu- the brain, is wondrously devised. The sounded simultaneously, louder tones ture audio engineers now study digital outer ear amplifies sound, and its intri- obscure, or "mask," softer ones. For signal -processingarchitectureand cate folds help us to assess directional- example, a tone of 600 Hz may mask a programming, the psychology of mu- ity. The ear canal resonates at about softer tone of 650 Hz. In that case, a sic, and psychoacoustics. 3,000 Hz, providing extra sensitivity perceptual recording system would ig- Linear audio systems have served in the frequencies critical for speech nore the 650 -Hz tone and concentrate us well for 120 years. But now it's time intelligibility. In fact, the ear is ex- on coding the 600 -Hz tone as precisely to turn to more sophisticated methods tremely sensitive in that range and can as possible. Because the brain can of sound reproduction. In the years to detect a change in pressure amplitude decipher only a limited number of come, audio systems will conform bet- equivalent to one -tenth the diameter tones at once, much of the acoustical ter to the strengths and limitations of of a hydrogen molecule. The three tiny information generated by an orches- our hearing, making the goal of com- bones in the middle ear-the hammer, tra, say, goes unnoticed. plete transparency a reality at last. 0

28 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Sorry.

For a

Miallte there,

I thought

you said

it only costs

Cul2ss Supretne Specie Edition $15.995.

We did. And it does. And the Cutlass Supreme® Special Edition has the 3.1 -liter V6, four -speed zdoniat:c, air, cruise, tilt end other neat stuff. So don't apologize. Just get one. Call 1 -800 -242 -OLDS. CUTLASS SUPREME \-OLDSMOBILE THE POWER OF INTELLIGENT ENGINEERING GM 993 GM Corp. All right, naernd. Buckle Ur. Annriia' S/5,995 M.S.R.P. TaA and In nn AUDIO ERA RPL BY IAN G. MASTERS ACOUSTICS

even close to what anyone intended when the ROOM Biwiring a Lone Terminal recording was made. O/ would like to biwire my speakers, but my receiver has only one set of speaker termi- DESIGNED nals. Is there any way I can do it? Parallel Cartridges PAUL SILVERBERG O1 have two turntables but only one phono Toronto, Ontario input on my receiver, so I have wired the LOUDSPEAKERS phono cartridges together in parallel using AYou should have no difficulty:Extra a Y -cord. For some reason, the output of one of speaker terminals are simply wired to- the cartridges is very low when connected this gether in parallel behind the panel anyway, while the other one is fine. Both work From the way, so duplicating that arrangement on the properly when connected individually. What's outside achieves the same end. Simply attach the problem? GILBERT SEVERINO RDL Catalog: both sets of wire to the same terminals; if the Tulsa, OK wire you're using is too thick for the connectors to accommodate two cables, you can AWithout knowing what cartridges you are Allison's research pro- solder a short piece of solid -copper wire to using it's hard to say exactly what's going Royduced... a tweeterwith each lead and attach these thinner leads to the on. But connecting the cartridges togeth- uniquely wide and uniform terminals. For short distances-a couple of er the way you have is almost sure to have inches at most-the thinner wire will work some deleterious effect, as each cartridge is dispersion even at the highest fine. driving not only the receiver's input circuitry audio frequencies. ..Conse- but the coil in the other cartridge as well. quently the high -frequency Depending on how the two devices relate to CD Cracks each other in terms of internal resistance and sounds in music are present in I recently noticed a small crack in the inner inductance, the sound is bound to be affect- the correct amount everywhere ring of one of my CD's. Might this qffect ed. If you want to be able to use both turnta- in the listening room, and all /1the disc's sound quality? If so, is there any bles at once-for smooth transitions from one way to fix it? CLENNAN WEBBER selection to the next while making tapes, listeners hear a similar sound Montgomery, AL say-your best bet is to use an inexpensive balance. The enriched reverber- mixer with its own phono preamps. Other- AIt's possible that a crack in the disc's wise, use a simple switch, such as the one that ant field also creates an impres- protective coating could let enough air db Systems makes, to select one cartridge or sion of spaciousness akin to reach the reflective aluminum layer to the other. that perceived at a live perfor- cause it to oxidize, thus clouding its surface and rendering the disc unplayable in time. mance." That's unlikely if the crack is close to the Amp Logic center of the disc, however. If you're still have recently purchased new speakers This tweeter, with its pulsating concerned, a small dab of nail polish should and now want to replace my receiver with a seal the crack. separate preamplifier and power amplifier. convex surface, is the logical I want components that provide good imaging successor to the dome tweeter. and detail, and that work well with all types of It is a part of every loudspeaker Quad vs. Dolby music. I want them to have some kick as well. What's the difference between Dolby Sur- Should I be looking in the 200 -watt range, or system made by RDL Acoustics. round and the old quadraphonic matrix would 100 watts per channel be sufficient? 0systems? Did quad use delay? GREGORY A. GRZYBEK, JR. RDL sells its speakers and music G. EPPS Plainsboro, NJ Daytona Beach, FL systems directly to you on a no - ATo address your concerns in reverse or- risk basis. For your free catalog AFrom a theoretical point of view, the old der, it's usually wise to arm yourself with call 1-800-227-0390 or fax four -channel systems have a lot in com- as much amplifier power as you can af- mon with today's surround sound-in ford, but in reality the difference between 100 1-800-227-9047. fact, much of the Dolby Surround system was and 200 watts is a matter of only 3 decibels-a derived from the earlier technology (except just -noticeable variation in level-so if a low- for the delay: none of the quadraphonic stan- er -power amp gives you the features you need dards included that). The old and new systems and costs substantially less than the bigger are, however, different enough in terms of one, go for it. technical detail that there's virtually no com- As for the possible sonic benefits of one patibility between them. For instance, quad- amplifier over another, we're in more contro- Exclusive raphonic systems were designed to produce versialterritory.While many audiophiles Designs by discrete right and left rear signals, but the claim to hear real differences between pieces Roy Allison Dolby system produces a mono surround sig- of pure electronics, such as power amplifiers, nal that is simply derived from the left -minus - even they will usually concede that such dif- right difference signal and uses the remaining ferences are very small and noticeable only in channel for center front signals. Playing an old direct comparisons. Other listeners feel that SQ recording through a Dolby Surround de- such distinctions are largely imaginary, and LACOUSTICS coder can produce some interesting effects, to the evidence of controlled listening tests falls be sure, but they're unpredictable, and not on their side. But whatever the truth of the 26 Pearl Street No. 15 Bellingham, MA 02019 30 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Tel: 508-966-2200 Fax: 508-966-3645 matter, any competently designed amplifier highest quality, but I would like to obtain the theater setups, the surround channels typical- should be able to handle any music you are best sound possible. How can I judge a speaker ly operate at lower levels and have narrower likely to feed it. without hearing it played? PAUL MOUNT bandwidth than the main stereo channels, and Corpus Christi, TX while you should ideally try to achieve good A Shocking Experience sound quality even in the rear, most people are AIt's almost impossible, but one way would reasonably tolerant of minor aberrations in My receiver sometimes gives me a small be to restrict yourself to brands you do those speakers. 0 shock when I touch the controls, and I can know. Then at least you have a chance of hear a static -like sound from my speakers. finding out something about it; you may be It's really annoying. How do I prevent it? able to look up a magazine review at the If you have a question about hi-fi, MELVIN G. TAMONDONG library, for example. That might not do for send it to Q&A, Stereo Review, Anchorage, AK selecting primary speakers, but it is usually 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. possible to make some sonic sacrifices when it Sorry, only questions chosen AOften simply reversing the power plug comes to the surround channels. In home for publication can be answered. will cure the problem, as the chassis would then be connected to the grounded AC conductor. You may have to do this with each piece of equipment in your system, one by one. iii If you still get shocked, you may have to add a special ground wire. The easiest way is usually to connect one end of a piece of wire to the ground terminal associated with your receiver's phono input and the other to a cold - water pipe (or the screw in the middle of an AC wall plate).If your receiver lacks such a ground terminal, an RCA plug can be inserted into any unused jack on the rear panel and the sleeve of the other end grounded. Introfacing the 0 CD's on Videotape 100, and 200 DSM Series Amplifiers! Ik mild like to record a number of my CD's onto videotape, as I have heard that a hi-fi 0VCR can do a respectable job. My CD Better Sound! player has a variable headphone output, so I could use that to set levels if necessary. Are More Outrageous Power! such recordings worthwhile? If so, what's the Now wah highly refined circu try, the new Punch Ampsore best way to go about making them? better sounding and more powerful than ever befooe! JAMES C. MCCOOL Westland, MI Radical New Look! AThe AFM (audio frequency modulation) recording method used in a hi-fi VCR is The new Punch Amplifiers ho'e a unique, new look like excellent, offering both high performance none other! and very long recording times-the audio quality isn't significantly degraded by using slow tape speeds, so it's possible to put as The New Reference! much as 6 hours of high -quality music on one The new Punch Amps are core powerful,more 'enable, T-120 cassette. Dubbing from compact disc to better sounding, c nd more radical looki ig than an tape is usually a simple matter of hooking the CD player's analog outputs to the VCR's others! audio inputs and starting both machines. If yours is one of the few VCR's with input -level For the dealer nearest yob. call controls and meters, set your levels as you 602-91.7-3565 (USA & Canada), would with any other tape deck. Most VCR's International Fax 602-907-8132 control audio level automatically, however, so you can usually sit back and let the recorder take care of things. If there is some sort of mismatch-levels so low that the automatic gain control "pumps" or so high that the inputs are overloaded-you can use the CD player's variable output to correct it, but my experience has been that such mismatches are rare.

Pawn -Shop Spoakors I'm interested in adding a couple of surround speakers to my system, but as I'm retired I would like to do it as cheaply as possible. I have checked out the local pawn shops, but many of the makes and models I have never heard of. As I have some age - related hearing loss, what I pick needn't be the

CIRCLE NO 32 ON READER SERVICE CARD CAR STEREO

quencies). In CD mode, the sc button lets you audition the first 12 seconds of each CD track. The RNDM button is used for random track playback from a CD. The REP button repeats a CD track or, in tuner mode, selects between local and distantsensitivity. The ECD-412 emits a beep (which can 1 be turned off) whenever one of its controls is operated. The head's blue fluorescent display shows CD track numbers and times, tuned frequencies, and preset numbers. A horizontal bar graph shows the relative settings for volume, bass, treble, fader, and balance as they are adjusted, and there are blue indicators for sensitivity, stereo reception, and repeat; amber indicators show the tuner band and tell you when aCD is loaded or random playback is engaged. The ECD-412 employs an eight- Eclipse ECD-412 CDReceiver times-oversampling digital filter and dual I8 -bit D/A converters. It has a KEN C. POHLMANN three -beam laser pickup, and its trans- HAMMER LABORATORIES port mechanism uses silicon dampers, which are said to be 40 percent larger INHILL MiniDisc (MD) and Dig- a 6 -dB boost at 10,000Hz. The TU button turns the radio on and off, and than those in previous Eclipse heads ital Compact Cassette (DCC) for improved shock resistance. begin to compete for a place the D. (direct) CALL, button lets you in the hearts of car stereo instantly call up a preprogrammed AM Lab Tests stillfar or FM radio station whilein the tuner enthusiasts, CD is The hand -built prototype submitted and away their leading sweet- or CD mode; holding thebutton down in CD mode displays track time and for this review turned in numbers that heart-and will remain so in the fore- are probably not as good asproduction seeable future. CD components, dash - the number of remaining tracks. The band button provides access to units will yield. Even so, the ECD-412 or trunk -mounted (orboth), are fast performed pretty well. Its CD mea- becoming de rigueur for high-fidelity one AM and three FM memorybanks, each of which can hold six stations. A surements were all quite good except sound on wheels. for a large interchannel phase shift. A relative newcomer to the car -CD pair of up/down buttons provide manual tuning when they're pressed lightly Defect tracking was particularly note- field, Eclipse has neatly carved out a worthy. The tuner was also quite sol- sizable niche with its sophisticated CD and seek tuning when they're held down. If you're playing a CD, the id, although distortion in the stereo head units equipped to control DSP mode was higher than usual. The processors and CD changers.The same buttons provide trackskip and, when pressed simultaneously with the head's four amplifiers delivered 3.9 ECD-412 CD receiver is a moderately watts per channel into 4 ohms-ahair priced member of this line, sharing the band button, fast audible search. The play/pause and eject buttons perform below Eclipse's 4 -watt rating but still handsome looks of the rest of the adequate for casual listening. Eclipse family. Its glossy black front as expected. panel suggests high technology, yet its When pressed lightly, the sc button Installation rounded contours have an organic scans through the presetsin the selected tuner band; when held down, it Installation of the ECD-412 was rel- look and feel-a great aesthetic blend. atively straightforward once I cleared its provides automatic station memory The good looks are enhanced by a DIN space in my 1968Porsche 911. I relatively sparse controls, but because (the tuner finds the six strongest stations in the area and saves their fre- slid the mounting sleeve into the open- most of the buttons handlemultiple ing and secured it by bending metal functions, it is not lacking in features. tabs and bolting on a rear support strap A pair of + and - buttons adjust Dimensions (standard procedure for all head instal- and the volume, fader, bass, treble, 7 inches wide, 2 inches high. lations). I then removed the transport balance. Pressing them simultaneous- WA inches deep longer (DIN -size slide -out chassis optional) screw (many manufacturers no ly provides - 20 -dB muting-useful bother with this precaution against when your lawyer calls on your cellu- Price shipping damage) and slid the head but- 5475 lar phone. The nearby mo (mode) into the sleeve untilit locked into defaulting ton toggles those functions, Manufacturer place. The ECD-412 is designed to be8 to volume; holding it downfor a few Eclipse. Dept. SR, 19600 So. Vermont Ave., Torrance, CA 90502 permanently installed in the dash, but seconds engages loudness compensa- a slide -out mounting kitis available if tion, with a 7.5 -dB boost at 100 Hz and

32 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Madonna: Erotica (Sire) 006791 Automatic For ThePeople Whitney Houston: (Warner) 00121 Soundtrack The Bodyguard Unplugged Eric Clapton: 23690 (Arista) 54213 (Warner/Reprise/Duck) SORCASSETTES OF EPRICEBUYEVER! F MORETO WITHNOTHING

Genesis: We Can't Chieftains: The Celtic Billy Ray Cyrus: Be Ile Holiday: Billia's Soundgarden: Beastie Boys: The Doors Dance (Atlantic) 00423 Harp (RCA) 00323 Some Gave All Best {Verve) 00135 BadmotorfInger Check Your Head (Elektra) 00209 (Mercury) 41711 05637 (Capitol) 92473 1 Elton John: The One Elvis Costello & Bell Blv DeVoer Poison Motleyrue (MCA) 35022 The Brodsky Quartet: Charlie Haden Quartet INCA) 00547 The Police: Every Breath Eurythmics: Greatest Of Decadence The Juliet Letters West: Haunted Heart You Take-The Singles Hits (Arista) 20611 (Elektra) 40298 U2: Achtung Baby (Warner Bros) 00885 (Verve) 00337 Mary J. Beige: (Island) 25174 What's The 411? (A&M 173924 Elvis Presley: The Saigon Kick: Jesus Jones: Perverse The Best Of The (Uptown MCA) 30845 Van Helen: For Number One Ms The Lizard (Third Garth Brooks: The ISBK) 00893 Alan Parsons Project Chase (Liberty) 00141 The Heights Unlawful Carnal IRA) 72190 Stone/Atlantic) 00371 (Arista) 00877 Knowledge Charlie Parker: The Soundtrack The Beach Boys: Pet The Private Music En Vogue: Funky Divas Essential Charlie Parker Simple Minds: (Warner Bros )10016 Of Tangerine Dream (East est) 61717 (Capitol) 00206 Sounds (Capitol) 00513 (Verve) 00902 Glittering Prize 81 92 The Who: Who's (Private) 00221 (A&M) 00695 Don Henley: Paula Abdul: Enys: Shepherd Moons Damn Yankees: The End Of The Better, Who's Beat Malcolm XJ (Reprise) 53190 (MCA) 00790 Spellbound Don't Tread alEFX: Collection Innocence (Virgin) 73320 Music From The Phil Collins: (Warner Bros )53663 Sprg10826 (Geffen) 01064 Motion Picture Jaded. F My Jethro Tull: Thick As A Serious Hits...Uvel Vince Gill: I Still Believe The Return 01 Lady (MCA) 90177 iReprise Owest) 00372 (Atlantic) 00324 Peter Gabriel: Shaking Brick (Chrysalis) 01023 In You (MCA 121063 The Brecker Brothers The Tree -16 Golden Chicago: Greatest Supertramp. Bon Jove: (GRP) 00261 Greats (Geffen) 11089 John Melliencamp: Breakfast In America Elton John: Hits 1982-1989 Whenever We Wanted Keep The Faith Greatest Hits 1976-1986 Tom Petty 8 IReprise) 63363 iA&M 25246 (Jambco/Mercury) 00868 R.E.M.: Out Of Time (Mercury) 74582 (MCA) 00150 The Heartbreakers: Into (Warner Bros) 24762 DAS EFX Battle. The Bach Album The Great Wide Open Asrosmith: Pump George Duke: Snapshot Dionne Warwick: Dead Serious )DG: 73670 (Warner Bros) 00176 (MCA) 35409 Traffic: The Low Spark (Geffen) 63678 Friends Can Be Lovers Of High Heeled Boys (ATCO/EastWest) 25328 Emerson, Lake & 10,000 Maniacs: (Arista) 53776 Randy Travis: (island) 25169 Garth Brooks: Neil Diamond: Palmer - Our Time In Eden Greatest Hits Vol. I 12 Greatest Hits Brain Salad Surgery Kathleen Battle Yes: Classic Yes Ropin' The Wind (MCA) 84050 (Elektra) 00126 (Warner Bros )21091 (Atlantic ) 54608 At Carnegie Hall (Atlantic) 50248 (liberty) 25535 Guys And Dolls Arrested Development: (DG( 35091* Randy Travis: The Cure: Wish Michael W. Smith: Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Richard Elliot: New Broadway Cast 3 Years, 5 Months And Temple 01 The Dog (Elektra, Fiction: 11116 Change Your World 2 Days In The Life Of... iWarner Br(is 11125 Soul Embrace (RCA Victor) 61964 (Geffen/Reunion) 20936 (A8M) 31124 (Manhattan) 00871 Olivia Newton -John (Chrysalis) 25357 Bernstein: The Final Eagles: Greatest Whitney Houston: Trespass/Music From The Best Of Al Stewart Back to Basics - Foreigner: The Very Concert :DG 35095 The Essential lilts 1971-1975 I'm Your Baby Tonight The Motion Picture !Arista) 00875 (Asylum) 23481 Best...And Beyond (Warner Bros Sire) John Lennon 8 Yoko Collection 1971-1992 (Arista) 10863 (Atlantic) 24722 00628 Ono: Double Fantasy Patty Smyth (Geffen, 25334 Natalie Cole: Tanya Tucker: Steely Dan: Ala (Capitol) 00333 :MCA) 25090 Unforgettable Cant Run From Yourself Bob James And Carreras. Domingo. (Elektra) 83452 IMCA) 00409 Earl Klugh: Cool Cecilia Bartoli: Madonna: The Pavarotti: 3 Tenors (Liberty) 00179 Guns N' Roses: (Warner Bros )63299 If You Love Me 'mmaculate Collection (London( 35078 Grand Pubs: Reel To Nine Inch Nails: Broken (London) 008621 (Sire) 54164 Reel (Elektra) 30262 1 Use Your Illusion I Neneh Cherry: Best 01 Miles Davis - (Interscope) 00145 1 (Geffen) 35469 1 Homebrew Wilson Phillips: David Bowie. The Capitol. The Rascals' Greatest Best Of Dire Straits: Guns N' Roses: (Virgin) 00239 Shadows 8 Light Chengesbowle Blue Note Years Hits: Time Peace Money For Nothing ISBK, 40763 (Rykodisi 43693 Blue Note) 11000 ,Ailae,e,c: 00357 Use Your Illusion II Alan Jackson: (Warner Bros. 100713 (Geffen) 25534 A Lot About Uvin' INXS: Welcome To (And A Uttle 'Bout Love) Wherever You Are (Ansta) 74074 r (Atlantic) 11070 The Doors: LA. Woman Nirvana: Nevermind (Elektra) 00215 (DGC) 15600 Red Hot Chili Peppers: MIIL*I la Frank Sinatra: The Best Blood Sugar Sex Maglk %/oil% NO POSTAGE 01 The Capitol Years (Warner Bros)) 11127 1 SERVICE NECESSARY (Capitol) 00242 Anti Hendrix Prince And The New Experience: IF MAILED Power Generation: ,r Uve At Winterland (Warner Paisley Park) (Rykodisc) 63650 IN THE 11136 1 The Cars: Greatest Hits UNITED STATES Megadeth: (Elektra) 53702 Countdown The Steve Miller Band: To Extinction Greatest Hits 1974-1978 (Capitol) 63340 (Capitol) 33199 BUSINESS REPLY MAIL k.d. lang: Ingenue Bryan Adams: Waking FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO 5071 INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Warner Bros /Sire) 44370 Up The Neighbours (ABM) 35175 POSTAGE W LL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE Wreckx-N-Effect: U2: Rattle And Hum Hard Or Smooth (Island) 00596 (MCA) 006271 Rod Stewart: George Strait: Pure Downtown Train 83064 Country (MCA ) (Warner Bros 10708 ZZ Top: Greatest Hits The Smiths: Best...) (Warner Bros.) 83411 (Reprise) 248138 Extreme: Color Me Badd: Young, III Sides To Every Story Gifted And Badd-The (A8M) 00119 Remixes (Giant/Repnse) Bonnie Rath: 00417 BMG MUSIC SERVICE Luck 01 The Draw TLC: O000000hhh... P.O. Box 91001 (Capitol) 15567 On The TLC Tip Erasure: Popl The First (LaFace) 50167 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46209-9637 20 Hits (Reprise) 00328 Best 01 The Grateful Nell Young: Dead: Skeletons Lucky Thirteen From The Closet (Geffen) 00656 (Warner Bros.) 83892

1 1 1.1.11.111111I1III _ I _1 I 1 111I1111111111111111111 Jon Secede Bob Marley: Legend U2: War (Island) 24819 The Very Best Of Shirley Horn: (SBK) 10742 (Island) 53521 Start with 4 FREE CDs or Cassettes Now New York Stories Cream: Strange Brew Hers's To Life Lyle Lovett: Joshua (Polydor) 00468 (Shirley Horn w/Strings) Tom Cochrane: (Blue Note/Capitol) (Verve) 11134 at regular Club price Judges Ruth Mad Mad World 00340 Simon Re Garfunkel: Buy only (MCA Curb) 10506 (Capitol) 11024 The Concert 1within a year Fleetwood Mac: Tina Turner: Simply The Michael Crawford: Squeeze: Rumours In Central Park Best (Capitol) 01195 more CDs or Cassettes (Warner Bros.) 44006 Then get 3 Songs From Stage And Singles 45's & Under (Warner 3ros.) 24025 Oklahomal/Sdtrk. of your choice, FREE Screen (Atlantic) 53704 (A&M) 35208 Daryl Hail & John (Broadway Angel) 00890 Steve Winwood: Oates: Rock 'N Soul, Kronos Quartet: The Chronicles Jacky! Q CDs or Cassettes 11 Part 1(RCA) 13313 Pieces Of Africa Commttntrints/Sdtrk. (Island) 34501 (Geffen) 00654 U for the price of I: (Nonesuch) 10472 (MCA) 74016 The Police: Curtis Setters Christopher Williams: Shipping and handling charges are added to wen/ shipment. Sting: The Soul Cages Synchronicity Extreme: Pomograffitti (Arista) 02038 (A&M) 34070 Changes (ARM) 25218 (A&M) 43557 (Uptown) 01189 INXS: Live Baby Live Amy Grant: Heart In Nothing more to buy...EVER! Beauty And The Best Of Vince Gill (Atlantic) 52528 Motion (AMA) 25182 Lemonheads: It's A The Beast Sdtrk (RCA) 00155 Shame About Ray (Disney) 107130 The Best Of White Lion (Atlantic) 01240 Pet Shop Boys: Dohnanyi: Ravel, Little River Band: (Atlantic) 93854 Miles Davis: Doo-Bop Discography -The Bolero (Teldec) 25380 Kitaro: Dream Greatest Hits (Warner Bros) 71151 Dr. Dre: The Chronic Jennifer Warnes: The Complete Singles (Geffen) 53948 (Capitol) 00274 Cecilia Bartoil: (Death Row/Interscope) Collection (EMI) 05605 Betty Carter: It's Not Hunter (Private) 00355 About The Melody Rossini Heroines 012411 Robert Crsy: House Of Pain (London) 35127. Izzy Stradlin And (Verve) 00173 I Was Warned (Tommy Boy) 25416 Henderson: N.Y. Pops Lincoln: Devil's The Ju Ju Hounds Goes To The Movies Eagles: Greatest Hits, (Mercury) 82335 Heart: Rock The House Got ourTongue (Geffen) 00272 Steely Den: Pretzel (Angel) 15580' "Live"! (Capitol) 05603 Vol. 2 (Asylum) 63318 The Best Of Al Di Moots Logic (MCA) 00404 (Verve) 00896 Fleetwood Mee: Reba McEntire: It's Funny Girl/Original (Blue Note) 00308 Starship: Greatest Hits Debbie Gibson: Greatest Hits David Sanbom: Upfront Your Call (MCA) 00422 (RCA) 90270 Body Mind Soul (Warner Bros.) 00796 Broadway Cast Heavy D. And The (Elektra) 11104 (Broadway Angel) 00362 Boyz: Blue Funk Leap Of Faith/Sdtrk. Jackson Browne: (Atlantic) 00881 Van Morrison: (Uptown) 00759 Bernstein in Berlin: (MCA) 00650 Moody Blues: Greatest "Ode To Freedom" Running On Empty Moondance Robert Palmer: Ridin' (Elektra) 11056 (Warner Bros.) 64585 Hits (Threshold) 34284 Mark Collie (DG) 84239' (MCA) 00855 High (EMI) 00226 Trisha Ysarwood: GRP All -Star Big Band Shal: 111 Ever Fell In Hearts In Armor (GRP) 63298 Galway: Greatest Hits, Love (Gasoline (MCA) 21048 Sintiad O'Connor: Vol. 2 (RCA) 10746 Alley/MCA) 00757 Kennedy: Vivaldi, Am I Not Your Girl? Styx: The Grand The Four Seasons (ChrysaksiEnsrgn) 00139 illusion (A&M) 25245 (EMI Classics) 43419 Chant' Moore: Spyro Gyro: Three Precious Wishes (GRP) 00249 (Silas/MCA) 30286 SuzanneV42a: 99.9' F (A&M)

by arcftly. riACA) 11t2 -owes, owns oD""7 1,,,,istm 131

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COMPLETE THIS CARD TODAY AND SAVE! 11 the Club works.Enjoy your introductory selections for 10 Mail to: BMG Music Service / P.O. Box 91001 / Indianapolis, IN 46291-0002 days.11 you are not completely satisfied, you may return them without any further obligation. SIMS.PsoltsCis. 0 Please accept my membership in the BMG Music Service and send my 4 FREE selections as I have indicated I CMS Mak lialllep AI YMI! here under the terms of this offer.I need buy just gge more hit at the regular Club price during the next year. M,.11,1%MIN As soon as you get my payment. Iwill receive a certificate good for my choice of 3 more hits FREE! Shipping - About every three weeks (19 limes a year), you'll receive our MSERVICEM and handling charges are added to all shipments. That's 8 for the price of 1. with nothing more to buy...ever! exclusive Club catalog which contains hundreds of selections from which to choose. Send my selections on (check no only): H Compact Discs co Li Cassettes Each issue highlights a Featured Selection from your INSTANT preferred music category.If you'd like the Featured 4) RUSH ME THESE 4 HITS NOW Selection, do nothing and it will be sent to you automatically. (Indicate by number): It you prefer an alternate selection. or none at all, simply 50°/0 OFF return the Notification Card enclosed with each issue of your I am most interested in the music category checked here-but I am always free to choose from any (ciedt me only): BONUS DISCOUNTS magazine by the date specified on the card. 1 LIGHT SOUNDS 2 COUNTRY 3 [i' HARD ROCK 4 L. POP/SOFT ROCK - You have at least 10 days to retum the Notification Card. If For members who Clint Black Dionne Warwick Foreigner Elton John you do not want the Featured Selection, and do not have 10 choose CDs Frank Sinatra Vince Gill ZZ Top Wilson Phillips days. you may return the Featured Selection at our expense THE BMG MUSIC 57CLASSICAL'2' 67JAZZ 7 [I HEAVY METAL I*Says silk labs! each Dississels.Members who choose Luciano Pavarotti Pat Metheny Megadeth CDs are entitled to instant sales or discounts with every SERVICE ltzhak Perlman David Sanborn Slaughter DIFFERENCE I=1 Mr. I additional CD purchased. These instant Bonus Discounts 0 Mrs. begin with the very first full -price CD you buy. But whether you choose CDs or cassettes, the sales get better the longer You earn instant n Ms. First Name Intel Last Name (PLEASE PRINT) 50% -OFF BONUS I you're a member.Other clubs make you buy 6 or more at full Address Apt. DISCOUNTS every time price before you "earn" savings like this. you buy a CD at regular I*Sem a menlise as lag r yes Be. After joining the Club, you'll I enjoy additional sales and discounts on your favorite music. Club price. Just buy City State Zip However, after you pay for your regular -Club -price selection. one, and take another you may cancel your membership simply by writing to us. at half off. With other Telephone, please( .11 be reply card Is Wales, please write to: BMG Music clubs, you must first Area code Service. P.O. Box 91001,Indianapolis, IN 46291-0002 buy 6 or more at full Signature I tr Parental advisory, exploot lyrics price and become a I Selections era amebic on cassette. (I) Have you bought anything else by mail in the last: : 6 months . year never "Preferred Member" N5154 BMG Service 6550 (I) Members Oro 00064 compact dna me be sewed by the 0MG Compact D. Club Current BMG Commit Dec Club members are not argible before you can get TRADEMARKSMusicUSED IN THEIOErEtaSIidgit6219)11 ARE 121 Members who choose CLASSICAL as Men (Menem Interest will be 'envoi by the BMG Rms.( Musa Servo. e THE PROPERTY OF VARIOUS TRADEMARK OWNERS.

savings like this. Photocopos of tae wry card are tameable ©1993 BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. 4:> nap. We reserve Me nom io mum! *try additional mlomutron or renal any aprecanonLimn.] to new members Only 00108eanendralli oErn arenc trcaodne,mapanyrks wan one memberetup per amityLocal tent rt any. erre be addedOffer readable et Continental USA. Alaska and knew CEDMY AS MUSIC Offer not wobble in Puerto Arco. APO or FPO u SA BMG logo TM BMG Music MiSERVIC CAB HERO

you want to practice this form of theft the end of the session, which included lightly for track skipping and hold it prevention. both driving and parkedlistening down for audible searching.) Also, the I wired the four line -level phono- (Porsches can get pretty noisy), I was electronic volume control is cav too jack outputs to external power amplifi- satisfied with the player's sound quali- slow-it seemed to take forever to ers and connected the ignition and ty.Pop/rock music sounded great, raise and lower volume. Otherwise, battery back-up leads, both of which with punchy, hard-hitting bass re- the ergonomics are very good. But- have in -line filters and fuses.I also sponse and a crisp high end. Classical tons are clearly labeled, and the con- connected the remote -amplifier turn - music sounded smooth and full, with solidation of functionsisintuitive. on lead and ground strap (I ignored the accurate timbre reproduction and sol- This is one head unit whose design power -antenna lead for this installa- id imaging. Thumbs up. actually makes it easy to use all of its tion). Finally, I wired the illumination Finally, risking my car's front-end functions instead of using only a few lead to my car's headlight switch; alignment, I headed down an especial- because you've forgotten (or can't fig- when the headlights go on, the ECD- ly wretched stretch of road to evaluate ure out) how to work the others. And 4I2's display dims and the CD loading the transport's ability to handle shock. the display is highly legible-a particu- slot lights up-a classy touch. The player negotiated some very stiff larly important consideration when For installations in which the head's bumps without mistracking, proving driving in bright sunlight. internal power amplifiers are used, that under normal driving conditions Minor gripes aside, there's no ques- you ignore the line -level outputs and (and then some) the ECD-412 should tion that the ECD-4 12 is a fine example connect the wires running from your have no problems-provided that it's of mobile audio engineering. Its ap- speakers directly to the head's speak- properly installed. pearance is striking, it offers both line - er leads. A switch on the bottom of the A couple of peeves: Although I rare- level and speaker -level outputs, tuner chassis lets you configure the amps for ly use the search controls on car CD performance is clear and robust, and two- or four -channel output. Another players,Ifoundit cumbersome to the CD player's fidelity is excellent- installation option is to use the head's press the band and up/down buttons even driving over rough pavement. In two -channel output to power the front simultaneously. (Eclipse should adopt short, the ECD-412 delivers high -end speakers and to run the line -level out- the single -button scheme used by most car audio at an affordable price. DCC

puts to an external amplifier for the manufacturers: You press the button and MD, eat your hearts out. rear speakers. Road Torts Satisfiedthatthe ECD-4 12 was CD SECTION Channel separation (at 1,000 Hz)33.9 dB properly secured, I hit the road, focus- Maximum output level ing my attention on the tuner. I've 2.5 volts Selectivity Frequency response alternate -channel noticed in the past that Eclipse tuners 73.2 dB +0.04, -1.02 dB, 20 to 20,000 Hz adjacent -channel 18.5 dB could distinguish between strong sta- De -emphasis error (16,000 Hz) .. -0.04 dB tions in dense urban environments Capture ratio (at 65 dBf) 3 dB Channel separation AM refection while providing ironclad rejection of 47.7 dB 1.000 H z 75.2 dB Image rslection multipath interference. In no time at 62.5 dB 20.000 Hz 52.6 dB Frequency response all,it was clear that the ECD-412's Maximum interchannel phase shift FM 30 to 15.000 Hz +1.8, - 0.4 dB tuner follows this design preference. I (at 20.000 Hi AM was able to tune in a station in the 72.8 degrees 30 to 3,000 Hz +0.2. - 7.0 dB Signal-to-noise ratio (A-wId.) 100.1 dB Maximum output level densest part of the FM band and drive Dynamic range )A-wtd.) 93.4 dB (100% FM modulation) 1.36 volts through urban Miami without severely DistortionI IID + N at 1.000 Hz) compromising signal quality, particu- 0 dB larly when the sensitivity switch was 0.016% AMPLIFIER SECTION - 20 dB 0.056% set to local. When the switch was set Unless otherwise noted, all measurements Linearity error fat -90dB) +2.1 dB were made with 14.4 -volt DC power and all to distant, the tuner did a good job of Defect tracking (Pierre Verany #2 test pulling in weak stations, but at the four channels driven into 4 ohms. disc) 1.500 am expense of added noise and interfer- Impact resistance A 1,000 -Hz output at clipping ence. Tuner design always involves ohms 5.8 watts compromise, and the ECD-412's forte TUNER SECTION 4 ohm, 3.9 watts is rejecting strong -signal interference. DistortionITHD t N at 1.000 Hz. I Allmeasurements exceptfrequencyre- If you do a lot of city driving and are watt/ sponse are for FM only. 0.04% tired of noise and static, take this Damping factor 15 urban commando for a test drive. Usable sensitivity (mono) 22.3 dBf Frequency response Next I loaded a disc and turned my 50 -dB quieting sensitivity (mono) 23.6 dBf 20 to 20.000 Hz +0.06.-2.06dB attention to the CD player. Starting Distortion I THD+ N at 65 dBf) Signal-to-noise ratio with pop music and working my way mono 0.87% 1A-wId., referred to I watt) 77.8 dB to more demanding classical works, I stereo 1.66% Tone -control range auditioned the ECD-412 with an ear Signal-to-noise ratio (at 65 dBf) 100 Hz +10.75, -10.55 dB toward transient response, low- and mono 63.5 dB 10.000 Hz +10.20, -9.84 dB high -frequencyreproduction,imag- stereo 41.2 dB ing, low-level linearity, and clarity. At

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 33 SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide. SPECIAL LIGHTS: 11 mg. "tar-, 0.8 mg. nicotine, SPECIAL LIGHTS 100'S: 11 mg."tar-, 0.9 mg. nicotine ay. per cigarette by FTC method. CIAL GHTS

Taste Camel InaWhole New Light TECHNICAL TALK BY JULIAN HIRSCH

tion good (disregarding the specific told by an audiophile or a hi-fi sales- What Makes a music being played).I have never man that Model A sounds much better heard reproduced orchestral music than Model B and therefore is worth Product "Good"? that comes close to duplicating the live its substantially higher cost. Often a sound, nor do I ever expect to. neophyte who does not hear the de- So what is my goal in the enjoyment scribed qualities is reluctant to ques- N Eof the most important goals of of recorded music? I am willing to tion the claims of those who say they every consumer is to make the settle for a "bare bones" outline of the do. That is understandable, and fol- best possible choice in every pur- original live performance, translated lowing an expert's guidance may seem chasing decision. "The best" can to my home well enough that I can like an easy and logical choice. Just he defined in many ways: the recognize what it is trying to mimic. At remember, though, that sometimes 0least expensive, most expensive, best, the reproduced sound suggests the emperor really has no clothes, de- smallest, largest, most reliable, the quality of a concert hall, though it spite the acclaim of those who praise newest, oldest, and, for a small per- would not fool me (or anyone else) for his wardrobe. centage of buyers, the one that gives a moment. Your goal may be very I am not suggesting that expensive, the best performance regardless of different, of course, and fortunately "high -end" electronics are a fraud, or other considerations. each of us can travel his own path that they do not offer value for the Frequently "best performance" is toward its attainment. money. Most that I have seen and used equated with "most expensive," al- But consider, if you will, the ex- are very good by any standard. But though few people can afford the cost- treme subtlety of any sonic differences their added value is not in their sound liest product in the category of their resulting from a hi-fi system's elec- per se. A $1,000 watch, for example, principal interest. When the product is tronics, and the enormous range of might not keep time more accurately ornamental the equation may be per- prices that can be paid for components or last longer than one costing $25, but fectly valid, since its price can truly be whose actual electrical properties dif- it may still be well worth its cost in a major part of the item's "value." fer by very small amounts, if at all. I respect to materials and workman- But what about high-fidelity compo- realize that my suggestion will raise ship, to say nothing of style. nents? In general, their function is to the blood pressure of some readers, The same is true of good high -end reproduce music (or other sounds) for which I apologize in advance, but audio products. I find most of them to with some degree of realism and be- does anyone really think that an ampli- be gemlike in appearance and control lievability. I think most of us are look- fier costing $3,000 gives a tenfold im- action, and they usually use the finest ing for the closest approach to the live provement in sound over one costing components and construction tech- listening experience that we can attain $300? Certainly some people do, but niques. If money were no object, I within our budgets (and, ultimately, double-blindlisteningtestshave would probably have them in my sys- the current state of the art). Unfortunately, what makes a hi-fi product "good" is not easily defined. For most people, sound quality is the Sound quality is determined primarily by the criterion of goodness, but what deter- mines the quality of sound? In my recording, the speakers, and the listening room. view, the sound is determined primarily(say, about 95 percent) by the source (the recording), as modified by the loudspeakers and the listening - shown that very few, if any, listeners tem. I recognize how easy it is to con- room acoustics. To a much smaller can actually hear the differences be- vince yourself that these expensive degree, the electronic components- tween those extremes unless one of products sound better than more afford- CD player, amplifier, or tuner-can the amplifiers is poorly designed, de- able ones, but I have also made A/B affecttheultimatesound, though fective, or overloaded in some way. comparisons between them and their hardly as much as some people would In sharp contrast, the differences mass -market equivalents and found no have you think. Passive accessories, between speakers are usually unmis- audible differences whatever. such as cables and the like, have virtu- takable. A $3,000 speaker will almost So I guess "good" is what makes ally no effect. certainly sound better than a $300 you happy, and what you can afford. So the questions still remain: What speaker, though not necessarily ten That probably applies to just about is good sound, how do you get it, and times better. anything we buy, from candy to cars. how do you recognize it when you I recognize that my criteria of good- But why credit your choice with quali- hear it? I would not presume to answer ness are not necessarily yours. What I ties it does not have? We are fortunate those questions for you. For me, the am suggesting is that each prospective that today's audio components give us sound I hear at a live performance in a buyer of a hi-fi component or system more good sound per dollar than ever well -designed concert hall is by defini- trust his or her own ears. You may be before. Enjoy them for what they are.

36 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Why won't conventional hi-fi speakers work for Home Theater?

You need three front speakers - left, right and center - to achieve realistic home theater, because a stereo pair would place the dialog in the center (where it belongs) from only one listening position. You can't use conventional hi-fi speakers for the SEE YOUR PARTICIPATING center channel, even shielded models, because their dispersion patterns prohibit KEF DEALER raising them too high or laying them on their sides. FOR A SPECIAL KEF's proprietary Uni-Tdriyer, which places its tweeter at the center of the INTRODUCTORY UNI-0 DRIVER TECHNOLOGY woofer, allowed KEF's engineers to create the ideal center channel speakers, the OFFER ON THE LETS EVERYONE BE IN THE "SWEET SPOT." Models 100 and 90. Their uniform dispersion patterns let them be placed beautifully REFERENCE FOR HOME THEATER. above or below the screen, creating the impression that the sound is coming directly from the screen. CALL TOLL -FREE Moreover, the Models 100 and 90 are both Reference Series, which not only ensures their quality and FOR THE DEALER consistency; it permits their use as satellites (front or rear/with or without a subwoofer) and their seamless NEAREST YOU. integration with ()her KEF Reference and 0 -Series loudspeakers. 1-800-859-7232 The Uni-0 dr ver. One of a series of KEF scientific achievements dedicated to one goal: the most realistic performance in your home.

KEF Elect, °flocs of America. Inc. 1701 Touchstone Road. Colonel Heights. VA 23834 The Science of Loudspeakers CIRCLE NO. 23 ON READER SERVICE CARD TEST REPORTS

IlltInlosh POWER GUARD MC 7 1 0 0

STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER

Guard light for that channel flashes as McIntosh MC7100 a warning. If the difference continues to increase, the Power Guard circuit Power Amplifier operates an electronic attenuator at the input to reduce the amplifier gain JULIAN HIRSCH just enough to prevent any further HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES increase in distortion. McIntosh says that distortion will not exceed 2 per- MCINTOSHLaboratory was prob- rated output, at any frequency from 20 cent with as much as 14 dB of over- ably the first company to design to 20,000 Hz. drive. Unlike some conventional am- and manufacture a truly high - Like other McIntosh amplifiers, the plifierprotectioncircuits,Power quality audio amplifier (even by MC7100 incorporates the company's Guard cannot introduce distortion of today's standards), almost a Power Guard circuit, which effective- its own into the sound. half -century ago. And it's still ly prevents audible clipping distortion The MC7100 is protected against going strong today, producing a full line as well as any speaker damage that damage (to itself or to the loudspeak- of state-of-the-art audio components, couldresult from such operation. ers) by several additional circuits. from tuners to loudspeakers. Power Guard compares the input and Sentry Monitor senses the dynamic Currently the lowest -priced and the output signal waveforms, which are operating conditions of the output lowest -powered amplifier in the McIn- ordinarily identical except in ampli- stage and protects it from damage due tosh line, the MC7100 is a basic stereo tude. If the difference between them in to driving a short circuit or an undesir- power amplifier rated at 100 watts per either channel is more than the equiva- ably low speaker -load impedance. The channel into 8 ohms or 150 watts into lent of 0.3 percent harmonic distor- MC7100 isrelativelyefficient and 4 -ohm loads. A switch on the amplifi- tion,the amber front -panel Power needs no cooling fan, but prolonged er's back panel converts it to bridged - operation at high power levels without mono operation, with a 300 -watt pow- Dimensions adequate ventilation could result in er rating into 8 ohms. 171/2 inches wide, Ws inches high, undesirably high temperatures. In that McIntosh amplifiers have always 151/2 inches deep event, a thermal cutout turns off the been noted for their very low distor- Price speaker output and the Power Guard 9 tion, and the MC7100 is no exception. $995 lights come on to indicate that thermal2 It is specified to have no more than Manufacturer protection is engaged. The amplifier 0.005 percent total harmonic or inter - McIntosh Laboratory, Inc., Dept. SR, turns back on automatically when the modulation distortion at any power 2 Chambers St., Binghamton, NY 13903-2699 temperature returns to a safe level.0 level from 250 milliwatts up to the Finally, a circuit protects the speakers0

38 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 In a recent survey, 9 out of 10 employers said that they prefer the qualities of determination, good judgment and self-discipline. Qualities that the Army develops. Qualities that The best place to start a business career isn't always in business. will help you in any career, and throughout life. To find out more about how the Army can help give you an edge on a carver, call 1 -800 -USA -ARMY.ARMY. BE ALL YOU CAN BE. Definitive Technolo!4 Authorized Dealers

AK -Hoist's: Fairbanks. Pyramid: Anchorage. AL -In Concert: Huntsville. Likis Audio:Birmingham. JEST REPORTS AR -Leisure Electronics: Little Rock. AZ- Jerry's Audio Video: Phoenix, Tucson. CA- Audio Concepts: Long Beach, San Gabriel. Creative Stereo: Sta. Barbara, Ventura. Henry Radio: Los Angeles* from damage by shutting off the out- specifications by a comfortable mar- Pacific Coast AN:Corona del Mar* Paradyme: Sacrament. puts if a DC voltage should appear. gin and produced exceptionally low Performance Audio: San Francisco. Sound Co.: Escondi.. San Diego. Sound Goods: Campbell, Mtn. View. Systems The MC7100 is a relatively compact distortion in the process. Total har- Design: Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach* Wilson Audio Vide. amplifier with about half of its interior monic distortion (THD) at 1,000 Hz Woodland Hills CSL1- Listen Up Deriver, Boulder, Colorado Springs. occupied by the massive heat -sink ranged from 0.0043 to 0.0037 percent CI- Al Franklin's: iarttordCarston's AN: Danbury. structure for its twelve complemen- from 1 to 100 watts into 8 ohms with Robert's Music: New London. Sound Playground: Newing tary -symmetry output transistors and both channels driven and from 0.0044 ton, Orange, Nerwica. DC aulargs- Audio Associates a large toroidal power transformer. Its to 0.0029 percent from 1 to 150 watts DE - Sound Stuck: Dover, Newark, Wilmington. rear apron has barrier -type terminal EL- Absolute Soiled: Winter Pars. Audio Ctr.: Ft. Laud- erdale* Audio Video: Tallahasee. Home Theater Systems: strips for the speaker outputs, accept- St. Augustine. Hoy. Stereo: Jacksonville* Sound Ideas: ing only wires or spade lugs. There are Gainesville. Sound Insight: Ft. Nrce Stereotypes: Dayto Stereo Workt Ft. Myers, Naples* Stuart AN: Stuart. also finger -operated input -sensitivity TheMcIntosh MC7100 CA -Audio Warehouse: Savanna-i. Stereo Shop: Martinez. controls for the two channels, a small Stereo Video Systems: Marietta (Atlanta). HI- Maui Audio Center Kahului. slide switch that converts the amplifier 1A- Audio Logic: Des Moines* Custom AN: Cedar Rapids. from stereo to bridged -mono opera- exceeded its power ID- Good Ear :Boise. 11.- August Systems: Champaigr Jon's Home Center tion, a line -fuse holder, and an un- Quincy. Mills Recording: Chicago* Simply Stereo: Hotline switched AC outlet. specifications by a Estates, Orlanc Pk., Villa Pk.. Stereo Studio: Palatine. Like other McIntosh products, the Sound: Naperville. Sterling Elect.: Sterling. MC7100 is designed for installation in 111- Ovation Audio: Clarksville, Indianapolis. comfortable margin and Ka- Advance Audio: Wichita. Audio Junction: JunctionCi cabinets or racks with the company's pa-Ovation Audio Lexington, Louisville. IA- Alterman Audo: New Orleams, Metairie. Panlocsystem.OncethePanloc O'Coins: Worcester. (Boston: see Nashua, NH). shelves (supplied with the amplifier) with exceptionally low IQ- Audio Assoc. Annapolis, Laurel, Rockville. Cumberla Bac.: Cumberland. Gramophone: Balt., Ellicott City Soun . have been screwed into the cabinet, scape: Bat! Souni Studio: Salisbury. the amplifier can be slid in and fas- distortion. 111- Cookin' : Portland. front -panel 14 Future Sound: Ypsilanti* Listening Room: Midland, Sa. tened by turning two naw Pecar's: Detroit, Troy. Sound North: Iron Mountain. thumbscrews. If necessary, its remov- MA- Audio Perfection: Minneapolis. al is just as simple and quick. Since the WQ- Independence Audio Video: Independence (K.C.). Sound Central. St. Louis. amplifier has a normal steel protective into 4 ohms. (The thermal protection tic- Audio Video Systems: Charlotte. Stereo Sound: case and an unusually attractive front shut the amplifier down several times Durham, Greensbo ID, Raleigh, Wnston Salem. ND- Pacific Sound: Bismarck. panel, it is equally suited to an open during these tests, but it came on again HE.- Custom Electronics: Omaha, Lincoln. installation on a table or shelf. after a minute or so.) Maximum power NH Cookin': Nashua, Manchester, Newington, Salem, S. Nashua. The McIntosh MC7100 became only output into 8 ohms at 0.1 percent dis- NJ- Sound Waves: Northfieici Sassafras: Cherry Hill. Woo. moderately warm during our precon- tortion was 132 to 136 watts from 50 to bridge Stereo: W. Caldwell, W. L Dngbranch, Woodbridge. NM- West Coast Sound: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Sta. Fe. ditioning and testing (in normal use, its 20,000 Hz, falling to 124 watts at 20 Hy-Upper Ear: Las Vegas. exterior remained very close to room Hz. Into 4 ohms, the available output tiy- Audio Breakthroughs: Manbasset Audio Den: Lake temperature). It exceeded its power was between 205 and 210 watts from Grove. Audio Expressions: Newburgh* Clark Music: Alban Syracuse* Electronic Workshop: Manhattan. Hart Electron 80 to 20,000 Hz and 192 watts at 20 Hz. ice: Vestal* Innovative Audio: Brooklyn. Listening Room: Input sensitivity for a 1 -watt refer- Scarsdale. Rowe Camera: Rochester* Sound Mill: Mt. Kisc. Yorktown Hts. Speaker Shop: Amherst, Buffalo. MEASUREMENTS ence output into 8 ohms was 140 milli- K Labe Premium Audio: Tu'sa. volts (mV) with the sensitivity adjust- al- Audio Craft Akron, Cleveland, Findlay, Mayfield Hts., Output at clipping (1,000 Hz) ment at maximum and 260 mV with the Westlake, Toledo. Audio Etc.: Fairborn (Dayton). 8 ohms 126 watts Q13- Bradford's HiFi: Eugene. Chelsea Audio Video: Port- control at its detented middle setting, land, Beaverton. Kelly's Home Salem. 4 ohms 200 watts which McIntosh recommends if the GNT Stereo: Lancaster. Hart Electronics: Blakely, Clipping headroom (referred to rated output) Kngston Listening Post: Pittsburgh & suburbs* overall system levels permit it. Noise Sassafras: Bryn Mawr, Montgomeryville, Whitehall. Stere- 8 ohms 1.0 dB was unusually low and frequency re- o:and. Natrona Heights. Studio One: Erie. 4 ohms 1.25 dB sponse extremely flat-within ±0.02 RI- Eastern Audio: North Providence. Dynamic power .ss,- Audio Warehouse: Hilton Head* Dashboard: Charlesto dB from 10 to 100,000 Hz and down Stereo Video: Greenville. Upstairs Audio: Columbia. 8 ohms 144 watts just 0.25 dB at 200,000 Hz. IY Hi Fi Buys. Naahville Lindsey Ward: Knoxville* Moder 4 ohms 220 watts Music: Memphis* Sound Room: Johnson City. The McIntosh MC7100 represents a TA- Audio Tech: Temple, Waco. Audio Video: College Dynamic headroom (referred to rated output) happy combination of truly state-of- Station. Brock AN: Beaumont. Bunkley's Sd. Systems: Abi 8 ohms 1.6 dB lene. Bjorn's: San Antonio. Don's Hi Fit Amarillo* HighFi- the-art performance and design, hand- del'ity: Lubbock* Home -Entertainment: Dallas, Houston. 4 ohms 1.7 dB some styling, and electrical and me- LEE- AudioWorks: Sat Lake City. Stokes Bros.: Logan. Frequency response (20 to 20,000 Hz) y_g-Audio Associates: Arlington Fairfax, Manassas. Au- chanical ruggedness from a company d.otronktr Roanoke. Digital Sound: Virginia Beach. Ear ±0.02 dB that has enjoyed an enviable reputa- Food: Winchester. Stereotypes: Charlottesville. Maximum distortion NI- City Stereo: Birlington. tion for customer support and product A- Audio Wades Everett* DESCO Electronics: Olympia. (THD, I watt to rated power) reliability for almost fifty years. It is Eiergreen Audio: Silverdale. Sound Mart: Spokane* Tin Ea 8 ohms 0.0043% at 1 watt also something of a bargain for a McIn- Kennewick. 4 ohms 0.0044% at 1 watt ILYA- Sound Post: Princeton. tosh product. Priced well below most td- Absolute Sound & Vision: Sheboygan. Audio Empori- Noise (A -weighted, referred to 1 watt) so-called "high -end" amplifiers, it ap- um: Milwaukee. -98 dB Puerto Rico- Precision Audio: Rio Piedras. pears to provide most of their good Quiede- Advance Electronics: Winnipeg* Audio Ark: Ed- Sensitivity qualities at a price not far above those monton* Audio Ctn.: Montreal. Ottawa, Quebec City Bay (for a I -watt output into 8 ohms) 140 mV Moor. Toronto. CORA: Quebec City. Great West Audio: Lo of many well-known mass -market de- don* Peak Audio: Halifax. Sight & Sound: Prince Georges signs. That's great engineering. 0 B C. Smith's TV: Lethbridge Alb.. Sound Advice: Calgary. Sound Hounds: Victoria B.C.* Sound Room: Vancouver. Sound Station Courtenay B.C. 40 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Definitive Technology° "Definitive Technology Has Hit the Bull's Eye"

- Julian Hirsch,Stereo Review Experience the Miracle of Bipolar Technology with Definitive's Revolutionary BP8,10 & 20!

"Truly Outstanding" superb music and movie re- - Stereo Review production so real that it has been called, "a sonic miracle!" Experts agree that Definitive's revolutionary bipolar BP8, The Ultimate Home Theatre BP10 and BP20 are three of the Combine the BP8s,10s, or 20s world's finest speakers and are with our C/L/R 1000 or Cl cen- sonically superior to speakers ter channel and BP2 bipolar selling for many times their surround speakers for the ulti- remarkably affordable cost. mate in home theatre sound. These advanced technology Visit your nearest Definitive bipolar (front and rear radiat- dealer and experience the dra- ing) systems combine lush matic sonic superiority of spacious soundstaging, life- these truly extraordinary like depth -of -field, razor-sharp ViVA Gold Product -of -the -Year resolution and pinpoint 3-D arid CES Design & Engineering imaging with powerful sub - Award winning loudspeakers. woofer -like bass (to below 20 Hz), high efficiency, wide Definitive Technology® BP16- $550 RP8 - 3399 ed. dynamic range and easy -to - 11105 Valley Heights Drive Baltimore, MD 21117 P2i) -'s7'19 position convenience for See dealer list on lacing page (410) 363-7148 CIRCLE NO 15 ON READER SERVICE CARD Hsi REPORTS

dB). Since this pre -emphasis has a Denon TU-680NAB negligible effect below 2,000 or 3,000 Hz, it will not impair the quality of AM/FM Tuner reception through existing receivers or tuners that do not pass the higher JULIAN HIRSCH frequencies.If anything,itshould HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES slightly improve their sound. The Denon TU-680NAB is a very conventional -looking component, with our regular readers probably section, using the widely accepted C- none of the "glamorizing" design or know, AM performance is per- Quam system, meets the new AM styling features often found on state- haps the least of the concerns of broadcast standards (AMAX), and its of-the-art products. Itis small and most tuner designers. Of the FM tuner section is of comparable light (less than 7 pounds), with a sim- hundreds of tuners and receiv- quality. A major goal of the AMAX ple black panel and a conventional Asers I have tested and used over standard was to increase the audio grouping of control buttons. A row of the past thirty-five or more years, bandwidth of AM programs, as re- ten numbered buttons and an Enter those with AM quality adequate for ceived by the listener, to a range of 50 button enable up to thirty preset AM anything more than speech reproduc- to 7,500 Hz. To that end, it calls for a or FM station frequencies to be memo- tion could easily be counted on the 75 -microsecondpre -emphasis(the rized and recalled. A parallel row of fingers of one hand. The frequency same characteristic used in FM trans- buttons above them controls the tun- range of their audio output rarely ex- mission) to boost the level of the high ing mode (auto -mute or manual), in- tends as high as 3,000 Hz, and a more frequencies in the audio program. A termediate -frequency (IF) bandwidth usual upper limit is in the range of fully compatible receiver will have a (wide or narrow on both AM and FM 2,000 to 2,500 Hz. complementary de -emphasis in its au- bands), and FM and AM noise reduc- In an effort to expand the audience dio section, resulting in an overall tion (NR/NB). Two large tuning but- for AM radio, the Electronic Indus- response essentially flat over a range tons scan up or down in frequency, tries Association (EIA) and National of 50 to 7,500 Hz or more (the specifi- one channel at a time or continuously Association of Broadcasters (NAB) cations of the NRSC call for an AM until a signal is acquired, depending on several years ago jointly established a response of 50 to 7,500 Hz +1.5, -3 the setting of the auto mute/manual committee (the NRSC) to develop switch. A large power button is locat- standards for improved AM broadcast ed at the left end of the panel. quality. To enable broadcasters to DIrmnslons The display window shows the evaluate the success of the proposed 171/4 inches wide, 2V, inches high. tuned frequency, band, and preset AM broadcast standard, Denon de- and 111/4 inches deep channel number (if applicable), plus signed and manufactured a limited Price legendsidentifyingtheoperating number of tuners incorporating the $600 mode (stereo, mono, auto, manual). Az committee's recommendations. Manufacturer multisegment signal -strength indica-a The Denon TU-680NAB is essen- Denon America. Dept. SR, 222 New Rd.. tor and identifying lights for the band- Parsippany, NJ 07054 tially that tuner, now available to the width and noise -reduction functions0 general public. Its stereo AM tuner complete the display.

42 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Most of the World's Finest Sounding Loudspeakers Cost Over $5000. Only Two Sell for Under $299 Each.. Definitive Technology's Astounding DR7s!

"Incredible" How does Definitive do it? - Peter Moncrieff, IAR Advanced technology and superb components, like cast magnesium When Peter Moncrieff of basket drivers, transmission line International Audio Review, one bass tuning, low diffraction of the world's most well respected monocoque cabinets and Linkwitz- high end audio journals, heard Riley crossovers, all help. But most Definitive Technology's DR7s, he importantly, we hear very well and had only one word for them, we care. "Incredible." Perfect for home theatre. Priced under $299 ea. (DR7 Combine either DR7 with our Tower- studio finish) and $249 award -winning Cl ultra center ea. (DR7 Bookshelf Monitor), channel and BP2 bipolar surround these extraordinary handcrafted speakers for a sonically stunning loudspeakers have breathtaking home theatre which is clearly three-dimensional imaging, superior sounding to other manu- dynamic lifelike clarity, natural facturers' systems selling for musicality, astounding bass, and thousands more. elegantly sleek designer styling which make them simply the Ajw. Definitive Technob I)It7 Tower best value in the history of hi fi. s,299 11105 Valley Heights Drive Baltimore, MD 21117 See dealer list on page 40 (410) 363-7148 TESI REPORIS

On the rear apron are the output have used in many a year, in addition phono jacks for left and right channels MIASUROMINTS to its other admirable qualities. and three sets of antenna terminals. The FM section was equally note- These include inputs for the furnished worthy. As with most good tuners, its All figures are for FM only except frequency frequency response was flat within detachable and pivoting AM loop an- response. tenna, a separate powered AM anten- better than ±0.5 dB from 20 to 12,000 na or long wire, and a coaxial 75 -ohm Usable sensitivity (mono) 11 dBf Hz, though it fell off sharply to -1.3 FM antenna. 50 -dB quieting sensitivity dB at 15,000 Hz (not an audibly signifi- Operating the tuner is as simple as mono 17 dBf cant loss). The stereo channel separa- can be. Stereo/mono switching is autostereo (wide/narrow) 33/35 dBf tion, as often happens, was slightly matic for both AM and FM (with a Signal-to-noise ratio (at 65 dBf) different from left to right than from clear indication of stereo reception in mono (wide/narrow) 82.5/82.2 dB right to left. The "poorer" of the two the display window). The bandwidth stereo (wide/narrow) 77/75 dB displayed 50 dB of separation (out- selector offers narrow -band reception Distortion (THD + N at 65 dBf) standing) from 300 to 3,000 Hz and for best interference rejection or wide - mono (wide/narrow) 0.10/0.24% was still a very good 43 dB at 12,000 band reception for highest sound qual- stereo (wide/narrow) 0.10/0.25% Hz, above which the separation fell ity with clean signals. The noise -re- Capture ratio (at 65 dBf) sharply. In the "better" direction, the duction system has distinctly different wide/narrow 1.1/3.2 dB separation was greater than 60 dB functions for the two bands. In stereo AM refection (wide/narrow) 80/85 dB from 350 to 1,200 Hz, falling to about FM reception, it progressively blends Selectivity 50 dB between 3,000 and 12,000 Hz. In the two channels at high frequencies alternate -channel (wide/narrow) 48/75 dB both cases, the separation fell at low as the signal weakens, reducing noise adjacent -channel (wide/narrow) 5/20 dB frequencies, where it is subjectively while maintaining useful stereo sepa- Pilot -carrier leakage - 83 dB less important, to about 33 dB at 20 ration at middle frequencies. In stereo Hum - 76 dB Hz. The narrow -IF -bandwidth FM AM, it switches in a noise -blanking Channel separation mode considerably reduced channel circuit designed to reduce impulse 100 Hz 37 dB separation, althoughitalways re- noise rather than the hiss that can 1,000 Hz (wide/narrow) 62/40 dB mained greater than required for sub- disturb weak FM signal reception. 10,000 Hz (wide/narrow) 51/24 dB jectively complete stereo separation- The tuner comes with a wireless Frequency response about 35 dB across most of the audio remote control that duplicates the FM 30 to 15,000 Hz +0.3, -1.3 dB range, falling to 25 dB at 14,000 Hz. front -panel band -selector, tuning - AM (wide) 57 to 11,000 Hz +1. -3 dB The FM 50 -dB quieting sensitivity mode, and band -scanning functions as AM (narrow) 60 to 7,300 Hz +0.3, -3 dB was good in mono and superb in ste- well as providing buttons that auto- reo. The "usable sensitivity," which matically scan the preset channels or actually haslittlepracticalsignifi- an entire band. cance, matched the published specifi- The instruction "manual" is a single and FM bands recently changed the cation. The other tuner specifications sheet, folded in quarters, explaining format of its AM facility, so we were were also verified, and in some cases thetuner's operating controls and unable to make a true A/B comparison surpassed, in our tests, within the nor- rear -apron terminals and their func- between the two modes. mal range of measurement error. Es- tions. Although it also includes the The measured AM tuner frequency pecially noteworthy were the 1.1 -dB usual performance specifications, response was flat within -±1 dB from capture ratio, 80 -dB AM rejection, there is no information on the tuner's 100 to 8,800 Hz and down 3 dB at 57 and 80 -dB image rejection. We veri- special features. and 10,000 Hz in the wide -bandwidth fied the rated 75 -dB alternate -channel Our laboratory tests confirmed the mode. In its narrow -band mode, the selectivity with the narrow IF band- TU-680N AB'soutstandingperfor- response was identical to the wide - width, and in its wide mode our read- mance on both the AM and FM bands. band measurements up to 3,000 Hz, ing came very close to its 50 -dB rating. Lacking stereo test facilities for AM, down 1 dB at 6,500 Hz, and down 3 dB Good as these measurements are, we had to judge that aspect of the at 7,300 Hz. In either mode, the TU- the proof of the tuner's quality lies in tuner's performance by listening to 680NAB was vastly superior to any the listening. Without checking back stereo AM broadcasts. The stereo in- other AM tuner we have seen in years. through years of test files, I cannot say dication in the display window lit on A notice accompanying the tuner with certainty whether thisisthe six AM channels, although the pro- advised that its AM noise blanker is "best" tuner we have ever tested, but gram material rarely gave any audible effective on impulse noise like that my strong impression isthatitis. clues that it was broadcast in stereo. created by some automobile ignition Totally lacking in glamour, it brings The basic quality of its AM recep- systems but may have no effect on AM into almost the same league as FM tion, however, in respect to both fre- constant noise. We discovered this for insofar as audible qualities are con- quency response and noise, was clear- ourselves: The noise blanker had no cerned. I have no doubt that if AM and ly superior to what we are accustomed effect that we could discern (our major FM stations were transmitting the to hearing on that band. Subjectively, sources of AM noise are the fluores- same program, it would be difficult to it came remarkably close to FM quali- cent lamps in the lab, and only critical distinguish between them with much ty. Unfortunately, the only good mu- positioning of the AM loop antenna material. The Denon TU-680NAB is a sic station in the New York area to has any effect on that). But I must say winner if I ever saw and heard one, have simultaneous outlets on the AM that this was the quietest AM tuner we and a good value at its price.

44 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Perfect back flip, with a twist. Impord English Gin, 473% Ac/Vol (94 6° ),100% Grain Neutral Spirits CcJ 1993 Schieffelin 6 Somerset Co, New York, NTanqueray®

The People's Choices

Ford was the first car maker to offer compact disc capability in our high performance automotive sound systems. It's not surprising that for

SHUFFLE 1993, no other car company has ("3

more ways for you to enjoy the S ofRAWMVP N REV/FF wide-open sound of compact discs. You'll also find advanced technical Compact Disc Player* features like dynamic range compression for optimum listening pleasure no matter what the road or driving conditions may be. And SCAN SEEK our popular ten CD changer allows TUNE you the convenience and freedom of over ten hours of your favorite Compact Disc Radio* "traveling music" without ever having to handle a compact disc while driving. You can arrange for an audition at your local Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer; bring your favorite CD for a test -listen and we think Trunk -Mounted len CD Changer* you'll agree that "you've never heard it so good:' *Ford Compact Disc Systems are optional on select Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles.

AUDIO SYSTEMS The Sound of Quality TESL REPORIS

The new B&O Beolab 8000 speaker is an excellent example of the company's approach to product design. Its shape is unlike that of any other speaker, resembling an organ pipe tapering to a mere half inch in diameter at its bottom, where it is fastened to a heavy cast-iron base. The speaker enclosure is a polished aluminum tube 33/4 inches in diameter and 391/2 inches long. Each speaker weighs 47 pounds. The B&O 8000's speaker panel, 51/2 inches wide, is covered by a thin, opaque, nonremovable black grille cloth that effectively hides the drivers. At the top of the conical support section is a hinged door that opens to reveal a multicontact DIN socket, a three -position slide switch, a standard phono jack, and the socket for an AC line cord. Despite its compact dimensions, the Beolab 8000 is a powered speaker, containing two 80 -watt amplifiers and an electronic crossover network. A single3/4 -inch tweeter, cooled and damped by ferrofluid, is located about a foot below the top of the column. Below itare two nominally 4 -inch woofers (as closely as we could determine by feeling them through the grille, their actual radiating diameter is about 3 inches). The crossover from the upper woofer to the tweeter (whose centers are only about 31/2 inches apart) is at 4,200 Hz, with fourth -order (24 -dB -per -octave) slopes for both drivers. The lower woofer operates only below 300 Hz, with a 6 -dB -per -octave cutoff slope, and reproduces only the lowest part of the system's range. The aluminum tube serves as a vented enclosure, with a 2 -inch port located at the top of the panel. Below the drivers is the compact dual -80 -watt amplifier, occupying the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8000 bottom 16 inches of the aluminum tube. The response of the bass amplifier is boosted at low frequencies to Loudspeaker System compensate for the natural rolloff of JULIAN HIRSCH the small woofers. B&O says that the HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES maximum bass boost in the range of 30 to 250 Hz is about 8 dB. Minor level THEDanish firm of Bang & Olufsen corrections for different driver sensi- (B&O) is well known for the inno- Dimensions I tivities are made during manufacturing vative design of its audio and vid- 52 inches high. 63/4 inches square at base by trimming the amplifier gain, which eo products. B&O components Prim is said to keep the variation in overall are designed for people who ap- $3,000 a pair sensitivity from one Model 8000 to preciate attractive styling as well Monufactumr another within 0.4 dB. The amplifier's as good listening or viewing quality Bang & Olufsen, Dept. SR, 1150 heat sinks, in the front portion of the8 Feehanville Dr., Mount Prospect. IL 60056 0 and are willing to pay for a combina- tubular column, did not become no-0 tion of those features. ticeably warm in normal use.

48 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 TESI REPOHIS

The B&O Beolab 8000 is designed to realized, are quite moderate for a loud- With most music, the Beolab 8000 be driven from the line outputs of a speaker and should not be compared was able to play surprisingly loud in tuner, receiver, tape deck, or CD play- with the response measurements of our listening room (loud enough to er. When used with a B&O receiver, electronic components. interfere with conversation) without the connection is made through a spe- The sensitivity of a powered speak- sounding strained or distorted. As cial cable with eight -pin DIN plugs at er cannot be compared directly with with almost any speaker, a good sub - both ends. The switch within the sup- that of a conventional speaker. The woofer would be helpful, but we did port structure can be set to drive each Beolab 8000 required an input of 400 not find the bass lacking in any sub- speaker from either channel. With a millivoltsmV) of wide -band pink stantive respect, and any such defi- conventional (non-B&O) source com- noise to generate a 90 -dB SPL at 1 ciency would be more than compen- ponent, a single -channel cable fitted meter. That result suggested, and we sated for by the speaker's remarkable with standard phono plugs is used, and confirmed it by our use tests, that the invisibility. the third position of the speaker's se- speaker can be driven to very ade- I use "invisibility" advisedly. Not lector switch connects its amplifiers to quate listening levels by any normal only does this speaker fit almost any the adjacent phono jack. stereo component. decor, but itis certainly one of the The speakerisdesignedto be To measure the woofer distortion, mostaudiblyinvisible speakers avail- plugged into a live socket at all times, we drove one speaker with a constant - able. The sound simply fills the space which lights a red LED at the bottom level 400 -mV signal stepping from 20 at the front of the room, never appear- of the enclosure. When a signal ap- to 2,000 Hz. In a close-miked mea- ing to come from the slender alumi- pears at the input terminal, the speak- surement with our Audio Precision num and black columns. And, not er switches on automatically, and the testsystem,distortionreadings- incidentally, the apparent instability light changes to green. If no signal is probably exacerbated by the amplifi- of these relatively tall speakers, each present for about 2 minutes, the speaker's bass boost-were rather high be- supported by a single '/cinch stainless - er automatically returns to its standby low 100 to 200 Hz. We obtained read- steel bolt, is also an illusion (although I mode. ings in the vicinity of 1 percent from wouldn't want them to share a room For our measurements and listening 300 to 2,000 Hz, rising to 10 percent at with small children). Theycanbe tests, we placed the B&O Beolab 8000 100 Hz and a maximum of 30 percent tipped over, but not easily. speakers as we would any convention- at 50 Hz. You do pay a price for the combina- al speakers, several feet from any To put these figures into perspec- tion of acoustical and aesthetic quali- wall. They were driven directly from tive, the basssoundedsolid and sur- ties built into the B&O Beolab 8000 laboratory signal generators or a pre- prisingly potent-one would never speakers. At $3,000 a pair they're not amplifier instead of a power amplifier. suspect that it was generated by two cheap, but the price is quite reason- With minor variations, the compos- tiny cones. In listening to a variety of able when you consider the sophistica- ite frequency -response curve sloped program material, we found the Beo- tion of their design, the quality of their down with increasing frequency from lab 8000 to have a very adequate bass construction and sound, and the elimi- a maximum in the 60- to 120 -Hz range response, comparable to that of many nation of the need for a bulky and to a plateau about 8 dB lower between compact conventional speakers. expensive power amplifier. 2,500 and 12,000 Hz, then rose about 5 dB from 12,000 to 20,000 Hz. The "raw" room response was similar above 300 Hz, where there was a slight peak of about 5 dB. It returned to the midrange level at 180 Hz and was remarkably flat below that point, within -±1.5 dB from 60 to 200 Hz. Output dropped precipitously below 60 Hz, at about 24 dB per octave. Response measurements onthe tweeter's axis, with a sweeping one- third octave noise band, roughly confirmed our other measurements, specifically the elevated output at 300 Hz (4 dB in this case). The tweeter's dispersion was very good, with the response 45 degrees off -axis only 2 dB down at 10,000 Hz and 8 dB down at 20,000 Hz. Quasi-anechoic MLS frequency -response measurements showed a relatively flat response above 4,000 Hz (in the tweeter's range) and a drop of 3 to "Hey, Gorman! Me and Tony lad a talk, 5 dB between 1,500 and 4,000 Hz. and we each want a carton of cigarettes every week These response aberrations, it must be to keep your speakers in our cells...."

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 49 Stereo Review TEST REPORTS SUBSCRIBER SERVICE

Place label here

MOVING?Please give us 8 weeks advance notice. Attach label with your old address, and write in new address below.

RENEWING?Check box below and attach label with corrections marked, if any. Klipsch kg" SUBSCRIBING?Check box and fill in coupon. For gift sub- Loudspeaker System scriptions attach a separate sheet. JULIAN HIRSCH HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES Send Stereo Review for 1 year at $15.94 ./. HEKlipsch kg'' is a compact two- and listeningtests, we placed the way speaker with two 61/2 -inch speakers on 26 -inch stands, 3 feet in 0 New subscription 0 Renewal woofers in a vented enclosure front of a wall and about 8 feet apart. 0 Payment enclosed 0 Bill me that cross over to a horn -loaded The room response was excellent, Canadian orders add $8 per year. tweeter at 2,200 Hz. The woofers with an overall variation of about 5 dB Foreign orders add $8 per year. are located near the top and bot- from 60 to 20,000 Hz, except for an tom of the speaker panel, with the unavoidable floor reflection that intro- tweeter between them. Like other duced a 5 -dB peak at 270 Hz. NAME Klipsch speakers, the kg'' has above - The close-miked woofer response, average efficiency,withsensitivity when combined with the port radia- ADDRESS rated as 93 dB sound -pressure level tion, resulted in a response curve that (SPL) at 1 meter with a 2.83 -volt drive varied about ±2.5 dB from 30 to 200 signal.Its nominal impedance is 8 CITY ohms, its frequency response is speci- Dimensions fied as 50 to 20,000 Hz ± 3 dB, and it is 191/4 inches high, 91/4 inches wide, STATE recommended for use with amplifiers 91/4 inches deep rated up to 75 watts output. Finish /it' The speaker's wooden cabinet has a Oak veneer removable black cloth grille. Binding - Price post terminals recessed into the rear of $450 a pair the cabinet, just below the enclosure 1(303) 447-9330 Manufacturer vent, accept wire ends, lugs, or dual Klipsch, Dept. SR, P.O. Box 688, STEREO REVIEW banana -plug connectors. Hope, AR 71801 For room -response measurements P.O. Box 55627 L BOULDER, CO 80322 50 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Every so often, a product is introduced Cinema DSP settings for video alone. Includ- that's so good, it serves as the benchmark for ing four 70mm settings-Adventure, Spectacle, an entire industry. Yamaha's critically acclaimed Musical and General -to give movies DSP-A1000 is such a product. more spatial depth and impact in your And Yamaha's new DSP-A2070 is another. home than you probably ever imagined. Unquestionably, the most advanced digital All made possible by Yamaha's sound field processor/amplifier you'll find on new LSI technology. A major accom- the market. Due in no small part to a Yamaha plishment that creates sound fields development that makes going to the movies three times more detailed than even actually pale by comparison. our critically acclaimed DSP-A1000. one 4the CINEMAWe call it Cinema DSP. An awe- Other notable features include sophisti- IDS1=0 ate. yet inspiring blend of technology that an on -screen display for sound field .timpito Orr. are remotes multiplies the effects of Digital Sound Field adjustment. Seven -channel ampli- eiwr dcsigne4 Processing and fully -digital Dolby Pro Logic! fication. Pre -amp outputs on all channels to The net result is a home theater com- permit additional amplification. Five audio and ponent that's a generation ahead of anything six video inputs. And split subwoofer outputs else on the market. Giving dialogue more to accommodate two front subwoofers. definition. Music, more dynamic range. And Yamaha's exceptional DSP-A2070 We sound effects, more graphic deail, superior think of it as the most sophisticatedaucio- placement and far greater realism. video product on the market. Understandably, And there's more. All told, there are 12 our competition tends yAmAHK audio settings for your favorite music. Plus 11 to see it a bit differently What the competition will be using for target practice thisyear.

YAMAHA -L Al.;1641,4

UT MOUE HEATER 1 70mm SFsctacle

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- ;7-'2 -

Call 1-800-368-8883 for the Yamaha dealer nearest you. © 1993 Yamaha Electronics Corporation, LTSA..Dolby Pm Logic it a registered trademark of Dtdby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Yarnaha.Blettn)nics,gurporaticin. USA. PO.Box 6660. Buena Park. CA -90622

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YOUR SENSES ARE AT FULL THROTTLE. AND CRISF. AND THE DEER DRIVING BASS YOUR WORRIES ARE FORGOTTEN. THE ItS RIVALED ONLY BY THE THUMPING OF

JENSEN IS CRANKED AND ALL THAT YOUR HEART.

MATTERS IS THE NEXT SONG. DUAL VOICE COIL FOR SOME FREE INFO ABOUT JENSEN PROFESSIONAL SUBWOOFER WITH DYNAMIC TWEETERS, OVERSIZED PRODUCTS AND WHERE TO BUY THEM, CALL MAGNETS, AND HIGH POWER HANDLING. 1 -800 -67 -SOUND. JENSEN SPEAKERS DELIVER YOU TO A WORLD WHERE THE MUSIC LIVES CLEAN JENSEN® THE MOST THRILLING SOUND ON WHEELS. 6" X 9" TRIAX. 190 WATTS PEAK

owillYei MADE IN USA C 1993 JENSEN AND TRIAX ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OFINTERNATIONAL JENSEN INC. IN CANADA, CALL SCL PRODUCTS 604-273-1095 fVANCOUVERL 416-89002913 ITORONT01. TEST REPORTS FREE Hz and sloped off smoothly to about high sensitivity means that there is -12 dB atthe nominal 2,200 -Hz little likelihood of amplifier overload, crossover frequency. Obviously, no even with amplifiers specifically not simple or unambiguous splice would recommended for use with loads lower be able to create a believable response than 8 ohms. curve combining the close-miked and Despiteitshighsensitivity,the room responses. But when we ignored Klipsch kg2= was able to handle very the floor -reflection peak in the room high peak input levels without distress curve and assumed that the response or damage. At 1,000 and 10,000 Hz, was reasonably flat between 150 and the amplifier clipped at 900 watts out- 400 Hz, the two curves matched up put into the speaker's 8 -ohm imped- very nicely to form a composite re- ance with no signs of difficulty from sponse varying only about ±3 dB the speaker. With a single -cycle 100 - from 30 to 20,000 Hz. Hz tone -burst signal, the woofers be- While the kg2 = system's actual vari- gan to sound hard at a few hundred ation in response through the bass and watts, and we stopped at 550 watts lower midrange is arguable, our ears into their 10 -ohm impedance at that provided convincing evidence that a frequency even though the speaker pair of these speakers can generate an cones were not audibly bottoming. impressive output in the 30- to 60 -Hz These measurements should convey STEREO range.True,therewereaudible some idea of the high peak sound amounts of harmonic distortion, but levels the kg2.2 can generate-most the fundamentals were unmistakably comparably small full -range speakers there. would require several kilowatts of in- CATALOG The horn tweeter had somewhat put to play as loud! Sony - The catalog you've narrower dispersion than typical small Pioneer always wished you dome tweeters, causing the high -fre- Kenwood could find-over 150 quency response at 45 degrees off -axis Mitsutishi pages of full color photos, its high complete descriptions, to be down about 6 dB at 10,000 Hz Despite Panasonic and down 14 dB at 20,000 Hz. exclusive comparison JVC A quasi-anechoic MLS frequency - sensitivity, the charts and "no jargon" response measurement, although dif- NHT explanations of features fering in many respects from the room Bose and functions. Klipsch kg2.2 measurements, confirmed the reality Adven - Low discount prices on of a dip in output in the vicinity of the Infinity the latest in home audio, crossover frequency. Depending on loudspeaker was able EPI car stereo, video and the measurement conditions, the dip AT&T home theater, telephones ranged from 2 to 5 dB, but it was and computers. clearly a real effect, appearing in every to handle very high x to -Full service, no -pressure measurement (except room response, Blaupunkt a buying and technical which tends to smooth out irregular- peak input levels Alphasonik ities in a speaker's response). Another help. Everything covered Kicker by a 30 -day Total indication that all was not ideal at the without distress Pyle Satisfaction Guarantee. crossover point was the group -delay plot, which showed a sharp jog from or damage. 800 to 100 microseconds at that fre- Cad now or send this coupon quency. Woofer distortion, measured with a for your free Crutchfield 2.12 -volt drive to the speakers (equiv- The Klipsch kg' sounded very audio/video/computer catalog alent to a 90 -dB SPL in our sensitivity smooth and well balanced, quite con- measurement), was between 1 and 2 sistent with the final composite re- 800-955-9009 percent from 70 to 2,000 Hz, rising to sponse curve we had created. As men- U.S. and Canada. 8 am - Midnight. 7 days a week the 5- to 9 -percent range between 70 tionedearlier,the bass was both Be sure to mentionStereo Reviewwhen calling and 20 Hz. smooth and deep, and the highs were The 8 -ohm impedance rating of the as extended and effortless as one kg22 seems unrealistic, since its im- could wish. In listening to music, the Name pedance remained well under 8 ohms crossover dip was never audible. for most of the range below 1,000 Hz. All in all, the kg== was a very easy The lows were 4 ohms at 50 Hz and 3.5 speaker to listen to for extended peri- Address Apt. # ohms between 120 and 400 Hz. The ods. It's a fine choice for those who bass -resonance peaks of 22 and 16 want good sound quality, high output ohms occurred at 24 and 90 Hz, re- capability, and an attractive appear- City State Zip spectively. Fortunately, the speaker's ance at a very affordable price. 0

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 53 CRUTCHFIELD 1 Crutchfield Park. Dept. SR. Charlottesville.VA 22906 II THE

CONSIDER for a moment how much time you spend in your car. If you're like many Americans, you probably A guide pass upwards of IS percent of your waking life behind the wheel-which works out to a pretty hefty chunk ofto getting your potential leisure. It's no wonder that car stereo sales are booming and that an estimated one household cointo in ten now has a CD -equipped vehicle in its driveway: Music is a great traveling companion, and the music your car most worth listening to-in the car as elsewhere-

comes from CD's.

Just a few years ago, outfitting an automobile for CD playback was a project reserved for car-fi aficionados

with extensively customized installations and generous

budgets. No more: Equipment prices have plummeted,

and automotive CD options are now legion.

The Quick Fix Although there is an abundance of dedicated car CD z players and changers to choose from. Discman-type portables are still a very popular means of getting CD

into the car-perhaps because they offer a quick -fix Y.

diY DANIEL K U M I N

MSONNM Nakamichi's Model 100cdc i ten -disc SONY CD changer (S3,000) features a Om patented Acoustic Isolation system to MAYO IIEMA1 SSW NAM OSCAR ..rNMIPM N9r1 1.0 IFti 3 11.12.1 prevent vibrations from reaching the laser pickup mechanism, an airtight aluminum chassis, a 20 -bit D A "ma converter, and a coaxial digital output.

MILICCIP1106 31011 Sony's top -of -the -line CDX-U8000 CD (Monmwe.OKRA NUM POW -TOM COO CID CEO C=1 tuner (S680) features controls for the `;')/ V RAMS company's Unilink CD changers, high- FM3 1 0 3. SEAS speed music search, an AM FM radio nor-- 2/ ran 3/no. with diversity tuning, and an antitheft detachable faceplate.

!pop MIPWIR o LD WIC Clarion's Model 5632CD CD receiver 11/C. VA TREE FAD SENS Nit ANTENNA .VENSIlil C (S350) is a fixed -chassis model 0,11CMY COON. 1 2 3 A FM i n featuring 1 -bit D A converters, line - I L., 4 5 6 level outputs, and an amp with a

NI MF, continuous -power rating of 12 watts Y uPtMari SM. FE OCM FM T AM pNIXS each into two channels.

Kenwood's KDC-9000 CD tuner (5550) Blaupunkt's Sante Fe cassette receiver uses two 1 -bit D A converters per (S400) is a removable -chassis model channel. Highlights include an AM FM featuring controls for the company's tuner with twenty-four station presets, CDC M4 CD changer, Dolby B and an automatic muting circuit for a Dolby C, and an AM FM radio with cellular phone, and a detachable diversity tuning. Maximum output is faceplate to deter theft. 25 watts into each of two channels.

Highlights of Alpine's Model 7807 CD receiver (S550) include a 20 -bit D A converter, CD -changer controls, an . ri 1.11rl1r . IPIlliMIN111/le AM FM tuner with strongest -station I ii pu i I _i J rT; im IIPOI.0111.1111M presets, and a detachable faceplate for security. Maximum power output (-Nor ampi!minvemorriiiiIMINIF1.7.1 -6 is 30 watts into each of four channels.

sfi STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 solution. Ranging in price from about $150 to $500 (including several models specifically enhanced for in -car use), portable CD players can be powered via a cigarette -lighter adaptor or a 12 - volt adaptor that's hard -wired to the DENON car's electrical system. The easiest Au06 011., way is to route the CD signal to an existingautosound system via an inex-

AS.L.0 11111 pensive cassette -shaped adaptor (sup- COMPACT DISC AUTO CHANGER DC11-100 plied with some portables) that converts the CD output into magnetic signals that are picked up by the tape deck's playback head; you plug the Denon's DCH-700 five -disc wire from the adaptor into the player's changer (S700) measures 7 x 2 x 101/2 auxiliary or line-out jack and insert the inches, making it suitable for fake -cassette portion into the head unit's tape slot. As you might expect, installation in some dashboards. the downside to this method is poorer - Operation requires a Denon head unit than -cassette frequency response and with CD -changer controls. distortion (though the dynamic range is better than a cassette's). For fidelity's sake, it's best to tap directly into the head unit's preamp MOWER simponew stage. Fortunately, a growing number . $11 of after -market head units-and even a few stock models-have a front - panel minijack for this purpose. ow do you keep your portable from flying across the car when the guy in front of you slams on his brakes? While you could affix the unit to your dash or console with Velcro, it makes more sense to use a mounting kit like "IScosche's PDS-1 ($35) or Gene- Pioneer's DEH-N1990DSP CD receiver va's PF-795 ($60), both of which pro- (S950) boasts a DSP section offering vide quick -release mounting and a vi- four ambience modes, a three -band bration -damped platform; Geneva's kit even has integrated power and au- parametric equalizer, and an image - dio leads. shift control. CD -changer controls are Portable CD players provide an also included. JVC's KS-RX835 (S800) combines a easy way to get CD into any vehicle, 1 -bit CD player, a cassette deck with but built-in players typically offer superior road -going performance, ease Dolby B, En AM FM tuner, and a 'our - of use, and security. The variety of channel amplifier in a "double -DIN" models is somewhat staggering, but chassis Fighlights include an they can be divided into two broad auxiliary input and a subwoofer categories:in -dash radio/CD units, output with level control. which offer at -hand disc changing and access to multiple sources, and hide- away CD changers, which have the

CalCO CART PIDEIE TUES. 31.02 5.010110.000. punt RITA same long -play capability that has JVC made changers such a huge hit in the

CAR =CASSETTE RECEJVER KS -R0835 home. Both types are available from .10 all major car stereo makers-and over cr. Irr,(Tsen INTRO a very wide range of prices. Which CD (T) fri RAPAY011 component or configuration is right for REPEAT you depends on your vehicle, existing Orem. 0-0041,00.11.000 audio system, taste, and budget. 22.1N+22W4WAVII "injC . Po. Pow.. AA, Ap. One Disc at a Time LI _/-1 .3 Single -play in -dash CD/radio head

OFF-VOL /AROMA. BARB THE ALM 1:11 StRAPCOFER 1"/,60."--) fun f"---) unitscoverthewidestrangeof r..;(.1 Mar prices-from less than $300 to $1,000 LI= or more. They let you change CD's on MAO - 0 0, the fly (with a little practice), and most

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 37 dynamic range, you need enough pow- changer's signal into the system. Us- er to overcome road, wind, and engine ing a changer and a head unit/control- noise. Although multispeaker high - ler from the same maker avoids the end systems with four, six, or more problem: The changer's output feeds amplifier channels are not uncommon, into the head, yielding integrated vol- many systems get by with a two -chan- ume, tone, and CD control. Other- nel setup that delivers a legitimate 30 wise, a popular solution is to use an to 100 watts per side. On the other FM, or RF (for radio frequency), mod- hand, a system consisting of four high- ulator, a device that converts the out- ly efficient, properly installed speak- put signal from a changer (or single - ers and a modestly powered CD re- disc player) into an FM radio signal ceiver with four outputs may do the and feeds it to the antenna input of a job quite nicely for casual, back- car tuner (after -market or stock). Most ground -level listening. major brands offer RF modulators for about $70, or about $100 along with a Jukebox on Wheels CD controller, or as part of a package Nearly all car CD changers have with a changer. All work similarly, either a six -disc or a ten -disc loading requiring you to tune the host radio to magazine, although there are a few a specified frequency (usually at the include a full complement of familiar twelve -disc models on the market and extreme lower end of the FM band) to CD features such as shuffle play, track atleast one that handles eighteen pick up the CD signal. skip/search, and repeat, to say nothing discs. Most fall into the $400 to $1,000 RF conversion is simple, cheap, and of AM/FM tuner features. (A handful price range, including a control mod- clean, as it imposes no cutting of wires of CD -only heads are available, but ule. Ten -disc models obviously offer or extensive new cabling-and in the the vast majority are CD receivers, longer unattended playback, for those case of some stock systems it may be which include a tuner and a modest cross-countrymarathons;six -disc the only option. But because the RF power amp.) Extra features that you changers tend to be smaller, able to fit modulatorsareconfinedtoFM's may find in more expensive models in tighter spaces (like the glove com- 15,000 -Hz high -frequency limit, and include direct track access, which lets partment). If the idea of swapping CD limited as well by the intrinsic quality you select a particular track by keying magazines between your home and car of the existing head unit, they fall far in its number rather than having to appeals to you, compatibility with short of deliveringfull CD -quality skip -search to the desired cut; intro your home CD changer may be the sound. To preserve sound quality, you scan, which previews each track; a deciding factor. can go another route and install a wireless remote control, which gives EGARDLESS Of capacity, most current -sensing switch that accepts passengers or the driver control with- changers offer two control op- line -level inputs from both the head out reaching across the car (that may tions:ahandheldordash - unit and the CD component, automati- sound silly, but it can be quite handy); mounted controller that's wired cally selecting whichever is playing. and selectable illumination, which lets to the changer, or a CD or cas- Although such devices cost just $35 to you match the head's display color to sette head unit of the same $80, this setup is feasible only in a that of the car's dashboard display. brand with built-in changer con- component system that uses outboard On -board power is one feature that 0trols. While both perform basic amplifiers. deserves careful consideration. CD CD functions, dedicated changer con- head units come in three basic forms: trollers tend to offer a higher level of Taking Stock preamp-only CD tuners, which typi- control. On the other hand, using a Retrofittinganafter -market CD cally offer front and rear line -level cassette receiver with changer con- component to a factory -installed ste- outputs for connection to one or more trols sets the stage for a three -source reo system has long been a tricky outboard power amplifiers;"high - system, and a CD receiver with chang- undertaking because of the anony- power" CD receivers, which are typi- er controls offers both long -play and mous wiring schemes used by car cally rated to deliver 20 to 30 watts per instant -access CD options. makers, but it's getting easier. Alpine, channel-some have four outputs to In the past, changers have been for example, offers a line of car -specif- run both front and rear speakers; and fairly bulky, requiring mounting in the ic Shuttle Link adaptors, starting at standard CD receivers rated to deliver trunk, rear -hatch area, or,at best, about $25, that enable you to plug one 5 to 10 watts per channel. A word of under a seat. But multidisc hardware of several six -disc changers (or a sin- caution: Head -unit power ratings are is shrinking. It's now possible to in- gle -play CD player) directly into the almost always generous, many being stall many six -disc and even some ten - wiring harnesses of most vehicles. specified at unrealistically high distor- disc changers in the glove compart- Sherwood has responded to the inter- tion levels. A typical "30 -watt -per - ment or center console, under a seat, face dilemma with its EZ-Link sys- channel" head unit will usually yield or in other creative spots. Up -front tem, standard on all its new head units: no more than 15 watts per channel, mounting greatly simplifies magazine - All wires are color -coded according to tops, if it is held to home -hi-fi stan- swapping and disc -loading. The down- Electronic Industries Association dards of distortion and bandwidth. side is that a passenger -compartment standards so they can be easily con- For legitimate high-fidelity repro- changer is one more target for thieves, nected to a car -specific adaptor that duction at realistic listening levels, a and it can eat up valuable storage plugs directly into the car's wiring CD -based car system demands sub- space. harness. And "OEM interface" kits stantially more power than the typical Wiring a CD changer to an existing are available from several after -mar- head unit is capable of delivering-in autosound system presents several ket accessory companies, including order to enjoy the CD format's wide challenges-principally,gettingthe Scosche.

58 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 More Twists and Turns SECURITY In -dash changers are the latest wrin- kle in car CD. At least two are now available: Alpine's three -disc Model 7980 ($900) and Denon'sfive -disc DCH-700 ($700). The Alpine changer comes with a tuner in an outboard chassis that must be installed somewhere close to the head unit.Denon's changer -only design requires a compatible head unit/controller for operation, and though it conforms to the width and height of a standard DIN dashboard cutout, it's a few inches too deep to fit in some dashboards. Com- pared with single -disc players, both of these changerssacrificefastdisc - swapping: Neither accepts a single CD for immediate playback (a cartridge must be ejected to change discs). In One factor to consider early in the because you can't steal what's not there. exchange, however, both provide ex- shopping process is security. Car stereo The prcblem is that they're bulky and tended play and in -dash convenience. theft is a serious problem almost therefo-e less likely to be removed every Handling CD'sand cassettes in a everywhere today. Fortunately, single in -dash setup is by no means out single ,ime you leave the car-the only of the question. One option is an out- equipment makers have responded with sure deterrent. One forgetful or lazy board CD changer and a head unit/ increasingly sophisticated counter- momert is all it takes. Still. pull-out controller from the same manufactur- measures. The newest-and most models are more widely available than er, as mentioned earlier. But putting popular-solution is the detachable -face their detachable -face counterparts. both discs and tapes at your fingertips head unit, a design pioneered (ahem!) by requirestwohead units. CD -only play- especially in the lower price range. ers from Alpine, Pioneer, Sony, and Pioneer bit now offered by several major ACD changer mounted in the trunk others can be stacked above or below brands. Instead of removing the entire offers tie least theft potential, assuming an existing cassette head (provided head unit rom the dash, as you would a that its control module is hidden and you there's space), after -market or stock, pull-out model, you hit a release button don't leave stacks of CD's lying around in and integrated by means of existing and remose only its faceplate-complete auxiliary inputs, an outboard switcher plain v ew. Of course, a whole -car alarm (where feasible), or an RF modulator. with all buttons and knobs, the display. system-complete with shock and motion For ground -up installations, or if you and even some critical circuitry-leaving detectcrs-is never a bad idea. want to upgrade a stock cassette re- behind a rondescript black panel. Only particularly if you own a nice set of ceiver, several firms, JVC and Pioneer the mostcimwitted thief would consider a wheels and live in the city. Most car among them,offer"double -DIN" tuner/CD/cassette head units. Twice faceless ciassis worth the effort of a stereo specialists also sell, install, and the height of a standard cassette or CD brick through the window. are knc wledgeable about automotive head, these are designed primarily to Pull-out head units offer a greater level security packages. It pays to take a look replace the double -deck setup in many of security than detachable -face models. at what's available. --0. K. popular vehicles, especially Japanese imports. The double -DIN solution crams all -mode utility into a single, fully integrated package. place to check. Confine your search, NE last word of warning: Once at least initially, to establishments that you begin listening to CD's in Don't Scrimp on Installation have been in business for a year or your car, you may quickly de- Unless you are exceedingly handy two, and don't be afraid to shop cide you need new speakers, with wire cutters, crimp connectors, around for both price and quality. Ask power amplifiers,equalizers, shrink -tubing, continuity -checkers, how familiar a shop is with your partic- crossovers, digital signal pro- and soldering irons, unless you know ular car model, system, and add-on cessors,and, ultimately,a what a ground loop is, and unless gear. Most reputable outfits can show newer, cushier, quieter car in you're able to contort yourself into you a portfolio of their best work and which to listen to them. As with home awkward under -dash crannies, a qual- supply references. audio. car CD components are more ified, experienced installer is by far the Whatever you do, don't scrimp on demanding of associated equipment most important component of any mo- installation-even of relatively inex- than are their analog counterparts, and bile -CD conversion. There are no pensive gear. CD players or changers they may prove to be every bit as hard-and-fast rules for locating such that are improperly installed are more addictive as their indoor cousins. But, an individual. Of course, if you buy likely to skip when you hit rough ter- unlike most other vices, this one won't your CD gear from a car stereo spe- rain, putting a serious damper on your hurt anything but your pocketbook. cialist or an audio salon experienced CD enjoyment. A penny saved can And there's at least one beneficial side with mobile electronics, that's the first easily turn into a dollar lost. effect: sweet music.

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 59 STEREO REVIEW

353511 A11111E13111 11111III-HIE YEAH OF L

_ From AM to DSP: What a long, strange trip it's been!

INits thirty -five-year history, STEREO REVIEW has witnessed extraordinary developments in autosound, whose humble beginnings trace all the way back to the early 1900's. From bulky boxes crammed with tubes and inefficient hand - wired circuits to microprocessor -controlled wonders, it's been an exciting-and at times quirky-journey. Technical revolutions have appeared at almost every turn, and new products have popped up out of nowhere, some to stay, others to vanish as quickly as they arrived. The road of progress has been straight and smooth for some companies, filled with twists and turns for others. One thing is certain: Whether you lived through those years or can only read about them, the following chronology-which begins when the magazine did, in 1958-should convince you that no matter how strange the road, it's been a very fast ride indeed. Read straight through, or pick out your favorite years; either way, you'll discover, or rediscover, that there have been few dull moments in the evolution of car audio. BY KEN C. POHLMANN

4111:013110 Motorola's FM -900 Craig 3110 four -track player FM radio 1916 AM radioswithmechanical view becomes HiFilStereo Review. four -track manufacturers include Me- pushbuttons reign supreme. Most use Howdy Doody goes off the air. travox and Craig. Among the rarest only vacuum tubes, but some have (and wackiest) of car audio products: Class B transistor outputs. New 12 - 1961 Mechanical search tuning is a car LP players. Ford introduces the volt -plate tubes eliminate the need for feature of some radios: A small motor Mustang. The Beatles rule the charts. bulky,voltage -hungry tube power moves the dial, stopping automatically supplies. Pontiac introduces the Delco on strong stations. Delco's Wonder 1961 Motorola, RCA, and Ford join Sportable AM radio (called the Trans- Bar radio, offered in the Chevy Bel Air to manufacture the first eight -track portable in Oldsmobiles), which can and other cars, popularizes this fea- tape players for the auto market. The be pulled from the dash and run on ture. Ford acquires Philco, a major wide availability of high -frequency household batteries. An add-on FM radio supplier. The FCC approves ste- transistors enables mass production of tuner is optional in the Lincoln Conti- reo FM broadcasting. Chubby Check- solid-state AM/FM radios;typical nental. Recordlabelstentatively er's Let's Twist Again nets a Grammy. units have three AM and two FM plunge into stereo recording. The pre- mechanical presets. The incompatible miere issue of a new magazine called 1962 Chrysler is at it again: This time Orrtronics-Consinofour -trackcar- HiFi & Music Review rolls off the the company introducesatrunk - tridge system appears briefly. Delco printing presses. mounted spring-reverb unit and an in- Electronics ships its 50 millionth ra- dependently amplified rear speaker- dio.President Johnson ordersair 1919 Motorola's under -dash FM -900 both radical for the time. Originally strikes in North Vietnam. is the first FM car radio to be mass- designedforbroadcast and back- produced in the U.S. RCNs AP -1 car ground -music applications, the four - 1966 Tape mania sweeps the coun- record changer provides automatic track Fidelipac cartridge format is try, starting in California and Texas. If playback from a stack of fourteen 45 - adapted for use in the car; tape speed you are a male high-school student rpm discs; the records are played up- is 31/4 ips. Astronaut John Glenn takes who has a car, you own-or intensely side-down to facilitate storage. Ford a spin around the earth in Friendship desire to own-a Muntz four -track discontinues the Edsel. 7. Marilyn Monroe dies. under -dash tape player. Typically impressive four -track specs are frequen- 1960 Numerouscompaniesbegin 1963 The first combination AM/FM cy response of 100 to 8,000 Hz, chan- makingall -transistor AM radios, radios appear from Delco, Ford, Mo- nel separation of 20 dB, and power many with Class A amplifiers and five torola, and others. Several companies output of 3 watts per channel. RCA pushbutton presets; their arrival sig- now market 45 -rpm record players. and Lear Jet (yes, the aeronautics nals the end of the vacuum -tube era. Heathkit's GR-41 under -dash FM ra- company) bring the Stereo -8 eight - Transistorizedradiosaresmaller, dio makes its debut; it contains ten track cartridge system to market; tape more durable, and draw less power transistors, weighs 7 pounds, and speed is 33/4 ips, and a single, continu- from the car battery than tube models. costs $65. President John F Kennedy ous -loop cartridge holds four 20 -min- Sales of Motorola's FM -900 exceed is assassinated. ute stereo programs. Critical listeners projections by 60 percent; one-third of consider the eight -track format soni- all car radios are made by Motorola. 1964 Autostereo markets an under - cally inferior to four -track, which is Chrysler offers the RCA -built Ultra-Fi dash four -track Fidelipac tape player, less expensive to boot, but four -track 45 -rpm record changer as an option in and the format grows in popularity; players require manual track switch- some models-its second stab at sell- half-hour,one -hour,and two-hour ing, whereas eight -track switching is ing record players. HiFi & Music Re - playing times are available.Early automatic. Ford offers an AM radio/

EARLY 111111V -"N

Clarion 100E0B equalizer/booster Craig eight -track and cassette lineup

Nakamichi 250 Motorola eight -track decks portable tape deck and ADS 2001 Jensen 6 x 9 -inch amp/speaker combo trianal speaker eight -track tape player in select cars. 1966 Chrysler introduces the wonder that are conveniently located next to Norelco (Philips) markets the porta- of the decade-an eight -track player the driver's ankles. Floor -mount cas- ble Carry -Corder 150 featuring the with a built-in AM/FM radio. Lear Jet sette recorder/players are also market- new Compact Cassette system; it has a offers under -dash eight -track decks ed: Chrysler offers one, as an option, tape speed of 11/4 ips and offers a half- with fast forward and an AM or FM that can record from the radio or the hour of recording/playing time per radio (with an optional multiplex adap- suppliedmicrophone;theWebcor side. An automobile mounting bracket tor for stereo reception); Craig also Model 1115 boasts a frequency re- is available, and the deck can record offers an eight-track/FM combo. More sponse of 80 to 10,000 Hz. The Utah from a microphone or directly from than three million eight -track players SA -55 stereo speaker kit sells for $30. high-level sources like the car's radio. are sold. Cartridge prices range from It includes a pair of 51/4 -inch dual -cone The cassette formatisgivenlittle $3.50 to $6. To fit musical selections speakers and snap -on chrome grilles chance against the established car- between track switching points, rec- for installation in car doors; power tridge formats because it's incompati- ord producers routinely shorten some handling is 5 watts. Ken Pohlmann ble and its fidelity is mediocre, though works and pad others by dubbing in buys his first vehicle, a 1948 Willys it does offer the novel convenience of repeats of certain passages. Classical - Jeep; it does not have a radio. Worse, fast forward and reverse. Miniskirts music lovers lament the lack of or- late one night he discovers that it also are in thanks to Twiggy. chestral titles. The cassette format does not have reliable brakes. gains in popularity. Blaupunkt offers 1967 Alps Electric of Japan and Mo- the Derby auto/portable cassette re- 1971 In -dashautoreversecassette torola form Alps -Motorola, Inc., in corder.Mercury,Musictapes,and players appear from Clarion and oth- Japan to build car audio products. Dubbings Electronics are among the ers. Sony/Superscope introduces the Nineteen days later,the company few companies that sell prerecorded TC-10 hump -mount cassette player. demonstrates the first Japanese -made cassettes.HiFi/StereoReviewbe- Sales of cassetteplayersincrease eight -track car player. RCNs ads for comes Stereo Review. Martin Luther steadily yet slowly as eight -track con- Stereo -8 hail the format as "the De- King, Jr., and Senator Robert F. Ken- tinues to dominate the market. troit -approved system for new -model nedy fall to assassins. cars." More than 40 percent of all 1972 Simple integrated circuits (IC's) Thunderbirds are ordered with eight - 1969 Sales of four -track players fade, are introduced in preamplifier and am- track players. SJB introduces the and car cassette players are dismissed plifier stages, improving reliability and Model 603M/48 player, which accom- by the eight -track community as a decreasing package size and complex- modates both four -track and eight - flash -in -the -pan technology. The Lear ity.Pioneer establishes a car audio trackcartridges($130),andthe Jet Model A-50 eight -track player sells division in the States. Jensen intro- ST1008 combination eight-track/ste- for $60. Stereo FM car radios become duces a 6 x 9 -inch speaker with a reo FM radio ($300). Norelco intro- more popular, but their multiplex de- coaxially mounted 3 -inch tweeter- duces its first stereo cassette player coders typically lack stability and do soon to find its way into countless rear designed for car use, featuring a "let- not maintain good performance over decks; price is $70 a pair. Craig and terbox" loading slot. Aiwa introduces time. The Woodstock rock festival othersintroducecassette -listening the TP-718 under -dash monaural cas- makes a lasting impression, as does drivers to Dolby B noise reduction; sette player; output power is 1 watt Neil Armstrong when he leaves the the modern era of car stereo is born. through a built-in31/2 -inch speaker. first human footprint in the gray lunar Olympic gold -medalist Mark Spitz be- High -end car audio pioneer Paul Stary dust-best of all, we see it live on TV. comes an instant celebrity. and others open small autosound shops. Chevy introduces the Camaro. 1970 Floor -mount("hump -mount") 1973 "High -power" enters the auto - The Monterey Pop Festival introduces eight -trackplayersdominatethe sound lexiconwiththedebut of Jimi Hendrix to the U.S. scene; many have built-in speakers Craig's PowerPlay line of under -dash

MARL? 1980's

ADS 320ispeakers 4111332310

LATE

I. III_ C CIR ADS Power Plate 100 amplifier

Mki

Clarion SK99 plate speaker First Delco/Bose head unit eight -track and cassette players (some 60 watts to one (for a woofer). The plate speaker for rear -deck mounting, with a built-in radio), which feature 12 shift from eight -track tape players to and Linear Power a 250 -watt power watts per channel. The terms "Water- cassette players is suddenly swift; pro- amplifier with a separate power supply gate" and "expletive deleted" enter totypeeight-track/cassettecombos that sparks curiosity among home au- the U.S. vocabulary (thank goodness are abandoned for lack of interest in diophiles. Combination AM/FM/CB daytime talk shows haven't been in- eight -track. Sony introduces its first transceivers appear as a factory option vented yet). Detroit begins making two -shaft in -dash cassette receivers. from Ford and others. Delco Electron- vehicles that comply with tough new The CB boom is in full swing. ics ships its 100 millionth radio. Sales emissions standards; muscle -car en- of home videocassette recorders take thusiasts go into mourning. 1976Pioneer introduces the KP-500 off like a rocket.Saturday Night Fever cassette player/FM tuner, featuring shoves the disco craze into overdrive. 1974Blaupunkt owns the high -end Supertuner circuitry for improved re- Elvis Presley dies at age forty-two. cassette -player market. ADS intro- ception and a huge rotary tuning dial duces the Model 2001 biamplified mini - that even by 1976 standards is consid- 1976Chrysler introduces one of the speaker system. The $495 package ered very funky. Jensen introduces firstelectronicallytunedreceivers includes 1 -inch tweeters, 4 -inch woof- the industry's firsttriaxial speaker, (ETR's), featuring electronic search ers, and a standalone 160 -watt amplifi- with a midrange and tweeter suspend- tuning and station presets. Quartz- er with the industry's first switching ed over a 6 x 9 -inch woofer. Power PLL tuning becomes widely available. power supply-soon to be the accept- boosters, which reamplify the receiv- The Alps -Motorola joint venture is ed method of getting high power outer's already amplified output, are hot. amicably dissolved, and Alps Electric put from a 12 -volt battery. Reviewer Clarion offers the first graphic equaliz- of Japan forms Alpine of America. Richard Heyser comments: "It's not a er/power booster. The ADS Model Fujitsu Ten offers a cassette receiver Klipschorn, but it is clean as far down 2002 powered speaker system and Na- with Dolby B noise reduction. The as it goes, which is plenty low." High - kamichi 250 portable cassette player first test-tube baby is born. quality AM/stereo FM tuners and are marketed together as a $670 car eight -track players are combined in package. AudioMobile introduces the 1979Pioneer dominates theafter - one component; some models even SA -500 amplifier, which delivers 20 market cassette -player scene. ADS in- contain CB (citizen's band) transceiv- watts with only 0.3 percent distortion, troduces theL300i two-way plate ers. Chrysler introduces a dramatic and is the first company to display a speaker and the 100 -watt Power Plate new look in radio styling: the "flat vehicle with a car stereo system at the 100 amplifier. Reviewer Joe Hanna face"-the forerunner of contempo- Summer Consumer Electronics Show says the duo "... gave me all the guts rary head -unit styling. Sales of eight - (CES); crowds gather for nonstop de- and clarity I would ever ask of a car track players begin to fade, but Detroit mos. Zapco opens its doors, selling a system." Sony introduces a separates is slow to respond to demand for cas- 100 -watt amplifier manufactured in an line with cassette decks, tuners, a nov- setteplayers. Hank Aaron breaks old farmhouse that was built by com- el nine -band graphic EQ, and more Babe Ruth's home -run record. pany president Robert Zeff's grandfa- than a dozen speakers. Ford offers an ther. The Bicentennial party begins. electronic AM/FM radio with a quad- 1971IC's are used for FM detection, raphoniceight -trackplayer-even phase -locked -loop (PLL) stereo de- 1977Car stereo surpasses CB as the though four -channel, or "quad,"is coding, and audio output stages, im- most talked about automobile elec- dying in the home market. The CB proving tuner stability and overall reli- tronics product. Alps -Motorola is a boom goes bust, and many ex -CB ability. Linear Power introduces a major supplier of after -market cas- dealersopenautosoundspecialty forward -looking three -channel ampli- sette receivers. Concord introduces shops. OPEC tightens the oil supply fier with a built-in crossover that deliv- the first cassette deck with preamp and long lines form at gas stations ers 30 watts each to two channels and outputs, Clarion the SK99 three-way everywhere. "Three Mile Island" and

Clarion DAT player

Sony CDX-5 PI( neer KEX-M700cassette tuner CD player will CD -changer controls -"'"-K MHO

Pioneer CDX-1 CD player Alpine Model 7347 head unit with din and First Bazooka Model 6490 powered Bass Tube 6 c 9 -inch subwo )fer

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 63 "Ayatollah Khomeini" become part pact disc is introduced for home appli- four -channel PA -350 boasts 35 watts of the nation's vocabulary. cations. Honda starts car production each with 0.005 percent THD; Preci- in the U.S. sion Power's PPI-475 delivers 75 watts 1930 Kenwood enters the car stereo each to four channels and has a built-in market with cassette players featuring 1933 Kenwood introduces a cassette crossover. Southern Audio Services automatic noise reduction. The use of receiver with an unheard-of twenty- (SAS) introduces the tube -enclosed bridged IC's enables higher -power re- four AM/FM presets that automatical- subwoofer; its patented Bazooka Bass ceivers. Ford options include a cas- ly switches to the radio during fast Tube is offered firstin Texas and sette player with Dolby B noise reduc- tapewinding.Audiophilesrejoice Louisiana by company president Jon tion and a six -speaker system. Japan when Nakamichi introduces its first Jordan during a sales blitz financed by builds eleven million cars, surpassing car cassette tuner, the TD -1200, which his mother's credit card. The last Detroit as the world's largest auto- featuresthe same azimuth -control eight -track products finally disappear. maker.Ex-Beatle John Lennonis system used in its top home deck, the gunned down in New York City. Dragon. GM and Toyota agree to pro- 1931 Prototype DAT players appear Mount St. Helens blows. duce a subcompact car in the U.S. at the Winter CES in Las Vegas. Ford inauguratesitspremiumtwelve - 1931 Advertisements for the ADS 1934 Compact disc hits the road with speaker Ford/JBL system in the Lin- CS400 subwoofer/crossover system Pioneer's CDX-1 player (first in the coln Continental. Kenwood combats advise readers that "frequencies be- world) and Sony's CDX-5 and CDX- turn -on "blast" with a circuit that low 80 Hz can now be heard!" A novel R7 player/preamps (first in the U.S.). automatically reduces volume when extension ofthe personal -stereo All three are in -dash units, but the the head unit is turned off. Alpine boom, Sony's XRM- 10 Music Shuttle CDX-R7 is the only one with provi- introduces the Model 7347 cassette in -dash AM/FM tuner provides a cad- sions for AM/FM radio (via a hide- receiver with dbx noise reduction. dy for a Walkman cassette player. away tuner box). Sony executives gin- Chrysler introduces stereo AM ra- Delco replaces its aging mechanically gerlytransportthe one -and -only dios-nobody pays much attention. tuned radios with electronic models CDX-5 prototype on a pillow as they Driving his Bazooka -equipped demo and celebrates the production of its make their way from Chicago's Knick- pickup truck more than 100,000 miles, 200 millionth car speaker. The stain- erbocker Hotel to the Summer CES in Jon Jordan of SAS establishes more less -steel DeLorean sports car makes a taxi. Some critics wonder how any- than 350 retail accounts nationwide. a brief appearance on the assembly one could use 90 dB of dynamic range Sales of home -CD players break the line. The space shuttle Columbia em- in a car and claim that there's no way one -million mark. STEREO REVIEW barks on its maiden voyage. to stop CD players from skipping. launches its Car Stereo Buyers' Guide. Kenwood's KRC-626 cassette re- 1932 The Delco/Bose premium sound ceiver is one of the first heads to 1936 Sony introduces the first trunk - system is announced as an option in feature a removable chassis; it slides mounted CD changer, the ten -disc the 1983 Cadillac Seville and other in and out of the dash on a special CDX-A10. Changers gain instant pop- upscale GM vehicles. Heralding a new bracket and uses pin connectors for ularity. A couple of dozen in -dash CD era of competitiveness between fac- the audio and power connections. A players are available; most are preamp- tory -installed systems and after -mar- leader in the booming cassette receiv- only units, but a few have subchassis ket rigs,it's the first sound system er market, Alpine downplays car CD tuners. Footnote in history: Alpine tailored to the acoustics of a specific as it becomes the first Japanese firm to introduces a car cassette changer, and vehicle. Cassette receivers with IC manufacture autosound equipment in everyone wonders why. Ford is the outputs are widely available. Sony the States. Nakamichi and Precision first car maker to introduce a factory- offers a three-way component speaker Power are among the first to offer installed CD player, offered as an op- set with an 8 -inch woofer. The com- multichannel power amplifiers: Nak's tion in the Lincoln Town Car. Denon's

4111=1110 Rockford Fosgate Nakamichi CD Symmetry system head unit in Lexus LS 400

000 digital processor

Sony MD) -U1 MiniDisc player

64 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 DCC-8900 is the first CD tuner with a on the international scene: The Soviet slide -out chassis. The Statue of Liber- Union is dissolved. Operation Desert ty turns one hundred. Chernobyl melts Storm makes Stormin' Norman a down. hero.

19117Pioneer and Sony bring out cas- 1992Alpine's Model 7980 becomes sette receivers with controls for re- CD hit the road in the the first in -dash CD changer; it fea- mote CD changers. A cartridge load- tures a three -disc loading cartridge, a ing system for CD's appears in a few removable chassis, and a separate tun- head units but never catches on. ADS er pack. Denon follows with the introduces theindustry'sfirstsix - mid -1980's, DCH-700, a quasi -in -dash five - channel power amplifier, the 300 -watt disc changer that requires a PH 15, which can be configured for six-, compatible head unit for operation. five-, four-, or three -channel opera- Component speakers-especially sub - tion. Car DAT players are offered by forever changing car woofers and tiny neodymium -magnet Clarion; consumers show great re- tweeters-are the rage as car stereo straint in purchasing these coveted continues to move upscale. Eclipse units. The Delco/Bose system introduces the EQS-2000 digital pro- is now available in sixteen car cessor, featuring plug-in DSP chips, a models. The Acura/Bose sys- stereo. bus architecture that consolidates wir- tem is introduced as standard equip- ing in a single cable, and a fiber-optic ment in the Legend LS Coupe. The input. Clarion merges in -dash elec- Chrysler/Infinity premium sound sys- tronics with the CAL -1000-a unique tem makes its first appearance. Motor- lenge Association) left off. Major rec- DIN -size component that controls a ola manufactures its last auto radio ord stores begin to phase out the vinyl voice -recognition cellular phone (with and divests itself of the business. Al- LP. The Berlin wall falls. handset), a supplied subchassis tuner, pine sponsors the Car Audio Nationals and an optional CD changer. Claiming (CAN), which for the first time orga- 1990Eclipse introduces the EQS- to have licked problems associated nizes car stereo competition on a na- 1000 digital ambience processor with with high -power digital switching am- tional level.STEREO REVIEWlaunches presetanduser -adjustablesound plifiers, Infinity announces the DPA- Car Stereo Review.Proving once and fields; it's the first car product to em- 275 150 -watt Class D amp. The Digital for all that Monday is the worst day of ploy digital signal processing technol- Compact Cassette (DCC) and Mini - the week, the stock market crashes on ogy. Blaupunkt's CDC -M1 is the first Disc (MD) formats are launched with a Monday. car changer with a fiber-optic digital home DCC decks and MD portables. output. Cost-effective 1 -bit D/A con- 19011Pioneer's DEH-66 is thefirst verters appear in CD heads; they're 1993Sony introduces the MDX-U1 CD head unit with on -board power. more rugged and more accurate than car MD player/tuner, featuring CD - High -end signal processors abound: conventional multibit converters. Na- changer controls and a detachable AudioControl's EQT thirty -band kamichi presents the first outboard car face. Denon markets the first cassette trunk -mount equalizer is an instant hit D/A converter. A growing number of receivers with RDBS-equipped tun- among enthusiasts. Ford offers a DAT amplifiers feature built-in active cross- ers, which display radio -station call player for the Lincoln Continental's overs. Enthusiasts go ga-ga over cen- letters and music formats and receive ten -speaker Ford/JBL package-the ter -channel speakers; Audio Control traffic bulletins. Panasonic announces first automaker to do so. Flat -face comes out with the ESP -3 center - the CQ-DC1 DCC player/tuner with DIN head units are the rage; tradition- channel processor. Germany reunites. CD -changer controller; it plays both al two -shaft radios are becoming hard- analog cassettes and the new digital er and harder to find. Delco ships its 1991High technology abounds: Rock- cassettes-sorry, no four- or eight - 170 millionth car radio. ford Fosgate makes a radical depar- track cartridges. ture from car stereo tradition with the 1909Pioneer'sKEX-M800isthe introduction of Symmetry-the first YESindeed, today's mobile audio showcase for a clever new security modular, computer -based digital pro- products are light years beyond the feature-the detachable faceplate; the cessingandamplificationsystem. mechanical -pushbutton radios of 1958 concept spreads like wildfire. Alpine's Sony redefines high -end autosound -to say nothing of the cars themselves. Model 7909 CD tuner quickly becomes with the launch of its $2,500 Mobile ES One can hardly imagine how Buddy a reference piece among car audio- system, featuring a digital preamp Holly would react to a 1993 Mazda philes; the $1,200 head features CD - with extensive DSP functions and a RX-7 loaded with an MD player, CD changer controls. The new Lexus LS highly configurable digital crossover. changer, digital ambience processor, 400 is offered with a seven -speaker Honda offersa DSP/ambience-en- 500 -watt power amplifier, ten -speaker premium audio system from Nakami- hancement option in the 1992 Acura complement, and voice -activated cel- chi. The Precision Power DCX-1000 Vigor-a first for automakers. SAS lular phone. Now, skip ahead thirty- active crossover features a unique dig- (the Bazooka Bass Tube guys) makes five years. Think of how you'll react ital remote control linked by fiber op- Inc. magazine's list of America's fast- when you see a 2028 RX-7 with. . . tics. The International Auto Sound est -growing companies; many other well, we'll just have to wait and see. Challenge Association holds its first companies, including Pioneer, begin nationalcompetition,pickingup making tube -type subwoofers-and Additional research and reporting for whereitspredecessors CAN and many are promptly sued for patent this article was contributed by Senior NACA (National Autosound Chal- infringement. Nothing much happens Editor Bob Ankosko.

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 65 SYSTEMS

Private concert Hall

T gets cold in Havre, Montana, in the win- bought it until a perfectly flat curve appeared ter. Bill Hamilton has seen the mercury on a friend's spectrum analyzer. But flat drop to 58 degrees below zero, and - 30 - didn't last long. "I didn't care for the sound," degree temperatures are not uncommon in he says, "so we nudged up the bass and high this town of 10,000, forty miles south of frequencies while de-emphasizing the mid- the Canadian border. That kind of weather range." The resulting curve is more to his makes Hamilton's listening room-a 24 x 36 - liking, and he never has to touch the equalizer. foot addition that's larger than the house it Hamilton does, however, enjoy manipulat- adjoins-a popular place from November ing the apparent size and ambient characteris- through March. Its double -insulated, 3 -inch tics of his private concert hall using the DSP- sheetrock walls hold in the heat and offer a 1's sound -field presets. His favorite settings "nice place to snuggle" for Hamilton and his are JAZZ CLUB, which turns the immense space wife, Marjee. into an intimate environment, and DISCO, "My wife and I don't smoke or drink, but which pumps up the bass. He and his sixteen - we very much enjoy music," says Hamilton, year -old son Robb have been known to wow explaining why they traded their backyard for visitors with a private screening of "Top a sound room. In fact, there's not much music Gun" to show off the system's theater -like the Hamiltons don't like. Their tastes run all abilities. He also thinks the CATHEDRAL set- over the place, from AC/DC to Bach. And ting-with four "awesome" seconds of rear - Hamilton, a brakeman for the railroad, finds channel delay-sets the stage for an impres- New Age music to be the perfect sedative after sive performance of Bach's Toccata and a long day on the tracks. "I often get home in Fugue in D Minor. the middle of the night, and I like to go out to Hamilton's sound room was alifelong the sound room, kick back, and relax to dream, and aesthetics were always just as Andreas Vollenweider or Kitaro," he says. important to him as acoustics. "I've always "The room is well insulated, so it doesn't liked the combination of polished brass, oak, bother anybody in the house." and an emerald -green carpet," he says. "I But four potent Klipschorn speakers don't wanted it to look as good as it sounded." A exactly represent the listening tastes of a local cabinet maker built the CD racks and an typical New Ager. When he's out of the oak hutch for the equipment according to mellow mode, Hamilton cranks the dial on his Hamilton's specs. All wiring is tucked neatly Denon PRA -1100 preamplifier (which feeds away in the glass -block wall behind the sys- two Denon PGA -2200 200 -watt -per -channel tem, along with the room's furnace and air power amplifiers) to 12 o'clock and enjoys a conditioner. Monster Cable speaker wire runs Beach Boys or Neville Brothers concert video through the walls. on laserdisc. There's no cassette deck in Hamilton's Hamilton bought four Klipschorns because dream system because he "can't stand to he wanted surround sound. Also he figured, listen to tapes any more." Besides, he's al- "If two Klipschorns are good, four are bet- ready replaced most of his analog recordings ter." No subwoofers are necessary with the with CD's. You won't find a tuner in the horns, but he does plan to add a center - system, either, but not because Hamilton channel speaker and an amplifier to power it doesn't like radio. "There are only two sta- as soon as he gets around to buying a Dolby tions to listen to in Montana," he laments. The Pro Logic decoder. For now, Hamilton uses nearest one is 100 miles away. There's hope, the speaker complement in his 60 -inch Hitachi though: He plans to move his Drake satellite Model 60SX I K projection TV. receiver from the house to the sound room so The rest of the equipment comprises a he can pull in digital radio broadcasts. Denon DE -70 equalizer, a Yamaha DSP-1 Hamilton has had a hard time explaining digital ambience -enhancement processor, a how he could devote so much time, space, and Denon DCD-1500 CD player, a Kenwood money ($50,000 for the complete job) to a DPM-6640 six -disc CD changer, a Pioneer hobby. "A lot of people don't understand,"0 CLD-2070 CD/laserdisc combi-player, and a he says, even after he blows their socks off Kenwood KV926HF VHS Hi-Fi VCR. Ham- with a demonstration. "But I just tell them it's B ilton fiddled with the equalizer when he first what I like." -Rebecca Day t

66 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 N. AMERICA'S MOST POWERFUL SPEAKER COMES FROM HOPE, ARKANSAS.

INTRODUCING KLIPSCH POWERED SUBWOOFERS. In the past few months, millions of our fellow Americans have been introduced to the little town of Hope, Arkarsas. But as anyone who knows anything about audio will tell you, great speakers have been coming out of Hope for nearly fifty years. For 1993, Klipsch inaugurates four new powered subwoofers that set the industry standard with state of the art technology. Our new powered subwoofers are engineered with the same high efficiency and low distortion you've come to expect from our loudspeakers. In addition, they give you the extended bass, high output capability and wide dynamc range you need to transcend passive listening into a truly powerful sound experience. Visit your authorized Klipsch dealer for a demonstration of the powered subwoofers that will transform your home audio system into true Klipsch home theater.

SW 8 SW 10 SW 12 SW 15 Klipsch The Legend Continues...

Manufacturing Facilities: P.O. Box 688 Hope, Arkansas. U.S.A. 71801-0688 (501) 777-6751 FAX (501) 777-6753 Sales and Administration Offices: 8900 Keystone Crossing, Suite 1200 Indianapolis. Indiana U.S.A. 46240 (317) 574-3866 FAX (317) 574-3870

CIRCLE NO 24 ON READER SERVICE CARD RANAOA DAVIE) BY

I I M; 17-1 II 1-11 1 1 I (-4 ". 10=101 I 0= r--1,771

LOGIC PRO MODE..-DCLBY

versatility increased the is however, benefit, immediate most Of simultaneously. down break would integration. components the all that unlikely is it since sound, of loss total entail necessarily won't problem service a Also, with. satisfied are you parts the replacing alsc withou: individually component audio/video each upgrade can you that is which of least the not benefits, considerable yield can etc.) amp. power preamp, tuner, (separate subsections component its into down receiver a Breaking saperbly. everything do to room enough not simply There's and audio respects. all in top-drawer be not will perfcrmance ,ersatili:y-or or power output out-high left be to going is something either chips, circuit integrated of use extensive with Even subsections. digital of decoder -sound surround and tuner, preamp, the for circuitry cf lots as well as sinks, heat sizable by cooled and transformer rower massive a by fei six) or :five amplifiers power multiple crammed: requirements absolutely are they that attest also can behemoths those cf one up apened who's anyone And bulky. are they that you tell can receiver A/V -one -in all an for shopping gone who's ybody ar But amplifiers. integrated and now the meet receivers garden-variety of multitude a in found be now can ers) amplifi- rower and preamps separate around (built systems nent -compo- separate in only obtainable be to used that performance are and functions all, After manufacturers. some even perplexed 10 changing has popularity continued whose component short-a for preamp, preamplifier- the of st_rvival the by puzzled be understandably might time first the for -fi h high-e-xl encountering PERSON A Preamplifiers and, possibly, better sound quality times audible differences among pho- ers, analog and digital tape decks, that you can get with the most ad- no-preamp circuits.Particular con- tuners, and, if you're lucky, a good old vanced of today's preamplifiers. Be- cern about phono-stage performance phonograph cartridge. Several pre - cause a preamp designer doesn't labor is still justified for antidigitalists and amps now on the market already pro- under the space constraints imposed those of us with hundreds or thou- vide optical and coaxial digital con- by a receiver or integrated amplifier, sands of LP's in our collections. Pho- nections for CD and laserdisc players he can be more generous with circuit- no-stage performance can be ignored and digital recorders, a feature that is ry, both in amount and quality. Perfor- altogether if you don't have or need a bound to spread. Eventually you'll mance can sometimes be improved by turntable. probably need connections for an MD the use of more elaborate circuitry or It was also about fifteen years ago or DCC recorder, and within five to more expensive parts and by better that the primary requirements of good seven years you'll be contending with spacing and shielding of the internal phono-preamp design were elucidated signals from digital radio and probably signal paths. Furthermore, a back pan- by Tomlinson Holman (then chief en- four or more channels of digital audio el that doesn't have to carry multiple gineer at Advent, now corporate tech- from HDTV (high -definitiontelevi- speaker connectors can be filled in- nical director at Lucasfilm): low cir- sion) broadcasts, discs, and tapes. stead with additional inputs for the cuitnoise,correctresistiveinput Home theater brings further con- rapidly growing family of audio-and impedance (close to 47,000 ohms) at nection and switching responsibilities video-signal sources. all frequencies, provision for adjust- to a preamp, in the form of video The customary duties of a preampli- ment of the capacitive loading of the signals. And these come in two varie- fier are four in number: phonocartridge,accurateRIAA ties: composite and S -video. Ideally a I. To amplify and equalize the low- equalization (within ±0.2 dB), free- preamp should handle both types, al- est -level signal sources. This now ap- dom from overload at high cartridge though S -video connections are just plies only to phono cartridges, but outputs (ability to handle about 100 now becoming common. years ago preamps also included cir- millivolts at 1,000 Hz is usually more Switching tends to be fairly straight- cuitryfor microphone and analog than adequate), good immunity to ra- forward technologically, but there are tape -head inputs. dio -frequency interference (RFD, some design considerations that bear 2. To select the signal source (in- and, possibly, the inclusion of infra- scrutiny when it comes to switching a cluding the output of the phono- sonic filtering to remove unwanted variety of A/V signals. With so many preamp section) to be fed to the power signals generated by record warps and signals of different types being fed to a amplifier. otherultra -low -frequencygarbage. preamp's input terminals, unless the 3. To provide some signal -process - There are many different ways to circuitry is well laid out there can very easily be some intersource crosstalk, with the signal from one input (whether selected or not) appearing at a reduced level somewhere it shouldn't. Many preamplifiers now include surround -sound With most preamps this is not a signifi- cant problem in normal listening, but switching systems that enable you to processing and video as well as mho swilching listen to one source while recording another can lead to contamination of the recording by the wrong source if ing options, the minimum being a vol- achieve these goals, but all of them signal routing is not carefully done. ume control. must be realized for topflight phono- And the low noise level from digital 4. To interconnect signal sources to section performance. Fortunately, do- program sources may not hide such each other and to tape recorders. ing so is neither difficult nor expen- signal leakage during normal listening. Most of these duties continue to sive, so there's not much excuse for a Of course, to be safe from all this, you apply as new audio/video and digital designer getting it wrong nowadays. can simply turn off all the sources you audio sources add to the burdens With the decline of the phonograph aren't using (the tuner especially- preamps are expected to shoulder. But record, one might think that much of which you can't do with a receiver). one traditional preamp chore, though the rationale for separate preamplifi- Carefulinternal -signalisolation, still important to many people, is starters has disappeared. Not a chance. termination, and shielding are even ing to fade from the scene. There'sstillalotof connecting, more important if the preamp is also switching, and signal processing to do, used to route video. Video signals Phone Mania and these are proving the most fruitful have a nasty habit of contaminating In the good old days-say, five to areas for preamp progress. any nearby audio signals with hums fifteen years ago-preamp spec sheets and buzzes whose strength and sonic usually made a big fuss over the phono Connection Craze character can change with the picture section, the portion of the circuitry The advent of the CD and, more content. Inaudible high -frequency necessary to raise the very low output important,theincorporationinto components of a video signal leaking of a phono cartridge to standard line home audio systems of video -related into an analog tape recorder can cause2 level (see "How the Preamp Got Its sound from multitudinoussources themistracking of noise -reduction z Name" on page 72). This preoccupa- have brought switching and connec- systems. Such leakage can also cause0 tion with phono-section quality was tions to the fore in preamp design. The problems that increase distortion and justified, however, because phono- most versatile now have as many as reduce dynamic range if it seeps into a graph records were then the primary ten different inputs, for signals from digital recorder. So even if you don't music source and because there used satellite -TV decoders, television sets, have immediate plans to use the video to be easily measurable and some - VCR's, videodisc players, CD play- capabilities of an A/V-oriented pre -

70 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Carver's C -20v (S9001 provides seven digital surrour d -sound modes, including Dolby Pro Logic. ( Alt, I 11...- It has inputs and switching for four audio and five v deo sources. with both S -video and composite - video connections.

The Marantz AV -500 (S899) provides Dolby Pro L]gic and ambience - enhancement surround modes. All L 30mSec R 45116ec five A V inputs, including a set on the front panel, have S -video and composite -video connections; there are tom audio -only inputs. 1101C 1111011 11 .1 0 0 0 0

Sony's TA-E2000ESD (S1,2l1) uses digital signal processing for surround sound. equalizaticn. and dynamic -range compression and expansion. It has analog audio. digital audio and composite- and S -vi leo inputs andoutputs.

The Denon AVP-5000 (52.500) has, MODE.. -DOLBY PRO LOGIC two separate DSP chips, so it can do two types of signal processing, such as surround sound and equalization, at once. It has analog and digital audio and composite- and S -video inputs.

hanmanikmdonAVII

The McIntosh (39 (S2,795) provides -Jarman Kardon's AVP-1 (S2,499) can comprehensive audio video 3eused as a basic A V surround switching and control. Dolby Pro neamp with volume control and Logic decoding is included, and an source selection or as just a optional THX-1 card (S410) can be surround processor, with Home THX, installed for Home THX processing. standard Dolby Pro Logic, and ambience -enhancement modes. How the Preamp Got Its Name

The audio signals supplied by all popular its maximum output-is from 1 to 2 volts preamps may actually increase in number signal sources are too weak to drive a and is called "line level." All home - as manufacturers see fit to remove phono loudspeaker directly. Phono cartridges audio signal sources except phono stages from their preamps, integrated have such low outputs that they can't cartridges have line -level outputs. amps, and receivers because of the even drive a headphone. Signals from all Cartridges need additional voltage collapsing popularity of phonograph these sources thus have to be amplified amplification to get up to line level, and records. to become listenable. that is supplied by a phono preamplifier. Certain phono cartridges, the moving - In olden times (I'm talking 1940's and so called because it amplifies a signal coil variety, have extremely low outputs, 1950's here). it was more convenient to before the "real" amplifier, the power at least ten times weaker than those of divide the necessary source -to - amplifier, gets it. The phono preamp also typical moving -magnet or moving -iron loudspeaker amplification factor (or has the function of reversing the pickups. Moving -coil cartridges require "gain") into two stages and to use a frequency -response shaping applied some supplemental gain just to reach separate component for each stage than during the cutting of a phonograph normal moving -magnet output levels. to do everything in one fell swoop. The record. That response shaping is Again, the most reasonable engineering component responsible for the last stage necessary to reduce disc noise during approach has been to split the gain into of amplification is now called a power playback and is called RIAA equalization, two stages, the second being the amplifier (it used to be just an amplifier). after the Recording Industry Association standard phono preamp and the first which boosts the voltage and the current of America. which standardized it. being the still more clumsily named pre- from the source to the higher levels The name "preamplifier" eventually preamp, or head amp, which receives a that speakers need. The term "power came to be associated with the entire moving -coil cartridge's output and feeds amplifier" comes from the basic formula component in which a phono preamplifier it to a standard phono preamplifier. Pre- for electrical power: voltage (in resides, which has subsequently taken on preamps-which are sometimes nothing volts) times current (in amperes or, switching and connection functions in more elaborate than a step-up confusingly, "amps") equals power addition to just boosting the phono- transformer-are available as separate (in watts). cartridge output, though there are still devices, or they can be built into a The standard power -amplifier input - devices on the market that perform only standard phono-preamp section and signal level-a level that can drive it to that function. These separate phono switched in when necessary. J.R.- amp, try to glean, from a data sheet or providedynamic -rangeprocessing ready obsessing-over the technology test report, some idea of whether the and a high -precision equalizer in addi- employed in preamp A/D and D/A manufacturer has considered audio/ tion to digital Dolby Pro Logic decod- converters, just as they did over the video crosstalk in the design, perhaps ing and a host of ambience -enhance- elements of phono-section design. to the extent of enabling you to switch ment modes. Advanced digital signal processing off the video circuitry when itisn't The TA-E2000ESD is one of an for surround sound, ambience en- being used. emerging breed of advanced products hancement, equalization, tone con- that define the future of the preamplifi- trols, and other signal modifications. A Digital Future er. Among design trends evident, col- Future models will-I hope-incorpo- The most electronically elaborate lectively, in these leading -edge pre - rate digital noise reduction to clean up home preamps now available include amps are the following: the sound of analog tapes and discs. surround -sound decoders as well as Increased switching and connection As it has with other types of prod- audio and video signal routing. That possibilities for multiple audio and ucts, the digital future promises to blur makes good sense, and not only be- video sources. distinctions. Further down the road, cause it reduces the intercomponent Moreversatilecontrolfacilities, preamps will probably look more like wiring that normally accompanies the such as infrared remotes and multi - general-purpose audio computers, installation of an outboard surround - room hookups. with nearly all sources and all audio soundprocessor.Itmakes superb Incorporation of a tuner. This old processing-even RIAA phono equal- sense if the surround -sound functions "half -receiver" idea is being revived ization-remaining in the digital "do- are performed by digital signal pro- in components not much larger than a main." Power amps, because you will cessing (DSP). DSP isn'tessential standard preamp (most preamp chas- probably need so many of them to for excellent surround -sound perfor- sis are nearly empty). You can then driveamultichannelconcert -hall/ mance-nor does DSP guarantee that move the bulky parts of a receiver (the movie -theater surround system, will you'll get it-but the full use of digital power amplifiers) to where they can be migrate out of receivers and integrated processing power in a preamp can also heard and not seen. amplifiers, which would otherwise be- bring unprecedented versatility and On -boardanalog -to -digital(A/D) come impractically bulky and com- precision to the traditional preamp and digital -to -analog (D/A) conversion plex. Far from being a dead product functions of switching, connection, with increased use of digital inputs and category, the preamplifier may ulti- and signal processing. The Sony TA- outputs.Manufacturers and audio- mately survive as receivers evolve E2000ESD, for example, uses DSP to philes will obsess-indeed, are al- into obsolescence. 0

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CIRCLE NO. 44 ON READER SERVICE CARD SAN/LLL RAMLY RY WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE

WHENmen days is to set the opera in the eigh- look at the teenth century, in Mozart's time. I'm singer Sam- not really comfortable with that be- uelRamey, cause I think it softens the character. theyseea Something about the eighteenth -cen- manly fellow tury costumes, the hair, is not right. secureinhis Settingitin the sixteenth century masculinity,a makes it easier to get the dashing Errol nice guy, a potential good buddy. Flynn look, which is more Spanish. I When women look at him, they see a see Don Giovanni as demonic, a little manly fellow secure in his masculin- in league with the devil, and certainly ity, a sex object, a potential good dangerous." lover. When other singers look at him, Wearing cowboy boots, jeans, and they see a manly fellow secure in his an open -collared shirt, Ramey looked masculinity, a disciplined artist, and a anything but dangerous. His flat stom- talented colleague. ach, narrow waist, and full head of hair Ramey may be all those things, and made it difficult to believe that he has on stage he is quite multifaceted. "My turned fifty. He carries his age as repertoire contains a nice variety of lightly as the mantle of World's No. 1 heroes and villains, comic and dramat- Star Basso, at home in the most presti- ic characters," he said when I inter- gious opera houses in San Francisco, viewed him in his New York apart- Chicago, New York, London, Paris, ment. "The one that is most like me is Milan, and Vienna. Figaro in Mozart'sThe Marriage of "During the Mozart Bicentennial in Figaro.His temperament is so like my 1991I just didFigaroandDon Gio- own that I can just sort of relax in the vanni,but some other singers did noth- part and be myself." ing but Mozart that year. I've record- Figaro,theresourcefulservant, ed Sarastro inThe Magic Flutefor clever at outwitting his master and at Philips,butroleslikethat-high ease with the female characters both priests and kings-can wait until I'm upstairs and downstairs, may be natu- older. For the present, while I'm still ral for Ramey, but he is not limited to young and lithe -spirited,I prefer to downstairs roles. With equal success continue with lively roles that have he has played the aristocratic Count in more personality." The Marriage of Figaro.Does having Ramey opened the 1992-1993 sea- played the servant give added insight son at the Metropolitan singing all four to playing the master? villains in Offenbach'sThe Tales of "No, I don't think so. Not any more Hoffmann,a tour de force that has than it does inDon Giovanni,in which won him acclaim since his days at thea I've done both Giovanni and his ser- New York City Opera. With his warm, vant Leporello. I've been singing the resonant voice he projects lots of life title role a lot-at the Metropolitan and personality as the devil. "I've and in Salzburg-and the trend these been singing the title role in Bolto's Mefistofele for about fifteen years. It's whereIlived. Operatic recordings in On the Town, due from Deutsche one of the few operas in which the bass didn't come into my life until I was at Grammophon in August, and that is the central character. I also enjoy the university." company also has his recording of singing Mephistopheles in Gounod's Other basses besides Pinza whose Semiramide awaiting release. Faust, which is a very different view of recordings inspired him include Ce- Ramey is at ease with his reputation the devil-a suave bon vivant. Still sare Siepi, George London, and Gior- as opera's sexiest male singer. "I've another kind of devil is Nick Shadow gio Tozzi as well as the earlier Pol been taking some heat about that from in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, Plancon andFeodorChaliapin. certain critics who I think are tired of which I sang recently at Covent Gar- "From recordings I learned a lot about seeing my bare chest.I hope they den in London. interpretation and languages. Now I know I don't ask for those bare -chest- Some French operas, such as Mas- have mixed feelings about too much ed costumes. But I don't mind that senet's Don Quichotte, are sometimes influence from other singers. I don't kind of attention. How many opera revived specifically for Ramey. "One want to copy them. I'm preparing Bo- singers get to be a sex symbol?" of my most recent recordings is Mas- ris Godounov for Geneva in May-I Wealth and fame do not come into senet's Cherubin on RCA, which is quite charming." Verdi's Attila has been one of Ramey's greatest success- es, and lately he has begun singing the "...a nice variety of heroes and villains, priests and kings in such Verdi operas as Aida, recorded for Sony Classical. He opened the 1992-1993 season at La comic and dramatic characters." Scala as King Philip in Don Carlos, which was recorded by EMI/Angel. Rossini has loomed large in Ra- mey's career in the theater and on recordings. Last year, in a televised tribute to the composer on his two - hundredth birthday, Marilyn Home (often describedasthiscentury's greatest Rossini singer)said, "We couldn't have had the current Rossini revival without Samuel Ramey. You can't perform some of those operas without a bass who can handle the coloratura." "It was kind of her to say that," Ramey commented. "Yes, I feel that I have made a contribution to the revival. For five years running I sang at the festivalinPesaro,Rossini'sbirth- place, doing seven or eight operas. The most demanding roles, and the As Attila (left), King Philip in Don Carlos, and the Poet In gismilit ones that interest me most, are in Semiramide and Maometto II, and always said I'd wait until I was fifty to Ramey's conversation. He and his those are the ones I think-to put it do it-and a study tape of other perfor- wife enjoy traveling to the world's bluntly-that I sing better than anyone mances helps with the Russian." great cities where he performs, and he else today. The ability to sing colora- envisions no major changes in his life tura is an integral part of my voice, and AMEY'Sdiscography cov- in the next few years. "A good thing my first teacher in college encouraged ers all major labels and is about the lower voices is that they me to work on it to keep the voice light so extensive that he is the hold up better, and you can sing long- and flexible. most recorded bass in his- er. I'd like to think I could go on as "He assigned me an aria to learn- tory. Asked to recommend long as Jerome Hines, who's going 'Non pia andrai' from The Marriage of a few CD's for readers who strong past seventy. Figaro-and I found a recording of it do not yet know his work, "I'm quite content with my life.I by Ezio Pinza. That was my first expo- he said, "First I'd choose work well in the recording studio, and sure to opera, and it is what prompted The Marriage of Figaro I made with I'm happy going to rehearsals every me to prepare for this career." Solti for London, and then Attila on day or to perform in the evening. I feel Born inColby, Kansas, Ramey EMI/Angel. I'm very happy with both that I am the luckiest person in the grew up in a family that loved to sing, of those. I like the French recital on world to be able to make a living doing though they were not professional mu- Philips and the collection of Rossini what I like best." sicians. Like most American singers arias on Teldec. I'm also pleased with A competitive streak in most men he started in church choirs and at the Argo recording of American songs makes us resent any other man who is :t1 school. by Copland and Ives." too young, too good-looking, and too "Today radio and television broad- Like Pinza, Ramey has crossed over successful. But Ramey's modesty and casts of opera inspire young singers in into Broadway musicals. He has re- sincerity are disarming. It's gratifying8 remote parts of the country, butI corded Carousel for MCA and Man of to know that nice guys don't always0 didn't even hear the Met broadcasts La Mancha and Kismet for Sony. He is finish last. 0

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 75 ORIGINIRL 441:45TER REu. . NG'

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1 "a c'ivarenvf MF91.7;Ne. .. ;e s _ .' ' .. : For a free color catalog, call 800-423-575 Stereo Review's critics choose the outstanding current releases

Robyn Hitchcock: A Pop Eccentric Tackles the Big Themes

friendly tack, skirting accessibility without surrendering his essential nature. Hitchcock'slatest,"Respect,"follows his Beatlish pop exercise, 199I's "Perspex Island," with a set of songs that are more introspective than usual, addressing the issue of mortality with sober intent and brittle wit. There are only two uptempo songs in "Respect": The Ytpsong, an explosive number that alludes to the medical agonies of his late father's final days, and Driving Aloud (Radio Storm), a quasi -acoustic number in which disembodied verses build to an unearthly and strangely hypnotic chorus. Most of the album is quieter in tone, musically experimental (with preference given to unamplified instruments and found percussion), and the emotion- ally naked songs do strange things like changing tempo inthe middle of a chorus, as in Railway Shoes. You'll never hear a track odder than Waffle Head, in which Hitchcock purges his predilec- tion for the far side in one Captain Beef- heartian exhalation. Hitchcock tacklesthebig themes here, variously meditating on death, sur- vival, love, and wisdom. He and the Egyptians transform themselves into the Band in Serpent at the Gates of Wisdom, a song that sounds like it was written with the voice of the late Richard Manuel in mind. Railway Shoes, on the other hand, features some lovely three-part harmonies, sung in unconventional in- tervals, that have a Crosby, Stills & Nash cast to them. A more direct musical allusion can be found in The Wreck of the Arthur Lee, an ode to the one-time leader of the West Coast band Love that briefly quotes a haunting melody line from the band's classic Alone Again Or. "Believe in love," goes the chorus, and you can read that either way you like. Long-time Hitchcock fans may wonder where all the wasps, squids, and creepy-crawlies have gone, but his turn here toward themes with a more human face, with no loss in his vigorous creativ-

I you were to envision the wild king- After a series of magnificent albums that ity, may be his greatest accomplishment dom of rock-and-roll as a menagerie combined equal parts of strangeness and to date. Parke Puterbaugh full of earthbound boars and bovines. charm, deploying the melodic gifts of a Robyn Hitchcock would be a colorful Paul McCartney in the service of lyrics ROBIN HITCHCOCK toucan perched high above it all. Cer- that scanned like Lewis CaroII fixated on AND THE EGYPTIANS tainly no other currently active musi- the biological realm, Hitchcock hit a Respect cian possesses such an unfettered imagi- plateau with 1989's "Queen Elvis." For The Yipsong: Arms of Love: The Moon Inside: nation.For himthekaleidoscopic the first time he began to sound compul- Railway Shoes: When I Was Dead; The Wreck palette of possibilities pioneered by the sively eccentric, even a little self-con- of the Arthur Lee: Driving Aloud (Radio Storm); 5late -period Beatles, Syd Barrett's Pink scious. He's since sidestepped that pit- Serpent at the Gates of Wisdom; Then You're Floyd, the Byrds, and their generation fall, much as Peter Gabriel did around Dust: Waffle Head didn't go gray at the end of the Sixties. the time of "So," by taking a more user- A&M 540 064 (37 min)

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 77 The Best Brahms Jazz First Concerto Ever? Ballads to Die For

INHENthe tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton came on the scene in the late Seventies, he was re- gardedassomething of an anachronism. That was the age of fusion, a time when young musicians plugged into a wall outlet and drowned their shortcomings in synthetic sounds. Hamilton, who was still in his twenties,relied only on his Selmer (which was older than he was) and a good reed to produce a lush, silken sound in an endangered style that hither- to had been the province of much older players. His repertoire also reflected a love for the past, and when he recorded an album of ballads, even sharp -penned critics became downright nostalgic. Now he has once again messed with time to enrich his ever-growing recorded legacy-and our CD collections-with "Scott Hamilton with Strings," a Con- cord Jazz set that is drenched in romance. Accompanied by a rhythm section and twenty of the smoothest string players you've ever heard, the now - S nearing -forty saxophonist takes us on a slow ooze through a program that could melt an iceberg. It is an hour of music S that will produce only a modicum of toe 0 taps and finger snaps, but it is guaran- 0 teed to make the glow from the fireplace The pianist Steven Kovacevich: surpassing himself seem warmer and-if you areold8 enough-to conjure up memories of the way it was when great jazz players SI EVEN KOVACEVICH first recorded central fugato. Ideally recorded, this is a showed their gentle sides and crossed5 Brahms's mighty D Minor Piano superb achievement all around! the bridge to middle America. At that Concerto for Philips with the Lon- By way of a bonus, Kovacevich joins time, four decades ago, jazz purists ac- don Symphony under Colin Davis. the contralto Ann Murray and the violist cused such men as Charlie Parker, Clif- His new one on EMI, with the Lon- Nobuko Imai in the touching pair of ford Brown, and Coleman Hawkins of don Philharmonic under Wolfgang songs that make up Brahms's Op. 91: going commercial, but these and other Sawallisch, not only surpasses his own Gestillte Sehnsucht, with atext by Ruck- previous version but, as far as I'm con- ert, andGeistliches Wiegenlied,which cerned, pretty mucheveryother record- uses a German translation of a Nativity ed version. poem by Lope de Vega (the viola weaves Sawallisch sets the tone with a fire- an oldcarol, Josef, Lieber Josef Mein, and-brimstone orchestral opening; Ko- intothemusicaltexture).Murray's vacevich responds with a surprisingly voice may not havethethrobbing modest but superbly phrased solo state- warmth of a Jessye Norman or Marian ment. It is in the development section Anderson, but her delivery is quietly Scott that all the Brahmsian demons are let forthright and her enunciation flawless. Hamilton loose, only to be tamed by the meltingly Imai's viola faultlessly realizes the col- beautifulsecondsubject. The slow oration Brahms intended. All told, a disc movement (Brahms's poignant memori- to be treasured. David Hall al for Robert Schumann) opens with tenderness and closes, over pedal point, BRAMMS: in a surge of passion. The demonic fire- Piano Concerto No. 1; Alto Songs works return stronger than ever in the Kovacevich, Murray, lmai; London finale, where Sawallisch and the orches- Philharmonic, Sawallisch tra do themselves proud in the tricky EMI 54578 (59 min)

78 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 jazz greats went lush without sacrificing be saluted for having the pianist Alan their artistic integrity. Broadbent write the charts. Like Hamil- There are several reasons why this CD ton, he has captured to perfection this is a sound from the past, a major one engaging blend of jazz and romance. being that record companies are reluc- Chris Albertson tant to pay the high cost of assembling so many musicians for recordingsthat SCOTT HAMILTON clearly won't make the pop charts. Con- Scott Hamilton with Strings cordowner/producerCarlJefferson My Foolish Heart; Goodbye Mr. Evans; should be commended for giving us this The Shining Sea; Angel Eyes; Heart's gentle puff from the past, and Hamilton Desire; The Look of Love; Nancy (With the gets an extra mark for insisting that there Laughing Face); Young and Foolish; I be no overdubs or prerecorded tracks- Concentrate on You; Tonight I Shall Sleep everybody was in the same studio at the with a Smile on My Fare same time. Then, too, someone should CONCORD JAZZ 4538 (58 min)

Bartok + Boulez=Magic

NOTtoo long ago Sony brought back marvelous score, which insures not only on CD the recording of Bartak's the most scrupulous clarity of detail, as firstballetscore,The Wooden before, but a more complete immersion Prince,that Pierre Boulez made in the fairy-tale essence of the work. The during his tenure as music director interpretation is a bit more expansive of the New York Philharmonic back and frankly romantic now, with the won- in the Seventies. It was one of those derful colors giving off a positive glow as performances that fully justify the use of well as the frequent sparks. that tired old adjective "revelatory"- On Boulez's Sony CDThe Wooden The conductor but itis brilliantly surpassed in every Princeis accompanied by a less than Pierre Boulez: respect by Boulez's new recording with fully persuasive account of Barteik's more expansive the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Dance Suite;on the new DG disc he DG. In addition to the expected im- gives us a downright irresistible perfor- provement in the sonics, in terms of both mance of the seldom heardCantata Pro- richness and detail, the remake has an fana,with the tenor John Aler, the bari- extraordinary level of performance. The tone John Tomlinson, and Margaret great Chicago orchestra has probably Hillis'ssplendidChicago Symphony of the cantata, some of MiklOs Banffy's Ibecome more at home in the Bark* Chorus singing the Hungarian text. The original costume designs forThe Wooden idiom than any other in our country, for cantata is another sort of fairy tale, Prince,a detailed synopsis of the ballet's all of its music directors over the last based on an old Romanian carol. Listen- action, and an exemplary note by Paul four decades-Boulez's French compa- ers who are not familiar with it will find it Griffiths. Richard Freed triot Jean Martinon, the Hungarians an enchanting discovery, as magically 6Fritz Reiner and Georg Solti, and their evocative in its way as the ballet score, ARTOK: 6Czech predecessor, Rafael Kubelik- for which it provides a touching and The Wooden Prince; Cantata Profana gave Bartek's music a prominent place most effective introduction on this su- Aler. Tomlinson; Chicago Symphony Chorus 0in their repertory. But there is also Bou- perbly recorded and generously filled and Orchestra, Boulez 2lez's own deepened response to this disc. The CD leaflet includes the full text DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 435 863 (73 min) NOW ON COMPACT DISC

POPULAR SWANS: Cop. SKY 5068. The 1984 3017 (tIree discs). Variations on JAMES BOOKER: Junco Partner. album by the pioneering downtown New everyth ng from "God Save the King" to HANNIBAL/RYKODISC 1359. The 1976 York noise -rock ensemble, personally arias by Salieri in early -Sixties solo album, originally available only in remastered ,y leader M. Gira. performances by the pianist Alfred Brendel. Europe, by the legendary New Orleans GOTTSCHALK: R&B pianist, featuring an analysis by CLASSICAL Great t merican Piano. Pennario. George Winston. BACH: Saint Matthew Passion. ANGEL CDM-64667. Soloists; Corboz. ERATO 45375 (tl-ree More than 70 minutes THE NEW BOMB TURKS: Destroy - discs). Kurl Equiluz, Margaret Marshall, 31' the New Orleans- Oh Boyl CRYPT 032. Sell-out reissue of and Philippe Huttenlocher join the sorn composer's best an album released last year on vinyl only. conductor Michel Corboz and an orchestra .vorks for solo piano Perhaps to compensate, these amusing and choruses from Lausanne. make up the latest in Midwestern punksters point out that the s series devoted to CD does not contain the LP bonus track BEETHOVEN: Variations and "Great American Spinning Clock. Vignettes. 3rendel. VOX BOX 3 CD3X Music.'

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CIRCLE NO 11 ON READER SERVICE CARD to Juliet Capulet, as in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Doesn't all this sound like somebody has been thinking a little too hard? Well, the album sounds that way, too. The best tunes here are the ones in which the letter -writer's personality comes shining through, musically as well as lyrically-the deeply suspicious wife of For Other Eyes, for example, or the unrequited lover of The Letter Home, who vents her bitterness after years of POPULAR silence. Maybe because these songs are full of character, they seem like show tunes-or MUSIC maybe I just like them better because they have some formal hooks. Most of the arrangements strike me as inconsistent blends of pop New recordings reviewed and classical, sometimes relying on a strong PAUL BRADY beat or following the vocal line closely, some- Songs and Crazy Dreams by Chris Albertson, times swooping independently of the vocals. FONTANA 512 197 (67 min) Some may call "The Juliet Letters" a bold Performance: Solid, but... Francis Davis, Phyl Garlan experiment.I mark a lot of it: "Return to Recording: Very good Ron Givens, Roy Hemming Sender." R.G. Heretofore, Paul Brady has been better known among his songwriting peers than Alanna Nash, DIGABLE PLANETS by the general public. Bonnie Raitt recorded Parke Puterbaugh, and Reachin' (a new refutation two of his songs, including the title track, for of time and space) her "Luck of the Draw" album, and touring as Steve Simels PENDULUM 61414 (57 min) a support act with Eric Clapton and Dire Performance: A different world Straits at least introduced him to a likely Recording: Good audience. He's got a warm, burry voice with Warning to Earth: Three life forms-self- an oboe's sonority and a cache of fine songs. described "insects" from "Sector 6"- Problem is, his performances skirt the outer unguarded emotion and out -of -control pain, have come to your planet and released an edges of passion without diving in. On record "Wild Kentucky Skies" peels the skin back yet album of "music." You can easily identify he seems too easily tamed, his feverish Celtic another layer. Now when his catch -and -moan these life forms because they appear to be rap soul submerged by productions and arrange- vocal technique carries his sturdy baritone to a musicians, but, strangely, the sounds they ments that are too slick and middle-of-the- high twang, Brown isn't just reporting the produce are in fact closer to beat poetry with a road. Yet evidence of great talent is every- child -rattling knowledge that Daddy's off do- cool jazz soundtrack. They are armed with where,whichis probably whyhe's a ing things he shouldn't with another woman. hipster tendencies and may be considered songwriter's favorite. This time he's embodying far greater anguish. dangerous to old -school rappers. Instead of In "Songs and Crazy Dreams," a retrospec- Brown refuses to be love's victim in Honey I tive gathered from four albums and released, Ain't No Fool and in Jackson Leap's I Don't no doubt, to cash in on the Raitt connection, Wanna See You, where he abandons his hick - he occasionally breaks through the tidy trap- from -the -farm persona to take care of his pings to communicate raw passion (Nothing heart. But in the unsettling She's Gone he but the Same Old Story) or Irish -folk authentic- moves into completely different territory, that ity (The Homes of Donegal). On the basis of of Hank, Sr.'s final phase, when Williams the twelve songs here, it's not too farfetched to stood on the edge of today, saw there was no propound that if Bruce Hornsby can make it tomorrow, and managed to scribble a few lines with the thirty- to forty -something crowd, Paul about it before his chauffeur delivered him to Brady could easily be adopted as well.I eternity. Williams would have traded his last suspect he has a Van Morrison -type lion inside hit of morphine for a song as bone -chillingly him waiting to bust out. P.P. bleak as She's Gone, and he would have envied Brown's eerie howl, which says he's got one MARTY BROWN foot in the grave, the other in a life beyond, Wild Kentucky Skies and can't decide which way to go. It takes MCA 10672 (40 min) uncommon artistry to write and sing with this Performance:Hair-raising much abandon. And it takes guts-uncommon Recording: Very good in Nashville, anyway-to let anybody else Marty Brown, whose 1991 debut album, hear it. A.N. "High and Dry," made nearly every critic's Best of the Year list,is back with ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE another record that confirms what his first BRODSKY QUARTET suggested-thatthe twenty -seven -year -old The Juliet Letters Maceo, Kentucky, native has a talent so radi- WARNER BROS. 45180(53 min) ant that its like shows up only once every few Performance: Huh? decades. Recording: Good As before,several of the songs come Wou have to admire Elvis Costello's moxie. steeped in Hank Williams, Sr.'s doomed nega- Or maybe you have to wonder at his tivity or the Everly Brothers' nervous opti- foolishness. "The Juliet Letters" is a project as mism. And again Brown proves he's equally high-minded as it is loopy. First of all, Mr. C. adept at recreating their trademark vocal performs all these songs-that is, the seven- sounds and melodic structures, especially in teen (out of twenty) in which he sings-with a the Hank -like No Honky Tonkin' Tonight and string quartet. Second, the music here is sup- the Everly-ish It Must Be the Rain. But if posed to be neither pop nor classical but some 0 "High and Dry" showed Brown to be the least other species. Third, these songs are supposed self-conscious artist in recent memory, full of to add up to a cycle of letters, some (but not all) Marty Brown: artistry and guts

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 83 POPULAR MUSIC criticizing their fellow young people and de- with Harris and DeMent), Prine's Speed of the sounded like the Stones with a strep-throated scribing inner-city turmoil,these Digable Sound of Loneliness, Gordon Lightfoot's Ten singer? In sharp contrast, Mick Jagger has Planets contemplate such subjects as how to Degrees and Getting Colder, and Woody Guth- previously played it oh -so -smart in his solo relax on a Sunday ("Ain't nothin' to do / Check rie's Do Re Mi are inspired choices, others outings by trying to sound different from the out some Fromm, some Sartre, some Ca- leave you wondering what Griffith had in way he does in his day job-and ended up mus"). The somewhat intoxicated views these mind. The traditional South African song sounding nothing but boring. But "Wandering life forms express are limited, and so are their Wimoweh, delivered with a cast of thousands Spirit" shows Jagger being true to his own self. spare, jazzy arrangements, but the general from Odetta to the Indigo Girls and John In other words, a lot of it would sound right at effect of listening to this combination is fresh. Gorka, never goes anywhere and ends almost home in a Rolling Stones album. This trio, in fact, really has the potential to as soon as it begins. Other songs, such as A number of these songs have a simple make your planet more digable. R.G. Malvina Reynolds's relentlessly sentimental whomp-whomp-whomp beat and a crunchy Turn Around, in which Griffith is also unchar- guitar spitting out riff upon riff. Wired All acteristically off pitch, either don't seem to Night, Put Me in the Trash, and Mother of a belong to the project or never get off the Man all set the classic -rock stage on which ground. Jagger struts his outrageous stuff. He also Still, the main shortcoming of the record is trots out some familiar tricks, uncorking his that Griffithisso in awe of the songs' funky falsetto in Sweet Thing and showing creators that either her own delivery is too some country ham in Evening Gown and Hang reverent and stiff or she copies the phrasing On to Me Tonight. Of course, you could say and vocal inflections of the original singers too Jagger is reworking what's he's done with his closely to put her own stamp on the material. band, and you could footnote and cross-refer- And so, apart from Are You Tired of Me, ence every little melisma, but who really cares Darling, there are no spectacular perfor- when it sounds this good? Basically, Jagger has mances here, nor, for that matter, songs that followed his natural instincts, whether they immediately capture the heart. But there are roll like a Stone or not. And some of the some genuinely lovely moments just the same. surprises are just as much fun, particularly his How much you enjoy them depends on how stalwart delivery of Handsome Molly, a tear- well you tolerate Griffith'slittle -girlvoice stained folk song about a lad whose heart has (although she's learning how to be throatier been broken. Out of the fourteen tunes in when the material calls for it) and how offput- "Wandering Spirit," only one really seems8 ting you find her arrogance as a keeper of the flat, which is better than Richards's last rec- flame. Here, at least, her heart is usually in the ord. But who, other than these two guys and right place, even if her musical sensibilities much of the world, is keeping track? R.G. Griffith: payback time wander. A.N. CHRIS MARS NANCI GRIFFITH MICK JAGGER 75% Less Fat Other Voices, Other Rooms Wandering Spirit SMASH/ISLAND 162-88-004 (40 min) ELEKTRA 61464 (62 min) ATLANTIC 82436 (54 min) Performance: Skewered fillets Performance: Odds and ends Performance: A Stone turned Recording: Good, but ... Recording: Very good Recording: Very good hris Mars, the drummer and founding !Before she wandered off to MCA, where Which Glimmer Twin has the tony solo member of the Replacements whose solo ISP she tried everything from commercial career? Until now, it's been Keith Rich- album, "Horseshoes and Hand Grenades," country to MOR, folkabilly singer Nanci Grif- ards, who basically didn't give a spit. For his was a boffo surprise last year, returns with an fith recorded two magical albums in the coun- two solo albums, he just plugged in his guitar equally arresting follow-up, "75% Less Fat." try -folk vein for Philo/Rounder. Produced by and riffed away, caring so little about aesthetic Exactly where he cut all that excess is a Jim Rooney, who knew all the best acoustic grace that he sang-or, more accurately, mystery (a veiled attack on the Replacements, pickers, as well as how to build the perfect croaked-the lyrics himself. So what ifit perhaps?), but this is Lean Cuisine to be sure, instrumental framework for Griffith's fragile blend of innocence and worldly wisdom, they remain her finest recordings. Now Griffith begins a run at a new label, the OPENING ACTS rejuvenated Elektra. More interesting, however, is that this reunites her with her old GRANT LEE BUFFALO producer, Rooney, bringing her back full circle Fuzzy to the folk style with which she started her SLASH 45217 (49 min) career. In other ways, though, "Other Voices, Listening to this L.A. band's quite aston- Other Rooms" is a departure, a wholly bor- ishingdebutinitiallyinvolvessitting rowed album, from the title (Truman Capote's through a dizzying array of influences- 1948 novel) to the seventeen -song repertory. soloJohnLennon,Roger McGu inn. The idea, Griffith explains in her liner notes, "Ziggy"-period David Bowie, Neil Young, was to pay tribute to the songs, voices, and the Velvet Underground's noisier freak - writers who originally influenced her. outs, Sixties psychedelia in general. And The record is surprisingly low-key, and the guest artists-which include Dylan (blowing a that's just in the first couple of songs- half-hearted harmonica in Boots of Spanish later on you detect equally surprising Leather), Carolyn Hester, Emmylou Harris, blues and country motifs. Miraculously. John Prine, Iris DeMent, Guy Clark, Arlo however, it all seems to cohere, and by the Guthrie, and Chet Atkins-for the most part time you're done you realize that despite stay far in the background. Not once does the theoretically retro approach. Grant Lee Griffith lose her integrity by yucking it up with Buffalo (yes. the name bites) has come up her guests as if they're best friends, a standard with something unaccountably original- practice with many such all -guest albums. the most charming (there's no other word) But "Other Voices, Other Rooms" has other problems. While such songs as Are You Tired rock record in ages. A major surprise. S.S. of Me. Darling (done as a thrilling vocal blend

84 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 INTRDUCINGt '7

PRESENTING everything you've ever PLAYS ALL CASSETTES wanted in a music medium. Digital Compact Stepping up to DCC will not mean shelving Cassette is the long-awaited recordable your entire collection of conventional digital medium from Philips, the company cassettes. In addition to playing and The new cassette that invented both the cassette and the recording digital sound, all DCC players compact disc. are designed to play standard cassettes, that plays and chrome cassettes, metal cassettes, and FLAWLESS DIGITAL SOUND cassettes recorded with Dolby B and C records digital DCC uses the latest digital technology to noise reduct on. A new state-of-the-art record and play back up to 120 minutes medium that doesn't make everything else sound without of full -range music on a standard -sized obsolete...now that's a miracle! cassette. DCC features the sound making your you're used to hearing from a digital THE DCC EVOLUTION BEGINS! source.. crystal clear, without a trace All of these artists and hundreds more existing cassette of hiss or distortion. are now available on prerecorded DCC: collection PORTABILITY Bryan Adams, Bartoli-Rossini Heroines, Bon Jovi, Boyz II Men, Robert Cray, obsolete! DCC is the most rugged portable medium Billy Ray Cyuus, Drivin-N-Cryin, Extreme, yet. It's ne only way to enjoy true digital Shirley Horn, Horowitz the Poet, sound without wobble, distortion or The King and I, Bob Marley, Kathy Mattea, mistracking as you jog, run or ski to your John Mellencamp, Van Morrison, heart's content. It's also the only way to P.M. Dawn, Shakespear's Sister, Sting, experience pothole -proof digital sound in U2, Suzanne Vega, Vanessa Williams. your carPortable DCC players will be

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quite pretty. (In one new B side that didn't MARTHA WASH make the album, Big Boys Bickering, about the RCA 66052 (52 min) bad people who're responsible for great evils Performance: Incendiary in the world, he actually swears, but it sounds Recording: Okay like a kid trying to shock his parents with dirty I f you're caught up in a deep blue funk, this words.) A lot of the time McCartney simply new recording by former Weather Girl Mar- sounds out of touch. In Peace in the Neigh- tha Wash is a ready antidote. Operatically bourhood, he dreams about peace and harmo- trained and gospel -rooted, Wash sings like a ny only to wake up to reality; the contrast, whole choir, yet her distinctive voice has a however, comes down to happy platitudes laserlike quality that enables her to slice versus sad platitudes. through walls of accompanying sound and jolt McCartney is better off not trying to deal you into an aural high. with the real world. In tunes like Mistress and Although Wash's power and delivery are Maid and Biker Like an Icon, he tells us short exceptional enough, electronic effects are stories with tart, driving musical narratives. used in this debut solo album to enhance her Not having to impress us with his grasp of explosive quality even further, as in Things We from its garage -band grunge to the hard -to - serious issues and his admirable sincerity al- Do for Love and Just Us (Dancin'), where understand lyrics and no -frills production. lows him simply to entertain us, and that's fragments of her vocals are manipulated Mars specializes in sardonic social com- something for which he has a natural, even through sampling to transform her into a hu- ment and put -'em -down lyrics, driving his mature gift. It's surprising he doesn't exercise man machine gun spitting out syllables. These often funny lines with a propulsive beat, raw this talent more often, because in songs like effects are entertaining, but Wash's talents are guitars, and stark, Sixties -style drumming. these, he can sometimes get away with being somewhat shortchanged. She's a much better Most of the songs are snapshots of people cute. R.G. singer than is demonstrated here. When she's caught in self-important poses (Stuck in Re- permitted just to sing a song, without help, as wind, Whining Horse), and no one goes in the prelude to Someone Who Believes in You unskewered, from Mars's former mates (No that opens the album, she proves she belongs Bands) to nature lovers who want to rough it in the top rank of soul singers. P.G. without getting their feet wet (Car Camping). Only once does he turn the mirror toward himself, in Demolition, where he finds he Collections doesn't much like what he sees: a destruction engineer. No matter-anyone who can build THE BEAT GENERATION an album this solid probably deserves a second RHINO WORD BEAT 70281 chance. A.N . (three CD's, 197 Min) Performance: Like cool, man PAUL MeCARTNET Recording: Choice cuts Off the Ground eat began in the Fifties, when Senator CAPITOL 80362 (50 min) BMcCarthy's witch-hunt and the atom Performance: Light bomb loomed over America's future. Every Recording: Good ZACHARY RICHARD era has its counterculture, but electronic mass Paul McCartney is fifty years old, but he's Snake Bite Love media gave leaders of the beat generation a still trying to be cute. That isn't so bad A&M 75021 5387 (53 min) spotlight that was somewhat brighter than when he's tossing out another silly love song, Performance: Smokln' anything their predecessors had ever basked like the title tune in "Off the Ground." It's Recording: Very good in. Rhino's wonderful set of three CD's or bouncy and mildly syncopated and, well, silly. Zachary Richard, who weds the sadness cassettes captures and preserves for nostalgia When he sings. "I need lovin' / You need lovin' and romance of Cajun music with the buffs and future generations the sounds of a too / Doesn't take a lot to get off the ground," passion of Van Morrison and the muscle of the postwar movement that unitedrebellious you almost can't help swaying back and forth. early Rolling Stones, is in top form in "Snake youth against an establishment seemingly 2But there are tunes inthis album where Bite Love," a powerhouse collage of accor- bent on destroying the earth, gave aging bohe- 5McCartney's trying to tackle serious subjects, dion -laced zydeco, New Orleans jazz, and mians déjà vu, and laid the groundwork for the A tunes where he's trying to be angry. For in- French blues. Veering from the rollicking rock flower -power generation andtheantiwar stance, Looking for Changes is supposed to be of Roll Me to the deep-dish funk of Crawfish to movement of the Sixties. The poets, writers. 0 and musicians of the beat generation created 0a nasty swipe at people who experiment on the affecting Sunset on Louisianne, a story animals, but the mildly rocky music is actually song of personal and environmental decline, many enduring works, but they also inspired Richard performs like a man possessed, as if horrendously bad ripoffs by the commercial the entire future of Louisiana lay in his trust. media. It's all here-the superb, the good, the There's no compromise in his delivery-the bad, and the downright embarrassing. color of his voice may be unremarkable, but he Of course, there is a good measure of jazz, sings each song as if delirious with anxiety- which gave the movement its background and and he's not ashamed at revealing his vulnera- character (beat jargon, dress styles, etc. came bility. There's no artifice in his sound, either. If he beefs up the R&B factor with a black female chorus (Zydeco Jump) or horns,it sounds organic, not grafted on. Anyone who equates zydeco with quaint, old-fashioned, and (dare I say?) boring music from the outlands of Louisiana simply hasn't heard Richard. There's nothing sentimental in his Cajun roots, and his brief forays into French -language songs are missions of truth and beauty, not soft-headed mush. And if you still think the squeeze box is for sissies, check out Come On, Sheila. Richard is the real item. the cat other guys just cop from. Beg, borrow, Chris Mars: Replacements Lite? or steal to hear him. A . N.

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I'm enclosing $13.99/CD + $3.95 S&H per total order.Additional S&H charge for international BOSE EXPRESS MUSIC orders. *Offer valid for CDs priced below $17.00 only. The Mountain, Framingham, MA 01701-9323 Fax: 508-875-0604 SR05 POPULAR MUSIC from the black jazz milieu), with glorious jazz Ben Hecht interviewing Jack Kerouac. Less In "Quest," his first album in over three sounds from such artists as Dizzy Gillespie, enjoyable are the stodgy network -news com- years, Blake has wisely chosen to unplug Lee Konitz, Kenny Clarke, Gerry Mulligan, mentaries by Howard K. Smith and Charles those boring synthesizers and get down to Charlie Parker, and Chet Baker. Also included Kuralt, the strained, sophomoric "hipness" of some unadulterated playing. Even Grover are the street -wise observations of Babs Gon- Steve Allen, and a sprinkling of pop music that Washington, Jr., seems more inspired than zales, who invented much of the beat vocabu- ranges from Perry Como singing Like Young usual in the two selections he contributes to, lary; the tall tales of Lord Buckley; the won- and Nelson Riddle conducting his Route 66 Moment's Notice and Val's Blues, but those derful "word jazz" of Ken Nordine; William theme to the perfectly dreadful Kookie's Mad and the selections featuring Joe Ford's sopra- Burroughs reading an excerpt from his Naked Pad by Edd "Kookie" Byrnes. no would be better off without the saxophone. Lunch; readings and observations by the poets But even the mediocre selectionshelp Blake soars higher when he is propelled only Allan Ginsberg, Carl Sandburg, Kenneth Rex- weave a mesmerizing picture of the period. So by his rhythm section, and those violin/sopra- roth, Rod McKuen, and Langston Hughes slip into something synthetic, turn out the no unison statements of the themes lend the (who's accompanied by Charles Mingus); and lights, plug in the lava lamp, curl up with a proceedings an aura of prefabrication. Let's bongo, and listen to this fascinating mélange hope Blake sheds the fusion veil, surrounds of cool and not -so -cool. C.A. himself with artists of real substance, and WORDS & MUSIC makes an album worthy of his talent. This new YOU'RE THE TOP: release is okay, but with two exceptions, Chap- Cole Porter in the 1930's lin's Smile and Blake's own Easin' It, it is sadly ilietutecinum man INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY/KOCH wasteful. C.A. INT' L CLASSICS DMCI-1020 (three discs, 203 min) CHRIS CONNOR Performance: Wow, As Time Goes By Recording: Topnotch remastering ENJA 70612 (46 mint t may be a little late for the 1991 Cole Porter Performance: Modest perfection Centennial, but this collection certainly Recording: Very good eclipses anything else released for that occa- Short of Billie Holiday, you couldn't ask for sion. Taken primarily from tapes and records more than we get here. Chris Connor is a that Porter bequeathed to Yale University, the veteran singer whose slight nasality and occa- superbly remastered set contains the best and sionally brittle phrasing used to come across as most interesting songs from all the Broadway affectations but now seem evidence of charac- THE ROAD TO TORREON and London shows and movies Porter wrote ter. In this new release, she offers lived-in but between 1930 and 1939-an especially fecund undistressedinterpretationsof tensongs period for him, to say the least. The aim was whose very familiarity deepens their mean- For more than twenty years, songwriter not to recreate the original versions but to ing-songs like the title tune, from Casablan- James Talley (hailed as a true poet in reflect a wide range of interpretations within ca, to which listeners bring their own associa- Seventies Nashville) and photographer traditional pop and jazz frameworks. tions. The rhythm back-up is flawless, with the Cavalliere Ketchum worked together on a The performers include Porter himself, Ar- septuagenarian pianist Hank Jones as elegant book of photographs and verse chroni- tie Shaw, and a virtual Who's Who of classic as ever, drummer Keith Copeland attentive pop singers. Fred Astaire, Rosemary Clooney, and unobtrusive even in uptempo passages, cling the lives of Hispanic mountain fam- Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, and bassist George Mraz bracingly hornlike in ilies of New Mexico, many of them as Libby Holman, Teddi King, Barbara Lea, his solos. The only bone anyone could possi- dignified and self-reliant as they were des- Mary Martin, Mabel Mercer, Ethel Merman, bly pick with this CD would be its skimpy titute and hopeless. Finally published in Bobby Short, Sylvia Syms, Ethel Waters, Lee playing time. As someone who values consis- 1992 in tandem with a corresponding CD of Wiley, and Julie Wilson are just some of those tency over quantity (and who thinks that most story songs that Talley began writing as represented! They're heard in a total of sixty- CD's are too long, anyway), I myself am not an Albuquerque welfare worker, "The nine tracks, with several songs (such as Night about to complain. F.D. Road to Torre6n" (Bear Family) is a loving and Day, Begin the Beguine, Easy to Love, and tribute not only to a people, but to a region. In the Still of the Night) repeated in fascinat- ingly different arrangements. Besides well- In a style that mixes the confessions of known numbers, there are several rarities and Leonard Cohen, the folk of Pete Seeger, two songs even the most ardent Porter fans and the Mexican lilt and spoken sagas of may not be aware of, What Am I to Do? (from Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash with ele- The Man Who Came to Dinner) and River God ments of country -pop and rockabilly, Tal- (from the British play The Sun Never Sets). ley proves as adroit as Ketchum in creat- The boxed set comes with a handsomely illus- ing lasting images of such characters as trated 108 -page book with essays on Porter, theBuick -driving dandy who wore a the songs, and the performers that set a new "pompadour of curls that hung from his standard for compilation albums. R. H. forehead like a sagging bedspring" and the laborer father of eight whose drinking JAZZ landed him under the cab of an overturned pickup in a ditch, his family too poor to JOHN BLAKE JOHNNY GRIFFIN afford a Mass. Neither the book nor the Quest Dance of Passion record would stand on its own (Talley is SUNNYSIDE 1(IS8147 min) ANTILLES 512 604 (58 min) stronger on images than he is on melody, Performance: Kinda Stuffy Performance: Captivating hook, and vocal prowess), but together Recording: Very good Recording: Very good the violin lends itself beautifully Whiny years ago, the tenor saxophonist they make for a noble and indelible tour of Althoughto jazz, only a handful of noteworthy Johnny Griffin was a solid player who the spirit and heart. -A.N. violinists have graced the scene. Among the could sooth the senses with a mellow approach current crop-and a meager one it is, in terms or fuel a tenor battle with a robust, incendiary "The Road to Torreon" is available for $37 of numbers-John Blake stands out. He has assault. He's just as versatile and engaging postpaid from Sunshine Music, 200 Atlan- not always associated himself with equals, but today, although perhaps a bit more polished. ta Ave., Stuart, FL 34994. his Stuff Smith -inspired style is engaging even "Dance of Passion," his second Antilles re- in so-so company. lease, also demonstrates the good taste that

88 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 Stereo Review A TRADITION OF INNOVATION

Saturday May 29

SIGHT OUNDScongratulates Stereo Review on its 35th year as the worlds largest and most popular magazine dedicated to consumer electronics. Celebrate with us as Michael Riggs and Julian Hirsh give us a behind the scenes look at the history and tradition RCA's CinemaScreen TV that is Stereo Review. During this special episode of SIGHT sTIUNDS The Celebration Continues! we showcase the ultimate in television enjoyment-RCA's CinemaScreen "16x9" Television. And now, each week, SIGHT9OUNDS will bring you tips from the editors of The CinemaScreen's hold new shape and panoramic Stereo Rev! Whether it's trpuble-shooting scope allow you to watch widescreen movies in surround or understanding the their original theater dimension. new digital fo ts, SIGHTOOUNDS and Stereo Review will show you how. Its all amit.? part oloor, (C-) WTDT sir

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has always characterized his performances- and his often overlooked talent for composing. Ju 110C IF 3ClaMD Griffin wrote all but one tune here. Cole Por- ter's All Through the Night, which receives a ALISON SROWN fiery treatment from all concerned, not the Twilight Motel least being the drummer. Kenny Washington. VANGUARD 79465 (43 min) The title tune, a boppish bolero to which In her second solo album, the banjo virtuo- trombonist Steve Turre contributes delightful so Alison Brown continues to carve out an outbursts, reminds me of one of thefirst impressive niche for herself as a highly instrumental jazz records I ever heard, John original player and writer, giving the tradi- Kirby's Dawn on the Desert. Like Washing- tional banjo a voice that's fluent in progres- ton, Turre deserves much wider recognition sive fusion and jazz. Brown never wanders than he is getting, as does pianist Michael as far into space -grass territory as Bela THE POOH STICKS Weiss, who either arranged or co -arranged Fleck, but her artistic vision, while less Million Seller (with Griffin) most of these selections. This flashy, is no less profound. A.N. ZOO 11043135 min) CD is no hastily assembled studio session but a These Brit youngsters-rigorous pop for- kaleidoscopic slice of st raight-ahead jazz. C.A. TISH HINOJOSA malists with a cutesy streak more than a Culture Swing mile wide-apparently see themselves as JOE HENDERSON ROUNDER 3122 (44 min) the missing link between Neil Young and So Near, So Far Hinojosa may recall the young Emmylou Edison Lighthouse. Few less auspicious (Musings for Miles) Harris, but her material embraces the cord - concepts have ever been digitally pre- VERVE 674 (73 min) dos and conjunto of her Hispanic heritage served. S.S. Performance: Superb as well as progressive country. A Tex-Mex Recording: Very good winner. A.N. Joe Henderson grew up listening to his

MEDADETH brother's Jazz at the Philharmonic records. ' DEATH which may account for the intensity with EXODUS I yawn which he plays. He began recording thirty NUCLEAR NVa.. CELTIC ASSAULT FROST years ago, but it is only in recent years that he has begun to get the recognition due him. PROfO MUD' Henderson's first Verve release was a tribute ORR NO COP Mtn aSCRS to Billy Strayhorn; his second, "So Near, So Far," has him pointing his horn toward Miles SKULLCRUSHERS Davis. The homage is made more personal by RELAI I VITY 1160(48 min) featuring a group whose members-John Sco- LITTLE CHARLIE AND THE An all-star (Suicidal Tendencies, Obituary, field,Dave Holland, and AlFoster-all NIGHTCATS Prong, Voivod) compilation from a genre worked for the late trumpeter (Henderson also Night Vision that might be called Metal from Hell, fea- played at Miles's side briefly, in 1967). ALLIGATOR 4812 (52 min) turing the ineffably tender Pull the Plug by "So Near, So Far" is Henderson's finest Superior bar -band blues, a little more Jim- Death. And while we're speaking of bad effort in recent years. a superb album that my Reed -style languid than a comparable taste, what do you call a sing -along laser - moves smoothly through a program of tunes album by, say, the Nighthawks, but equally disc by Dr. Kevorkian? Answer: Hari-Kar- from Miles's repertory-a nearly chronologi- accomplished in a less in -your -face way. aoke. Heh heh. S.S. cal trek that includes Milestones. Flamenco Pick hit: the sardonic My Next Ex -Wife, Sketches, Miles Ahead, and Circle. Every cut which fully lives up to its title. S.S. THE SPIRIT CRIES is a gem. Henderson plays with stunning au- Endangered Music from the Rainforests thority and grace, Scofield is truly inspired. DAVID MASSENGILL of South America and the Caribbean and . .. well, suffice it to say that this is an all- Coming Up for Air RYKODISC 10250 (60 min) star group in top form. I hope they get together FLYING FISH 70590 (49 min) Mickey Hart, the drummer with the Grate- again, because one rarely hears such high - David Massengill (yes, of the feminine - ful Dead and a tireless advocate of World caliber jazz in a new recording today. C.A. hygiene -business Massengills) is a neo-fol- Music, has launched a praiseworthy series kie who sings in a rich whisper, writes with of digitallyremasteredfieldrecordings lyrical imagery and dramatic scope, and from the folk archives of the Library of weaves the strains of an Appalachian dulci- Congress. When rainforest cultures die mer through his work as easily as he might out, this music will remain. The sound in thread a needle. He strikes gold often in this this first compilation makes you feel that "Ilitdi album, particularly in the civil-rights saga you are there beside the campfire, but the 444irliveat the Five Spot Number One in America, and he's already ceremonial chants from cultures so remote Discovery! more interesting than the John Gorkas or from American life will give pleasure only Tracy Chapmans of this world. Give him to death -defying multiculturalists with a time and he'll eat their lunch. A.N. strong anthropological bent. W.L.

A MISTING IT THE RIVER JOY WHITE e WATER LILY ACOUSTICS CS -29 (40 min) Between Midnight A Hindsight Ry Cooder's first foray into Indian music COLUMBIA 48806 (37 min) Al results in a dazzling meeting of East and Arkansas newcomer Joy White knows how West. Cooder (on bottleneck guitar) collab- to turn a song inside out and check its THELONIOUS MONK QUARTET orates here with V. M. Bhatt (on a stringed pockets, from the Bakersfield shuffle of FEATURING JOHN COLTRANE instrument called the Mohan vina), and Little Tears to Kevin Welch and Harry Live at the Five Spot their work touches my mind, heart, and Stinson's progressive These Shoes. At this BLUE NOTE 99786143 min) soul in places seldom reached by World Beat point, she's as subtle as a bulldozer, but Performance: Holy Grail or New Age music. An important release, with work, she could be a latter-day Patty Recording: Better than nothing superbly recorded. [Available from Round Loveless, a singer who makes art out of raw p omparable in importance to Dean Bene- Up, I-800-443-4727.)William Livingstone emotion. A.N. detti's surreptitious Charlie Parker recordings, this is the first release of a table -top tape

90 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 POPULAR MUSIC

made by Naima Coltrane at the Five Spot Cafe in New York in 1957 during an engagement of TIPS FOR MAIL ORDER the short-lived Thelonious Monk quartet of which her husband. John. was a member (a PURCHASERS group that entered the studio only long enough It is impossible for us to verify all to record half an LP). It answers the question of the claims of advertisers, in- of what Monk and Coltrane sounded like together in live performance at what amounted cluding product availability and to a crucial juncture in both their careers- existence of warranties. There- Monk on the verge of public recognition after a fore, the following information is decade of being considered a fringe eccentric. provided for your protection. and Coltrane just beginning to experiment with the possibility of playing two or more 1. Confirm price and merchandise notes simultaneously on his horn. information with the seller, includ- There is uncertainty about the rest of the ing brand, model, color or finish, ac- personnel: Blue Note lists Ahmad Abdul -Ma- cessories and rebates included in the lik on bass and Roy Haynes on drums, which price. are reasonable guesses. The recordingis marred by crowd noises, electronic crackle. 2. Understand the seller's return and a frustrating dropout during Monk's criss- and refund -policy, including the al- crossed choruses in Epistrophy. In Crepuscule lowable return period and who pays with Nellie, another of the five Monk composi- Threadgill: bock to the future the postage for returned merchan- tions included. Coltrane sounds almost timid, dise. as though he were still learning the piece. And Jenkins's violin, two chanting. Chano Pozo- 3. Understand the product's war- because Monk lays out midway through Col- like percussionists, and a pair of women sing- ranty. Is there a manufacturer's war- trane's solos, the group never sounds as con- ers who often sound like Cathy Berberian ranty, and if so, isit from a U.S. or ceptually unified as Monk's later quartets with performing music of Luciano Berio but also foreign manufacturer? Does the sell- Johnny Griffin or Charlie Rouse. But all that rap (discreetly). Long after today's tadboppers ceases to matter whenever Coltrane works up have been forgotten, this will be one of the er itself offer a warranty? In either a full head of steam to Haynes's drumming albums people will listen to in order to gain a case, what is covered by warranty, (their interplay islike a blueprint for the sense of the exciting directions that jazz's how longisthe warranty period, saxophonist's later confrontations with Elvin boldest thinkers were pursuing in the final where will the product be serviced, Jones) or whenever Monk engages in his trade- years of its first century. It's as entertaining as what do you have to do, and will the mark semaphore to send Coltrane on his way. it is adventurous. F.D. product be repaired or replaced? You Such moments are plentiful, and they're elec- may want to receive a copy of the trifying. You feel as though you're eavesdrop- written warranty before placing your ping on history. Collection F.D. order. 4. Keep a copy of all transactions, OMIT THRIADOILL RCA VICTOR JAZZ: Too Much Sugar for a Dime THE FIRST HALF -CENTURY including cancelled checks, receipts AXIOM 514-258154 min) The Twenties Through the Sixties and correspondence. For phone or- Performance: Terrific RCA BLUEBIRD 66084 (five discs. 154 mini ders, make a note of the order includ- Recording: Ditto Performance: Potpourri ing merchandise ordered, price, or- Henry Threadgill shares a pro- Recording: Decent remastering der date, expected delivery date and Althoughduction credit for the album, co -producer RCA recorded the very first jazz record, the salesperson's name. Bill Laswell and engineer Oz Fritz are proba- Original Dixieland Jazz Band's Livery Sta- 5. Itthe merchandise isnot bly the ones to thank (along with Tony Daw- ble Blues, in 1917. That one isn't here, though shipped within the promised time sey, who did the mix) for fanning out the the ODJB's Tiger Rag from the following year guitars of Masujaa and Brandon Ross and is. From the 1920's to the mid-I940's, Victor's or if no time was promised, 30 days of bringing Threadgill's alto sax and Gene Lake's jazz roster rivaled that of any other label, and receipt of the order, you generally drums way up front on the four tracks featur- for an even longer span of time its recording have the right to cancel the order and ing Threadgill's seven -member Very Very Cir- techniques were superior to those of its com- get a refund. cus. The sound on this band's two previous petitors. Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton. 6. Merchandise substitution with- recordings (for Black Saint and Taylor -Made) Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Artie Shaw, and out your express prior consent is not was distant and somewhat muddy, but there's Benny Goodman were among the musicians allowed. no such problem here. "Too Much Sugar for a who recorded their best work for RCA, and all 7. If you have a problem with your Dime" (another of those huh? -producing of them are well represented here. But since order or the merchandise, write a Threadgill titles) sounds as forceful and imme- the end of World War II and the arrival of diate as a rock album, but with a clarity that bebop, RCA-like the other major labels- letter to the seller with all the perti- enables you to separate the two guitars and the has assumed a much less important role in nent information and keep a copy. three brass instruments (two tubas and a jazz. What this means in terms of this collec- 8. 11 you are unable to obtain satis- French horn). tion is that although the last two discs, devoted faction from the seller, contact the But if it isn't in the music, it isn't going to be to the 1950's and 1960's, have their share of consumer protection agency in the in the mix, and it's the music that's ultimately excellent performances (including Charlie seller's state or your localPost worth raving about here. The catchiest of the Parker and the Metronome All Stars' Victory Office. septet tracks are Try Some Ammonia, a hoe- Ball, George Russell's Concerto jor Billy the 0down of sorts that sounds like what Ronald Kid, Sonny Rollins's The Bridge, and Lennie If, after following the above guide- Shannon Jackson was striving for about a Tristano's previously unissued Spontaneous lines, you experience a problem decade ago, and Little Pocket Size Demons, a Combustion), you'll have to search elsewhere with a mail order advertiser that skittish march with the tubas voiced a half- for a primer on hard bop, cool, or free jazz. you are unable to resolve, please step below (and a half-step behind) Thread - Still, as samplers go. this one is enjoyable from let us know. Write to the Associate gill's exhortatory alto. But the most irresistible start to finish. Whether you need it depends on Publisher of STEREO REVIEW tracks of all are In Touch and Better Wrapped/ how broad your taste in jazz is and how many Better Unrapped, which feature such disparate of the tracks you already have in your CD Magazine, Tony Catalano. Be sure ingredients as Simon Shaheen's oud, Leroy collection. F.D. to include copies ofallcorre- spondence. STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 91 BACKBEAT -

Mohy Grape Now BY STEVE SIMELS

settes), and it's hard to imagine any- Grape differed from the rest of the Bay body hearing it without concluding Area bands by playing mostly concise, that this was a very major band in- singles -oriented rock-and-roll and deed. Not to mention a quintessential- openly aspiring to pop stardom, nei- ly American one. The Grape's sound ther tendency exactly PC. was an ahead -of -its -time aural stew In any event, Legacy's Grape set of blues and country and soul and rock should go a long way toward putting and jazz and psychedelia dished out the record straight. Disc One begins with a breathless ensemble approach with a superbly remastered version of that was almost proto-punk in its in- the whole of "Moby Grape," aptly tensity and with high -lonesome neo- described by annotator David Fricke Everly Brothers vocals on top. That as "the rarest of rock artifacts, the sort of electicism made the Grape pop- Perfect Debut Album," now actually ular with other musicians-you can improved by the inclusion of the origi- hear its influence on just about every nal studio ending for Omaha and a L.A. country -rock guitar band of the previously unheard tune from the early Seventies, and it was surely no band's audition sessions. There are accident that R.E.M. singer Michael also some revelatory early versions of Stipe recorded a Grape tune a decade songs from later albums and sear- later. But it's also safe to say that ing live tracks, including an as -nature - nobody who followed in the Grape's intended (sans horns) version of the wake had anything like the band's concert showpiece Miller's Blues. Disc take -no -prisoners performance style. Two, meanwhile, reprises the bulk The reasons the Grape never real- of the second and third Grape al- ized its potential (translation: self-de- bums ("criminally underregarded"- structed) are hardly secret: drug -in- Fricke again), including two versions duced mental problems, aninitial of frontman Skip Spence's magnifi- THE problem with American lives, record -company publicity hype (five cent Seeing, the song that Greil Mar- wrote E Scott Fitzgerald (who debut singles released simultaneous- cus surely had in mind when he wrote knew about such things), is that ly!) that backfired about as badly as that the Grape's best numbers sound- they have no second acts. And if those things can backfire, and a series ed less like a rock band than a gang that'strueof American rock of legal battles with the band's original fight. bands as well, then Moby Grape manager that left them without even a Of course, if the Grape on CD gets -who for several months in 1967 bid claim to their own name. Less clear- the attention it deserves, Fitzgerald's fair to become our homegrown version up till now, at least-is why the Grape second act may yet come for these of the Beatles and the Stones-is a classic example. Here was a band that had literally everything going for it-a In 1967, Moby Grape was the best blistering, innovative three -guitar attack,gloriousfive -part harmonies, world -class songs, photogenic good rock band in San Francisco, maybe even America. looks, a charismatic lead singer, a supportive major record company, a So how come you never heard of them? stage act with more energy than all their San Francisco contemporaries combined, and even a fairly broad doesn't figure more prominently in guys. Stranger things have happened,V base of both critics and actual record any critical history of Sixties rock, after all-Columbia's Robert Johnsoni buyers who liked them. And yet, two although I have my suspicions. Part of box sold half a million copies-and the0 years afteritsdebut, the Grape's it is probably lingering embarrassment band still performs together from time0 career was essentially over, the music over the name itself, the punchline to a to time, so who knows? But even if it V all but forgotten and the records rele- goofily absurdist Sixties joke ("What's doesn't, "Moby Grape" is clearly theF gated to the cutout bin of history. purple and swims in the ocean?") that rock reissue of the year, if not the Or maybe not, because Columbia/ in my high school at least was consid- decade. In the words of the late Lester Legacy has at long last released the ered cool for about five minutes. And Bangs (who knew from both Fitzger- definitive Grape anthology ("Moby another factor may be lingering San ald and the Grape), you should "hear g

Grape," 53041, two CD's or cas- Francisco hippie snobbism, since the it and be changed."

92 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 WELCOME TO HEAVEN.

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Copy: fight 1993 J8R Music World CIRCLE NO 21 ON READER SERVICE CARD BARBER: Symphony No. 1; Manuel de Falla for a one -act opera competi- Adagio for Strings; tion held by the Spanish Royal Academy of The School for Scandal, Overture; Essays Fine Arts in 1904-1905, and it won. Although Nos. 1 and 2; Music for a Scene from Shelley he was still in his twenties, Falla had already Baltimore Symphony, Zinman written five zarzuelas, none of them success- ARGO 436 288 (64 min) ful. The opera has not fared much better; in Performance: Handsome fact, it has always been better known for its Recording: Resplendent Spanish dances-complete with flamenco David Zinman has gathered together on this singing, dancing, and guitar playing-than for CD the cream of Samuel Barber's early its dramatic success. orchestral output. His Baltimore players bring The dances are great; the rest is not bad immense warmth and dramatic vitality to the either, except that the story is so thin and the music, enhanced by a recording rich in body, characters so shallow that there is not very superbly detailed in texture, and graced by a much for the music to hook on to. Still, even a wholly apt acoustic surround. =MIE111"1011 flawed theater work by a fascinating figure in The famous Adagio for Strings emerges twentieth-century music is worthy of record- with a truly dignified pathos. The lively School New recordings reviewed ing. This version, with a very capable Hispan- for Scandal overture is beautifully paced, with by Robert Ackert, ic -American cast (Alicia Nafe and Antonio its lovely oboe melody blending into the musi- Ordofiez among others) under the knowing cal fabric rather than heavily underlined. The Richard Freed, David Hall direction of Jesus Lopez-Cobos, gives the First Essay packs a fine dramatic wallop, and George Jellinek, work its best shot, but it can hardly provide the the more elaborate Second comes across as a musico-dramatic strength that is not there in real blockbuster. The lesser -known Music fora Eric Salzman, and the first place. Scene from Shelley shines forth in all its lyrical David Patrick Stearns Ultimately, the dances are the real point. splendor. As for the wonderful Symphony in There are lots of castanets and a guitar (played One Movement, it gets the best recorded read- by Carmelo Martinez), with strong orchestral ing I have heard since the 1955 Eastman - support and a brilliant contemporary record- Rochester version led by Howard Hanson. It ing as well. Every castanet click goes right to all hangs together thanks to the flawless tempo is not a truly "integral" cycle, and, in any the feet, and everything else is forgotten. E.S. transitions between its four large sections. event, it is not a consistently successful one. The climax of the slow section is shattering, The strongest performance here is the last of FAURE: Piano Quartets Nos. 1 and 2 and the final passacaglia, done at Barber's con the five concertos, the "Emperor," in which Ax, Stern, Laredo, Ma mow marking, brings a true catharsis. Don't Bernstein seems very much in command-a SONY 48066 (67 min) let the opportunity to acquire this collection sort of field marshal personally overseeing Performance: Idiomatic pass you by. D.H. every detail of a grand -scaled campaign, with Recording: Big Zimerman the front-line general in whole- Ax (piano), Isaac Stern (violin), hearted and productive accord. The Third EmanuelJaime Laredo (viola), and Yo -Yo Ma (cello) Concerto, with the adrenalin running a bit have by now developed the happy characteris- lower, is tidy and well coordinated, the Fourth tics of a permanent ensemble-and one with a a bit less so; here Zimerman seems pointedly permanent recording venue, the Troy Savings reserved, Bernstein seeking broader vistas. Bank Music Hall in upstate New York. Fol- But in the first two concertos there is a sort of lowing their attention to the three piano quar- breakdown in both the overall momentum and tets of Brahms, they interact splendidly in the level of dialogue between the two perform- conveying the distinctive character of these ing elements. The orchestra too often sounds marvelous works by Gabriel Faure-especial- perfunctory, or downright limp and lifeless. The ly the expansive Second Quartet (in G Minor, slow movement of Concerto No. 2 suggests an Op. 45). Every phrase reflects real affection image of players wearied with disbelief over for the music as well as real delight in explor- the distended tempo and exaggerated pauses. ing together its reserves of sweetness and While Zimerman's solo playing is never less passion, fantasy and elegance. The sound is a than beautiful (and particularly so in Nos. 3 little larger than life but otherwise well suited and 4), I could not help feeling that he brings to the material. R.F. little to this music in the way of the freshness and illumination and that quick-witted respon- HAY DN: Piano Trios Nos. 12, 25, 27, and 28 siveness to what is "between the notes" that Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio have made his Chopin, Brahms, and Liszt so DORIAN 90164 (72 min) Stern, Ma, Laredo, and Ax delight in Faure cherishable; I had to wonder, though, whether Performance: Radiant that impression would have been nearly as Recording: Excellent strong if this set had been limited to the last Where are surprisingly few recordings of the BEETHOVEN: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5 three concertos. The sound is studio -smooth Haydn trios on CD, and none is more Zimerman; Vienna Philharmonic, in Nos.I and 2, good with occasional odd satisfying than this lovely assortment; "enliv- Bernstein (Nos. 3-5) balances in Nos. 3-5. R.F. ening" is the first word that comes to mind, DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 435 367 "radiant" the impression that remains. Joseph (three discs, 184 min) FALLA: La Vida Breve Kalichstein, at the piano, sets an especially Performance: Can't win 'em all Nafe, Ordotiez. Notare, Keen, Wadsworth; merry pace-but never quite a breathless Recording: Good May Festival Chorus, Cincinnati Symphony, one-for the famous Gypsy Rondo finale of rystian Zimerman and Leonard Bernstein L6pez-Cobos the G Major Trio, No. 25, and the concluding Machieved a fine partnership in the two TELARC 83017 (63 min) presto of the C Major, No. 27, is full of frisky, Brahms concertos (also with the Vienna Phil- Performance: Oh, those Spanish dances! unforced charm. The string parts may be less harmonic on DG), and in 1989 they set out to Recording: Brilliant prominent, but, as Jaime Laredo (violin) and follow up with live recordings of the five by Boyseduces gypsy girl; boy marries some- Sharon Robinson (cello) make effortlessly Beethoven. Bernstein died after recording one else; gypsy girl interrupts wedding to clear, they are far from perfunctory; the deli- only the last three, however, and Zimerman throw herself down dead at boy's feet. End of cious pizzicatos in the twilit opening move- wayeventually persuaded to conduct from the opera. ment of the E Major, No. 28, or the melting keyboard in Nos. 1 and 2. In that respect this La Vida Breve was written by the young bowed exchanges in the slow movement of the

96 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 CLASSICAL MUSIC

British audience for its reaction at the end of wit, and. in this case, a lyricism as open- this performance, and its quietness earlier is hearted as in his great ballets and Fifth Sym- exemplars D.H. phony. The work has been subjected to a remarkable variety of interpretive approach- MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition es, and seems virtually to invite them; while STRAVINSKY: Three Movements from several readings may be equally convincing, "Petrouchka" Sergei Edelmann's strikes me as the most Anatol Ugorski (piano) compelling on records since Sviatoslav Rich- DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 415 616 min/ ter's Deutsche Grammophon version more Performance: Highly personalized than thirty years ago. Edelmann takes the big Recording: Very good opening movement very expansively, but he Fifty -year -old Anatol Ugorski. a relatively doesn't allow it to sprawl. The brief middle recent emigrant to Germany from his na- movement is just relaxed enough to give senti- tive Russia. is clearly an interpreter with a ment its due while at the same time showing a mind of his own-and a formidable technician bit of muscle. and the finale is simply stunning and colorist in the bargain. His performance of in its momentum and drive-and color-with- G Major. are as much of an enticement as the Pictures at an Exhibition is no run-of-the-mill out undue brittleness. Edelmann seems to be crystalline keyboard playing. affair. He seems to be putting a subjective comfortably "inside" this music, able to make The E Major, in fact, is the gem here. More gloss on the work, as though he were trying to it work without gratuitous staging. consistently inward than the other works on enter Mussorgsky's mind as he viewed the He makes the Romeo and Juliet pieces work the disc, it comes closest to our notion of drawings by his dead friend Victor Hartmann. pretty well, too. Even though the arrange- chamber musicas an equal -participation The initial Promenade is thoughtful, but the ments are Prokofiev's own, I find it hard to genre. Its Bach -like allegretto, the shortest but Gnomus that follows seems wayward in its listen to them without missing the winds and surely the most strikingly original of the slow tempo relationships. After that things settle strings in his greatest ballet score. Edelmann, movements in this particular program, takes down. The Old Castle is somberly brooding. however, plays all ten pieces with such unfail- us into a deeper realm, and the somewhat the Tuileries a fine bit of tone painting, and the ing sympathy and taste that most of them- pensive finale is content to remain there. The Bydlo Oxcart carries more menace than usual. surely the minuet and "Juliet,theLittle recording itself, made at the Troy Savings The Limoges marketplace episode captures Girl"-come off as real piano music. They get Bank Music Hall, could hardly be better: the speech rhythm beautifully. Catacombs a big boost, as does the sonata, from the crisp, clear, ideally focused in respect to bal- and the succeeding evocation of Hartmann's exceptional recording, which is about as close ance andperspective,yetwith enough spirit and the glowing skulls are as creepy as as we are likely to get to ideal piano sound- warmth for an overall effect of intimacy. R.F. anyone could ask, and the Hut on Fowls' Legs vivid, well defined, and ideally focused from is a virtuosic display, with superb coloration in the perspective of a seat in the middle of a MAHLERt Symphony No. 7 the central episode. But in the Heroes' Gate at good hall instead of inside the instrument. R.E City of Birmingham S!,mphon!.. Rattle Kiev Ugorski goes wayward again in an at- EMI 54344 (77 min) tempt to treat the finale as a kind of sublime RACIMANINOFF: Paganini Rhapsody Performance: Ardent meditation, at the end of which all seems to LUIOSLAWSKI: Paganini Variations Recording: Mostly very good disappear as in a vision. Decidedly individual, SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Concerto No. 1 Apparently the first all -digital Mahler Sev- in short, and perhaps not to every taste. Jablonski: Royal Philharmonic, Ashkenazy enthM on a single CD, this live recording, Stravinsky set the three movements from LONDON 436 239 (54 min) directed by Simon Rattle at the 1991 Alde- Petrouchka-Russian Dance, In Petrouchka's Performance: Youthful burgh Festival, has a vitality and poetry that Room, and Shrovetide Fair-for piano on com- Recording: Excellent come close to those of the Leonard Bernstein mission from Artur Rubinstein. The piece is a This recording is a model of effective pro- and Claudio Abbado versions on Deutsche knucklebuster, and Ugorsky carries it off su- gramming. The Shostakovich and Rach- Grammophon. Bernstein's is a dare -all perfor- perbly in a vividly characterized exhibition of maninoff pieces show what two Russian com- mance, but Abbado's exhibits the finest sense his pianistic and coloristic prowess. All told, posers were doing at the same time (the early of control and proportion in a work whose venturesome stuff for the mind and the ear, to middle 1930's) on opposite sides of the outer movements can, in less skilled hands, and magnificently recorded to boot. D.H. Soviet fence, Rachmaninoff being a fully sound wayward to the point of incoherence. westernized concert pianist and Shostakovich There is no incoherence either in Rattle's composing under theshadow ofStalin. reading or in the playing he elicits from his Though one tends to think of them as diamet- orchestra. The "rowing" tune for tenor horn at ric opposites, their pieces here share a sense of the start seems to take a while to gather wit (Rachmaninoff's being dryer), and the momentum, but it is a pleasure to hear it in harmonic vocabularies overlap far more often almost ideal balance against the orchestral than one would think. And in some ways the texture and with a genuine cantabile quality. 1978 Lutoslawski set of variations on the same Rattle's whole first movement reveals a keen Paganini theme used by Rachmaninoff is the sense of ebb and flow, with tempo changes that best surprise of all. Like Rachmaninoff, Lu- fluctuate without seeming mannered. The toslawski is conservative for his time, but acoustics of the smallish Snape Concert Hall since more than forty years separate them. seem strained at some of the bigger climaxes, Lutoslawski's variations sound like Rachma- but revealing inner detail comes through in the ninoff from a parallel universe. less densely scored pages. In terms of performance, the Swedish pia- The "night music" second movement is just nist Peter Jablonski and his close collaboration a bit fast for my taste, and again I would wish PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet; with the conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy make for more sense of space for the marvelous echo Sonata No.8 this disc worth owning. Jablonski gives Rach- episodes. The central scherzo isproperly Sergei Edelmann (piano) maninoff a rhythmic snap that pianists often spooky, especially with the terrific snap -pizzi- RCA VICTOR 60848 (68 min) neglect, and he never indulges the music's cato that spells the turning point. The Andante Performance: Excellent lyricism for its own sake. It's a thoughtful, amoroso of the second Nachtmusik comes as a Recording: First-rate probing performance. In the Shostakovich he blessed surcease. Rattle and his orchestra The Eighth is the biggest and most remark- looks past the surface audacity in order to find make the most of the eight -part rondo -finale in able of Prokofiev's piano sonatas-not as a the music. He treats the Lutoslawski as a blazingly taut and brilliant performance. tour de force like the Seventh, but as a person- though it were as familiar as Rachmaninoff. While I am never happy with the inclusion of al document, expressed in the composer's Clearly, Jablonski is far more than a pair of applause in a recording, I can hardly blame the most distinctive balance of brilliance, depth. hot, youthful hands. D. P. S.

STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 97 SM

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John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer. Asian view of an incontrovertible East Meets ists, the musings of the Captain, the Biblical based on the 1985 hijacking of the cruise West historical event.Itdid not prepare story of Hagar (shared by both Jews and ship Achille Lauro by Palestinian terrorists. anyone for the hammer -blow seriousness cf Muslims). the Handelian choruses of night was one of the most ballyhooed new operas Klinghoffer. a Biblical treatment of very liv- and day, ocean and desert, the extraordi- of our time and, on this side of the Atlantic at ing passions and hatreds. Accusations cf nary aria of Klinghoffer's falling body set as least, one of the biggest bombs. What a pity! bias (mostly not very well founded) inevita- a gymnopedie. As the new Elektra Nonesuch recording bly greeted this extraordinary and perhaps Klinghoffer is not a great success as an demonstrates, Klinghoffer is a major work misguided attempt to turn the Israeli Arab opera because it is not a theater piece, but it on a controversial theme. conflict into an operatic meditation. The is a tremendously powerful oratorio for our The piece, said to presage a new form of Death of Klinghoffer ended up as a celebra- time. Without the high-tech set and video opera, was commissioned jointly by the tion of the death of reason and the demise of monitors of the Sellars production, without Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Monnaie the new -opera movement in America. the redundant Mark Morris choreography, Theatre in Brussels. the Lyon Opera, the Or did it? In my opinion, Klinghoffer. se: allrather pretentious and irrelevant, the strength of the words and music comes through. Goodman's libretto, severely criti- cized, is in fact a brilliant prose poem, and Adams's setting of itis inspired. The music-simple, severe, highly emotional-never loses its way; it takes the tragedy, as it must. to the higher plane. In the recorded version (somewhat revised from the one seen in New York), the Klinghoffers are truly tragic figures. Marilyn Klinghoffer's final aria of anger and rage is a brilliant and touching stroke; it gives her a stature that the Captain. with his Hamlet -like philoso- phizing. and the terrorists, lost in their romantic infatuations with righteous memory. violence, and death, never achieve. This is one of those ultimate international recordings with a mostly American cast, a French orchestra, and an English chorus, all excellent. Nagano, a talented young conductor from San Francisco who's now in Sanford Sylvan, as Klinghoffer, and his dancer double in "Aria of the Falling Body" charge at the Lyon Opera, gives the piece shape, drive, and a great deal of nuance Glyndebourne Festival, the Los Angeles up for a fall, got a bum rap. Now, with the amid the powerful dramatic strokes. The Festival. and the San Francisco Opera. It recording in hand and in the ear. it is much recording itself, made in the Auditorium was put together by that enfant terrible of easier to take the long view. Maurice Ravel in Lyon. is a bit claustropho- modern opera. the director Peter Sellars. For starters, it is not an opera or music bic and therefore not always kind to the with the same team that created the earlier, drama at all. It is an oratorio or passion play. spaciousness and grandeur of the music. more successful Nixon in China: the writer The story is narrated-as ifit happened in Even so,the magnificent score comes Alice Goodman and the composer John Ad- some distant past-by the ship's Captain. through and reinforces the notion that John ams. Kent Nagano was music director, and Events are referred to in dream-like fashion Adams has taken the so-called minimalist the superb original cast was headed by as a frame for meditative arias and chorus- movement to a very maximalist place. E.S. James Maddalena as the Captain, Thomas es. Only at the very end, when the Captain Young and Eugene Perry as two of the tellsMrs. Klinghofferofher husband's ADAMS: The Death of Klinghoffer terrorists, Sanford Sylvan as Klinghoffer, death, is there anything like action and inter- Maddalena, Young, Perry, Sylvan, Nadler, and Sheila Nadler as his wife. action. Everything else is remembered and others; London Opera Chorus; Lyon Opera Nixon in China was, like Sondheim's Pa- recounted from a great distance: the ship- Orchestra, Nagano cific Overtures, a witty Western take on an board events, the childhood of the terror- ELEKTRA NONESUCH 79281 (135 min)

SCHUBERT: Sonata In A (D. 664); Rosamunde melody also used in the A Minor In the Klavierstiick and the "Wanderer" Impromptu in B -flat (D.935); Klavierstuck String Quartet), and the tempestuous E -flat Fantasy, Watts's well -oiled -machine approach (D. 946); "Wanderer" Fantasy Minor Klavierstiick. It winds up with Schu- simply won't do-more fire is needed for both Andre Watts (piano) bert's one formidable virtuoso piano piece, the works, though the "Wanderer" hangs together EMI 54153 (65 min) "Wanderer" Fantasy, which in its structure better here than in his 1975 Columbia reading. Performance: Polished and thematic metamorphosis anticipates the He does best in the somber slow -movement Recording: Exemplary work of Liszt. The performances by Andre variations on the song for which the work is Willed "The Schubert Recital," this interest- Watts are best in the sonata and impromptu, named. Keyboard coloration is well handled ingly programmed CD opens with the lim- where elegance and polish are most in order. all the way through, and he plays the presto pid and largely carefree A Major Sonata of One senses total control in the muted loveli- nimbly. On the whole, Watts is a far more 1819, followed by the B -flat Impromptu of ness of the sonata's slow movement and in the mature artist now than in the 1970's, but I 0 1827 (with a variant, and variations, on the utterly carefree rondo -finale. think he can use another ten years to get to the

100 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 CLASSICAL MUSIC heart of late Schubert. The recording, done in but specifically Dos Lied von der Erde-as a Collection a Berkeley, California, Unitarian Church, is a conscious valedictory gesture, a farewell to pleasure. D.H. life. Sanderling has been quoted, too, as wish- ing that the Fifteenth be performed at his own REMBRANDT CHAMBER PLAYERS: memorial. There is always value in having 20th Century Baroque such a work recorded by a musician who feels CED1LLL 90000 011 (60 min) SHOSTAKOVICH deeply about it, and this is a beautifully ac- Performance: Neoclassical

SYMPHONY' complished presentation, with the great Cleve- Recording: Effective CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA land Orchestra at the top of its form and 1r his is. in effect, a collection of modern trio KURT SANDERLING superbly recorded. Whether every listener will sonatas, more or less classical works for find the performance fully convincing is an- flute, oboe, cello, and harpsichord-to which other question. are added, in the case of Manuel de Falla's Sanderling's Shostakovich is no longer the Harpsichord Concerto, clarinet and violin, bitter chronicler but resigned, contemplative, and in that of Dominick Argento's Six Elizabe- putting mere human events in their proper than Songs, voice and violin. perspective in the cosmic cycle. It is an expan- The Falla, written for Wanda Landowska, a sive view of the score, less overtly dramatic is a work of great Neoclassical (and only than we might expect. The overall timing is a occasionally Spanish) charm, and the relative- good 7 or 8 minutes longer than the norm, and ly early Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and most of this difference is accounted for in the Harpsichord by Elliott Carter, although show- IINOSTAKOVIC114: Symphony No. 15 final adagio, which runs more than 20 minutes, ing many of the hallmarks of his difficult later Cleveland Orchestra, Sanderling a third longer than its usual timing. It doesn't work, is almost ingratiating in its generous wit ERATO 45815 (51 min) seem stretched out, though, for Sanderling's and inventiveness. The other two works, the Performance: Transcendent momentum never falters; he simply invests the Sonata da Camera by the Czech composer llja Recording: Excellent music with a sense of serenity in which every Hurnik and the set of songs by Argento, an Kurt Sanderling, who turned eighty last thought, every notion seems reduced to its American, are much more traditional in meth- September, has earned a sort of rever- very simplest terms, leaving no room for od and sound. The Argent°, pleasantly sung ence on the part of the American orchestras he staged effects or pretentiousness. It may not by the soprano Patrice Michaels Bedi, is made has conducted in the last several years, and the be the norm, and surely it is not the only view up of fluent, somewhat glib settings of six- last of Shostakovich's fifteen symphonies is a of this enigmatic symphony, but in Sander- teenth- andseventeenth -centurypoems. work with which he has identified on an espe- ling's hands it is a persuasive one, and at the Strong performances by the Chicago -based cially personal level. The symphony suggests very least a strong argument for having more Rembrandt Chamber Players and an effective Mahler to him, and not only in a general sense than a single recording of the work. recording. E.S. risSAVE MONEY, TIME AND FREIGHT ON FAMOUS BRAND STEREO EQUIPMENTgmtat in (800)621-8042 (7081934-9669 HOURS: Monday thru Friday 9-7 weer g 1.1 Saturday 9-6 illinoi, audio Sunday 12-5 VISA 1.1 1284 E. Dundee Rd. 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Indio: to Advertisers IJ I 111C lw I IOC MC III Roeder Pogo MDAMJASMIN Sorviso No. Ai/v.1,16er Needier BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 5 mwom..".t MOZART: Violin Sonata in B -flat imanomm" MENDELSSOHN: Violin Sonata in F can' s'iffutiiiiir 4 Adcom 14 Vengerov, Golan, Markovich 42 Alpine 13 TELDEC 76349 (65 min) - Atlantic Technology 48a, b 3 Audiofile Home Theatre 9 Beautifully poised readings by the nineteen -year -old Siberian -born violinist Max- im Vengerov (now living in Israel). with - BMG CD Club 32a, b flawless collaboration from the pianists ha - - Bose Express 87 mar Golan (Mozart, Beethoven) and Alex- ander Markovich (Mendelssohn) as well as MENDELSSOHN: 6 Cambridge SoundWorks ... 23, 25, 26-27 examplary sonics. The Beethoven is the F Symphonies Nos. 1 and 5 - Camel 34-35 Major "Spring" Sonata, Op. 24, the Mo- Bamberg Symphony, Flor 11 Celestion 82 zart the well-known K. 378, the Mendels- RCA VICTOR 60391 (58 min) - Columbia House CD Club 16a, b sohn a good but not top-drawer work from While Claus Peter Flor's accounts of these - Consumer Electronics Show 93 - Courvoisier C3 the composer's twenty-ninth year that was two symphonies are as persuasive as any 44 Coustic 73 discovered and edited by Yehudi Menuhin. offered on a single CD, Walter Weller's, - Crutchfield 53 Vengerov has also recorded the Beethoven with the Philharmonia on Chandos, are no "Kreutzer" and the Brahms G Major sona- less fetching and come with a bracing per- tas for Teldec. He bears watching. D.H. formance of the Hebrides Overture. R.F. 15 Definitive Technology 40, 41, 43 CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 1 16 Eclipse 6 LISZT: Plano Concerto No. 2 - Electronic Industries Association 93 Barto; Royal Philharmonic, Fischer Ethan Allen 18-19 - EMI 54648 (65 min) The world definitely needs more pianists - Ford Audio 46-47 willing to take strong interpretive stances like the so-called Romantic pianists of old, . and Tzimon Barto, with his pouting good (011115 - Illinois Audio 101 looks and formidable piano technique, would seem to be a good candidate. Unfor- tunately, he reduces the Chopin and Liszt THE BALTIMORE CONSORT AND 21 J&R Music World 94-95 - Jensen-Car 52 concertos recorded here to a lot of sighing. THE MERRY COMPANIONS: whispering, and macho posturing. This is The Art of the Bawdy Song Romanticism all right-of the Liberace va- DORIAN 90155 (71 min) 23 KEF 37 riety. D.P.S. The heyday (should one say "hey-nonny- 24 Klipsch 68 day"?) of the bawdy song was the late DVORAK: Slavonic Dances seventeenth century, and off-color catches - Marlboro C4 Katia and Marielle Labtque and ballads had a long run in Merrie Olde 26 Mobile Fidelity 76 (piano, four hands) England, starting with Catch That Catch PHILIPS 426 264 (68 min) Can in 1652 and going right through the The Labeque sisters' playing does not lack eighteenth century, but they barely (so to Oldsmobile 29 - animation, but it does lack character, and speak) survived the Victorians. Now, from the overreverberant recording hardly gives that famous center of Elizabethan ribaldry, - Pioneer-Car 21 them, or the music, a fighting chance. It's Baltimore, Maryland, comes a fresh collec- - Polk Audio 10-11 time Deutsche Grammophon revived the tion of old favorites. Competition for Ma- - PolyGram Records 85 sparkling account of these dances by the donna it's not, but there is a coffeehouse brothers Kontarsky. R.F. wit and Jacobean charm to this antique - RDL 30 porn-qualities that, one or two outbursts 32 Rockford Fosgate 31 IBIRT: Suite Elisabethaine; Flute of collegiate enthusiasm aside, these play- Concerto; Symphonic Suite, Paris; ers and singers mostly catch. Or catch that Capriccio catch can. E.S. - Seagram's Gin 5 Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Clark - Sights & Sounds 89 - 6th Avenue Electronics 98-99 NEWPORT 85531 (69 min) LOS AMOURS GUITAR QUARTET: - Sony C2.1 Ibert, a prolific poor -man's Poulenc, wrote Dances from Renaissance to Nutcracker - Sound City 102-103 eight operas, six ballets, and sixty-three DELOS 3132 (59 min) film scores. He also wrote a lot of incidental Why did we ever let purists tell us that music for the theater, some of which shows piano or guitar transcriptions of orchestral Tanqueray Gin 45 - up here in the form of two suites, as well as music were beneath contempt? These tran- a good deal of ensemble music like the scriptions of music by Morley, Gabrieli, - U.S. Army 39 Flute Concerto, neatly recorded here by Praetorius, Tchaikovsky, and Warlock are Eugenia Zukerman, and the Capriccio for delightful. The centerpiece of the collection Winds and Strings. He was a witty man and is an amusing 20 -minute transcription of the - Yamaha 51 a witty composer but only rarely inspired. Nutcracker Suite, which the Los Angeles He is at his best in the short vignettes that Guitar Quartet plays with spirit and charm. make up the "Paris" Suite; in this kind of The L.A. Quartet is the best (and most aphoristic theater music, concision and wit durable) of the guitar ensembles that sprang M a y are big virtues. Good performances by a up in California in the early 1980's. I'm glad New York pick-up orchestra in a respect- they have survived and found a stable com- able recording. E.S. pany to record them.William Livingstone

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(No 55107019 Coll K6ROB Coll Kentwood* VS000019 Coll RX V870 Cali X102700 Call KIX 95R C., 1 ,..43ead KRIM. 249 CASSE TIES I Florida Sales). CD Changer 111.16G700RF Call I KDC 77R 32 KRV71140 319 Konwood KRC1005 Coll SPEAKERS I Kicker KR1/9040 Coll KRC440 Coll Naliamichi Can 6R36540 Coll 0124 Co KRC640 C. Advent Yamaha' For 6509010 Coll LA Sound KOCT/R CHI AU Models Cal Denon Scar SINGERS, REMOVE Sony STROM/ li111 CD Changer KOCC600 Coll AR 50W x 4 2/ VO CA STROM 279 Plerver 6E1700 149 H Kardon Bem STRD990 3211 M6 Great Pioneer 751Na 2 Unlimited Backgrounds'. 6E450 C. E.,' Nakarmchi 5TRD1090 Coll KE00.4500 Coll RAW From Standard Records & CD's withthe 5T5E12090 Coll KENN 6200 Coll Foill4ne Cal, Ali Models Call ISEPARA1 SI Thompson Vocal Eliminator'. Call for Free smoarkao Coll DE NM Coll Catalog G Demo Record. 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This matter of "still" is an absorb- There is a feeling among some re- Trained Listening ing one for many audiophiles, because searchers that musicians tend not to it bears directly on the question of make the best subjects in a listening "golden ears," who has them, and panel, perhaps because they focus too R, C EN] LY 1 went to the movie how the rest of the world can be confi- strongly on performance values and, theaterI had vowed I'd never dent that they do. For the elaborate being accustomed to hearing music enter: a miserable affair with one listening -panel tests that he has had under all conditions, are too ready and behind -screen speaker and ancil- much experience designing and con- able to compensate mentally for defi- lary equipment that was probably ducting, Toole has frequently had re- ciencies in sound reproduction. Evi- purchased at a fire sale. But the course to both "trained" and "un- dently it is sometimes necessary for film was dialogue -intensive, and the trained"listeners,ashaveother them to unlearn long-established hab- place was conveniently close, soI investigators. Does thisdistinction its of listening in order to learn the new took the chance. As it turned out, the suggest that a way has been discov- ones appropriate for a test. The gener- speech was mostly intelligible, but the ered to identify people who are truly al lay public, on the other hand, un- bits of music, and particularly the solo talented in audio discernment? Maybe accustomed to anything but casual piano in Reel 1, would have been much yes, but more likely no. listening, can respond rapidly to expe- better if not heard at all. In this sort of research exercise, a rience gained in listening sessions, Film passing through a projector is "trained" listener is usually one who provided their ears are healthy. Toole subjected to two modes of motion: the has been trained for the specific ex- reports that even a day may suffice to start -stop jerks with which the picture periment being undertaken. If the ob- bring performance up from erratic to is thrown onto the screen at a rate of ject is to identify timbral colorations in full potential. He also notes, ruefully, twenty-four frames per second, and an audio component, he or she will that, lacking this experience, people the absolutely constant velocity at first be played deliberate examples of walking into an audio showroom bent which it must travel when it encoun- the type of coloration being sought, on a purchase are in the worst possible ters the sound head. A film with a until it's certain that the idea has been position to do themselves a favor. magnetic soundtrack encounters the absorbed. Then instructions will nor- Participating in a rigorously de- sound head first, and this may help, as mally be given to ignore everything signed listening test is a tiring activi- does the firm film -to -head contact re- else and concentrate only on the phe- ty-one much more taxing than mere- quired. An optical sound head, as in nomenon of interest. In other sorts of ly hooking up a new preamplifier and this theater, receives the film after it tests, in which the object may be to trying to decide whether you like it. A has passed through the projection lens detectanydifference between two major reason is that strict controls are and must somehow contrive to calm components, and eventosuggest typically imposed on the stimuli pre- its agitation. That the film is often not which one is better, the investigator sented and their ordering and dura- well supported within the sound head might wish he could train his listeners, tion, in the interests of treating all doesn't help. In fact, nothing helped but there really is no practical way to listeners equally and of reaching a on this occasion. do it. The test itself becomes the train- conclusion to the test in a reasonable Somehow I endured the fuzzing pi- ing, and the listeners' resulting profi- amount of time. Given the travails ano tones and grotesquely fragmented ciency is judged by the consistency involved, researchers feel grateful that reverberant tails, but I was completely with which they have the same re- so many test subjects are willing, and takenabackwhen,afterward,I sponses to the same stimuli. even eager, to volunteer their time and learned that my wife hadn't noticed a By contrast, a golden -eared listener their emotional equanimity. thing. How could she be oblivious to would be characterized by a research- Sn is a trained listener a golden - such wretchedness? er as "experienced," or perhaps even eared listener? Certainly not nec- "Expectations,"saysDr.Floyd "diagnostic,"implyingtheability essarily. A properly equipped and Toole, now the engineering chief of both to detect a flaw in reproduced trained listener will demonstrate JBL/Harman International and for- sound and to identify its cause. You'd t)nsistency in judgment, yet may merly a senior researcher at the Na- think that such a listener would be not possess, or even claim to pos- tional Research Council of Canada. prized by testers, but you'd be only sess, the exceptional acuity that is the "You were aware of, and probably half right. Even the experienced must presumed mark of the golden -eared. It even had had some experience with, a prove their performance for the pur- is possible, however, that the trained mechanism for distortion that could poses of the test at hand. And, unfor- listener will have more influence on seriously compromise a cinema pre- tunately, many of the most experi- future audio designs. Nobody knows sentation. She wasn't, and her igno- enced have done too much listening what golden -eared listeners hear but rance turned out to be bliss." Dr. and suffered hearing losses. Often themselves. But the conductor of a Toole might also have pointed out that they can compensate wonderfully well carefully designed listening test will I had predicted pretty grim audio re- for their handicaps, but there will al- have a very good idea of what his production when we bought our tick- ways be certain test circumstances in trained listeners are hearing, and he ets, and so she was prepared to make which they'll be unreliable or even will know how to evaluate and act on

allowances. But still... useless. their perceptions.

112 STEREO REVIEW MAY 1993 NN HI A ir N4 k N4 0 N11 E "Ts 4

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