Stereo Review SPECIAL: EUROPEAN AUDIO NEW ROCK LAB TESTS: FROM EUROPE TANDBERG TPA -3016A HOW TO GET AMPLIFIER AND STEREO TV TCA-3018A PREAMP HOW TO CARE FORJAMO CBR 120 SPEAKERS VIDEOCASSETTES REVOX B215 TAPE DECK

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Introducing the new Sony UX series of tapes. to Sony. With a gauss measurement of 2,000, At last, tapes now in a class with today's improved UX-ES comes in with dramatically higher specs +4 Frequency Response cassette recording than any music tape. UX-PRO +2 technology and But our new UX-PRO UX-PRO Q.. music sources. Now, goes UX-ES one better Ceramic tape guide -2(Input Level -20dB) whether you record by including enhance- (dB)0c 2050 100 1K 10K2OK(Hz on Sony UX or the ments even in the cassette incomparable Sony UX-PRO, you'll be using tapes housing. We developed a with finer and more evenly dispersed magnetic 3 -plate, high -precision particles, along with improved coercive force to shell. And we created a hold those particles even better than before. unique ceramic tape guide Lower shell For an example of what that with an amazing ability means to you, take UX-S: it's to absorb vibrations. It priced equivalently to virtually eliminates modulation noise. The comparable cassettes, result gives you the finest magnetic medium in yet delivers sound the quietest cassette housing Sony has ever made. comparable to their Now you have four new Sony UX Type II high -end Type II tapes. tapes to choose from. And four ways to And when you take experience the thrill of leaving the competition UX-ES, you enter a realm that belongs entirely far behind. SONY 01986 Sony Corporation ofAmerica. THE ONE AND ONLY Sony and The One and Only are trademarks of Sony CIRCLE NO. 53 ON READER SERVICE CARD ANC 3 FM 1 B OPEN + dB 4 77-1 12 CLOSE V.BF EG1 TUN 0 4b. E/A BAL FAD 12 -dB

Takenonface value alone, this is the most remarkable COMPUTER CONTRO car stereoin the world. 250Hz 500Hz 1 k H Nov I It

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AUTO BI -AZIMUTH HEAD K RC- 999 LOCAL ABSS TUNIN ri I-1NA/ NI

Introducing the phenomenal a track anywhere on a side. than skin deep. It represents the Kenwood KRC-999 cassette And scan the first five culmination of 25 years of tuner. If the face plate isn't seconds of every cut. superior audio technology from enough to make your jaw drop, And take stations with the Kenwood. Consider it wait you hear the way the 999 strongest signal and automatic- our anniversary sounds. And performs. ally program them into memory. present to the world It's the most advanced car Heard enough? of music. stereo ever made. How about the lowest signal For the Kenwood dealer nearest Nriod. to noise ratio available. Metal you, call 1 -800 -CAR SOUND. "Sure," you say, "I've heard tape frequency response of that before." But how many car 20 - 22.5k (± 3dB). A 7 -band KENWOOD stereos have you heard that are graphic equalizer that instantly STEREO FOR YOUR CAR driven by a 16K ROM computer' converts to a spectrum analyzer. A computer that lets you Or an automatic azimuth - customize the sound to suit your adjusting hyperbolic - car's environment. contour tape head. And And pre-set electronic three drive motors. volume levels. Yes. The beauty of And automatically seek out the KRC-999 is more

CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD sEL6G"ra° SUBcILTER

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:$61 Enter the World of Digital Technology Radio Shack's Command Performance Receiver

Tie Real sic" STA-780 receiver puts precision 0.08% TAD. You cam connect a compact -disc control ano cynarie c audio power at your -i iger- player, TV -sound source, tape deck, turntable and tips. The digital -synthesized tuner features a two pairs of speaker systems. All this for just sea-ch mode that lets you scan up and dcm n the $349.95. Come in for a test -listen. FM and AM bands The system stops at each sta- tion and locks it on -channel., automatically skip- ping over weaker stations. lt also provides vou with a feather-touci control bar for manual tun n: Radue Ihaek and a computerized memory to store six FM and A DIVISION OF TANDY CORPORAVON six AM stations to- instant recall. Exact station fre- r quencies a -e shows on the digital fluorescent dis- Send Me Your 1986 Catalog! play. The STA-780 3oests a full array of 27 contrc Is Ma Ito: Rad,o Shack, Dept. 87-A-031, including tape morito-, loudness and subsonic fil- 300 One -rand/ Center. Fort Worth, TX 7610? ter. And 21 LED function indicators keep sou in complete command. The amplifier delivers the NAME power to get the most from today's digital audi 3 STREET equipment. 45 wals per channel, minimum rms CITY STATE ZIP into 8 ohms from 23-23,000 Hz, with no m3,e thar Pr se applim al parlicooling Nam Shack stores ind dealers Stereo Review IN11111111111111.111111:4, 111111111111111M11111111111111 BULLETIN 5 TECHNICAL TALK 26 EDITORIAL 8 POPULAR MUSIC 110 LETTERS 10 CLASSICAL MUSIC 117 NEW PRODUCTS 14, 134 VIDEO REVIEWS 123 AUDIO Q&A 20 THE HIGH END 136

EQUIPMENT HIRSCH-HOUCK LABS EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTS 31 Tandberg TPA -3016A Power Amplifier and TCA-3018A Preamplifier, page 31 ,1,4rItrrtginiggimilpmatmvowsmalion.! Revox B215 Cassette Deck, page 40 Jamo CBR 120 Speaker System, page 46 Recoton V624 ER.E.D. III TV Stereo Decoder, page 48 Harman Kardon HD500 Compact Disc Player, page 56 Hitachi DA -P100 Compact Disc Player, page 60 AUDIO CONTROL'S PHASE COUPLED ACTIVATOR 64 A user's evaluation by William Burton SPECIAL REPORT: EUROPEAN AUDIO TECHNOLOGY 68 Many important advances in audio have come from Europe, and European companies continue to be on the cutting edge of the technology by E. Brad Meyer and Peter W. Mitchell

I v HOW TO GET STEREO TV AT HOME 95 Connecting your video system for the best sound by Dawn Gordon THE CARE AND STORAGE OF VIDEOCASSETTES 100 How to give your tapes a longer, better life by Larry Klein MUSIC EUROPOP 92 The European invasion of the Eighties may signal the most fundamental change in pop music in decades by Steve Simels BEST RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH 103 High achievement in both analog and Dvotak's Eighth Symphony, Simply Red, Beethoven's digital music reproduction is repre- Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 and 4, Joe Jackson sented by the European -made compo- RECORD MAKERS nents on our cover: the Thorens Phan- 132 tasie turntable with Ortofon MC Super The latest from Bananarama, the Alarm, Aprile cartridge and the Magnavox CDB850 Millo, John Cougar Mellencamp, the Royal Compact Disc player from Philips. Ta- Philharmonic, and more ble courtesy of Zona.

Vol.. 51 NO. 8 AUGUST 1986 (ISSN 0039-1220) COVER! DESIGN BY SUE LLEWELLYN, PHOTO TOHRU NAKAMURA COPYRIGHT 0 1986 BY CBS MAGAZINES, A DIVISION OF CBS INC. All rights reserved. Stereo Review, August 1986, Volume 51, Number 8. Published monthly byCBS Magazines at 3807 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Editorial and Executive Offices at 1515 Broadway, New Yosk, NY 10036; Telephone (212) 719-6000. Also pub- lishers of Stereo Buyers' Guide, Car Stereo Buyers' Guide, Tape Recording Buyers' Guide, and Video Buyers' Guide. One-year subscription rate for the United States andits possessions, $9.98; Canada, $10.98; all other countries, $14.98, cash orders only, payable in U.S. currency. Second-class postage paid at Los Angeles, CA 90052, and atadditional mailing offices. Authorized as second-class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, Canada, and for payment of postage in cash. POSTMASTER /SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: Please send change -of -address forms and all subscription correspondence to Stereo Review, P.O. Box 2771, Boulder, CO 80302. Please allow at least eight weeksfor the change of address to become effective. Include both your old and your new address, enclosing, if possible, an address label from a recent issue. If you havea subscription problem, write to the above address or call (800) 525-0643; in Colorado, call (303) 447-9330. PERMISSIONS: Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission should be directed to William S. Bunchuck, Rights and Permissions, CBS Magazines, One Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016.

STEREO REVIEW AUGUST1986 3 Hear What You've Been Missing Introducing DPDTm from Proton _.__ _u If you're running that terrific new CD player off an wissitimmi amplifier or receiver that's three to five years old, you're missing out on a great deal of clean, uncompromising sound.Most amps of that vintage just can't create the extra headroom that's necessary for accurate digital reproduction. Every time the music hits a peak, your amp will be gasping for breath. And you'll definitely hear

INN 1111111011 about it. Unless you have a Proton 40 Series amplifier or receiver with our exclusive, patented DPD circuitry. Reserve power in an instant DPD stands for Dynamic Power on Demand"'. Designed for the increased demands of today's digital audio discs and hi-fi video sound, it utilizes a sophisticated. dual power supply which acts as a power reserve. During musical peaks, it delivers up to IIIIMI=1111111111111111 MINN --- four times the amplifier's rated power for an amazing six dB of headroom. And DPD handles these boosts

Compri much more smoothly. h Cu rent arnpht.ers Plus, DPD sustains that dynamic power up to 400 milliseconds. More Proton's acclaimed 40 Series Audio Components top to bottom: D940 Stereo Receiver with DPDTm, 440 Stereo than enough time for you to hear all the crisp, clean Tuner, D540 Stereo Amplifier with DPIPN, 740 Stereo transient response you've been missing. From the pluck of Cassette Deck and the 830R Compact Disc Player. a cello. To the crash of a cymbal. As faithfully as if they were being performed live. Best of all, DPD gives you all of this extra power without your having to pay the extra price for a much larger amplifier. So if you want totally uncompromising digital sound, you can't afford to compromise with your system. That's why you need Proton with DPD. With anything else, you'll be missing out. For the Proton Audio/Video Dealer nearest you, call (800) 772-0172 In California, (800)428-1006 PROTON

737 West Artesia Blvd., Compton,Calif. 90220 BULLETIN

by Christie Barter and This process includes digital re- Achievement in England. A new Michael Smolen editing by electronic means, product from the company is the which results in a master tape Bib Twoshot, a disposable head TAXING TAPE RECORDERS with superior sonic quality. The cleaner for audio tape decks. A U.S. Senate subcommittee has master tape can then be used to passed S 1739, a bill to put a produce either a CD or an LP. HOLLYWOOD NOTES royalty tax on all audio tape re- The latest ADRM Compact Disc MCA Records has released a corders. If the full Senate ap- releases range from an album of half -dozen popular MGM film proves the bill, manufacturers' symphonic music by Franck and soundtracks that have been ab- prices could be increased by up to Schumann conducted by Wilhelm sent from the LP catalog for a 25 percent. The proceeds are to be Furtwangler and recorded in 1951 good while. Among them are The given to record companies. to Strauss's Alpine Symphony Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain,

Subcommittee members who conducted -Dy Sir Georg Solti in a Easter Parade, and Gigi. . .. The voted for the tax are Senators 1979 recording. A series of ADRM Eastman Kodak company has be- Charles Mathias (Maryland), Ed- LP's is scheduled for this fall. gun distributing a number of Em- ward Kennedy (Massachusetts), bassy Home Entertainment video Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania), Or- TECH NOTES titles on 8mm cassettes, including rin Hatch (Utah), Patrick Leahy International Jensen, a division A Chorus Line, The Cotton Club, (Vermont), and Alan Simpson of Beatrice and the parent compa- and This Is Spinal Tap. (Wyoming). If you oppose the tax, ny of Jensen, Advent, Phase Lin- you should make your views ear, and Discwasher, is reported NEW TECHNOLOGY AND OLD known immediately to the com- to be no longer up for sale.... Among the new products on mittee members and-more im- Sanyo Electric is merging with view at Summer CES in Chicago portant-to your own senators. the related company Tokyo Sanyo, was one that uses old technolgy You can get their names, ad- which does most of the manufac- in a new way. It is "The Tempest," dresses, and telephone numbers turing for Fisher. The new compa- a Compact Disc player that relies by calling the Audio Recording ny will have combined capital on tubes (!) rather than transis- Rights Coalition: I 800 -282 -TAPE. stock said to be roughly equal to tors. Developed by California Au- that of electronics leader Matsu- dio Labs of El Toro, California, it shita.... Sandy Gross, vice presi- is scheduled to be available in dent of Polk Audio, has announced July. Price: $1,895. that in addition to opening a new In contrast, Finial Technology production facility in Baltimore, of Sunnyvale, California, is using Maryland, the company will soon brand-new technology for an old be going public.... Altec Lansing purpose. Finial showed a proto- Consumer Products, recently ac- type of its high -end turntable, quired by Sparkomatic, has issued which uses lasers instead of a me- THE CAT'S MEOW a new line of speakers for home chanical stylus to play vinyl LP Musical cat lovers who were and car.... In the wake of the records. The company expects to disappointed at the dogs' victory 8mm/VHS-C format war, the 8mm begin manufacturing the turnta- in this year's Chicago Symphony Video Council has been formed to ble by the end of the summer. Radiothon should be pleased to promote the 8mm videocassette Price: $2,500. know that the prizes in the 1986 format. Charter members include Meow Off, sponsored by Meow Aiwa, Canon, Embassy Home En- Mix cat food, will include a con- tertainment, Kodak, Kyocera, Par- cert date for the winning cat with amount Home Video, Sony, and full orchestra at Alice Tully Hall Warner Home Entertainment.. . at Lincoln Center in New York Shape Optimedia, a division of this fall. That engagement and a Shape, Inc., the largest indepen- cash prize of $25,000 will go to dent manufacturer of audio cas- the cat judged to have the most settes in the U.S., is moving into musical meow. Rules for entering CD production and plans to have appear on the back of Meow Mix the capacity for 20 million discs boxes. Entries must be received by per year by the end of 1987. July 31. Six regional winners will be announced in August. CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS Bib Audio Video Products, a ANALOG TO CD British accessories manufacturer, London Records puts the label has celebrated the sale of its mil- ADRM on its Compact Discs that lionth VE-40 video head cleaner. have been derived from analog The company has been named one masters by the company's analog - of the winners of the 1986 to -digital remastering process. Queen's Award for Export

STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 5 Matthew Polk's Awesome Sounding SDA-SRS & SDA-SRS 2

SDA SRS $1395 ea.

SDA SRS 2 $995 ea. Digital Disc Ready

Matthew Polk, the loudspeaker genius, with his Audio Video Grand Prix winning SDA-SRS and latest technological triumph: the extraordinary SDA-SRS 2, honored with the 1986 CES Design & Engineering Award. If you wanted good sound in the early days of hi-fi, you cut a hole in your wall and mounted the woofer inside. Or you built a Flared Horn the size of a refrigerator. Or bigger. In 1954, a man named Edgar Villchur found a better way. In building th-?. world's lowest -distortion low - frequency speaker, he replaced crude mechanical suspensions and giant caoinets with a cushion of air in a small, tightly sealed box. Called "A:oustic Suspension," the new loudspeaker reduced distortion by a factor of 10. And it was the first high fidelity speaker you could fit on a bo)kshelf. To build his Acoustic Suspen- sion speakers, Villchur founded a new company: Acoustic Research. Over- night, AR products became the most revered, most sought-after, most im tated speakers in history. In fact, OVE r 70 different speaker manufac- turers are using AR's Acoustic Sus- pension design today. Since 1954, AR has substan- tiaNy improved the original Acoustic Suspension speaker. By inventing the dome tweeter, introducing mag- netic fluid cooling, building 3/4" hig-i-density enclosures, eliminating cat inet diffraction, and solving the problem of speaker/room interface. AR's new BXi Series Loud- speakers for 1986 are the most higlly refined speakers on today's ma *et. And they should be. It took us 32 years to make them. Al ACOUSTIC RESEARCH We speak from experience. CIRZLE NO18 ON READER SERVICE CARD NEW PRODUCTS lismiN1=1

Meitner Audio The wired remote control of the Meitner Audio PA -6preamplifier- shown with its separate power supply (left) and the STR-50 power amplifier- switches inputs from a turntable, tuner, auxiliary source, and tape deck. Muting, phase, volume, and balance can also be adjusted with the remote. To eliminate the intermodulation distortion of po- tentiometers and switches, the pream- plifier uses a voltage -controlled ampli- fier for volume and balance. Users can selectfromthree interchangeable phono-preamp sections:for moving - coil cartridges, for medium -resistance and moderate -inductance cartridges, or for moving -magnet cartridges.Price: $1,650 in mahogany finish. The STR-50 stereo power amplifier is rated for 50 watts per channel into 8 ohms. The amplifier has a Floating Charge Current Power Supply that is said to provide a deeper, wider sound - stage and extended bass response. Price: $1,250. Imported by Assemblage, Dept. SR,P.O.Box815,Branford, CT 06405. Circle 120 on reader service card

Yamaha Yamaha's DSP-1 Digital Sound Field Processor can create a number of acous- tic environments and then vary them to suit the tastes of home listeners. The new processor maintains the wide dy- namic range and high signal-to-noise ratio characteristic of the Compact Disc format. The DSP-I utilizes data (stored in read-only memory) gained from the sound -field analysis of highly regarded acoustic environments to re-create or synthesize the original sound field of anything from a jazz club to a cathedral. Other features include decoding circuit- digital logic decoding, and a subwoofer Dept. SR, 6600 Orangethoi pcAve., ry for Dolby Surround soundtracks, output. Price: $849, including a full - Buena Park, CA 90620. with a voice -stabilizing center channel, functionremotecontrol.Yamaha, Circle 121 on reader service card

Sony The two Type I tapes, for use with for extended frequency response. There normal bias and equalization, are HF, are four grades of high -bias Type II Sony's new audio cassettes have im- with Super Crystal Gamma particles in tape: UX, UX-S, UX-ES, and UX-Pro. proved tape formulations, smoother ahigh -polymer binder,and HF-S, UX-Pro has a ceramic tape guide to tape handling, and wider windows in which has even more uniform particles reduce modulation noise. The Type IV the cassette shell compared with the tape, Metal -ES, has a "super rigidity" company's previous tapes. For more shell and parallel spring pad for less even distribution in the new binder for- modulationnoise.PricesforC-90 mulations, the magnetic particles have lengthcassettes:HF,$3.15;HF-S, been made finer and more uniform in $4.25; UX, $5.50; UX-S, $6.95; UX-ES, size. The cassette shells are precision $7.95; UX-Pro, $9.95; Metal -ES, molded to absorb vibration. The wider $11.95. Sony, Dept. SR, Sony Dr., Park windows make it easier to check tape Ridge, NJ 07656. motion and the tape left on each hub. Circle 122 on reader service card

14STEREO REVIEW AuGusT 1986 FOR LIFE'S GREAT PERFORMANCES

11a- II

AILAI

The most beautiful music in the To hear, for example, tracks 1 is flawless. Thanks to an advanced world begins with three simple thru 9, while skipping 3 and 5, 3 -beam laser pick-up. 16 -track words: To. Without. And. you simply enter the following: memory. A Random Play System. 1 To 9 Without 3 And 5. Digital filter. Subcode terminal. These three simple commands It's fast, simple and foolproof. Plus an insulated floating make the new AKAI CD -A70 the And the fuL-function wireless mechanism and special cabinet to rrost easily programmed CD player remote control lets you manage the eliminate resonance. you can buy. At any price. CD-A70's taents from a more comfy The AKAI CD -A70. AKAI calls it Natural Logic command center. Like your couch. Nobody makes great perfor- Operation. And here's how it works. Best of 311, the performance mances easier to enjoy.

Visit your ANIAI dealer soon fcr an audition. Or write to: AKAI America, P O. Box 6010. Compton, CA 90224-6010. CIRCLE NO 46 DN READER SERVICE CARD The Pioneer*SD-P40 is not a projection For the first time, a true skin tone is achieved television. It is a projection monitor. The first in the presence of a vivid green. At last, color of its kind. compromise is eliminated. And in one masterstroke, all-not some, The exceptional performance of the but all-of the compromises associated with Pioneer SD -P40 is the result of several major projection television have been eliminated. technological advances developed by Pioneer In fact, the SD -P40 is not merely far engineers over the last 3 years. PIONEER INTRODUCES THE WORLD'S FIRST PROJECTION MONITOR. superior to any other conventional projection AN UNPARALLELED LENS. system, it is also superior to all but a few A REVOLUTIONARY LENS SYSTEM. direct -view monitors. The lens itself is the largest projection lens 450 LINES. AND THAT'S THE BEGINNING. ever developed for private use-with a maxi- The horizontal resolution on the SD -P40 is mum bore of 160 mm. more than 450 lines. Even more significant is Pioneer's devel- The brightness is more than 300 footlam- opment of the world's first liquid -cooled and berts. It is actually brighter than any direct- liquid lens system. Far superior to conven- view system. tional liquid cooling, the direct coupled The contrast has a dynamic range more "liquid lens" is clearly the most accurate, than twice that of conventional projection efficient projection lens system ever devised. systems. Special seal Pressure control valve MAJOR ADVANCES THE END OF BIG -SCREEN IN CIRCUITRY. COMPROMISE. A new High Voltage Stabilizing Ambient light, one of the Circuit eliminates anode voltage 'quid lens great problems in projection and coolant drop, preventing Me iscus video, is no problem at all. lens darkness in white In fact, there is less deterior- areas and focus loss. ation in contrast due to ambi- Combiner and radiator A new Black -Level ent light than in direct -view Stabilizer Circuit systems. automatically sets the optimum black Focus, so much a problem level to the signal source. in conventional projection sys- The "Liquid Lens"Technique. A newly created Dynamic Focus tems, is sharp to the edges of the Silicone rubber Circuit guarantees sharp focus screen. Further, the picture is bond to the edges of the screen. equally bright regardless of what dant And new High -Focus CRTs angle you are viewing it from. Glass utilize not one but three elec- Blacks, so often grey on con-Plate Silicone -gel tron lenses. These, combined ventional systems, are rich while with a newly developed Linear Tracking holding detail. Conventional Focus System, result in a focal perfor- The fuzziness you're so used Liquid Cooling Method. mance superior to conventional CRTs. to seeing around white lettering and objects at high brightness, known as "blooming," THE HEART OF A SOPHISTICATED is eliminated. AUDIO/VIDEO SYSTEM. Color values are exceptionally accurate. Inputs are provided for a LaserVision player

©1986 Pioneer Electronics (USA). Inc. All rights reserved. CIRCLE NO 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD and two videocassette recorders one 54 -function System Remote in addition to 139 cable - control (which will also control capable channels with 10 -key Pioneer LaserDisc' and VCRs direct access. There's an MTS bearing the SR symbol). decoder for stereo/SAP broad- We could go on and on. casts, and a simulated -stereo Suffice it to say, all you have to processor. There's a built-in do is see the Pioneer SD -P40 high-powered 12W+ 12W Conventional Our seating once, and you will suddenly amplifier, with two built-in seating Finally, you can sit anywhere. understand the difference 6W16 -inch speakers. There's a monitor output, between the world of projection televisions and a TV output. There's even a variable audio and the only projection monitor in the world. output that lets you control volume through your hi-fi system by remote control. In fact, the entire system is controlled by PIONEEIT Exceeds the minimum daily adult requirement for driving excitement. Introducing Grand Am SE. Aerodynamic. Monochromatic. With a 3.0 liter multi -port fuel injected V6 and a rally tuned suspension that knows whatto do with a road. Drive one often for fast relief from boredom. POAITIAC GRAND AM WE BUILD EXCITEMENT LETS GET IT TOGETHER 4. BUCKLE UP. EY "The Genius of Matthew Polk Creates The Second Awesome Sounding Signature Edition SDA!" Polk Audio's Extraordinary New SDA-SRS 2 is Here!

ow the genius of Matthew Polk brings dimensional imaging surrounds the listener in silver -coil polyamide dome tweeters and a com- \_you the awesome sonic performance of360° panorama of sonic splendor. The awe plex, sophisticated isophase crossover system. the SDA-SRS in a smaller, more mod- inspiring bass performance and dynamic range Like the SDA-SRS, the SRS 2 incorporates: erately priced, but no less extraordinary will astound you. Their high definition clarity 1.) time compensated, phase -coherent multiple loudspeaker, the SDA-SRS 2. allows you to hear every detail of the original driver vertical line -source topology for greater musical performance; while their exceptionally clarity, increased coherency, lower distortion, "Spectacular...it is quite an smooth, natural, low distortion reproduction higher power handling, increased dynamic experience Stereo Reviewencourages you to totally indulge and immerse range and more accurate imaging. 2.) a mono- Matthew Polk's ultimate dream loudspeaker, yourself in your favorite recordings for hours coque cabinet with elaborate bracing and MDF the SDA-SRS, won the prestigious Audio Video on end. baffle for lower cabinet read-out and lower Grand Prix Speaker of the Year award last year. Julian Hirsch of Stereo Review summed it up coloration. 3.) progressive variation of the high Stereo Review said "Spectacular...it is quite an well in his rave review of the SDA-SRS: "The frequency high-pass circuitry for point -source experience and also stated that the SRS was composite frequency response was exceptional operation and wide vertical dispersion. 4.) the probably the most impressive new speaker at ...The SDA system works...The effect can be use of small active drivers in a full complement the 1985 Consumer Electronics Show. Thou- quite spectacular...We heard the sound to our sub -bass drive configuration coupled to a large sands of man hours and hundreds of thousands sides, a full 90° away from the speakers...As 15" sub -bass radiator for extraordinarily tight, of dollars were spent to produce this ultimate good as the SDA feature is, we were even more quick and three-dimensional mid and upper loudspeaker for discerning listeners who seek impressed by the overall quality of the Polk bass detail combined with low and sub -bass the absolute state-of-the-art in musical and SDA-SRS....The sound is superbly balanced andcapabilities which are exceptional. The speakers sonic reproduction. totally effortless...Exceptional low bass. We are beautifully finished in oiled oak and walnut. Matthew Polk has, during the last year, have never measured a low bass distortion level continued to push his creative genius to the as low as that of the SDA-SRS...lt is quite an Other superb sounding Polk limit in order to develop a smaller, more experience! Furthermore, it is not necessary to speakers from $85. ea. moderately priced Signature Edition SDA incor-play the music loud to enjoy the tactile qualities No matter what your budget is, there is a porating virtually all of the innovations and of deep bass...Exceptional performance no superb sounding Polk speaker perfect for you. design features of the SRS without significantly matter how you look at it." Polk's incredible sounding/affordably priced compromising its awesome sonic performance. The awe-inspiring sonic performance of the Monitor Series loudspeakers start as low as $85 The extraordinary new SRS 2 is the successful SDA-SRS 2 is remarkably similar to that of the ea. The breathtaking sonic benefits of Polk's result. Music lovers who are privileged to own aSRS. Words alone can not express the experi- revolutionary True Stereo SDA technology are pair of either model will share Matthew Polk's ence of listening to these ultimate loudspeaker available in all Polk's SDA loudspeakers which pride every time they sit down and enjoy the systems. You simply must hear them for yourself!begin as low as $395. each. unparalleled experience of listening to their favorite music through these extraordinary loud-"Literally a new dimension in"Our advice is not to buy speakers, or when they demonstrate them to sound" StereoRerieuspeakers until you've heard their admiring friends. Both the SDA-SRS and the SDA-SRS 2 are highthe Polks" Musician Magazine efficiency systems of awesome dynamic range The experts agree: Polk speakers sound better! "Exceptional performance no and bass capabilities. They both incorporate Hear them for yourself Use the reader service matter how you look at it" Polk's patented SDA True Stereo technology card for more information and visit your nearest which reproduces music with a precise, life- Stereo Revieu. Polk dealer today. Your ears will thank you. Listening to any Polk True Stereo SDA* is a like three dimensional soundstage which is remarkable experience. Listening to either of unequalled and gives you, as Julian Hirsch of the Signature Edition SDAs is an awesome Stereo Review said, "literally a new dimension revelation. Their extraordinarily lifelike three- in sound". Each beautifully styled and finished cabinet contains 4 Polk 61/2" trilaminate polymer I Ii 3p(Aiker U.S. Potent No. 4,199.432 and 4,497, 064. Other patent. podding. drivers, a planar 15" sub -bass radiator 2 Polk 1" 19Ii Annapolis Road, Baltimore, MD 21230 Where to buy Polk Speakers? For your nearest dealer, see page 126. CIRCLE NO 37 ON READER SERVICE CARD SPEAKING MY PIECE Stereo Review WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE Editor in Chief LOUISE GOOCH BOUNDAS Livingstone Managing Editor SUE LLEWELLYN Art Director MICHAEL SMOLEN Senior Editor WILLIAM BURTON Technical Editor CHRISTIE BARTER Music Editor DAVID STEIN Assistant Managing Editor MARGARET BRUEN Assistant Art Director BARBARA AIKEN,RoccoMATTERA WENDY SCHAUB, RICHARD KRUEGER Editorial Assistants HENRY PLEASANTS London Editor BRYAN HARRELL Tokyo Correspondent Contributing Editors ROBERT ACKART LOUIS MEREDITH CHRIS ALBERTSON ALANNA NASH RICHARD FREED MARK PEEL With Remy Thorens (right), whose company has entered its second century PHYL GARLAND LINCOLN PERRY CHRIS GREENLEAF PETERREILLY DAVID HALL CHARLES RODRIGUES JULIAND.HIRSCH ERIC SALZMAN RALPH HODGES STEVE SIMELS Imported from Europe LARRYKLEIN CRAIG STARK STODDARD LINCOLN JOEL VANCE pRODUCTS from Europe have Not all European products, of always had a certain cachetcourse, win design awards for their Vice President and Publisher in the American market. Thelooks. A number of turntables from artworks,antiques,fine Northern European countries lack ADVERTISING wines, perfumes, and beautifullythe sheer beauty of the B&O models Associate Publisher: Winston A. Johnson crafted contemporary products thatand the Thorens Phantasie, but (212) 719-6039 National Manager: Richard .1. Halpern European countries export have ascore very well on performance (212) 719-6037 certain aura of luxury and undeni-nonetheless. England, in particular, Eastern Manager: Charles L. P. Watson able snob appeal. produces some loudspeakers that (212) 719-6038 This aura pervaded a recent ad forare rather clumsy looking but are Account Manager: Mary Anne Holley Programme Homme, alineofhighly esteemed by American au- (212) 719-6008 men's products from Lanc6me, Par-diophiles for the beauty of their Classified Advertising: (212) 503-5999 is,that were claimed to providesound. Midwestern Managers: Arnold S. Hoffman "state of the art skin care." One was Whatever you may think of the Dirk Barenbrugge Mousse aRaser Extraordinairelooks of European products, the sur- (312) 679-1106 Western Director: William J. Curtis (translated in smaller type as Ex-vey of European audio technology Regional Manager: Joy Aronson traordinary Shaving Creme). The adby Peter Mitchell and Brad Meyer 818) 784-0700 was appealing, but the productson page 68 should convince you Tokyo Office, Iwai Trading Co., Ltd. struck me as 95 percent luxuriousthat European countries are still in 603 Ginza Sky Heights Building, 18-13, Ginza 7-Chome, Chuo-Ku. Tokyo, Japan 104 packaging containing a little usefulthe forefront of audio research and Account Manager: J. S. Yagi, (03) 545-3908 oil and a lot of hope. I'm sticking todevelopment. See page 92 for news EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS must be accompa- ordinary shaving cream. of imported European pop music. nied by return postage and will be handled with reason- able care, but the publisher assumes no responsibility Many European audio products In audio products beauty is not for return or safety of art, photos, or manuscripts. arebeautifulobjectstobehold.only skin deep. The double-blind Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Bang & Olufsen is justly proud of itstests we have conducted prove to

many design awards from mu-me that the way we feel about a ABC seums, and Canton goes to greatproduct strongly influences the way U lengths to put cabinetmaker finisheswe perceive its sound. Trust and STEREO REVIEW IS PUBLISHED BY CBS MAGAZINES, A DIVISION OF CBS INC. on its speakers, but these are notconfidence (and hope) seem to en- President: Peter G. Diamandis simplyluxuriouspackages.Al- hance performance. And it'snot Vice President, Editorial Director: Carey Winfrey Senior Vice President, Publishing: Robert F. Spillane though the Thorens turntable on thesurprisingthatthereare many Senior Vice President, Circulation: Robert Alexander Senior Vice President, Operations & Administration: a cover of this issue is a beautifulAmericans who give extra trust to Robert J. Granata object, it is backed up by a centuryEuropean products since it is from Vice President, Finance, Arthur Sukel; Vice President, of Thorens's experience and techno-Europe that the majority of us im- Subscription Circulation, Bernard P. Lacy; Vice Presi- dent, Manufacturing & Distribution, Murray M. Rom- alogical achievements. ported our ancestors. 0 er; President, CBS Magazine Marketing, Carl Kopf

8 STEREO REview AUGUST 1986

CI Ifyoucan't afford it, spareyourself the heartache of listeningto it.

We are all aware that money aside, it is an easy matter to upscale our quality of life, but difficult to lower it. In this regard, ignorance is bliss and strict abstinence is sometimes better than a taste of some- thing finer that we can't have. So it is with Concord high-fidelity, high performance car audio. One listen, one taste, will significantly alter your demands for mobile high-fidelity. Uncompromising performance; the Concord gory begins and ends with it. Concord's performance engineering over the years has resulted in a list of mesmerizing characteristics that, as you become aware of them, will change your perception of car stereo. For instance: A sound critics claim is the best :hey've ever heard in a car stereo-home high-fidelity sound. 0 Superb stereo imaging, wide band fre- quency response, and very low distortion levels are just some of the quali- ties of Concord's exclusive Matched Phase Amorphous Core Tape Head. 0 Electronic DC Servo tape drive -id:- extended life and accurate control of tape speed. U A cleaner scunding FM man you ever believed possible, thanks to the exclu;ive Concord FNR FM noise reduction system. 0 High powered inboard amplifiers -rated at 50 watts -and the ability to simply plug in external amplifiers for additional power. A few of the features found in the HPL 540 shown here are: Dolby B and C noise reduction systems, tuner/tape switch, tape search, and the smooth convenience of full logic tape :ontrols. The ergonomic design insures easy opera- tion of all functions. One listen to all of this and you wil be

.exhilarated, and if you've read this far you are no longer blissfully unaware. Your taste has been improved. If you can afford it, you already'deserve, and probably demand the best in design, engineering and of course -uncompromising performance.

CONCORD' Anything else is a compromise.

Concord Systems, Inc. 25 Hale Street, Newburyport, MA 01950 800-225-7932, (in MA) 800-892-0565 A Penril Company CIRCLE NO. 11 ON READER SERVICE CARD Radical DesignsLETTERS And Innovations By Magnat ine Sullivan: An American Classic" by American Audio Chris Albertson. My only complaint is The June issue is outstanding indeed! that the selective discographyistoo While some manufacturers have I quickly flipped through all the pages, selective.Sullivan'sfinestrecordings been content with decades -old getting a load of the strikingly beautiful, were done in Sweden from 1981 to 1984 technology, Magnat'engineers and sometimes sensual, visual character on the Kenneth label with the Swedish have consistently developed of the magazine. No doubt about it, this Jazz All -Stars. Called "Maxine Sulli- radical new designs in their pur- is the good newSTEREO REVIEW. van: The Queen," Volumes I. 2, and 3 suit of the perfect loudspeaker. Reading the contents confirmed the have been imported into the U.S. by magazine's evolution in the direction it Zim Records and are sold through J&R has traced since the Fifties: the positive Music World (23 Park Row, New York, Magnat designs enjoyment of music and audio. The NY 10038). Volumes 4 and 5 are still to 1974exclusive computer - issue's celebration of American audio is be released. A must for every fan of wound ribbon -wire woofer voice coils for fitting and proper, in a manner free of Maxine's. greatly improved transient response and undue aspects of nationalism. M.EISENBERG dynamic range. CARLOS E. BAUZA Brooklyn, NY San Juan, PR asnpaet aintroduces their 1976 firstM Despite criticisms from some factions Fire Hazard drivers use computer -wound of the underground press, an issue of Larry Klein's advice in June's "Hot ribbon -wire. STEREO REVIEWsuch as June 1986 still Wiring" item ("Audio Q. and A.," page gives by far the greatest quantity of 22) is dangerous at best. Any combusti- Magnat interesting reading per dollar of any ble item, such as neoprene insulating 1979devel- audio magazine. Please keep giving us foam, placed within18 inches of a ops revolutionary articles like the special report on "The radiating -type heater is a potential fire plasma high -fre- State of the Nation's Audio." hazard. A better solution for running quency driver, RALPH GONZALEZ wires near a radiator is to use a non- which produces Philadelphia, PA combustible conduit such as those spec- sound by modu- ifiedin the National Fire Protection lating a small, I was interested to read in the June controlled cloud Association Standards Nos. 13 or 24. As of ionized air. issue that the Carver receiver is made in an audiophile and a firefighter,Ifeel Lynnwood, Washington. On the back of compelled to correct Mr. Klein's mis- my receiver, Mr. Carver spelled it with leading suggestion. Magnat's Plasma speak- a "J," as in "Made in Japan." JOHN M. ARENZ 1982ers win "Hi Fi Preiz:' WILLIAM M. DAVIS Santa Rosa, CA Germany's most prestigious audio Dunwoody, GA award, and "Decibel d'honneur France's highest award. Mr. Klein did not specifyneoprene Although subassembly of the Carver re- foam, but we are happy to draw our ceiver is done in Japan, final assembly readers' attention to this potential, but Magnat and quality -control testing is done in avoidable, hazard. 1983devel- Lynnwood, where Carver Corp.is lo- 11111 ops a patented soft - cated and where the designs for Carver metal dome tweeter products are developed. The "Made in that is far more rigid Sound Coverage than soft plastic or tex- Japan" sticker, however, is required by I would like to thank John Milewski tile domes, but doesn't FTC regulations. for his June letter pointing out that your suffer from the high - coverage of video recorders is getting frequency resonances of out of hand. Your defense to this was other metal domes. Car Stereo in the Box that you "treat video from an audio- Daniel Sweeney did a commendable phile's point of view." If that's the case, Magnat job of surveying the trends in car stereo shouldn't you also run around the coun- 1984designs in his May article, "What's New in Car try testing the sonic qualities of new Magnasphere'"omnidirec- Stereo?" His comments about the vari- types of houses and apartments? The tional drivers. These ous adaptors available for use of CD sonicdifferencesbetweenanytwo ball -shaped, baffle - players in cars inspired me to create my houses are probably greater than be- free transducers own "adaptor," which would not sacri- tween any two audio components. emanate sound in ficethe sonic qualityeither of my STEVE NESHAN all directions. Mag- Nakamichi TD 700 cassette tuner or of nasphere speakers Fort Lee, NJ receive a record three my newly purchased Sony CDX-R7. I "Decibel d'honneurs!" purchased two Bensi boxes for them, which allow the unitsto beinter- Audio Tape Measure changed fairly easily and protect both The May letter from Australia regard- from theft. Now I can listen to the best ing the test equipment appearing in the in both digital and analog recordings in photographs of products reviewed in my car. your magazine was delightful. I was sur- MaGnat m NED FISCHER prised, however, to find that the idea Box 808 Winnetka. IL did not come from your test laboratory Marblehead, MA 01945 but from the production staff. Including the testing tape in the photos shows true (617) 639-1400 Maxine Sullivan inspiration. I enjoyed June's long -overdue article Magnat and Magnasphere are trademarks I am enclosing an ad from a producer of Magnat Electronik, GMBH & Co. KG on one of the great jazz vocalists, "Max- of testing equipment that both your

CIRCLE NO. 55 ON READER SERVICE CARD Germany's Number One

production staff and your reviewing Brand Of Speakers Is Now teamshouldappreciate.Foronly $17.95, you can get a Stanley Tools Available In The U.S. Powerwinder tape player. It looks like a tape measure but is actually a stereo cassette player. Included, of course, arc For years the people of the United States have appreciated the "great -soundingheadphones."Who quality of West German products. Automobiles by Audi, BMW, said test equipment can't be both great Mercedes and Porsche. Cameras by Leica. Home appliances looking and great sounding? by Krups. T. A.NOUSAINE Chicago, IL But until recently, if you wanted to own the most popular high- performance loudspeakers from Germany-you had to go there. Classist Epithet No more. I object to Alanna Nash's use of the word "Cracker" in her May review of The four series of MagnatTM loudspeakers are now available the Elvis Presley video recording, "One through a small, carefully selected network of dealers in the Night with You." It is not an acceptable United States: descriptive term.Itisa derogatory classist epithet as unacceptable as any analogous racist term. The Monitor Series. Beautifully crafted, monitor -quality bookshelf speakers BONNIE SHAPIRO priced affordably from $149 to $229 each' Fort Lee, NJ The All -Ribbon Series. Carefully engineered bookshelf speakers using Magnat's exclusive computer -wound ribbon -wire voice coils, and patented soft -metal dome tweeters. Priced from $249 to $475 each' Don't Stop the Music The MSP Series. Precisely balanced speakers in stunning columnar cabi- I'd like to thank you folks for broad- nets-using Magnet's all -ribbon voice coils and soft -metal dome tweeters. ening my musical horizons. As a sub- Priced from $445 to $695 each' scriber toSTEREO REVIEWfor more than a decade, I find the music reviews The Magnasphere- Series. The Magnaspheres use revolutionary ball - becoming more important to me than shaped, -baffle -free transducers that emanate sound omnidirectionally. Their the hardware reviews-even though sound is so uncannily three-dimensional, they've won a record three "Decibel I'm in the electronics business.I am d'honneurs:' glad to see you've halted the trend $1,245 each' toward cutting your music coverage in favor of the hardware. Other magazines are so into hardware that they lose sight If you're in the market for truly outstanding loudspeakers, visit your of the whole point of the hardware: they nearest dealer and audition Magnat. You'll hear why-in a country can't see the forest for the trees, as it known for its quality products- Magnat outsells were. all their competition. RONALD LA CLAUSTRA Brooklyn, NY Defining "Audiophile" Recently, a friend and I were sitting in MaGnat my apartment watching aLeave It to Beaverrerunor something similar. Box 808 Glancing down at my coffee table, he Marblehead, MA 01945 saw an issueOf STEREO REVIEW, which (617) 639-1400 he picked up and proceeded to read. After a few pages he noticed that the word "audiophile" was used frequently, & and he asked me what it meant. I wasn't quite sure myself, but the definition I gave him was: "An audiophile is a per- son who spends a great deal of his life and a great deal of money searching for the ultimate in audio equipment and sound quality, till finally one day he turns into an audio signal himself and slowly fades away, never to be ampli- fied again." How doyoudefine "audiophile"? ROBLOUVIAK Columbus,OH The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Languagesays: "a high- fidelity audio hobbyist." That's good enough for openers. -Ed.

Distributed in Canada by Evolution Technology, Inc., Toronto. In Canada: 1-800-263-6395 CIRCLE NO 55 ON READER SERVICE CARD 4 EJ0NJ

' ' . ' t!kkAliktik)14.111.1klkilai41404kkiA,14* W4404441.69.16 ..._ ,..,!Litliiiiiiiii=.0.irEU',tit!ti111111111/1,1,4,4.tiiiiiiiiilit . Ltiliittitiitlii II IttatttL.,.- pt.. "'!k!ttitttliki ' ' ' I is ittttliiiikkillia0111411/1MUULUMMUMIthilts...,, r ' ' 't 1 ' t A 11411414 tittiliiiiiii= lwj 111 -It """r!tiiiiiIi ' ' iiini.l.11.11111111.1VVIIttu: Li kiiiiiii.U1/111imiklitlittWOMANISAA twatill=111MMISHIJIM...... wiLkkili skis a itkili 1121061"4011111/11 l' MitilitliklitaikiliatkiiiiiiiMILMUNIUMAIMUUNILlikalkikiliktiti.t.titittilittiltill'Alik!lilt1 {mit ttlith22=HILLUDIPIHt kkkttk""" ' .. ItittitilittillitillikkillAdWWWWWWWWitilllilltilillitittilitikiliti kOkktkloti.- 141.10Ar ' ' Ititkutilliiiiii11111111111MAillikikt,Llt vIWO ' fitikflitilIPLMAIMIORVViitilt!""itk...11,1k/AlikkitikMakktilltaktlikLWO,-ll lkiittniiiiiinitlaMiliiiiiiiinninW4U.kl"':1.1 , .311,1),Aillimptiti001111k1Mkkli.SWOitititilikatilliklitlakikaakkkkk.Wkku, NEW PRODUCTS

tions include skip forward, skip back, Rotel fast forward, fast reverse, pause, and The RCD850 Compact Disc player repeat. The display shows track num- from Rotel uses a three -beam laser pick- ber, elapsed time, or remaining time. up. One beam picks up the signal data, Price: $499. Rotel Audio of America, and the two secondary beams provide Dept.SR,Box653, Buffalo, NY tracking data. Nine tracks can be pro- 14240. grammed for playback. Access func- Circle 124 on reader service card

four AM stations can be programmed Jensen into memory presets. The tape section The Concert Series CS4000 AM/FM has autoreverse, locking fast forward, car stereo cassette radio from Jensen and atape -directionindicator. The features electronic seek tuning, which CS4000 also includes balance, fader, automatically advances tothenext and tone controls. Price: $179.95. Jen- strong station, a two-color digital clock/ sen, Dept. SR, 4136 N. United Park- Meridian frequency LED readout, and phase - way, Schiller Park, IL 60176. Meridian's M30 (shown), M20, and locked -loop circuitry. Four FM and Circle 125 on reader service card M100 activespeaker systemshave built-inpoweramplifiers,allowing them to be driven directly from a preamplifier or Compact Disc player. The source signals go through crossover woofer and a1 -inch soft -plastic dome networks that send the appropriate fre- Thiel tweeter. It is designed to be both time quencies to separate power amplifiers Thiel's CS Ifloor -standing speaker and phase coherent. The drivers and the for each driver. The speakers feature has a7 -inchportedpolypropylene port are mounted on a sloping baffle so automatic music turn -on from a stand- that their combined acoustic output by condition, switchable balanced/un- reaches listeners at the same time. A balanced inputs, and a range of re- synthesized first -order acoustic cross- sponse modifications to compensate for over (with electronics matched to the room acoustics. Maximum output is mechanical characteristics of the driv- rated as a sound -pressure level of 106 ers) produces gradual slopes of 6 dB per dB for the M30, 109 dB for the M20, octave to avoid the phase distortion and 113 dB for the M100. All three caused by steep -slope filters. speakers are rated to respond up TO The sculpted grille board is said to 20,000 Hz ±3 dB. The M30's response reduce diffraction from cabinet edges. goes down to 38 Hz ±3 dB, the M20's To achieve low distortion and high to 35 Hz, and the M100's to 33 Hz. resolutionof low-levelsignals,the The M30 is finished in black and is woofer basket is made of cast magne- priced at $1,500 per pair (floor stands sium and the network capacitors are shown are $185 extra). The M20 is polypropylene. Frequency response is $2,000 per pair in walnut or black, rated as 52 to 20,000 Hz ±2 dB. Rec- $2,200inrosewood. The M100is ommended power input is 40 to 150 $5,500 per pair in walnut or black, watts. Price: $950 to $980 per pair in $5,800 in rosewood. Imported by Mad- teak; other finishes by special order. rigal, Dept. SR, P.O. Box 781, Middle- Thiel Audio Products, Dept. SR, 1042 town, CT 06457. Nandino Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511. Circle 123 on reader service card Circle 126 on reader service card

More New Products on page 134 SFERF10 REV IFW AUGUST 1986 19 CRUTCHFIELD CAR STEREO. AUDIO/VIDEO. TELEPHONE CAMILLO° AUDIO Q. AND A.

with dubbed cassettes, I always have the by Larry Klein original as a back-up. 5) Much of the material I want to play in my car will never be available on CD-dubs of chil- dren'srecords,spoken -wordtapes, taped live broadcasts, and so forth.

Tape Storage QI understand that stray magnetic 1=11=1=11=1:3 4 - fields can erase the programs on my tapes. Is it safe to store my audio cassettes and videotapes on a shelf di- IrMilirriogrr.rir,11.1n911511 rectly beneath my TV monitor? Russ LINDEMANN Lake Wales, FL You1I find the most helpful shopping infor- mation in the 108 page Crutchfield catalog. AThat would depend on the con- struction of your TV set.If its internal power transformer radiates a strong a.c. magnetic flux field and hap- FREE pens to be directly over your tape -stor- age area, it may work as a giant bulk tape eraser. Unless you have some way Stereo & Video of measuring the strength of your set's CD Car Stereo radiated magnetic field and know that Catalog there's no problem, I would suggest that QWith the emergence of the Com- you keep your tapes at least a couple of Refer to the latest Crutchfield pact Disc, some people will ob- feet away from the bottom of the TV. Catalog before buying your next viously dub CD's onto cassette for use in their car. In this connection, some home car stereo, home stereo, or video CD players incorporate dynamic -com- Speakers and Dust product: pression circuits that are said to produce QI would like to install a couple of 108 pages filled with helpful articles, better car stereo sound. Is this a legiti- speaker systems in my woodwork- consumer tips, charts, and installation mate bit of technology? ing shop, and I'm concerned about the guides. STEVEALBERTSEN effect of wood dust on their operation. Color photos, complete product descrip- Omaha, NB Do I have anything to fear? tions and technical specifications on E. CLAUDE COOK hundreds of the forest brand name AAbsolutely.Thenormalback- Mullens, WV products. ground noise in a moving vehicle You get more value shopping is loud enough to mask soft passages on AFear not. The floating wood dust Crutchfield: classical CD's, and if the player's vol- created by power woodworking ume is turned up high enough to make tools is fine enough that even if it did Tall -free product advice, ordering, and the soft passages audible, subsequent get into your speaker systems, I don't customer service. louder passages can be too loud. In see how it could impair their perform- 24 hour shipping. some car CD players, playback com- ance. In all modern speaker drivers, the Absolute satisfaction guaranteed. pression, which makes the soft passages close -tolerance moving elements in the Full 30 -day return privileges. louder and the loud passages softer, can voice -coil gap are sealed away from alleviate the problem. intruding foreign substances. And al- Discount prices on Sony, Pioneer, JVC, Incidentally, because Iknow how though many cones have a sticky damp- Teac, Akai, Advent, Jensen, Clarion, good well -recorded cassettes can sound ing coating around their edges to which Concord, Sherwood, Canon, Infinity, played through a high -quality car stereo the wood dust will probably adhere, the and many more! system, I regard car CD players as an fine particles won't obstruct movement, lr answer to a question nobody asked add mass, or interfere with the drivers' Call or send now for your about a problem nobody had. Although damping. FREE Catalog I love CD's for home use, I still prefer cassettes in the car for several reasons: Use this coupon or call toll -free: 1) I can store 180 minutes of personally Let Me Count the Ways... selected dubbed music on two C -90's in QIhave been arguing with my 800-336-5566 just about the same space that one friends about whether a speaker In Virginia, call800-552-3961 Compact Disc occupies. 2) When my system with a woofer, a midrange, a Be sure to mention Stereo Review when calling. car tapes are ripped off I lose dubbed tweeter, and a passive radiator should be copies, not original "masters." 3) Un- called a three-way or a four-way system. less the car CD player has a switchable What is your opinion? Name compression circuit, the too-loud/too- SALVATORE LUNA soft problem discussed above is likely to Lindenhurst, NY Addres, Apt a be annoying, if not a driving hazard 4) Although CD's can survive far rougher AKeep in mind that, at best, a defi- City State Zip use and storage conditions than LP's, I nition is only a history of how a suspect that in a car they are no more word has been used, rather than a reve- CRUTCHFIELD damage resistant than cassettes. And lation of an objective, absolute truth. In 1 Crutchfield Park. Dept SR. Charlottesville, VA 22906 20 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST1986 ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST UN -PROFESSIONAL

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From Live Aid to Lincoln Center, top ten artists to High polymer laminated ani mineral filled polypro- top studio producers, JBL has been the #1 choice pylene low frequency transducers, in the "T" and in professional loudspeakers for more than 40 years. "TL" respectively, deliver smooth, uncolored, power- Now the JBL "T" and "IL' series promise to make ful bass response. They're -emarkably resistant to the star of stage, screen and studio, the star of car the automobile's acoustically hostile environment. audio, too. You'll get that smooth JBL -esponse on the bump- Rugged, reliable, automotive versions of JBL's pro- iest roads, too. Cast aluminJm mountings and die- fessional equipment, the "T" and "TL" series are cast frames resist twisting and buckling, even when designed by the same acoustical engineers with the mounted on uneven surfaces. Cones and voice same attention to quality and performance. coils are tightly aligned for consistently accurate "T" series loudspeakers feature high and m d -high musical reproduction and hgh power handling. frequency transducers made of pure titanium-the The JBL "T" and "TL" series automotive loud- same titanium domes that are used in JBL's profes- speakers. Once you've heard the professionals, you sional studio monitors. Titanium's high strength -to - won't want anything else. weight ratio ensures clear, powerful highs wrhout listener fatigue. And now, for the first time, you can For more information and your nearest dealer call get the benefits of titanium at a lower cost with the toll free 1-800-633-2252 Ext 150 or write JBL, 240 "TL" series' titanium laminated domes. Crossways Park West, Woodbury, New York 11797.

11BL

Pictured above leg to right are The T95 T55 165. and, the TL900 TL500 TL600 A Harman International Company SILENT RUNN

CARVER TUNER TECHNOLOGY TAKES TO THE ROAD. Each deck employs the same Asym- INTRODUCING THE ONLY AM/FM TUNER/ metrical Charge -Coupled FM Detection CASSETTE DECKS CAPABLE OF CUTTING circuitry as Carver's revolutionary TX -11a MULTIPATH INTERFERENCE UP TO 92.9%! home tuner, along with an ingenious auto- FROM CARVER, NATURALLY. matic computer logic -controlled antenna - The new TX -Seven and TX -Nine auto -switching system that further vanquishes glitch -free, interference,free-Mlistening reverse AM/FM tuner/cassette audiophile multipath distortion. environment in your car. decks represent yet another example of In point of fact, no other autosound Both also possess a multitude of other Carver's ability to solve previously insoluble tuner/cassette decks in the world - regardless useful, state-of-the-art features which will rec- audio problems and deliver you more musi- of price - even begin to approach the TX -Seven ommend them to the most discriminating cal enjoyment and TX -Nine's ability to maintain a hiss -free, autosound audiophile. COLLIDING WITH MULTIPATH DISTORTION. delivers a net noise and distortion reduction and four-way fader controls and a full - By its very definition as a moving of 92.9%: Together, they set a new standard function LCD display with night illumination. for clear, clean FM autosound reproduction. reception point, a car's FM tuner constantly All operations are signaled with a gentle falls prey to signal reflections from hills, sky- THE MULTIPATH MARATHON: REAL WORLD "beep" that keeps your eyes on the road, not scrapers, bridges and even other vehicles. CONFIRMATION IN THE MISTS OF THE on the compact, ergonomically -styled deck. These extra phase modulating signals trick NORTHWEST. There's even a security code system that conventional tuners into producing audible Bob Carver is both a theorist and a sounds we call multipath. renders the TX -Seven or TX -Nine inoperable practical inventor. Circuits that work on paper Startling outbursts of clicks, pops, to anyone but you (and a window sticker to get exhaustively tested in the field before impart this discouraging information to others). "picket fencing" and other rude and indescrib- release. able sounds. Or, if you prefer, use the quick removal So he assigned a hapless engineer to system that slips out your TX -Seven or The trouble is, by its very nature, multi- map out the ultimate multipath-ridden route path distortion cannot be cured by conven- TX -Nine in seconds for storage in trunk for confirmation of the TX -Seven and TX - or hn tional circuit "improvements." In fact, the better Nine's special circuitry. With mountains, hills, an autosound tuner is, the more faithfully it is huge evergreen trees, skyscrapers, large steel THE BEGINNING OF THE PERFECT deceived into converting phase modulation bridges, good robust traffic jams and a few AUTOSOUND LISTENING ENVIRONMENT. into ghastly -sounding interruptions in your assorted six -story -tall Boeing hangars, it didn't Out of the hundreds of tuner/cassette favorite station take long to map out a 6 -mile course that models currently available, only the TX -Seven COMPUTER LOGIC -CONTROLLED DIVERSITY could regularly deliver at least 287 separate and TX -Nine deliver home -stereo quality FM ANTENNA SWITCHING DRIVES AROUND multi path occurrences. in your car. They achieve it with unique tech- MULTIPATH. Engaging the Asymmetrical Charge - nology. And they are built to outlast your car, One way to get temporary relief from Coupled FM Detection circuit and automatic no matter what kind of climate you live in. interference at home is to move the antenna antenna switching reduced occurrences to an Coupled with a clean amplifier, such as around slightly. That is in effect what the average of two during the same 6 -mile course The Carver M-240 Car Amplifier and state-of- Carver TX -Seven and TX -Nine do with sophis- while listening to the same stations! the-art speakers, your ability to transform your ticated circuitry in your car. Instead of physi- Although results may vary in your locale,car into a concert hall is almost unlimited. cally moving one antenna, they turn your rear the same 90+% reduction in multipath has We urge you to audition the TX -Seven defroster into a second separate antenna, 180 been confirmed in other widely diverse por- and TX -Nine at your Carver dealer soon. They degrees out of phase with the first. When tions of the U.S.: The TX -Seven and TX -Nine can pJt you in the driver's seat of a unique, multipath occurs, a special smart circuit work, and work well. interference -free musical experience. automatically switches (at the speed of light) OTHER REMARKABLE TUNING to the other antenna, automatically correcting FEATURES, TOO. phase and eliminating the multipath before you ever hear it. In serious cases, the circuit First, the TX -Seven and TX -Nine also actually uses both antenna inputs at once, receive Long Wave and Short Wave stations. deriving a signal through sum and difference And of course, both tuner/cassette decks principles have plenty of random presets...you can tune any fifteen AM, FM, SW or LW stations quickly ASYMMETRICAL CHARGE -COUPLED for instant recall. Plus auto -scan and manual clzD FM DETECTION CIRCUITRY BRINGS tuning. C71 r"-1 IT ON HOME. But they also have a system that makes . What little multipath distortion gets setting up all fifteen presets virtually instanta- O.0 -O.0 U 0.0 0 CSI through the TX -Seven and TX -Nine's unique neous. Just press the button marked BEST smart antenna system runs headlong into the and the tuner's logic circuitry will automatically THE TX -SEVEN AND TX- NINE remarkable tuner innovation High Fidelity select the fifteen cleanest, strongest signals TUNER 0 Asymmetrical Chan;,,,-,p-,u tcrt..1.) Detector 0 Magazine described as "distinguished (by) its and lock them in on the presets! Automatic Computer -Controlled Diversity Antenna Switching 0 AM, ability to pull clean, noise -free sound out of And that's in addition to your fifteen indi- FM, Long Wave and Short Wave Bands 0 15 Random Presets 0 weak or multipath-ridden signals:' BEST Cirakt for Auto -Selection of 15 Strongest Stations (in addition vidual random presets. to 15 individual presets) 0 Preset Frequency Auto -search 0 Auto - It specially treats the critical, multipath- As with all Carver products, the scan Tuning 0 Manual Tuning 0 LCD Frequency Read-out. prone left -minus -right (L -R) signal with a CASSETTE 0 Auto -reverse 0 Programmable Music Search (TX -Nine TX -Seven and TX -Nine do not sacrifice ease only) 0 Computer Logic Activated Controls 0 Dolby B NR 0 Dolby C Charge -Coupled circuit that detects "dirty mir- of use for useless, complicated frills. Instead, NR (TX -Nine only) 0 Metal Tape Bias Selector GENERAL: 0 Secu- ror image" signals and cancels them before rity Code System 0 Audible Confirmation of All Functions 0 Sepa- they answer every possible need without they can reach your ears. Then the Leading rate Bass Treble, Balance and Loudness Controls 0 Full -function resorting to elf -sized buttons or glitzy flashing LCD Read-out w/Night Illumination 0 CD Line Level Input (TX -Nine Edge Detector circuit processes the final 5% only) 0 Quick Release Removal System 0 Year Warranty. light displays. of the L -R and interleaves it with the tuner's SPECIFICATIONS: 0 Tuner S/N,.76dB 0 50dB Quieting Sensitivity, 0 S/N-65dB with Dolby 8 NR,-i 0c18 with Dolby C NR 0 Tape Frequency receiver matrix. Their metal -compatible, Dolby" NR, Response 20 Hz -15 kHz Alone, without antenna diversity switch- auto -reverse cassette sections rival any in the 0 Dimensions,180mmW x 51mm H x 160mm D (DIN mount) ing, the TX -Seven and TX -Nine's Asymmetri- world. Both the TX -Seven and TX -Nine have cal Charge -Coupled FM Detection Circuit separate bass, treble, balance and loudness Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories

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other words, there are no "shoulds" Above some high frequency, the inner per pair range at a local dealer. I've involved, just agreed -upon usage. In de- section would decouple and act as a come to the conclusion that there must scribing the number of "ways" in a tweeter while the entire cone continued be a new standard for hi-fi sound since speaker system, the usage depends only to serve as a woofer. The Walsh full - they all sound shrill to me-even ones on the number of electrical divisions of range driver is another more recent that Julian Hirsch has referred to in test frequency in the system, not the num- example of a single cone that used a reports as having flat frequencyre- ber of drivers. For example, there are mechanical crossover. And some inex- sponses. The bright sound causes voices several three-way systems with more pensive full -range speakers sold for car to sound fuzzy. Has the standard for than three drivers. systems have small "whizzer" cones at- accuracy changed among the speaker Remember that the crossover design tached near the main cone's voice coil. manufacturers? can't be relied upon as the distinguish- In any case, current usage does not FRED CHILTON ing element. Although most two-way allowmechanicalcrossoverstobe Las Cruces, NM systems usemultiple -elementcross- equated with electrical crossovers. A overs, a few use nothing more than a speaker with a whizzer cone is not con- ANo,thestandardforaccuracy single capacitor in series with the tweet- sidered a two-way driver because it does hasn't changed, nor have speakers er. And, in fact, the electrical divisions not have an electrical crossover. become that much hotter in the past ten of frequency need not even depend on a To answer your question specifically: years. I suspect that what you are hear- crossover. The piezoelectric tweeters a passive radiator is known technically ing is somehow the fault of the dealer's found in many systems do not require as a "vent substitute," which means it demonstration room, a fault that appar- an external crossover because of their functions as a special kind of port in a ently has not produced any complaints high impedance at low frequencies. A bass -reflex cabinet design. It does not previous to yours. Assuming that the piezoelectric tweeter or supertweeter add another "way" to a speaker system dealer is not deliberately using demo does, however, add a "way" to a speak- any more than any port would. material with boosted highs, it could be er system. that the demo room is inadequately Over the years, quite a few speakers damped, or even that some special have used mechanical crossovers. Dur- Shrill New Speakers high -capacity audiophile speaker cables ing the late Fifties and early Sixties, sev- QAfter ten years, I recently decided have caused a capacitance -sensitive am- eral 8- and 12 -inch drivers were de- to upgrade my speaker systems and plifier to become marginally unstable signed with a compliance ring installed have been listening to a number of well - and sizzly. My best suggestion is that an inch or so up from the voice coil. regarded models in the $800 to $1,200 you try another dealer.

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by Julian Hirsch of a 100 -percent modulated FM sig- is also stated, but it is secondary to nal that produces an audio output the dBf figure and is provided only containing 3.2 percent( - 30 dB) to bridge the gap in understanding harmonicdistortionplusnoise. and acceptance of the current rating Such a signal is not, by any stretch system (it has been in effect for elev- of the imagination, "usable," and I en years, but these things take time). prefer to think of it as the unusable It is worth mentioning that low- sensitivity! To the extent that the level radio -frequency measure- distortion (if it is less than 10 per- ments are not as easy to duplicate as cent or so) exceeds the noise, the audio measurements. Depending on signal may be "listenable"-but it the specific test instruments used will hardly be suitable for the enjoy- and the individual technique of the ment of its musical content. operator, it is possible to obtain dif- The alternativespecis50 -dB ferent results for most tuner meas- quieting sensitivity, which is also urements. I have found that most measured with a 100 -percent modu- (but not all) FM tuners tend to show lated signal. It is the input level at a poorer-that is, numerically high- which, when the modulation is re- er-usable sensitivity in the labora- moved, the tuner output (now con- tory than is claimed by their manu- sisting only of noise) drops by 50 facturers. In view of the uncertainty dB. While this still does not repre- just mentioned, I generally do not sent the sort of noise -free FM recep- get too concerned about such dis- tion most of us would wish to listen crepancies, particularly since, as I to, it can provide a reasonably satis- have pointed out, this is really a factory audio program. very unimportant specification. Be- A much higher input levelis cause of the higher r.f. levels in- needed to produce a noise floor of volved, the 50 -dB quieting sensitiv- - 65 or -70 dB, which is more ity is easier to measure accurately comparable in the pro- and repeatably, and I have no prob- gram itself. Some of the better tun- lems with it. The lower the number, Optiinistic Specfications ers require an 85-dBf input to reach the better, but differences of a few Tuners and Turntables their minimum noise level, which decibels between tuners are really VOIR/ can be -85 dB or so in mono and not very important unless you are in - 80 dB in stereo. When you read an extreme fringe -area reception lo- LAST month we discussed tuner specs, look for the stereo 50 - cation. Then it is another matter. some of the specifications dB quieting sensitivity-the mono In our tests of FM tuners or applicable to amplifiers and spec will be about 20 dB better but receivers, we frequently find that the problems of interpreting is less important for most listeners. the measured usable sensitivity falls advertised performance ratings that You will also notice that sensitiv- short of the manufacturer's ratings may not conform to accepted meas- ity is, or should be, expressed in because of a frequency error in the urement standards. Of course, am- dBf-decibels referred to 1 femto- tuner's synthesizer circuits. When plifiers are not the only components watt. Usually, as in our test reports, the current EIA tuner standard was of an audio system. A very similar the equivalent value in microvolts written about twelve years ago, ana- situation exists with FM tuners and log tuning was universally em- turntables, and it is aggravated by ployed. The signal generator (simu- the fact that many of the specs are lating a broadcast station) was set to technical terms whose meanings are Tested This Month the desired frequency, and the tuner not intuitively obvious to most was adjusted for a correct tuning people. indication on its meter or other Take FM tuner sensitivity, for ex- Tandberg TPA -3016A readout. Even a slight tuning shift, ample. Laymen often have a vague Power Amplifier and such as 20 kHz at a frequency of 100 or incorrect conception of this wide- MHz, can have a significant effect ly used (and widely misunderstood) TCA-30 18A Preamp on the measured distortion as well term. It means much more than Revox B215 Cassette Deck as on the usable sensitivity. To al- "how many stations the tuner can Jamo CBR 120 Speaker low for such slight errors, the stan- receive," or even "how weak a sig- dard permits the tuner frequency to nal it can receive," although it has Recoton V624 F. R.E.D. III be adjusted for minimum distortion elements of both. FM tuner sensi- TV Stereo Decoder at a low signal level to provide the tivity is defined by two totally dif- best (lowest) usable -sensitivity read- ferent ratings, and, unfortunately, Harman Kardon HD500 ing. It must be left at that setting, the more often emphasized of the Compact Disc Player however, for all subsequent meas- two is the least meaningful. So- Hitachi DA -P 100 urements. At the higher levels used to measure 50 -dB quieting sensitivi- called usable sensitivity is the level Compact Disc Player

26 STEREO REVIEW AuGusT 1986 "Will Those Speakers Work With My CD?"

The introduction of thecom- loudness of the original performance;You'll hear yourmoney's worth in pact disc player has created a lot ofquiet portions are more realistic too.every part of confusion and false information. And you should know that dynamicyour system. At KLIPSCH° we think yourange provides the emotional qualities Judge deserve to know the truth: any goodof music. Which brings us to the for yourself. loudspeaker or amplifierwill workpurpose of this message. To find with a CD. Since our first model in 1943,your nearest The virtues of a CD areKLIPSCH Loudspeakers have deliveredKLIPSCH really quite simple. You get a moremore dynamic range than any otherdealer, look durable "record," so to speak. Thatloudspeakers made. We had a lovein the Yellow is, scratches become a thing of thefor dynamic range before most com-Pages. Or past. And you get tremendous in-panies knew what it was. call toll free, creases in dynamic range. Now what You don't have to have new1-800-223-3527. does that mean? speakers with a CD. But to hear a KLIPSCH HERESY PICTURED ABOVE Simply stated, the expandedCD at its best, all the dynamic range dynamic range of a CD allows youand emotional power, make sure you to hear lifelike musical surges. Loudlisten to KLIPSCH. You'll hear a real A LEGEND IN SOUND portions of music are closer to thedifference for your hard-earned dollars. P.O. BOX 688 HOPE, ARKANSAS USA 718C1 CIRCLE NO2 ON READER SERVICE CARD TECHNICAL TALK

ty, the limiting action of the tuner's cartridge)arenecessaryforthe we have tested over the years,I circuits swamps the effect of a slight measurements, as well as an equal- doubt that more than a handful tuning error. ized preamplifier to process the out- have produced rumblereadings Today, virtuallyall FM tuners put of the cartridge beforeitis close to those on their spec sheets. have synthesizer circuits that tune measured. The properties of the Fortunately, itis easy to tell for onlytothespecificfrequencies record, pickup, and preamplifier are yourself if rumbleisa problem (usually at 100 -kHz intervals) used difficult, if not impossible, to sepa- (which it rarely is, these days). If by FM broadcast stations. With rate from those of the turntable you can'thear anything wrong, only a couple of exceptions, a user itself, and although there are some don't worry about it! cannot trim the tuner frequency for standards governing turntable mea- Flutter and its close relative, wow, minimum distortion or noise. Its surements, there are none for the are measured with a disc that has value is normally determined solely associated components. been recorded with a steady 3,000 - by the frequency of an internal ref- A rumble measurement, for ex- or 3,150 -Hz tone. The playback out- erence quartz -crystal oscillator. ample, involves calibrating the sys- put is analyzed by a flutter meter, Since neither the broadcast frequen- tem's sensitivity for a specific re- which is a form of FM receiver cy nor the tuner frequency can be corded velocity (such as 3.54 centi- tuned to the recorded frequency and adjusted by the user, he must accept meters per second, or 10 cm/s at displaying the percentage of fre- the effects of any frequency error in 1,000 Hz) and then measuring the quency modulation on ameter the tuner. Although the error is rare- system's output while playing a "si- scale. In this case, the problem is ly large enough to affect the audible lent groove" recording. The play- not with the measurement setup or performance of the tuner,it can back frequency response is weighted instrumentation, but again with the have a distinct effect on its meas- to reduce the effect of noise at mid- testrecord.Evenif the master ured performance. dle or high frequencies. Unfortu- recording was made perfectly, al- Before Hirsch -Houck Labs ac- nately,thereferencelevels and most every vinyl pressing is both quired a Panasonic frequency -syn- weighting curves called for by dif- eccentric and warped to some de- thesis FM signal generator, we had ferent standards-EIA, ARLL, JIS, gree. The flaw may not be visible, or to tune our generator for best results or DIN-are not the same, and the audible on program material, but when testing a frequency -synthesis differences can have a considerable even a microscopic physical devia- Now, since the frequency of influence on the results. tion from ideal flatness or a perfect- the Panasonic instrument can be At least as important as these con- ly concentric spindle hole will intro- read directly, within an error of siderations is the matter of the "si- duce some wow or flutter in the about1 kHz at 100 MHz, we set lent groove" test disc itself. To my playback from a perfect turntable. both it and the tuner to the same knowledge, there is no such thing as I would not expect any turntable frequency and let the results speak a truly silent disc. I certainly have to yield a flutter reading of less than for themselves. As a check, howev- never seen or heard of one. A num- 0.06 percent JIS-weighted rms or er, we also adjust the generator fre- ber of rumble -test discs have bands ± 0.08percent CCIR- or DIN - quency to see if the distortion de- identified as "silent," but a mo- weightedpeak.Occasionallya creases.If itdoes, the frequency ment's listening to them at a moder- measurement will fall slightly below error is noted but our initial settings ate level will show that this is a these readings, but they are the are retained. euphemismfor"unmodulated." approximate limits of my test rec- If theusable -sensitivityrating The noise on any such groove is ords, which come from several were important, minor errors in fre- almost always audible to the ear, sources (including standard DIN re- quency-which existinthe vast and certainly evident to the test leases).Nevertheless,you will majority of tuners and receivers we instruments. sometimes see flutter (usually on a test-might indeed be serious, but We regularly use a lacquer disc direct -drive turntable) specified as in the real world it matters little. that has been cut with two bands of low as 0.02 percent or less. If you The reader should be aware that if, unmodulated grooves, near the out- read the footnote to the rating, you say, we measure a 17-dBf usable side and inside of the disc. In gener- will usually find that it was based on sensitivity on a tuner rated at 11 al, one of these bands (not always a measurement of the error signal in dBf, it does not necessarily mean the same one, though) will produce the servocontrol loop of the turnta- that the manufacturer is exaggerat- a lower rumble reading than the ble and did not even involve a ing or that our measurements are other. They are quieter than any of record or pickup. Such a measure- wrong. Most likely, the tuner's ref- the similar bands on commercial ment is technically correct but has erence oscillator frequency has not test records but are still a long way little to do with a turntable's per- been adjusted with sufficient care, from being "silent" in the sense that formance in playing records. or perhaps the crystal's stability is would apply to a CD. The problem Speaking of unrealistic specs, tun- not quite what it should be! of groove rumble is exacerbated be- ers and turntables are not the only Another component whose meas- cause all tonearms and cartridges offenders. Frequency -response and ured performance rarely agrees with resonate at a low frequency (5 to 15 distortion measurements for loud- published specifications is the turn- Hz, as a rule), and if this resonance speakers are, at times, also subject table. Turntable measurements are is not well damped, the groove rum- to some fairly dubious measure- complicated by the fact that both a ble near that frequency will be ac- ment techniques. That, however, is

record and a pickup (tonearm and centuated. Of the many turntables a topic for another column.

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sinks along the sides of the ampli- TANDBERG TPA -3016A fier. Sensors on the heat sinks grad- ually turn on the electronically con- POWER AMPLIFIER AND trolled fan as the temperature be- gins to exceed 70° C (it does not TCA-3018A PREAMPLIFIER come on at all in normal operation). The capacitors in the signal path use polypropylene as a dielectric mate- Julian Hirsch, Hirsch -Houck Laboratories rial, which is thought by many to give better sound than other dielec- TANDBERG'Snew power am- The special qualities of the Tand- triccapacitor materials.Selected plifier, the 3016A, is a no - berg 3016A are not visible external- metal -film resistors are used exclu- holds -barred design aimed ly. It consists of two entirely sepa- sively, as are discrete transistors- at the demanding (and af- rate mono amplifiers, with separate there are no integrated circuits. Oth- fluent) audiophile.Its unconven- power supplies and transformers, er construction features not often tional circuitry and choice of inter- that share only the line cord, power found in home amplifiers include nal components strongly suggest a switch, and cooling fan. Each out- heavy circuit boards with copper perfectionist attitude on the part of put stage employs eight MOSFET ground -plane layers on both sides, its designers. transistors,without any current - to minimize common ground paths The 3016A is a large, heavy, and protection or limiting circuits. Ac- and the resulting noise and distor- powerful amplifier.Itis rated to cordingtoTandberg,thedual - tion, and gold-plated input and out- deliver 220 watts per channel into mono amplifier can deliver up to put sockets. 8 -ohm loads from 20 to 20,000 Hz 100 amperes into a 0.5 -ohm load Probably the most unusual circuit with no more than 0.05 percent during a 3.5 -millisecond burst, and feature of the 3016A is its "feedfor- total harmonic or intermodulation it carries a pulse -power rating of ward" design. Most amplifiers use distortion. It is also rated for 400 2,500 watts into 0.5 ohm. The mas- negative feedback to reduce their watts per channel into 4 ohms. Its sive current capacity of the ampli- inherent distortion and noise and to rated A -weighted noise level is -94 fierissupported by atotalof lower their output impedance for dB referred to 1 watt (into 8 ohms), 120,000 microfarads of power -sup- better speaker damping. In recent and its rated frequency response is ply filter capacitance. years there has been much contro- +0, -0.1 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz The output transistors are versy concerning the alleged unde- and down only 0.2 dB at 1.5 MHz. mounted on heavy,finnedheat sirable effects of negative feedback,

STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 31 TEST REPORTS

overall negative feedback inthe LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS 3016A. The only front -panel features of TPA -3016A Power Amplifier -0.5 dB at 5 Hi; -3 dB at the Tandberg 3016A are a large, 450 kHz rocker -type power switch with a 1,000 -Hz continuous output power Voltage output at clipping: 12.5 to at clipping: 300 watts into 8 13 volts from 20 to 20,000 Hz small red LED pilot light and four ohms: 485 watts into 4 ohms: LED's on the upper section of the 665 watts into 2 ohms Harmonic distortion (THD + noise at 1,000 Hz into 8 ohms): panel that light to show peak -clip- Clipping headroom (relative to 0.027% at 0.1 volt; 0.0062% at 1 ping and the operation of the ther- rated output): 1.35 dB (8 ohms); volt; 0.016% at 3 volts; 0.0245% 0.84 dB (4 ohms) at 5 volts malprotectionsystem(marked Dynamic power output: 324 watts Sensitivity (for a 0.5 -volt output): TERM OVERLOAD), presumably the into 8 ohms; 578 watts into 4 activation of the rear -mounted fan. ohms; 990 watts into 2 ohms; high-level input, 78 mV: MM 1,250 watts into 1 ohm phono, 1.1 mV; MC phono, Separate warning lights are pro- 0.066 mV vided for each channel. Dynamic headroom: 1.68 dB (8 A -weighted noise (referred to a ohms): 1.59 dB (4 ohms) 0.5 -volt output): high-level, -90 The Tandberg 3018A control am- Harmonic distortion (THD + dB; MM phono, -80 dB; MC plifier (preamplifier) is a compan- noise at 1,000 Hz into 8 ohms): ion to the 3016A power amplifier, 1 watt, 0.0035%; 220 watts, phono, -76.5 dB 0.0195% Input -overload level: MM phono, which it matches in styling and all - 210 to 277 mV, depending on blackfinish.The 3018A shares Slew factor: 13 frequency; high-level, Sensitivity (for a 1 -watt unmeasurable (see text) many design features with its com- output):100 millivolts Phono-input impedance (MM): panion, including the exclusive use A -weighted noise (referred to a 47,000 ohms and 140 picofarads of polypropylene capacitors, metal - 1 -watt output): --93 dB RIAA phono-equalization error: film resistors, and discrete active TCA-3018A Control Amplifier ±0.15 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz devices (transistors instead of inte- Headphone output at clipping Frequency response (through (1,000 Hz): 17.5 volts into an grated circuits). high-level input, EIA-standard open circuit; 9.4 volts into 200 Like the power amplifier, the con- load): 10 H7 to 100 1.:1-1/ ±0 dB; ohms; 0.73 volt into 8 ohms trol amplifier uses no negative feed- back, depending on close compo- nent tolerances and a special circuit especially in the large amounts com- virtually no need for critical bias topology to maintain the intended monly used in high-fidelity ampli- stabilization and matching of the performance. The same design ap- fiers. Negative feedback has been output transistors. The linearity and proach is carried over into its RIAA claimed to produce various forms of gain of the amplifier are essentially phono equalization, which is ac- transientintermodulationdistor- determined by a bridge of passive complished by means of passive tion, although the audible signifi- components, effectively removing components usedwithseparate cance of such distortion in real - output -transistor nonlinearity from "blocks" of gain instead of the com- world home music reproduction is its transfer function. mon practice of building the equali- open to question. In any event, The Tandberg 3016A uses no zation network into a negative -feed- many amplifier designers now use overall negative feedback in its sig- back loop of the phono preampli- much less negative feedback and re- nal path. The amplifier is direct - fier. A toroidal power transformer is sort to other means of reducing con- coupled throughout except for a used because of its very low external ventional distortions to acceptable blocking capacitorattheinput magnetic field. levels. (which can be bypassed if your The 3018A is a "minimalist" con- One such approach is Tandberg's preamplifier has no d.c. component trol amplifier, with no tone controls "feedforward" design. Instead of re- in its output), and its d.c. stability is or similar features. Its basic front - turning a portion of the output sig- maintained by a thermal feedback panel operating controls consist of a nal to the input stage, comparing it system that monitors the transistor single large volume knob, with a with the input signal, and amplify- temperatures and corrects the oper- concentric balance lever, and two ing the difference between them (the ating conditions of theaffected small knob -operated switches that distortion) to cancel out most of the stages to maintain a zero average independently select the program outputdistortion-thenegative - d.c. output voltage. In normal feed- source to be heard and the source feedback approach-it is possible to back amplifiers, this is sometimes being supplied to the two sets of usealow -power,highlylinear maintained by a d.c. feedback loop, tape-recording output jacks on the (Class A) amplifier to drive the but Tandberg's engineers apparent- rear apron. Also on the front panel speaker load at low power levels, ly felt that the longer time constant are a pushbutton power switch with gradually augmenting its output as of the thermal loop accomplishes LED indicator, a headphone jack needed for higher signal levels with the desired result with no possibility with a small volume knob (the the higher current available from of audible side effects. Although this headphone output is completely in- Class B output transistors. Such a circuit can be viewed as a form of dependent of the main volume -con- feedforward amplifier is inherently negative feedback (at low infrasonic trol setting), and a SUBSONIC FILTER free of crossover distortion (a low- frequencies), it is not in the signal button withindicatorlight.Al- levelphenomenon commonto path and thus does not violate though the fact is not specifically Class B amplifiers), so that there is Tandberg's principle of avoiding mentioned in the instruction manu-

32STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 BRA/01 BRA/CD1 BRA01 331488-391482. Bach: 341107. Brahms: Double 340182. Glass., Philip: 338723. Mozart: Requiem 341735. Rimsky-Korsokov: Brandenburg Concertos, Concerto-Menuhin, violinMishima-music for the -Hogwood cond soloists, 343715. Vivaldi: Four Tortelier, cello, Berglund, Scheberazode-Charles Seasons-Maazel, members I to 6 (complete) -Kapp. film (Digital -Nonesuch) chorus. Acad. of Ancient Dutoit Montreal SymphonyOrch. National de France cond (Counts as 2 - cond (Digital -Angel) 323543. Handel: Royal Music (Digital-L'Oiseau-Lyre)Orch. ;Digital -London) Digital -CBS Masterworks) (Digital -CBS Masterworks) 339374. Chopin: Plano Fireworks Music; Oboe 332114. Mussorgsky: 34671 Schubert: Sym- 323147. Wagner: Orchestral 343251. Bach: Goldberg Concerto No. 2; Schu- Concertos-Munchinger Pictures At An Exhibition; phonies 2 & 8 (Unfinished)Music from "The Ring" - Variations -Glenn Gould mann: Piano Concerto - cond (Digital -London) Borodin: Polovtslan Dances-Daniel Boren boim and Sir Georg Solti, Chicago (Digital -CBS Masterworks) Andras Schiff, Dorati, 341214. Haydn: Symphony-Ashkenazy. Phil harmoniathe Berlin Philharmonic Sym (Digital -London) 330647. Bach: Unaccom- Amsterdam Concertge- No. 100 (Military), No. 104 Orch (Digital -London) (Digital -CBS Masterworks) bouw (Digital -London) 338814. Webber: Requiem panied Cello Suites 1, 2 (London)-Hogwood. cond.338228. Offenbach: Gaite339356. Schubert: Trout -with Domingo, Brightman, -performed by Yo -Yo Ma 343152-393157 Chopin. (Digital-LOiseau-Lyre) Parisienne; Gounod: Quintet -Andras Schiff, Winchester Cathedral Choir, (Digital -CBS Masterworks) Nocturnes -Abbey Simon 321190. Liszt: Hungarian "Faust" Ballet Music - piano Alois Posch, Hagen Maazel, English Chamber 336578-396572. Bach: at the piano (Counts as 2 Rhapsodies 1 & 4; more Dutoit, Orch symphoniqueQuartet (Digital -London)Orch (Digital -Angel) -Vox Cum Laude) Flute Sonatas-Rampal, Boskovsky cond. (Angel) Montreal (Digital -London)341610. Strauss, Richard: 334839. Maria Callas - flute, Pinnock, harpsi- 335679. Debussy: La Mer; 334508. Mahler: 339663. Pachelbel: Kanon Der Rosenkova Suite; Rossini & Donizetti Arias. chord. etc. (Counts as 2 - Nocturnes -Andre Previn. Symphony No. 1 (Titan)- -also Bach. Albinoni. etc. Die Frau Ohne Schatten-From William Tell, LE/ter Digital -CBS Masterworks) cond London Symphony Muti cond Philadelphia Munchinger, Stuttgart Dorat., Detroit Symphony DAmore, etc (Angel) 338178. A Bach Celebra- (Digital -Angel) Orch (Digital -Angel) - mbar (Digital -London)Orch (Digital -London) 334276. Canadian Brass tion. Christopher Parken- & Berlin Phil. Brass - ing plays music from Bach Brass in Berlin. Bach, cantatas (Digital -Angel) 1 Gobrieli, etc. 326903. Bach: Organ ),u,rcii-CBS Masterworks) Masterpieces -Toccata & bk. 341602. Jose Carreras- Fugue in D Minor etc A French Opera Arias. Arias Newman (Sine Qua Non) -am Le Cid. Faust Carmen, 342329. Bartok: Miraculous ' 'c (Digital -Angel) Mandarin (complete ballet). 337279, Plocido Domingo Music For Strings, Percus- -Save Your Nights For sion & Celesta-Dorati. OR Me. Love Came For Me Detroit Sym (Digital -London) $ 00plus shipping Maria, etc. (CBS) ana handling 338004-398008. Beethoven 246843. Vladimir Horowitz Piano Sonatas -Moonlight, if you join now and agree to buy I selections (at regular Club prices) in the next 3 years -New Recordings Of Appassionata, Tempest. 3 Chopin. (Columbia) more A. Brendel (Counts as 2 -Vox Cum Laude) 339408. Hubert Laws/Chick Corea/Quincy Jones. Blan- 335075. Beethoven: chard New Earth Sonata, Overtures-Conolon, etc. (CBS Masterworks) etc. Tennstedt. London AARON COPLAND Phil. (Digital -Angel) 343624. Wynton Marsalts BILLY THE KID Plays Trumpet Concertos. 321570. Beethoven: Sym- RODEO Haydn. Hummel, L Mozart phonyNo. 5; Schubert: (Digital -CBS Masterworks) rrip h. No. 8 (Unfinished) comPLETE -Maazel. Vienna Philhar EIA_LETS 331959-391953. Mormon (Digital -CBS Masterworks) Tabernacle Choir -Great Choruses of Bach and 252874. Beethoven: Handel, (Counts as 2 - Symphony No. 9 (Choral) LEONARD CBS Masterworks) -Ormandy and the Phila- SL ATKIN delphia Orch (Columbia) touts 344184 327551. Luciano Pavarotti ,M111,11014 -Mamma. Popular Italian 341982-391987. Beethoven: songs (Digital -London) Sonatas for Plano & Violin, Vol. I -Eugene Istomin & 329524. Peaches & Cream - Isaac Stern (Counts as 2 - Dances & Marches by John Digital -CBS Masterworks) Philip Sousa -E Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra 335547. Berlioz: 325183. Dvorak: Sym- 329094-399097. Mahler: 341297. Prokof ley: Sym- 338244. Stravinsky: Rite (Digital -Vox Cum Laude) Symphonic Fantastique- phony No. 9 (New World) Symphony No. 2 (Resur- f=yorNoliueel (Clasasical Of Spring-Dutoit cond Barenboim, Berlin Phil -Solti. Chicago Symph. rection)-Lor n Maazel, 339242. Puccini Heroines. (Digital -CBS Masterworks) ngesk Orchestre symphonique dEEva Marton, Renato Scotto. Orch. (Digital -London) Vienna Phil (Counts as 2 - Suite -Lorin Maazel, condMontreal (Digital -London)Katia Ricciarelli, others 263293. Bolling: Suite For 333526-393520. Dvorak: Digital -CBS Masterworks) (Digital -CBS Masterworks)336461. Tchalkovsky. (CBS Masterworks) flute and Jazziano- Slavonic Dances. etc 318824. Mendelssohn: 334565 Rachmaninoff: Violin Concerto; Serenade Rampal, Bolling (Columbia) 333112. Andreas Vollen- Dorati, Royal Phil. (Counts Symphony No. 4 (Italian); Symphony No. 2 (complete-Pinchas Zukerman, Zubinwelder -White Winds. 343145. Bolling: Original as 2 -Digital -London) Schumann: Symphony version) -Simon Rattle andMehta. Israel PhilharmonicThe inventive harpist's Ragtime -the composer at 339226. Gershwin: Rhap- No. 4-Tennstedt, Berlin Los Angeles Philharmonic (Digital -CBS Masterworks)latest (Digital -CBS) the piano (CBS) sody In Blue; Second Phil (Digital- Angel) (DIg,,,-71- Angel) 334680. Tchaikovsky: Rhapsody; etc -M Tilson 339366 Mozart: Eine 318451 Ravel Bolero. Ballet Suites -Swan Lake, 340562. Waverly Consort 334243. Brahms: Piano -RenaissanceFavorites, Concerto No. 1-Weissen- Thomas. Los Angeles Phil Kleine Nachtmusik; more Pavane; Daphnis Et ChloeSleeping Beauty -Mutt. (Digital -CBS Masterworks)Hogwood. Acad Ancient (Suite No 2) -Andre Previn,Philo. Orch (Digital -Angel)Morley, Gibbons, Byrd, etc berg, Muti, Philadelphia (Digital -CBS Masterworks) Orch (Digital -Angel) 331314. Gershwin: An Music (Digitc/-Laseau-Lyre)London Symphony (Angel)342154. Tchalkovsky: American In Paris -plus 328740. Mozart: Piano 340190. Reich: The Desert Romeo & Juliet; Francesca334763. John Williams - 332668. Brahms: Sym- Grainger's Fantasy on Concerto 26; Rondos- Music -M Tilson Thomas, da Rimini-R.Chailly and Bach, Handel, Marcello phony No. 1-Tennstedt Porgy & Bess-Labeque Perahia, Eng Chamber Or members Brooklyn Philhar-the Cleveland Orchestra Concertos air for guitar cond (Digital -Angel) Sisters (Digital -Angel) (Digital -CBS Masterworks) monic (Digital -Nonesuch)(Digital -London) (Digital -CBS Masterworks) Here's a wonderful opportunity to start or add to your collection of the world's greatest music -brilliantly performed by many of today's greatest COLUMBIA CLASSICAL CLUB, Columbia House, Terre Haute, IN 47811 7 artists. As a new member of the Columbia Classical Club, you get any 11 Please accept my membership application under the SEND ME THESE cassettes or records for only $1.00, plus shipping and handling. In exchange, terms outlined in this advertisement. Send me the 11 II SELECTIONS you agree to buy just 8 more selections in the next three years, at regular classical selections listed here far only $100. plus ship- ping and handlingI agree to buy eight more selec- Club prices (which currently are $798 to $1198, plus shipping and handling: tions (at regular Club prices) in the coming three some multi -unit sets and special recordings may be somewhat higher) years -and may cancel membership at any time after How the Club works: every four weeks (13 times a year) you'll receive our doing so Music Magazine. It describes the "Classical Selection of the Month" plus Send my selections in this type of ecording (check one): scores of classical releases, as well as selections from other fields of music. In 1:1 TAPE CASSETTES [1 STEREO RECORDS addition, up to six times a year you may receive offers of Special Selections. usually at a discount off regular Club prices. for a total of up to 19 buying opportunities. Mrs There is no obligation to accept the "Selection of the Month" -you order only Miss vsrt hint Nome initui Las? Nome the recordings you want when you want them' A special response card will be enclosed with each Magazine -mail it by the date specified to order or Address _Apt reject any selection. And if you want only the "Selection of the Month", do nothing -it will be shipped automatically. You'll have at least ten days in City which to make your decision -if you ever have less time than that, just return the Selection at our expense. And you may cancel membership anytime after buying 8 selections, or continue under our money -saving bonus plan. State Zip Do you have a VCR? (check one) ales 0 No 716/F86 10 -Day Free Trial: we'll send details of the Club's operation with your introduc- Do you have a credit card? (check ono 0 Yes 0 No tory shipment. If you are not satisfied for any reason, return everything within this offer In AOIGKAloble on APO FPO Alaska FLowon Puerto ?co eiease 10 days -your membership will be canceled and you will owe nothing. write for default of olfernollve of %EH Special Start -Your -Membership -Now Offer: you may also choose your first OAlso send my first selection for at least a 60% discount selection now -and we'll send it to you for at least 60% off regular Club for which I will be blled an adaitional 5299. I then need prices (only $299) This discount purchase reduces you membership obliga- buy only 7 more (instead of 8) tion immediately -you then need buy lust 7 more (instead of 8) in 3 years. at regular Club prices, it the dClassical Just check box in application and fill in the number of your first selection. coming three years All applaotions subject to review; :oiumbla House 7BF/ME 7BG/MD NOTE: selections with two numbers are 2 -record sets or double -length tapes Each of Lreserves the right to (elect any oppllcatlon, these "double selections" counts as 2 -so write in both numbers C 1986 Cclumblo House TEST REPORTS

al,thefilter operates only with tern operation. On the other hand, watts into 8 ohms, 578 watts into 4 phono sources. at no time were we able to make the ohms, and an impressive 990 watts The program inputs are identified cooling fan come on, indicating that into 2 ohms. The respective 8- and as AUX, DD (for digital disc), TAPE I, the critical temperatures within the 4 -ohm dynamic headroom mea- TAPE 2, TUNER, and PHONO. As in unit never reached 70* C. The prac- surements were 1.68 and 1.59 dB. the 3016A, the signal input and out- tical implications of this are all posi- We were unable to verify the manu- put jacks in the rear of the unit are tive: unlike most fan -cooled ampli- facturer's claim of a 90- to 100 - gold-plated. There are separate in- fiers, the 3016A will not intrude on ampere short-term current output puts for moving -magnet (MM) and your listening pleasure with an an- into a 0.5 -ohm load. The lowest moving coil (MC) cartridges, select- noyingly loud fan. load impedance we could provide ed by a toggle switch between them. In its performance, the 3016A was for this test was 1 ohm, into which Asecondthree -positiontoggle one of the most nearly ideal ampli- the amplifier delivered about 35 switch near the MM input selects fiers we have seen. Specifically, its amperes rms (1,250 watts) during the capacitance, shunting the stan- distortion level, though always neg- short tone bursts. dard 47,000 -ohm input resistance in ligible, decreased as the power was At no time in our use or testing of parallel with 150, 330, or the nor- reduced. Many amplifers have more the amplifier were we able to light mal "0" picofarads to suit the re- distortion at a few watts output than up the clipping indicators-even quirements of the cartridge. In addi- at full power due to crossover ef- hard clipping into 2 ohms did not tion, the d.c. blocking capacitor at fects, which are absent from the turn them on. Tandberg informs us the output can be short-circuited if that at the time our test unit (a very desired when the 3018A is used The Tandberg 3016A and early production sample) was man- with a power amplifier, such as the ufactured, there had not been a final Tandberg 3016A, whose input al- 3018A were as impressive to decision made at the factory con- ready has a series capacitor. listen to as to measure. We cerning the proper setting of the The technical specifications of the have never heard better clipping -level adjustment. In cur- Tandberg 3018A are extremely de- rent production models, this will be tailed and follow the requirements sound in our own listening set so that a small amount of wave- of the IHF A-202 standard (now room, and we were also form clipping will activate the indi- incorporated in EIA RS -490). The cators. rated frequency responseisun- impressed with the In testing the 3018A preamplifier, usually flat: +0, -0.1 dB from 1.6 headphone output level. our measurements were made with to 250,000 Hz through the high-lev- it driving an EIA-standard load of el inputs and ±0.2 dB from 20 to 10,000 ohms inparallel with a 20,000 Hz through the phono in- 3016A because of its feedforward 1,000-picofaradcapacitance.The puts. The exceptionally low noise design. output -voltage waveform clipped at and distortion ratings are equally With loads from 2 to 8 ohms, the 12.5 to 13 volts from 20 to 20,000 noteworthy, as is the input -overload 3016A's1,000 -Hz distortion was Hz. The frequency response rating of greater than 20 volts for typically 0.002 to 0.005 percent un- through a high-level input was per- high-level inputs and 290 millivolts der100wattsoutput,reaching fectly flat from 10 to 100,000 Hz, for the MM phono input. about 0.02 percent at rated power. falling to -0.5 dB at 5 Hz and -3 The Tandberg 3016A power am- At 22 watts, the distortion was less dB at 450 kHz. (Removing the EIA plifier measures 171/8 inches wide, than 0.002 percent from 20 to 500 load extended the high -frequency 83'4 inches high, and 1314 inches Hz, rising smoothly to 0.014 per- response to 2.82 MHz at the -3 -dB deep, and it weighs 62 pounds. The cent at 20,000 Hz. At the rated 220 point.) The input sensitivity, for a 3018A control amplifier's dimen- watts, it was a constant 0.018 per- 0.5 -volt output, was 78 millivolts sions are 171/8 x 31/2 x 133/4 inches, cent from 20 to 7,000 Hz and (mV) through a high-level input, 1.1 and it weighs 121/2 pounds. Optional reached 0.027 percent at 20,000 Hz. mV through the MM phono input, blackLuciteorrosewood end The slew factor was 13. and 0.066 mV through the MC pieces, or rack -mounting adaptors, An input of 0.1 volt produced a phono input. The respective A - are available for both units. Prices: reference 1 -watt output, and the A - weighted noise levels, referred to 0.5 TPA -3016A, $3,295; TCA-3018A, weighted noise was 93 dB below volt,measured -90, - 80, and $1,695. Tandberg, Dept. SR, La- that level. The amplifier's output -76.5 dB. briola Court, Armonk, NY 10504. clipped at 300 watts per channel The MM phono input overloaded into 8 ohms, 485 watts into 4 ohms, at inputs between 210 and 277 mV, Lab Tests and 665 watts into 2 ohms. Because depending on frequency. We were The Tandberg 3016A is a hot am- each channel has its own power sup- unable to measure the high-level in- plifier in several ways. Not only did ply, these readings apply equally to put -overloadlimit(ratedat20 the standard one -hour precondi- single -channel and dual -channel op- volts), but up to the 10 -volt maxi- tioning make its top surface uncom- eration. The clipping headroom for mum output of our signal source fortable to the touch, but we also 8- and 4 -ohm operation was 1.35 there were no signs of clipping in found that it became warmer than and 0.84dB,respectively. Our the output waveform. The MM most amplifiers we have used even dynamic power measurements phono-input impedance was 47,000 when idling or during normal sys- showed the clipping level to be 324 ohms in parallel with 140 pF, and

34 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 - akar tY1 C'0CT Ing.411,A g COLFTAt ALMIC

The concert continues to get better with Ford JBL Audio Systems. Announcing another Ford first: new Compact Disc player to digitally deliver The long awaited Compact Disc frequency response spanning the entire audio for the Lincoln Town Car. spectrum without distractions of noise or hiss. The Compact Disc not only lets you experience the Start with the very best high fidelity music systems we total capacity of a Ford JBL Audio System, it offer: Ford JBL Audio Systems. establishes all new standards for clarity, realism and 12 JBL speakers including 2-6" X 9" woofers, 2-31/2" dynamic range in automotive sound. midrange speakers and 2-7/s" tweeters located in the Performance features of the Compact Disc player rear deck; 2-51/4" woofers mounted in the doors; include frequency response at 5 to 20,000 Hz with and 2 tweeters and 2 midrange speakers in the less than .05% THD, dynamic range greater than instrument panel. Selective frequency fading so all 90 dB, signal-to-noise ratio greater than 90 dB and woofers remain in operation at controlled levels channel separation greater than 85 dB. when faded front/rear. Convenience features of the Compact Disc player 140 watts of total system power -4 amplifiers, 35 include direct loading, automatic reload, automatic watts per channel into 4 ohms at 1000 Hz with and manual music search, dual repeat modes, .07% THD. 105 dB SPL maximum acoustic output. instant return/replay with digital LED display and Excursion control computer with continuously fully illuminated control symbols. variable loudness compensation and automatic overload protection. Hear for yourself just how much better an audio system can really be, exclusively at your Lincoln- Then add the pure, unparalleled performance of the Mercury dealer today. CIRCLE NO. 70 ON READER SERVICE CARD

AUDIO SYSTEMS OCCASIONALLY, A MOTOR CAR SO PERFECTLY BALANCES LINE, DIMENSION AND PROPORTION THAT IT BECOMES A WORK OF ART. INTRODUCING THE CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE.

TEST REPORTS

the capacitance added by the rear- in view of the healthy fraction of a the 3016A and 3018A sound "bet- apron switch was approximately as watt delivered by the separate head- ter" than other amplifiers is one rated. The output distortion (THD phone amplifier). that each listener must answer for + N) was slightly larger at 0.1 volt Our only "lukewarm" reaction to himself. output than at higher levels, reflect- these superb components concerned Although the 3016A's ratings are ing the greater contribution to the their installationrequirements. notsignificantlydifferentfrom measurement of the small amount They are so closely matched in those of some other very fine ampli- of noise present in the amplifier appearance and size that stacking fiers, its actual measured perform- output. At 1,000 Hz, the distortion them seems to be a logical proce- ancefarexceededTandberg's was 0.027 percent at 0.1 volt, 0.0062 dure, but there is a catch. Unlike claims. It was totally silent, both percent at 1 volt, 0.016 percent at 3 many preamplifiers that run stone mechanically(acoustically)and volts, and 0.0245 percent at 5 volts. cold, the 3018A gets hotter than electrically, and it is hard to imagine It consisted almost entirely of sec- many power amplifiers orinte- any home listening situation that ond harmonics and random noise, grated amplifiers. And the 3016A would even come close to probing and the levels were not significantly also runs surprisingly warm to the its limits or causing its protective different at 20 and 20,000 Hz. touch. Neither poses any problem fan to come on. The 1,000 -Hz headphone output in itself, but when we stacked the The 3016A has the ability to de- at the clipping point varied from two (in the open, though against the liver many hundreds of watts into 17.5 volts into an open circuit to 9.4 manufacturer's recommendations), almost any conceivablespeaker volts into 200 ohms and 0.73 volt they became distinctly hot in a short load. Even the Apogee speaker, with into 8 ohms. The maximum power period of normal (low-level) opera- its 1 -ohm impedance, is unlikely to (440 milliwatts) was developed with tion. While the temperature rise make the 3016A breathe hard, let a 200 -ohm load, which is typical of might not cause any problems, heat alone collapse as many other fine many of the better stereo head- is the enemy of all electronic cir- amplifiers do. Along with this out- phones. The 3018A's headphone cuits, so it would be advisable to put capability comes a noise level volume should be more than suffi- findsomewell -ventilatedplace 93 dB below 1 watt, or 116 dB below cient with headphones of any im- where the power amplifier can be rated power. These numbers define pedance. located by itself. a dynamic range exceeding that of a The RIAA phono equalization Tandberg has taken an unconven- CD by a comfortable margin. From was extraordinarily accurate, and tional approach to amplifier design this we can infer that the 3016A is we had to plot it on a ten -times - in these two products, which are unlikely to be found wanting when expanded scale tq measure its de- clearly aimed at the high -end enthu- handling any program source and viation from the ideal characteris- siast. By any objective criteria, both driving any speaker in any home.. tic. It was flat within 0.15 dB overall these components are outstanding We find it reassuring to know that from 20 to 20,000 Hz, a reading performers.Tandberg's engineers products like the Tandberg TPA- comparable to the accuracy of our have demonstrated decisively that 3016A and TCA-3018A exist, and measurement system and certainly an amplifier can meet or surpass the our experience with them was total- the best we have yet seen from a most critical performance require- ly enjoyable. Who could ask for preamplifier.We extendedour ments without using negative -feed- more? measurement of the phono response back loops. The question of whether Circle 140 on reader service card toestablishitslimits:ithad dropped a mere 0.2 dB at 5 Hz and began torolloff slightly above 30,000 Hz. The SUBSONIC FILTER reduced the response by less than 1 dB at 50 Hz, 2.5 at 20 Hz, and about 12 dB at 5 Hz, with a 12 -dB -per- octave slope below 5 Hz. Comments The combination of the Tandberg 3016A and 3018A was as impres- sive to listen to as it was to measure. We certainly could not fault the sound of the two units with speakers and sources of comparable quality. We have never heard better sound in our own listening room. We were also impressed with the output level from the 3018A's headphone jack, which would have been consistent with driving phones from a power ". . . amplifier (this is not too surprising This sticker is just for the car's stereo system, sir. The price sticker for the car is on the other side. . . . "

38 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 AKA lr FOR LIFE'S GREAT PERFORMANCES'

Only one thingjustifiesdprice soon discover is superb perfor- featuring AKAI's patented GX- of admission. The performance. mance: In stereo -ready monitor/tv's. heads guaranteed for over 17 years. And innovative VHS Hi-Fi VCR's. Even complete audio/video home The path to first-rate perfor- For the audio buff, high-speed entertainment centers. mance is paved with plenty of MOS-FET amps and quartz - In short, a comprehensive imposters. Which can be readily locked tuners. Sophisticated line of components, systems and found on any corner. receivers. Fully -programmable portables. First-rate performance can't. CD -players with AKAI's Natural So write for a list of AKAI Because like anything else of Logic Operation. Cassette decks dealers. Because once you've found real value, it takes a little looking. an AKAI dealer, you've found some- With both eyes, and ears, wide open. one who truly values performance Which is how most and quality as much as you do. audio/videophiles dis- And that, all by itself, may well cover AKAI equipment. 0MI be worth the price And what they 777; ...-.. 7 ==.7. of admission.

7*-- - nu= am - 4.4 7 - i- r _owsmor J I --- !- :iip .-___7_[^l

Es "Pric. ig . Itazsosom

ID 6iram-. -_,,,,,,,. I- a. > - - 0 in 411k

For more information and alistof AKAI dealers. wri:et-,:AKA( America. P.O. Box 6010. Dept. 3. Compton, CA 90224-6010. CIRCLE NC. 46 ON READER SERVICE CARD TEST REPORTS

Instead, cassettes are pressed into REVOX B215 CASSETTE DECK place against aslightlyrecessed plate on the deck'sfront.This Craig Stark, Hirsch -Houck Laboratories allows full visibility for the label and tape pack as well as easy access to the heads and capstan rollers for THE same emphasis on mas- microprocessor coupled to an op- routine cleaning. A detachable dust sivelysolidconstruction, tical tachometer measures the rela- cover is provided for periods when meticulous engineering, and tive rate of rotation of the reel the deck will not be in use. fine craftsmanship that has motors and calculates the elapsed Whilethedeckautomatically made Studer the pre-eminent man- time on a side, which is continuous- switches its bias and equalization ufacturer of professional tape decks ly updated on a four -digit, liquid - settings to match the tape type (fer- is evident in the company's Revox crystal display. During winding, an ric, Cr02, metal), the user can man- B215 consumer cassette deck. A optical sensor is used to detect the ually override the settings. In addi- three -head, four -motor deck with difference between the tape and the tion to providing selectable Dolby B Dolby B and Dolby C noise reduc- translucent leader at its ends, and or Dolby C noise reduction, the tion, Dolby HX Pro headroom ex- electrical rather than mechanical tension, and microprocessor -con- braking stops rotation so that the trolled tape transport and electron- tape is never yanked at the hub con- The Revox B215 is designed ics, the B215 is designed to meet the nection when the end of the side is to meet the most critical most critical audiophile's sonic de- reached. mands. At the same time, the deck The record and playback heads audiophile's demands, but does not require the user to be a are separate units joined in a com- at the same time, it does technophile in order to realize its mon casing, which allows immedi- not require the user to be audio potential. ate comparisons between the source The tape transport of the B215 is and the recording. The three -head a technophile in order to built on a heavy, die-cast aluminum design also enabled Revox to op- realize its audio potential. chassis. To minimize wow -and -flut- timize the respective head gaps, us- ter,two quartz -crystal -controlled, ing a narrow -gap head for playback direct -drive Hall -effect d.c. motors (ensuringagainsthigh -frequency Revox B2I5 employs the Dolby HX are used for the closed -loop, dual - losses) and a wide -gap head for Proheadroom -extensionsystem capstan drive. A second pair of recording(maximizingsignal-to- whenever the deck is in the record- direct -drive motors is used for reel noise ratio). ing mode. spooling. After the user presses a The B215 does not have a con- Since different brands (or even button to select the tape length, a ventional tape -head well and door. batches within a brand) of the same

40 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 THE CBS COMPACT DISC CLUB HAS THE MUSIC YOU WANT

TAKE ANY 2 FOR $11MEMBERSHIP AO! I 11141 rnaclonnti . - - -Nt E FOUR SEASONS JOURNEY DIRE STRAITS WHIITNEY HOUSTON SONGS FROM

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339200. Stevie 344408 Neil Diamond -340323. Sade-Promise. 323261. Lionel Richie 341073 Steely Dan - 322024. Huey Lewis & :333112. Andreas Wonder -In Square Headed For The Future. ttl Smash. (Portrait) Can't Slow Down. A Decade of Steely Dan. The News -Sports. Bad is Vollenweider -White Grcle. #1 album. (Tomb) Title cut, more 263293. Bolling: Suite All Night Lang; Stuck On Reeling In The Yeors; Hey Bad; etc (Chrysalis) Winds. The inventive harpist's latest (Digital CBS( 339044. Mozart (Columbia) For Flute & Jazz You; Hello; etc (Motown) Nineteen; more (MCA) 314443. Neil Diamond's Symphonies 40 & 41 337519. Heart. Top 10 Piano -Rompal, Bolling 335547 Berlioz: 320499. The Police- 12 Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. 331645. Madonna -Like (Jupiter). Kubelik, Album. What About Love. (Columbia) Symphonie Fantastigue. Synchronicity. Winner of WTI/Don't Bring Me Flowers A Virgin. #1 olbum & hits Bavarian Symphony Never; etc. (Capitol) 339226. Gershwin: 3orenboim, Berlin Phil. 3 Grammy Awdrdst (A&M) (with Barbra Streisand); Mater(/' Girl; Angel. (Sire) (Digital -CBS Masterworks) 336669. Sting The Rhapsody In Blue; Digital -CBS Masterworks)343160. Beethoven: etc. (Columbia) 328435. Prince And The 337402. The Manhattan Dream Of The Blue Second Rhapsody; etc - 331264. Bryan Adams - Symphony Na 9 343624. Wynton Revolution -Purple Rain. Transfer -Vocolese. Top Turtles. ttl Compact Disc, M. Tilson Thomas. Los Reckless. #1 hit, Heaven; (Choral). Bruno Walter, Marsalis Ploys Trumpet ttl hit When Doves Cry. 10 album (Atlantic) Top 10 Album (A&M) Angeles Phil. (Digital - Run To You, etc (ABM) Columbia Sym (CBS Concertos. Haydn, (Warner Bros.) Hummel, L. Mozart (Digital 341677 Schubert 342121. The Outfield - CBS Masterworks) 339903. The Cars - Masterworks) 316604. Tchaikovsky: CBS Masterworks) Symphonies Nos. 2 & 8. Play Deep. Say it Isn't So. 338616. Miami Vice - Greatest Hits. Tonight She 337279. Placido 1812 Overture; Marche Borenboim, Berlin Phil `bur Love, more Music From The Comes, more. (Elektra) Domingo -Save Your 308049-398040. Slave; Beethoven: (Digital. CBS Masterworks) (Columba) Television Series. G Frey: 341263. Enoch light & Nights For Me. love Creedence Clearwater Wellington's Victory. Lorin John 342592. Motown R&B 319541. Elton John - #1 You Belong To The Gty; The Light Bngode-Big sings. (CBS) Phil Fogerty/Chronicle. (Digital -CBS MasterworkS) Grammy Performances Greatest Hits. Daniel. many more. (MCA) Bands Of The Thirties. 318089. Michael Jackson Greatest hits. Counts Of The 60's and 70's Crocodile Rock; more. 341297 Prokofiev: Begin The Beguine; more. -Thriller. Billy Jean; The 342097 Barbra as 2 -Fantasy) (Motown) IMCAI Symphony No. 1 ;Project 3) Girl Is Mine; etc. (Epic) Streisand-The 219477 Simon & 324822. Ravel: Bolero; 343335. Julian Classical); love For 322008. Linda Ronstadt 342105. Bangles - Broadway Album. Garfunkel's Greatest Rhapsodie Espognole; Lennon -The Secret Three Oranges & The Nelson Riddle Different Light. Manic Somewhere; Something's Hits. El Condor Paso etc. Moozel, Orch. de Value Of Daydreaming. Suite -Lorin Moozel Orch- What's New. Monday, more. Coming; more. (Columbia) Ridge Over Troubled France (Digital -CBS (Atlantic) cond. (Digital -CBS (Asylum) (Columbia) 343715. Vivaldi -Four Waters, etc (Columbia) Masterworks) Masterworks) Seasons. Moazel, members Orch. National de France (Digital -CBS TONY BENNETT -"` BRUCE PHIL COLLINS WINTON MARSALIS BILLY JOEL 'OMAN / TOUVET Masterworks) SPRINGSTEEis T,INATT ST TRUMPET CONCERTOS HITS 343251. Bach: Goldberg tV Variations -Glenn Gould (Digital -CBS Masterworks) _I- COMPACT A Gt TOT ART Of 1/CULLING BORN IN THE U.S.A REQUIRED 343947 343293 326629 333286 343327 336396-39639012 CDs) 1.[Igg DIG TAL AUDIO have at least 10 days in which to make The age of CD sound is here -and ICES COMPACT DISC CLUB 7E1UNTI you have a practical new way to find the your decision. If you ever receive any I P.O. Box 1129, Terre Haute, Indiana 47811-1129 CDs you want. As your introduction to the Selection without having 10 days to Please accept my membership application under the terms outlined CBS Compact Disc Club, you can choose decide, you may return it at our expense. I in this advertisement. Send me the 2 Compact Discs listed here and any 2 CDs listed in this ad for just $1.00. The CDs you order during your bill me only $1.00 Ice both. I agree to buy two more selections at Fill in and mail the application -we'll send membership will be billed at regular Club I regular Club prices in the coming year -and may cancel my I membership at any time after doing so. your CDs and bill you for $1. You simply prices, which currently ore $14.98 to agree to buy 2 more CDs (at regular $15.98 -plus shipping and handling. Send me Club prices) in the next year -and you (Multiple -unit sets may be somewhat these 2 may then cancel your membership anytime higher.) After comp eting your enrollment CDs after doing so. agreement you may cancel membership My main musical interest is (check onek at any time; if you decide to continue as a EL. I ,nay always choose Iron either category) How the Club works. About every ROCK/POP QASSICAL four weeks (13 times a year) you'll receive member, you'll be eligible for our money- Mn the Clubs music magazine, which saving bonus plan. It lets you buy one CD Mrs. Miss describes the Selection of the Month for at half price for each CD you buy at =or',e your musical interest...plus many exciting regular Club prices. alternates. 10 -Day Free Trial: We'll send details Address Apt If you wish to receive the Selection of of the Club's operation with your City__ the Month, you need do nothing -it will introductory shipment. If you are not be shipped automatically. If you prefer an satisfied for any reason whatsoever, Ost I State Zip alternate selection, or none at all, fill in the return everything within 10 days and you I Do you hove o VCR? (Check one.) 0 Yes 0 No 762/F86 response card always provided and mail will have no further obligation. So why Do you have a credit cord? (Check one.) 0 Yes0 No Ths offer is not available on APO, FPO, Aiosko. Hawaii Puerto Rico please write for it by the date specified. You will always not choose 2 CDs for $1 right now. details of alternative otter Selections with two numbers contain 2 CDs and count as 2 -so write in both numbers. I Note: All applications ore subject to review. The CBS Compact Disc Club reserves the right to repo any application CBS Compact Disc Club Terre Haute, IN 47811 _J TEST REPORTS

tape type vary slightly in their char - FEATURES acteristics, the Revox B215 also in- r- corporates a sophisticated, micro - 111 rhree-head, four -motor O Direct -drive spooling motors processor -controlled alignment pro - dual -capstan direct -drive with electrical braking transport 0 Digital elapsed -time indicator cedure. The user presses a button to 0 Peak -reading level indicators, 0 Selectable auto/manual level begin the procedure, which takes twenty-four segments per setting about 20 seconds. The deck records channel 0 Selectable fade in/out and analyzes a brief series of inaudi- 0 Self -optimizing bias, sensitivity, 0 Serial -port computer -control and equalization with six interface and optional infrared ble tones, using the results to optim- non-volatile tape -brand remote control ize recording bias, playback equali- memories 0 Switchable FM -multiplex filter zation, and sensitivity for the select - 0 Dolby HX Pro 0 Selectable control by external ed tape. Following these internal headroom -extension timer 0 Dolby B and Dolby C noise adjustments, the tape is rewound to reduction thebeginning. The B215 provides nonvolatile storage of the optimized REVOX 8215 settings for two brands of ferric, RECORD -PLAYBACK RESPONSES + 5 three of Cr02-type, and one of metal

Im.m.....r -A- ,,-."------7--'`N Since Verent brands (or even , 5 cz: -TDK AD (TYPE II co batches) of the same tape type ,,, 10 rix SA /TYPE II) ,0 -TOE MA (TYPE IV) vary slightly in their Is characteristics, the Revox :", 20 B215 incorporates a -25'-^".....°- 20 50 100 500 lk 5k 10k 20k microprocessor -controlled PLAYBACK -ONLY RESPONSES IIEC-STANDARD BASF TEST TAPES) algnment procedure. +5 0 .- -120 vs (TYPE -5 -70 ,s (TYPES III) AND IV) tape, so the procedure need not be repeated unless you change to a new FREQUENCY IN HERTZ brand. LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS Levels are indicated on a pair oftwenty -four -segment -per -chan- nel, peak -reading liquid -crystal dis- Fast-forward time (C-60): 51 Meter indication at 3% third- seconds harmonic distortion: +3.6 dB plays, calibrated from -30 to +8 Rewind time (C-60): 52 seconds Signal-to-noise ratios(in decibels): dB. The calibrations in the -6- to Speed error: +0.27% Unwid.A-wtd. CCIR +8 -dB range were in increments of Dolby tracking error: Dolby B, NR off 53.7 58.5 56.2 1 dB, facilitating very accurate level +0.5, -0.5dB; Dolby C, +2.0, Dolby B 58.9 67.0 66.3 setting. When Type I or Type II tape Dolby C 61.0 -0 dB 72.7 75.3 is being used, the indicators are fre- Wow -and -flutter:0.024% wrms, 0.040% DIN peak -weighted 0 Tape: BASF CR-M II (Type II, quency-equalized to help avoid tre- Line input for indicated 0 dB: Crd2) ble saturation. 48 mV IEC 0 -dB distortion: 1.1% Record levels can be set manually Line input for overload 0 dB: Meter indication at 3% third- with a pair of up/down pushbuttons 2.85 volts harmonic distortion: +4.1 dB or automatically by pressing a SET Line output at indicated 0 dB: Signal-to-noise ratios(in decibels): 0.80 volt Unwid.A-wtd. CCIR LEVEL button during the loudest Meter indication at IEC-standard NR off 54.9 60.1 58.3 portions of the program source. 0 dB:+0 dB Dolby B 60.8 68.3 68.4 Headphone playback volume can DolbyC 62.4 73.6 77.1 be adjusted (independently of the El Tape: TDK AD (Type I, ferric) line output level) with a similar pair IEC 0 -dB distortion: 1.1% 0 Tape: TDK MA (Type IV, of up/down pushbuttons. A FADE - Meter indication at 3% third- metal) IN/OUT pushbutton is provided to harmonic distortion: +3.0 dB IEC 0 -dB distortion:0.73% Signal-to-noise ratios(in decibels): Meter indication at 3% third- create smooth musical entries and Unwtd. A-wtd. CCIR harmonic distortion: +6.4 dB exits. Two points on the tape can be NR off 49.7 54.6 52.5 Signal-to-noise ratios(in decibels): selected for programming applica- Dolbv B 57.0 63.5 56.6 Unwtd.A-wtd. CCIR tions such as repeat play of a specif- Dolb-y C 59.0 68.7 71.6 NR off 56.0 60.7 58.2 is selection. Dolby B 62.2 69.6 68.5 0 Tape: TDK SA (Type II, Dolby C 64.0 74.8 77.3 No internal provision is made for chrome -equivalent) microphone recording. A defeatable IEC 0 -dB distortion: 0.95% FM stereo multiplex filter is pro- vided, as are connections for remote

42 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 lE5ENINE G77 BE BP BM Designing General Moto -s to become the first 21st century corporation means going back to the drawing board and looking at ourselves in the light of a new age: the Computer Age. It means thinking in a new mode, accessing the suture in a daring, creative new way. Our goal? A sleeker, more streamlined, computer - driven GM-an organizat on powered by technology, fueled by brai ipower, and outciassinc all compeition. Our inventive use of computer technology in design. engineering, manufacturing, and safety is producing a GM programmed for quicker response to our customers, better efficiency and outstanding performance. A GM designed to bring you into the future. Byte by byte.

nestramissEvf SCIENCE NOT FICTION

1. LROMOTIVE DIMENSIONAL CHECKER. Probing air bodies to zssure solid. tight -fitting .m.wmblies are one tundred and twenty-two lasers aid cameras. 2. ADVANCED CONCETS CENTER Where creative Via- a people work together studying lifestyle: of today's masumer to help p-ovide for transportation reeds of tomorrow 3. I-IFORMATION PROCESSING CENTER Electronic Da a Systems contn1 center helping to streamline calm processing and telecommunications functions. ena3ling General Motors to become nae responsive to its customers' nee:L. 4. 1-E.TRUMENT PANEL. Touch -sensitive ...athode ny tube with nultip le function; that in. lude ciagnosing service 3roblems it second.. 5. Mt. LTIMATCH. Machine vision system used in carious quality' -con rol procedures that increase nmufacturinc qualty and productivity 6. hilliAERICALLY CONTROLLED ROBOT PAINTERS. Vese robotic spray painters provide consistent, hill -quaky paint finishes on GM automobiles 6. TEST REPORTS

control by a computer (using its se- calibrated center -line samples of quency response using the Revox- rial port) or an optional wireless TDK AD (ferric), SA (CrO2-equiva- recommended BASF CR-M II tape remote control that interfaces with lent), and MA (metal)-was equally was identical to that of TDK SA. other Revox components. For tim- impressive. At the bass end there Oursignal -to -noise -ratiomea- er -controlled operation a SAVE STA- was (as specified) a 3 -dB rolloff at surements were among the best we TUS button stores parameters such 30 Hz. At the normal -20 -dB level, have made (see box). We found that as record level, Dolby system, tape BASF CR-M II gave approximately type, and mode. a 2 -dB improvement in S/N, but we The Revox B215 measures 173/4 The S IN and wow-and:flutter have also shown the TDK SA num- inches wide, 13 inches deep, and 6 measurements were among the bers to maintain comparability with inches high, and it weighs a little best we have ever made, Dolby our other recent test reports. over 20 pounds. Price: $1,400. Re - The wow -and -fluttermeasure- vox Division, Studer Revox Ameri- tracking errors were absolutely ments were also among the best we ca, Inc., Dept. SR, 1425 Elm Hill minimal, and the fast -wind have made-so close to the limits of Pike, Nashville, TN 37210. our instrumentation that any slight speeds were the fastest we differences between the Revox B215 Lab Tests can recall measuring. and the one or two other decks that The playback frequency response have measured this low are proba- of the Revox B215 with both ferric bly insignificant. Dolby -system and chrome -type IEC-standard cali- high -frequency response from all tracking errors were absolutely min- brated BASF alignment tapes meas- three tapes was within +1.5, -1.0 imal, absolute tape -speed error was ured within +1.5, -0.5 dB all the dB all the way to our 20,000 -Hz slight, and input/output levels were way from 31.5 to 18,000 Hz. The measurement limit. Even more im- entirelynormal.Thefast -wind very slight rise at the extreme treble pressive was the response at the 0 - speeds were the fastest we can recall end shown in the graph on page 42 dB level (which corresponded exact- measuring. Our one minor com- is characteristic of the IEC tapes, ly to the IEC standard of 250 nWb/ plaint is that the inputt-overload ca- but it is normally visible only with m). The Dolby HX Pro system pacity of the B215, 2.85 volts, is decks that fully and properly com- maintained a treble response about lower than that of most other high - pensate for head -gap effects. 6 dB better than is obtainable from quality decks. But unless a CD Overall record -playback frequen- fixed -bias recording. Thanks to the player with an unusually high out- cy response-measured with our automatic optimizing system, fre- put is used as a source, this limita- tion should have no practical effect on recordings. Comments Our measurements certainly place the Revox B215 among the two or three cassette decks that could with good reason be called the finest in the world. Our listening tests did nothing to contradict such an assessment. Its clarity, full fre- quency response, and effortlessly clean recording and reproduction make it a legitimate rival with our reference deck.Ininstantaneous comparisons we could spot very, very slight differences. The Revox seemed to have, if anything, a slight advantage in high-level treble re- sponse. Our reference deck had, if anything, a slight advantage in hiss level and modulation noise. The differences were so subtle, however, that we certainly could not always hear them, and on that basis we have to conclude that we would be more than happy with either deck. When you're this close to perfection in audio reproduction, ". . . Oh, Gerald, I'm so disappointed in you! You said you were going shopping you don't have to pick the winner to w upgrade our stereo system, and you bring home a police scanner, a radar detec- be a winner. tor, a phone answering machine, a CB radio, and a 2 -inch liquid -crystal TV'" Circle 141 on reader service card

44 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 Once you start listening liou can actually hea- to a Delco Music System, n w 113 yboa otheres rp, systemssttoe mci es, c'.: ack e you'll finc you never want to smp. Stop by your GM =or an extremely sound reason. deale- and listen for /ourself. Celco LE the music system specifically B.Jt be forewarne0. You rrucht be wise designed 70 match the acoustics of your to pack an overnigntbag. very own GM car. While the car is still on the drawing 11.11. 1110 PSO MK 511 board. ) TEST REPORTS

recommended maximum amplifier power rating of 120 watts (180 watts of music program). The enclosure measures 271/2inches high, 133/4 inches wide, and 11 *4 inches deep at the base, and it is available in wal- nut, "anthracite" (black), or white finishes. Each speaker weighs 371/2 pounds. Price: $400 each. Jamo Hi- Fi USA, Dept. SR, 425 Huehl Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062. Lab Tests The averaged room response of the Jamo CBR 120 speakers was quite uniform from 1,500 to 20,000 Hz, but there was a dip in the 350 - to 1,000 -Hz range and an increased output in the upper bass, from 100 to 200 Hz. The close-miked woofer response reached its maximum be- tween 150 and 180 Hz, with the out- put falling off at higher and lower frequencies. The acoustic crossover between the woofer and its port was at 50 Hz. The combined output of the woofer and portfellrapidly below 60 or 70 Hz. Because the woofer's response curveandthesystem'sroom - response curve overlapped for sev- eral octaves, we had no difficulty jAmo CBR 120 splicing them to form a composite frequency -response curve. The SPEAKER SYSTEM composite curve's most obvious features were the midbass rise and the lower -midrange response dip Julian Hirsch, Hirsch Houck Laboratories immediately above it. The overall response was-± 6 dB from 63 to THECBR 120, part of a new woofer being concentric with the 20,000 Hz, but the variation from line of "Digital Monitor" port. Jamo engineers feel that this 1,000 to 20,000 Hz was only ± 2.5 speakers manufactured in design improves the performance dB. The minimum impedance of Denmark by Jamo, is dis- and sound of the speaker. the CBR 120 was 6 ohms at 170 and tinguished by an unusual physical The CBR 120 has an 8 -inch woof- 2,300 Hz, with three maximum shape and style. The CBR stands for er, crossing over at 820 Hz to a 4 - readings between 23 and 32 ohms at Center Bass Reflex, an appropriate inch midrange cone driver. The sec- 31, 83, and 700 Hz. The speaker's description ofJamo's unusual woof- ond crossover, at 4,900 Hz, is to a typical impedance was close to the er design. The woofer is in effect 1 -inch dome tweeter. The three rated 8 ohms. mounted at the end of a rigid tube of drivers are vertically aligned on the The horizontal dispersion of the the same diameter as the woofer's speakerboard, which slopes back- speaker was good, with no more basket rim. The other end of the ward at an angle of 4 to 5 degrees. A than 3 dB separating the on -axis tube is open to the inside of the level control on the front of the and the 30 degrees off -axis response speaker cabinet. A second tube, ex- speaker, accessible when the grille is up to 10,000 Hz (although the dif- tending inward from the molded - removed, can reduce the tweeter's ference increased rapidly above that plastic speakerboard, surrounds the output by as much as 13 dB. The frequency). The system's sensitivity inner tube. The woofer andits tweeter is also protected against ex- was 88.5 dB, somewhat less than the attached tube are suspended from cessive drive levels by an internal rated value but fairly typical of sys- the speakerboard on four rubber circuit that lights a red LED below it tems of its size. mounts designed to minimize vi- when an overload occurs. When we drove the speaker with a bration transmitted to the cabinet The CBR 120's specifications in- constant 3.37 volts (equivalent to a from the woofer. The space between clude an 8 -ohm impedance, a sensi- 90 -dB sound -pressure level in the the two tubes forms the ducted port tivity of 91.2 dB (measured at 1 midrange),the output distortion of the bass -reflex enclosure, with the meter with a1 -watt input), and a was less than 1 percent from 100 to

46 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 65 Hz, rising to 5.8 percent at 50 Hz and 9 percent at 35 Hz. High -power pulse tests showed that the CBR 120 could easily cope with any input level it is likely to receive. At 100 Hz, the woofer reached its linear limits at 105 watts (into 12 ohms). At 1,000 Hz, the midrange cone could take 850 watts into its 18 -ohm impedance, and at 10,000 Hz the dome tweeter absorbed 1,560 watts (into 7 ohms) without excessive dis- tortion or damage. Comments For our listening tests we placed the Jamo CBR 120's about 2 feet from the rear wall and several feet from any side wall. Our initial im- pression was of a rather prominent bass combined with a crisp and sometimes "edgy" top end. The measured response was fairly con- sistent with what we had heard from the speakers. After the tests, we experimented with the tweeter level control and found that a -7 -dB set- ting removed the irritating treble quality and made thespeakers much more listenable. There was little we could do about the promi- nent bass, which fortunately was not unpleasant or even particularly obvious except on male voices, to which it imparted the chestiness that is common to so many loud- speakers. These speakers give an impres- sion of delivering a deeper bass than Compact disc clarity. they actually do, probably because of the shape of the woofer's re- sponse curve. The upper middles The ultimateexpression. and highs are genuine, however, The purest, most azcurate digital audio possible in a compact and sound fine. In our room, the disc player. Excellence that combines the finest features. Per- tweeter level control was the key to formance features like =6 -bit processing with oversampling, sep- making the system live up to its promises. (Some early production arate digital and analog filtering systems, and Longlife' 3 -beam models of the CBR 120 were front laser tracking. Convenience features like wireless remote con- heavy, but Jamo has rectified the trol. Just sit back and experience the incredible transparency and problem by supplying special stands dynamiz range only flawless digital design can offer. that stabilize the speakers.) The Jamo CBR 120 is an attrac- tively styled, compact speaker sys- The D5000 tem with the ability to handle large power peaks (and to protect itself against tweeter burnout). Like any speaker, its sound is quite depen- dent on its acoustic surroundings, but judicious use of its tweeter level control, as well as some experimen- tation with placement, should pay SHURE" rich rewards in enjoyable listening. ULTRA OM OM 11 4M1 This fine prsduct 1, distributed ecluuseh rirough Shure ULTRA Group deniers. Circle 142 on reader service card 01111. For the name and .-f r. call 13121866-26aq.

CIRCLE NO. 41 ON READER SERVICE CARD TEST REPORTS

sumer. He took advantage of the RECOTON V624 F.R.E.D. III presence of a constant audio carrier frequency within any TV set,re- gardless of the channel to which it is TV STEREO DECODER tuned, to design a simple yet high- performance MTS decoder that can Julian Hirsch, Hirsch -Houck Laboratories be connected to many TV sets with- out entering their cabinets. The ULTICHANNEL televi- however, have built-in MTS decod- F.R.E.D. decoders obtain their in- sion sound (MTS) is the ers with line -level stereo audio out- put signals through a small,flat stereo TV sound broad- puts that can be connected to a sep- probe, attached to the decoder with castingsystemautho- arate audio system. Some TV sets a cable, that picks up the 4.5 -MHz rized by the FCC for use in the have built-in amplifiers and speak- audio -carrier leakage present in and UnitedStates.Actually,stereo ersto play the stereo program, around all TV sets. sound is only a part of the capability although the resulting stereo effect The Recoton V624 is actually a of MTS, though it is the one of most is usually very limited. single -channel FM stereo receiver concern to the typical viewer. In For almost a year, too, a number tuned to the intermediate frequency addition to its stereo audio channels of VCR's have included MTS de- (i.f.) of the audio section of a TV set. (like stereo FM radio broadcasts, coders, and after -market accessory This frequency is derived from the they are heard in mono through decoders have been announced by fixedrelationshipbetweenthe most existing TV sets), MTS pro- several manufacturers. One of the transmitted TV video and audio vides for a secondary audio pro- first of these accessory decoders was carriers. Regardless of the TV chan- gram (SAP) and a narrow -band- the Recoton V622, which the com- nel's broadcast frequency, the fre- width "professional" channel suit- pany calls "F.R.E.D." (for Friendly quency -modulated audio portion of able for voice or data transmission. Recoton Entertainment Decoder). the progam is extracted by amplify- A typical application for the SAP That original model has now been ing the 4.5 -MHz difference frequen- channel is to carry a simultaneous joined by F.R.E.D. II (V623) and cy between the video and audio car- transmission of the main program F.R.E.D. III (V624), which are sim- riers and then demodulating it. In in another language (the system has ilar in function but differ in their the MTS broadcast system, the been used in that way for a number operating features and circuit de- main audio carrier carries the sum of years in Japan). tails. All three units have line -level signal (L + R), heard as a normal MTS is only about a year old in audio outputs for driving an exter- program through conventional TV this country, though for much of. nal stereo amplifier. In addition, sets, and a subcarrier carries the dif- that time only a few stations were F.R.E.D. III has a small built-in ference signal (L - R). The two sig- equipped to broadcast it and there audio amplifier. nals are combined in a matrix to were almost no stereo programs to The Recoton decoders were de- form the left and right stereo chan- be broadcast, to say nothing of a signed by Larry Schotz, the creator nels. In addition, the MTS system general lack of stereo TV's to re- of some of the most advanced FM includes a form of dbx noise reduc- ceive them. Many recent TV sets. tuners ever offered to the hi-fi con- tion and high -frequency pre-empha-

48STEREO REviEw AUGUST 1986 1986 TDK Electronics Corp.

TDK BRINGS OUT THE RECORDING ARTIST IN YOU. Backszir cn your volleys is great. Backspin r r-u,lc is not Tiat's why TDK developed 3 series oictf-biasaudr.t.s cassette; that give you a pore -serve of pure lifetime performance. TDk. Sc. delvers an unrratched high end ii th extra sersitivity for all of your most 3ophislt-ted musical fayorities For music bat's al over the court, we've develc ped ar imprc ved TDK SA -X, which is now We se.o-lc 's lowest -nose tape. It reaches -sigh aid b4v o deliver crisp, clear sound thoLt c dor ion. Anc for elor-free to low -through -1 recording -rom corn dac discs we oler TDK HX-S. It captures all We dynamic purity of We original digital sound Ike noothe, TDk h gt--bas audio cassettes. They'll sure +reprove :he spay you play-your music.

TDK also manulaciures equality line of video cassett vs and flo-lpy disk products OIVTDK.THEART OF PERFORMANCE. inr.t E NO48 ON READER SERVICE CARD Signature offers the best of both worlds: Europe, and over a century here in America. European character and American drinkability. Signature, made in America from the finest Its heritage spans over 200 years, beginning ingredients, including 100% imported hops, is in Kirn, Germany, where Johann Peter Stroh first perfectly suited to American taste. It has a distinct established the uncompromising beer -making character and is remarkably smooth and light. standards that were to become the Stroh family It is for all these reasons we say Signature is hallmark. This enduring commitment to excellence as fine a beer as can be produced. We make it for has encompassed nearly a century of brewing in everyone who thirsts for something extra.

Stained indow, Stroh Brewery, 1914. 1986, oh Brewery Company, Lehigh Valley, Pa.

TEST REPORTS

sis/de-emphasis to improve the au- are its amplifier controls-four ver- The 300 -Hz stereo harmonic dis- dio signal-to-noise ratio. tical sliders for volume, balance, tortion at 100 percent modulation The coupling probe of the Reco- bass, and treble. The rear apron was 0.32 percent with L = R ton V624 (like those of the other contains the spring -loaded speaker - (mono) modulation, dropping to F.R.E.D. units) picks up enough of terminal clips, audio line outputs, 0.1 percent with L - R (stereo) the stray i.f. signal leaking from a and jacks for the probe connector modulation and 0.16 percent with TV set to be demodulated by its and an MPX input, with a slide either left- or right -channel modula- highly sensitiveinternalreceiver switch to select the desired source. tion. The A -weighted stereo noise circuits. To install the decoder, its The MPX jack is designed to accept level (referred to 100 percent modu- outputs are connected to an audio the demodulated multiplex signal lation at 300 Hz) was -65.3 dB. from a suitably equipped stereo TV The SYNTH circuit uses comb filters set or VCR, which allows the i.f.- to separate the mono signal into two The Recoton decoders were . amplifying portion of the F.R.E.D. channels that have large amplitude designed by Larry Schotz, the III to be bypassed. A small knob and phase differences. It created a creator of some of the most adjusts the level of the incoming strong enhancement of the apparent MPX signal for proper operation of width of the sound stage accompan- advanced FM tuners ever the decoder. ied by a "phasey" sound quality. offered. Each of the decoders Although not all cable -TV sys- We also made response and cross- hhaass line -level audio outputs tems are able to pass the MTS signal talk measurements of the V624 with in its entirety, many do. For use the modulator signal connected di- for an external anAfier. with suitable cable systems, the Re- rectly to its MPX jack instead of coton V624 has input and output going though the signal generator. jacks for coaxial F -connectors, al- The decoder appeared to work iden- system. When the decoder, the au- lowing it to be inserted in the cable tically with either signal source. The dio system, and the TV set are all signal path. It provides an output to installation instructions state, how- turned on, a hiss similar to FM the TV on either Channel 3 or ever, that the MPX output of 1985 interstation noise is heard from the Channel 4, as selected by a switch and later -model RCA television sets speakers. The probe is then placed on the rear apron. is not compatible with the V624 and against the outside of the TV cabi- The Recoton V624, finished in net and slowly moved around it black, measures 131/4 inches wide, until the TV sound is heard from 7V2 inches deep, and 3 inches high. Although we have no basis for the speakers. It is usually necessary It weighs about 71/4 pounds. Price: comparison with similar to probe the entire bottom and back $199.95. Recoton, Dept. SR, 46-23 of the cabinet to locate the position Crane St., Long Island City, NY products, the V624 was a very that gives maximum signal strength 11101. satisfactory performer in all (minimum noise level). The probe respects. In most cases only the is then attached to the TV set at that Lab Tests point by means of itsadhesive Our bench measurements were program material will limit backing. Once a F.R.E.D. probe has made with our signal generator's the ultimate sound quality. been installed, the TV set's volume output, at 4.5 MHz, connected di- control can be left at its minimum rectly to the probe jack of the V624. setting, since the external stereo am- An output of only about 3 micro- that the probe must be used with plifier and speakers will play any volts was needed to light the decod- these sets. program'saudio,whetheritis er's SIGNAL and STEREO lights. We The audio amplifier of the V624, broadcast in mono or stereo. made our tests with a generator out- while hardly up to the standards of All MTS functions are handled put of about 300 microvolts, which even a budget -priced home hi-fi am- automaticallybyF.R.E.D.III produced full noise quieting. The plifier,is a considerable improv- (V624). When a sufficiently strong theoretical upper frequency -re- ment over the amplifiers found in signal is supplied to it, the word SIG- sponse limit of the MTS system is most TV sets. At 1,000 Hz, the NAL lights up in its display window. about 15,000 Hz, since the transmit- amplifier's output clipped at 6.3 If the signal carries a mono audio ted pilot carrier at 15,734 Hz must watts per channel into 8 -ohm loads program, internal synthesizer cir- be removed by a filter in the decod- and at 8.7 watts into 4 ohms. Its cuits convert it to a pseudo -stereo er. Although the F.R.E.D. I and harmonic distortion (THD + N) mode through phase -shifting and F.R.E.D. II use analog filters for this was between 0.41 and 0.69 percent comb -filtertechniques.Inthis purpose, the F.R.E.D. III features for power levels from 0.1 to 6 watts mode SYNTH appears in the display. digitalfiltering.Its frequency re- into 8 ohms, and typically just over If the stereo pilot carrier is present, sponse (at the standard modulation 1 percent for power outputs up to 8 the unit automatically shifts to ster- level of -17 dB, or 14 percent) was watts into 4 ohms. The tone con- eo decoding and displays the word flat within ± 1 dB from 20 to 10,000 trols had little effect on the mid- STEREO. Hz and down 6 dB at 12,000 Hz. range (between 300 and 3,000 Hz) Besides the pushbutton power Channel separation was better than but had a very large range in the switch, the only operating controls 30 dB from 100 to 500 Hz and at bass (as much as 22 dB of boost at on the front panel of F.R.E.D. III least 20 dB from 20 to 10,000 Hz. 30 Hz) and a more reasonable ± 10-

52STEREO REvIEWAUGUST 1986 BECAUSE TOO MUCH PERFORMANCE IS NEVER ENOUGH

Harman Kardon's drive for sonic excellence has Our competitors must feel that High instantan- elevated the standards of high fidelity for over eous Current Capability, Low Negative Feed- 30 years. Our striving for the ideal is often con- back and discrete componentry constitute sidered "too much" by our com- "too much performance" in petitors. Now the pleasure of "too automotive amplifiers. All of our much performance" is brought to mobile amps, from the 3.5 Watt/ the automotive environmen-. channel CA205 to the 60 Watt/ Our competitors must feel that channel CA260, are 'bver Shown- The new CI4161 DIN -mount in -dash designed" to include these 20-20,000Hz ±3dB is "too cassette/tuner, and CA260 automotive amplifier. much performance" to superior design expect from an in -dash criteria. cassette/tuner, or they Automotive high would offer it. We be- fidelity perform- lieveitthe minimum ance from harrndn kordorl necessary for true Harman Kardon. high fidelity repro- It's too much. duction. Even our least expensive model offersthis and other For more information and your nearest dealer call toll free 'bver design" distinctions:Dolby' dual gate 1-800-633-2252 Ext. 250 or write 240 Crossways Rork West, MOSFET front ends, super or tuning sections, Woodbury, New York 41797 hand selected tape heads and heavy duty transports. harman / kardon 4 Hal non International Compar4

'Dc>lby is the registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. Inc High Performance Necessities for the Mobile Audiophile. TEST REPORTS

dB range at 10,000 Hz. Care should on most programs-even the com- be used in applying bass boost, how- mercials! MTS programming aside, the ever, since the amplifier does not Although the V624 does not have generally higher quality of have enough power to support a SAP decoding capability, thatis sound the inexpensive Recoton maximum boost at any but the low- likely to be a minor consideration est listening levels. for most people. A more serious V624 produces from the most problem is the fact that its probe mundane TV broadcasts can Comments will not pick up a strong enough sig- The Recoton V624 we tested was nal from some TV sets. Interesting- justify its addition to a home a prototype, although it was electri- ly, the older and cheaper the set, the entertainment system. cally equivalent to production mod- more likely it is to operate properly els in all important respects. We with the Recoton probe (simply be- have been informed by the manu- cause older, cheaper sets usually lings) offers a very satisfactory and facturer that production units will have thin plastic cabinets and little inexpensive means of getting stereo also have line inputs for an external shieldingsurroundingtheircir- TV sound from existing receivers stereo audio source, selectable by a cuits). We used the V624 with a not equipped with internal decod- switch. Although we have no basis small portable color set with good ers. Furthermore, its stereo -synthe- for comparison with similar prod- results. With a newer RCA 25 -inch sis circuits can improve even mono ucts, the V624 proved to be a very set in a wooden cabinet, however, broadcasts. Whatever the program satisfactory performer in every re- the probe could not pick up a usable source, passing it through F.R.E.D. spect. It is likely that in most cases signal from any point on the cabi- and listening to it through reason- the program material, rather than net's exterior. Recoton is aware of ably good speakers (and, even bet- the decoder, will limit the ultimate this problem and in such cases will ter, a more powerful external hi-fi sound quality. supply an insulated internal TV amplifier) will usually make a dra- Although a few broadcast pro- probe at no charge. The internal matic improvement in the quality grams today have true stereo sound- probe, however, should be installed of TV sound. You probably never tracks, the vast majority of what only by qualified TV technicians or suspected how little of the transmit- appear to be MTS transmissions servicemen. ted signal you have been hearing! (judging by the indicator lights on The Recoton V624 (and its sib- Circle 143 on reader service card the V624) are actually either mono or synthesized stereo. Often it is not even that-one of the two MTS- equipped stations in the New York area (a PBS outlet) transmits an MTS pilot carrier continuously but apparently does not carry any stereo EPocH- 9 programs (real or synthesized) ex- CLASS cept for an occasional simulcast. PURE A The other is an NBC station, and 25WATT most of its daytime programs (as MoN4u6AL TUBE well as commercials) are in synthe- sized stereo, which can be surpris- AfilPLIFIER, ingly effective in providing a sense of space and ambience. $325Cr5 To those readers who do not con- sider the available programming a sufficient incentive for converting to MTS, we would like to point out that the generally higher quality of the sound that the inexpensive Re- coton V624 produces from the most mundane (or worse) TV broadcasts can probably justify its addition to a home entertainment system. You can convince yourself of this by lis- tening for a while through the V624 and even a pair of budget -priced speakers, and then turning up the volume of the TV set while turning C, off the stereo amplifier. You won't want to go back to the abysmal sound from most TV sets when you "... And the owner's manual, sir? Do you wish the hardcover issue for have heard what is already available $59.95, or the paperback for $11.95 ... ?"

54 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 The classic no enthusiast should be without.

A classic truck? Well, sure. The pickup is a classic of sDrts, with over five decades of service to mankind to its credit. But the GMC S-15 4X4 Pickup is a classic departure from trucks as they are commonly perceived. Its ra

771'0 T-riZ 444 Vae 442.&-"kt- TEST REPORTS

stereo headphone jack, a small knob HARMAN KARDON HD500 to adjust the playing level (for both the headphones and line output), COMPACT DISC PLAYER and the pushbutton power switch. The output phono jacks are on the rear apron. Julian Hirsch, Hirsch -Houck Laboratories Likesome otherdeluxe CD players, the Harman Kardon ARMAN KARDON'S HD ing, and the status of the memory HD500 comes with a wireless in- 500 Compact Disc player and repeat functions. frared remote control. The simplici- appears disarmingly sim- Flat keys control the basic func- ty of the front -panel controls makes ple and basic compared tions of track stepping and fast scan- the remote equally easy to use, in with some of the more elaborate ning (with sound audible) in either sharp contrast with some remotes units currently on the market. It is direction. A single touch on one of we have seen that are designed to tastefully styled to match other HK the track keys moves the laser pick- control other system components audio components, with a satin -fin- up to the start of the next track or also, thereby increasing the likeli- ish pale -gold main control panel. A back to the start of the current track. hood of mistakes. contrasting black strip contains the When a scanning key is pressed, the The Harman Kardon HD500 front -loading motorized disc draw- playing point advances or recedes at measures171/2 inches wide, 13 I/4 er, three small control buttons, and a moderate rate for a few seconds, inches deep, and 4 inches high, and a display window. then speeds up to a rate several it weighs 12Y4 pounds. Price: $600. Two of the pushbuttons on the times as fast. The REPEAT button Harman Kardon, Dept. SR, 240 black strip are used to store track causes the player to repeat the entire Crossways Park West, Woodbury, selections in the player's memory disc or any programmed sequence NY 11797. and to clear the memory. During until it is pressed again. The A -B but- play, the third button toggles the tonprovides a programmable Lab Tests display between the current track/ phrase -repeat function. The frequency response of the index numbers and the elapsed time A large (double -width) key HD500 was almost perfectly flat, (in minutes and seconds) within the marked PLAY/PAUSEtogglesbe- varying less than 0.1 dB overall current track. When the player is tween the play and pause modes. from 20 to 8,000 Hz. There was a turned on and a disc is loaded into Somewhat unconventionally,the very small high -frequency rise, to a its drawer, the display first shows HD500 does not have a dedicated maximum of +0.3 to +0.4 dB at the total playing time of the disc, (or identified) stop key. The PLAY/ 18,500 Hz, and a return to the refer- then the total number of tracks. To PAUSE key must be held in for at ence level at 20,000 Hz. The levels the left of the numerical display, least 2 seconds to stop the playing of of the two channels were identical. illuminated words show when a disc a disc. The square -wave response of the has been loaded, whether it is play- The front panel also contains a player showed thatit uses digital

56 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 TEST REPORTS

low-pass filtering to remove ultra- sonic components from the output FEATURES of its D/A (digital -to -analog) con- verter. The maximum output from O Front -loading with motorized O Programming of up to fifteen a 0 -dB recorded level was 2.34 volts disc drawer tracks in any order O Three -beam laser pickup O Repeat programmed sequence, into an EIA-standard load. O Switchable display entire disc, or defined phrase Theinterchannelphaseshift, O Usable with external timer Cl Headphone jack which was only a few degrees in the O Skip to start of current or next O Front panel output -level control 100- to 1,000 -Hz range, rose at high- track O Wireless remote control er frequencies to 40 degrees at O Audible fast scan in either duplicating all normal control 20,000 Hz. The fact that the phase direction functions shift doubled with each octave in- crease in frequency above 5,000 Hz LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS indicates a time difference of about Maximum output level:2.34 volts Cueing time:5 seconds 5.5 microseconds between channels, Total harmonic distortionat Channel separation:77 dB at suggesting that the player uses two- 1,000 Hz: 0.032% at 0 dB; 1,000 Hz; 56.5 dB at 20,000 Hz times oversampling but a single 0.025% at -6 dB; 0.02% at -10 Impact resistance:sides, B; top, B dB; 0.008% at -20dB D/A convertermultiplexingbe- Cueing accuracy: A Frequency response:20 to 20,000 Defect tracking:played all defects tween channels. The manual states, Hz +0.4, -0 dB on Philips TS4A test disc without however, that the HD500 uses a Signal-to-noise ratio: 101 dB audible error 44.1 -kHz sampling rate. (A -weighted) When we measured the phase shift on an oscilloscope, we noticed an appreciable amount of ultrasonic shock was reasonably good but not HD500, but they would do that frequency content superimposed on exceptional. Tapping its top with even if it were literally perfect. Any- audio tones between 10,000 and the fingers usually had no effect on one who normally enjoys listening 20,000 Hz.Spectrumanalysis the playback, but a light slap with to CD's will surely be pleased by showed that these ultrasonic com- the palm often caused the player to what comes out of the HD500. ponents resulted from beats be- mistrack. The HD500 is an uncommonly tween the signal frequency and the easy -to -use, logically designed prod- 44.1 -kHz sampling frequency. In Comments uct, and a handsome one to boot. It the worst case, at 20,000 Hz, the It is an interesting commentary was a pleasure to be able to operate spurious 24,100 -Hz component was on the state of the audio art that the it without squinting at a host of at a 20 -dB level. Evidently the near -perfect electrical performance small, crowded buttons or keys. It low-pass filters were not able to of most CD players makes even the has all the controls it needs, and the remove theseinaudible compo- smallest departure from that degree others will not be missed. Except for nents sufficiently from the D/A con- of refinement seem like a flaw. We itsunusual method of stopping verter's output. refer specifically to the measured play, the HD500 can be used with a The playback distortion at 1,000 distortion-and, to a lesser degree, high probability of success before Hz was slightly higher than we have the channel separation-of the Har- reading the instruction manual. measured from other CD players. It man Kardon HD500. After all, no decreased from 0.032 percent at 0 analog program source has distor- The audible performance of dB to 0.008 percent at - 20 dB, and tion as low as ten times the 0.032 it was not affected by the setting of percent that we measured from the the Harman Kardon HD500 the output -level control. The listen- HD500 at 0 dB. Yet the fact that the was equal to the best CD ing volume with medium -imped- distortion of many other CD players players we have heard, and it ance headphones was excellent. The is a fraction of that figure, and that noise level was very low, -97.7 dB HK's own specification is 0.01 per- is uncommonly easy to use unweighted and -101 dB with A - cent, may make it seem that the and handsome to boot. weighting. The channel separation HD500 is less than it should be. was 82.5 dB at 100 Hz, narrowing Similarly, the best analog sources steadily at higher frequencies until are likely to have 40 to 50 dB less We also notewithapproval the it reached 56.5 dB at 20,000 Hz. separation at any frequency than we inclusion of a playback -level con- The laser pickup slewed from measured from the HD500. trol, which seems at last to be an Track 1to Track 15 of the Philips Quibbling about this sort of dis- expected feature of a good CD TS4 test disc in 5 seconds, not as crepancy seems to us like an unrea- player. Finally, the remote control fast as some players we have tested sonably perfectionist attitude. was not only able to operate the but certainly fast enough for any There was nothing in the audible player reliably over distances of 20 normal use. The transition from performance of the HD500 less than feet or more, but it would even Track 17 to Track 18 of that disc, equal to the best CD players we function when itsinfrared beam which are not separated by any have heard. It is likely that those was bounced off a wall instead of silent interval, was made flawlessly. people who condemn digital sound being aimed directly at the HD500. The player's resistance to physical per se will object to the sound of the Circle 144 on reader service card

STEREO REviEwAticusT 1986 57 A centaur's horn cries hauntingly. A siren's song whispers texture and power of every musical composition. Carbon Fiber untold promises. For listeners with discerning ears, those rare Woofers for soft passages that come across as dramatically as and magical sounds can be a reality. A reality evoked by a loud passages. A Polyimide Mid Range and Tweeter for rich, speaker possessing a higher fidelity. Altec Lansing° uncolored sound. And to coordinate these components for How did Altec Lansing bring this world to life? By creating remarkably true-to-life sound, we delivered the "art of balance:' the ideal materials to more perfectly recreate the timbre, Even our hand-crafted cabinets have been specially designed for optimum musicality. The result? Speakers so pure, so uncom- call I-800-ALTEC 88. (In PA, 717-296-H1F11 promising, they capture the very soul of sound. In Canada call, Sparkornatic Canada, Inc If you have an uncompromising ear, measure it against our (416)-474-0260. 265 Hood Road, new line of loudspeakers. And hear what others only imagine. Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 4N3. Altec Lansing is sold only by leading high fidelity retailers. © 1986 Altec Lansing Consumer For information and the name of your nearest Altec Lansing dealer, Products, Milford. PA 18337 CIRCLE NO. 17 ON READERSERVICE CARD TEST REPORTS

ti.L. power input for use with an HITACHI DA -P100 external 12 -volt adaptor, and a line- out jack for a 1/8 -inch mini plug. The COMPACT DISC PLAYER DA -P100 comes with a slender ca- ble that plugs into this line-out jack and terminatesinconventional Julian Hirsch, Hirsch -Houck Laboratories phono plugs for connection to a sys- tem amplifier. A removable cover THE Hitachi DA -P100 porta- tion, and FAST SEARCH in either on the bottom of the unit gives ble CD player is designed to direction (with the program audible access to the battery compartment. operate from a.c. power, in- at a reduced level). The major performance specifica- ternal batteries, or (with an Smaller buttons activate the re- tions of the Hitachi DA -P100 are optional adaptor) a 12 -volt automo- peat function (for the current track muchlikethoseof other CD bile battery. Slightly larger than the or the entire disc) and S&P (Scan and players, including a -90 -dB noise smallest portable CD players, since Play), which plays the first 10 sec- level (A -weighted), 0.008 percent its batteries and a.c. power supply onds of each track before proceed- distortion, 85 -dB channel separa- are within its case, the DA -P100 is ing to the next one. A LOCK button tion at 1,000 Hz, and a 1.8 -volt out- still a mere handful, measuring less prevents the top -loading disc area put. The frequency response is rated than71/2 inches wide, 64'8 inches from opening accidentally. as 20 to 20,000 Hz +1, -3 dB. deep, and 15/8 inches high. Without The front edge of the player con- According to the manufacturer, a batteries, it weighs about 2 pounds, tains a sliding power switch, a stereo set of six fresh alkaline AA cells 10 ounces. headphone jack for a 1/8 -inch minia- should give about 21/2 hours of oper- The DA -P100 has an LCD display ture plug, and two slider controls ation. Price: $399.95. Hitachi, Dept. window that shows the current that affect only the headphone out- SR, 401 W. Artesia Blvd., Comp- track number, the playing time on put. One of these controls adjusts ton, CA 90220. that track, and the machine's oper- headphone volume and the other is ating status (play, pause, repeat, marked TONE, with LOW and HIGH Lab Tests scan, and battery condition). Push- at the extremes and an index mark With the audio output of the Hi- buttonscontrolthePLAY/PAUSE at the center of its range. The back tachi DA -P100 terminated in an functions (on alternate operations). edge of the player has a socket for EIA standard load of 10,000 ohms STOP, TRACK SKIP in either direc- the detachable a.c. power cord, a in parallel with 1,000 picofarads,

60 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 Introducing The One RemoteThat Does The Work Of Four.

1_8_1 L.9.1

The Control Central' Remote.

Things are getting out of control. Separate remotesexisting remote and press matching buttons on each. for your TV, VCR, stereo, CD or cable converter in minutes, Control Central can memorize the can be more control than you can handle. operating codes of up to four separate infrared But now you can replace up to four remotes remotes. It's that simple. with one. An infrared remote that works with most And it reprograms just as easily for new or video equipment made today. added equipment. The Control CentralTm infrared remo:e from You can get the convenience of this one remote General Electric. for yourself, or give one as a gift. To program Control Central, just flick the Control Central. The one remote that keeps switch to "learn;' place it head -to -head with the everything under control.

We Bring Good Things To Life.

CIRCLE NO. 67 ON READER SERVICE CARD "GE" is a registered trademark of General Electric Company. At Home With The AUDIO CONTROL PHASE COUPLED ACTIVATOR

by William Burton

AUUDIO CONTROL'SPhase Cou- create lows that will shake your tensity of the fundamentals that it pled Activator ($259) is de- walls. The circuits may be fooled, creates. With small speakers and signed to restore bass fre- however,intosynthesizingfalse bass -shy sources, turn the knob up; quencies lost from music notes that never were and shouldn't with subwoofers and sources with in the course of recording, process- be; a human voice sounds quite odd adequate bass, turn it down. ing, manufacturing, and playback. when it is doubled with frequencies If you add a subwoofer to your To do this, it analyzes the low -fre- an octave lower than the voice systemtoreproducethelows quency signals, decides which notes itself. created by the PCA, you will not are harmonics of missing funda- The front panel of the PCA has a need an extra crossover because one mentals, and then creates frequen- power switch, aDETECTION RATIO is built into the PCA. Its crossover cies one octave lower than these knob that adjusts the effects of the frequency is set at 90 Hz, but your harmonics.Similardevicesare dealer can reset it to any frequency called subharmonic synthesizers be- between 20 and 20,000 Hz to suit cause they synthesize subharmonics On one song that I had your speakers. The crossover slope from existing bass frequencies. always heard as a duet is 18 dB per octave. Two inputs are The PCA is not designed to make provided, one for audio sources and a harpsichord sound like a pipe between acoustic and electric one for video. organ or turn Mozart into Iron guitars, the Audio Control As a former bass guitarist who Maiden. It is designed to restore low PCA revealed a delightful enjoys loud low -frequency sound, I frequencies that are often sacrificed want the bassIhear in concert because of the limitations of vinyl bass -guitar counterpoint reproduced in my living room, and or for other reasons. Audio Control that had been lurking in I thought my system already had claims the PCA will "significantly pretty good bass. Low frequencies improve the sound of your system the background. are handled by an M&K subwoofer and every source you play into it with a built-in 100 -watt amplifier, a (withtheexceptionofcertain crossover, and a12 -inch driver. heavy-metalrecordswhichare unit, a bypass button labeledDIGI- Rated to go down to 24 Hz (within 3 beyond help)." TAL RESTORATION,a source/tape dB), the subwoofer reproduces the Obviously, if your system can't button (replacing the one on the lows in the music, and the midrange reproduce really low frequencies, a amplifier or receiver), a switch for gains clarity and transparency be- subharmonic synthesizer will have video -audio input, and crossover cause the woofers in my B&W little effect. But if your speakers can controls (subwoofer in/out and sub - DM110 satellites do not have to reach into the subterranean depths woofer output level). The detection - reproduce those low frequencies. of sound or if you have a subwoofer ratio control changes the sensitivity Adding the Phase Coupled Acti- extending the frequency response, a of the PCA (to signals from which it vator to this system produced some subharmonic synthesizer canre - creates fundamentals) and the in- interestingresults, almostallof

64 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 which I liked. With music that has World," with John Williams con- I compared the effect of the PCA electric guitar and bass, synthesiz- ducting the Boston Pops, Strauss's with cranking up the bass control on ers, and so forth, I found the effects Also sprachZarathustra seemed my receiver. Both added impact of the PCA always pleasing, even richer with the PCA in. The digital and punch, but the bass control on with the detection -ratio control and drum strokes did cause my left sat- the receiver made the sound boomy the subwoofer level cranked to the ellite to resonate against the sub - -all male voices became horribly max. Since signal processing has woofer beneath it unless I cut the unnatural-while the PCA added probably already been applied in detection ratio or the subwoofer lev- clarity and definition to the bass. In such recordings, there is no reason el to a more reasonable setting. using the PCA, I found that it was for you not to modify the sound When I ran signals through the only rarely fooled by male voices. according to your own tastes if they PCA from Denon's test CD, a sweep On one occasion when the voice of differ from those of the producer or from 20 to 20,000 Hz caused no a male announcer on FM was ac- engineer. spurious doubling of the lower fre- companied by low thumps from the With acoustic music, extreme set- quencies. Neither a 100 -Hz sine subwoofer, switching out the PCA tings can create an unnatural heavi- wave nor a 100 -Hz square wave removed the thumps. ness that I sometimes found un- Despite my appetite for bass, the pleasant. Reducing the detection ra- combination of the PCA with my tio or bass boost removed the false I compared the effect of the subwoofer could produce bass that bass. With acoustic guitar-as on PCA with cranking up the was excessive, even by my stan- the beautiful "Private Parts and dards. In every case, simply turning Pieces" albums by former Genesis bass control on my receiver. down the subwoofer level or adjust- member Anthony Phillips-I never Both added punch, but ing the detection -ratio knob on the encountered undue heaviness. Only the bass control made the PCA solved the problem. the touches of synthesizer, electric Itis generally claimed that the bass, or percussion were empha- sound boomy-male voices source of low frequencies cannot be sized by the PCA. On one song that became horribly unnatural- localized. I found, however, that the I had always heard asa duet PCA tightened up the source of bass between acoustic and electric gui- while the PCA added clarity. notes, positioning them across the tars, the PCA revealed a delightful width of the soundstage. bass -guitar counterpoint that had All told,Idecided that Audio been lurking in the background. fooled the circuits, although the test Control's Phase Coupled Activator The instruction manual cautions signals did fry the power supply in is a worthy addition to my system. against using any loudness compen- my subwoofer. While the PCA is In the vast majority of cases, its sig- sation with the PCA, and tone con- capable of synthesizing prodigious nal processing adds to the illusion trols should be set flat. I found that amounts of bass energy, Audio Con- that the music is real, not repro- following these instructions usually trol informed me that they had had duced. The PCA gives subwoofers prevented excessive bass re- no complaints that the unit was something to do, and I like what it sponse-an occasional problem I blowing fuses, destroying drivers, or makes them do. was rather glad to have instead of a otherwise damaging speakers. And For more information and the address of shortage of low frequencies. the M&K subwoofer failed only un- your nearest dealer, write to Audio Con- The manual advises that the best der the most extreme level of sonic trol,Dept. SR. 6520 212th St. SW, results are produced with sources abuse. Lynnwood, WA 98046. that have had the bass frequencies rolled off. Since this applies to most sources (Compact Discs less than others), you can leave the PCA switched in all the time unless you hear excessive bass. Choosing source material likely to be lacking in bass, I listened to an LP of Artie Shaw recordings from the Big Band era. The PCA brought out the string bass, making it clear- er, more forward, and focused in the o centerrightof thesoundstage. 111.111,..; Songs that seemed flat and dull with the PCA switched out sounded nat- ural with its added effect. Vocals were fine, with no boominess. On the Delos CD of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, the PCA added authoritative growl and bite to the string section's low frequencies, but the effect could be a bit boomy.

"Rickie Lee Jones," an exceptional- ". . . Yes, Mr. Gwertzman, they're booked for Alice Tully Hall on the 21st, but ly well -recorded LP, gained impact we've got a little problem. Can you change the advertising copy? They no longer and punch with open and extended call themselves the Boston String Quartet. They've changed their name to Gut bass. On the CD "Out of This Reaction. ... That's right. Mr. Gwertzman, Gut Reaction!" STEREO REVIEW AucusT 198665 "CARVER CDPLAYER: SUPERB SOUND PLUS THE DIGITAL TIME LENS"

"Leave it to Bob Carver to come up with filtering technology and, very importantly, nal is passed through a shift register which a CD player designed to please both those Carvers unique distortion reducing dither sig- delays the samples, so that the weighted aver- who love CDs and those who still have nal that effectively removes the low level quanti- age of a large number of signals is generated. reservations about their sound quality." zation distortion existing in all other CD players. Through a complicated process, frequency -Leonard Feldman Except for features like display and pro- bands are suppressed between 20kHz and AUDIO MAGAZINE gramming, the real determining factor in CD 160kHz, eliminating harmonic distortion prob- player quality is its ability to reconstruct music lems early on before the complicated D/A 16 from digital information bits. And that is not an bit translation. easy job nor one that can be effectively achieved The same oversampling process also dis- while skimping the same amount of noise over twice as wide a frequency range, resulting in half as IMPROVED TRACKING much noise in the final signal. Then after trans- The Carver Compact Disc Player reads discs lation to analog, the signal is once again fil- with more precisely focused laser power than tered for a gentle roll -off above 20kHz. This The Carver Compact Disc Player answers most other models, resulting in improved track- yields a marvelously natural musical sound to the audiophile's demand for a CD Player which ing and less chance of drop -outs when dust or the final output. provides not only the greater dynamic range smudges are encountered on a CD. ABSENCE OF PHASE ERROR and richer bass expected from compact disc technology, but also the musicality, spectral One of the important tests applied to deter- balance and spatial qualities of well executed mine the effectiveness of digital -to -analog analog high fidelity recordings. translation circuitry is the reproduction of a square wave. LOGICAL How logical it is for a physicist dedicated to delivering music with maximum dynamic impact to offer a state-of-the-art CD player. The Digital Time Lens circuity restores Anyone who ever wondered why Carver makes the octave -to -octave balance originally intended by the musician and record- amplifiers capable of delivering hundreds of ing engineer. wattsof power needwonder no longer afferthey have heard the Carver Compact Disc Player as DIGITAL FILTERING a sound source. Along with a potentially audible signal There are dozens of models of compact ranging up to 20kHz, there are endless images disc players now crvailable, many of them demon- of the signal at 40kHz, 80kHz and 160kHz . strating little regard for the finer points of dig- While they are above the range of human ital playback technology. Bob Carver was in no hearing, they must be removed from the signal hurry He wanted to do digital right. And he did. to prevent harmonic problems which could turn The state of the art has advanced consid- into audible distortion. Earlier CD models erably since the first players appeared several placed an anti -imaging filter after the digital/ years ago. The Carver Compact Disc Player analog converter stage. Carver uses DIGITAL fil- makes use of the latest triple laser beam pick- tering ahead of the D/A converter through a ups, sophisticated oversampling digital process called multiple oversampling. The sig- CARVER` POWERFUL

Corporation, PO Box 1237, Lynnwood, WA 98046 Reproduction of a I kHz digitally gen- when compared with the amount of L -R signal With the Carver Compact Disc Player's erated signal was as close to a true square found on the corresponding analog disc. Programmable Random Access Playback Sys- wave as I have ever seen from a CD player tem, track search and programming of differ- that used digital filtering. (The Carver ent selections is a snap, as is automatic repeat Digital Disc Player) shows a virtual ab- of a previous selection or an entire CD. For clas- sence of phase error." sical music lovers, the Carver Compact Disc AUDIO MAGAZINE Player has complete indexing capabilities as well.

The large, easy -to -use feather -touch con- A. Lissajous pattern showing spatial detail trols include pause, fast forward and reverse. (1.-R)%(L+ R) ratio from an LP record. You can even monitor music at high speed to B. The same instant of music but taken find a certain portion of a selection. from the CD version. Note the decreased We know you really enjoy music so, you IL -R) content as shoun by the nar- owe it to yourself to begin your digital experi- rowed trace. A. Square -twee reproduction, 1 kHz ence with the only full feature CD player that Carver's circuitry corrects the ratio of L -R has the Carver touch. The only CD player that B. 71o3 -tone phase test signal (200Hz and 2kHz) with Digital Time Lens off to L+R by performing one extra, but impor- ccn actually improve on what is already the best tant mathematical operation on the signal playback medium ever offered. stream that all other CD players fail to perform. Audition the Carver Compact Disc Player PLUS THE DIGITAL TIME LENS This final operation makes all the difference. wirh Digital Time Lens at your Carver Dealer. On top of this unerring ability to produce The result is a natural sound with more of natural, real -sounding music from the CDs the three-dimensional information that places t .1111, digital bits, the Carver Compact Disc Player has us in the same space with performers. You won't the remarkable Digital Time Lens circuit tc in- need the Digital Time Lens on all CD s. But it is sure your listening enjoyment. there when you need it. The Carver Compact Disc Player is the In the beginning, Carver hoped, indeed he world's only compact disc player to address expected, that once recording artists and engi- the problem of the bright, hot, harsh sounding neers became more experienced with CD tech- midrange and a lack of ambience and spatial nology fewer and fewer CDs would require the A. Ultra -low-level (4 significant bits) 1 kHz detail characteristic of the majority of com- Digital Time Lens. But both laboratory and lis- signal as reproduced by conventional pact discs currently available. tening tests reveal that the great majority of CD players. When Bob Carver obtained his first com- even the most recently released CDs benefits B. Same signal with dither added before pact disc player, he was surprised at the sound significantly from the Digital Time Lens. 1).4 conversion by Carver CD player. derived from most of the compact discs he pur- Note that dither has caused the distorted EASY TO USE chased. The three-dimensional musical per- step -wise approximation of the 1 kHz spective which his analog system provided in Ease of operation is a hallmark of Carver tone virtually to vanish Quantization dis- tortion has been reduced to insignificance. lush abundance on phono discs evaporated components and the Carver Compact Disc into a flat, brittle wasteland. After extensive Player is no exception. A subtle but easy -to -read testing, Bob uncovered two fundamental laws LCD display not only shows selection number, IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A CD PLAYER in almost all compact discs: 1) An unpleasant, elapsed time and total time of the CD, but also By buying a CD Player you made a harsh spectral energy balance. The overal "talks" to the user. Turn on the Carver Compact commitment to vastly improve your sound octave -to -octave energy balance was shi'ted Disc Player and the display asks fora disc.When source, now you can go the short extra step on the CD towards more midrange above the disc tray is open, the display reminds you that lets digital realize its true potential 400Hz; 2) The amount of L -R signal (which with an OPEN readout. When a CD has com- That step is the CARVER Digital Time carries the spacial detail of the music) on the pleted playing, the multi -function display Lens. Simply connect it between your CD CD was inexplicably, but substantially, reduced reads END. player and your preamplifier or receiver.

MUSICAL ACCURATE

D STRIBUTED IN CANADA BY EVOLUTION TECHNOLOGY CIRCLE NO 49 ON READER SERVICE CARD EUROPEAN

BY F1=RAll) ar .ar arANC, PETER VV MITCHELLar THAT audio is an international industry is obvious from Although Europe ranks only the array of foreign brand names on display at your local .fifth in size among the conti- hi-fi store. Many of those brands are from the Far East, nents, and although its inhabi- and many others-Fisher, Scott, Marantz, and KLH- tants account .for no more than sound American but are now owned by Oriental companies. In 15 percent of the population of this atmosphere it is easy to forget that many important advances the earth, the influence of Eu- ropean culture is felt around in audio technology have come from European companies. the world. The analog disc, magnetic tape recording, the audio cassette, Our audio map of Western and the digital Compact Disc all originated in Europe, and Euro- Europe includes references to pean audio companies continue to be on the cutting edge of tech- the art and architecture of the nology. They embody that technology in some of the best speak- various countries as well as to ers, CD players, tape decks, turntables, tuners, and amplifiers music and audio technology. made for consumer use. You should have no trouble The European contribution to audio may be more influential identifying the rock group from in professional equipment than in the consumer market. Walk Sweden or connecting the howl of yellow tulips with the logo of into a recording session anywhere in the world, whether in Lon- a famous German record com- don, Nashville, or Tokyo, and you'll find a preponderance ofpany. but the importance of European microphones-among them Neumanns from Germa- some of the towns and cities is ny, Schoeps, Sennheisers, and AKG's from Austria, and B&K's less obvious. from Denmark. In France, Brest is the home The microphone signals are likely to be amplified and mixed of the Cabasse speaker factory, on a British Neve or Solid State Logic recording console, moni- and Averton is the site of that tored on British B&W 801 loudspeakers, and recorded on a mul- country's only CD pressing titrack tape recorder made by Studer (the Swiss/German parent plant. Revox headquarters are in Regensdorf Switzerland. In company of Revox). The music will be transferred to LP on a West Germany, Thorens has a Neumann (German) or Ortofon (Danish) disc -cutting system, factory in Lahr, and Canton probably using either Pyral (French) master discs or the German has one in Niederlauken. Teldec Direct Metal Mastering process. Cassette duplication Philips, one of the world's probably will employ BASF chromium -dioxide tape, and there's electronics giants, has its head- a fifty-fifty chance that the CD version will be pressed at the huge quarters in Eindhoven. Hol- PolyGram plant in Hanover, West Germany. land, and it makes CD players in Hasselt, Belgium. B&O Small and Dzfferent products come from Struer, Denmark. The Tandberg fac- In any discussion of Europe, it is important to keep in mind the tory is at Kjeller, Norway. effects of scale-France is smaller than Texas, and England is Speaker factories in England about the size of Illinois. Sometimes the smaller scale permits a are too numerous to identify mixing of functions that carries practical benefits. In the United individually on a small map. States, for the most part, professional audio and consumer com- Monmouth and Swindon are panies are separate. In some European firms, however, consumer the sites of two of England's hi-fi products form one branch of a mainly professional/indus- CD pressing plants. English ex- trial' company. ports of unusual importance to STEREO REVIEW include Sue For example, Studer makes some of the finest studio tape Llewellyn, the magazine's Art recorders, and its Revox home tape decks share the same con- Director, who grew up in a vil- struction quality, making for long-term stability and reliability. lage south of Swindon and con- On the other hand, Tandberg, known for its well -made home cas- siderably west of EMI's Abbey sette decks and tuners, has had some success in selling profes- Road studios made famous by sional versions of these products to broadcasters. the Beatles.

68STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 r 'TI

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14,

S'IIkIURFvimAtc.I_ Canton speakers fl Among the companies mentioned from Germany have above for their professional equip- a high-tech Euro- ment, several also make highly re- pean look that spected consumer products. Orto- American decora- fon makes cartridges for home use, tors find especially and Sennheiser produces high -qual- appealing. Available ity headphones. AKG is known for finishes include oak, walnut, black lac- both cartridges and headphones. quer, white lacquer, and gloss mahoga- Like the United States and Japan, ny. Canton is also noted for its series of powered subwoofers, which are ei- Europe has its electronics giants. ther sold separately or in three-piece Philips, of Eindhoven, the Nether- systems with smaller satellite speakers lands, is one of the two or three larg- that can he mounted on walls. est electronics companies in the world, comparable to Matsushita in Japan and General Electric in the United States. It was the vast Phil- ips research and development facili- ty that invented the Compact Cas- sette (1963), the LaserVision vid- eodisc (1975), and the Compact Disc (1978, later refined jointly by Philips and Sony before its com- mercial introduction). Philipshas numerous subsid- iaries,includingsemiconductor plantsthatdesign and produce many specialized integrated circuits for audio and video use. Most non - Japanese CD players,including most of the "high -end" audiophile machines, such as the highly praised Meridian and Mission units, em- ploy Philips chassis and circuits. CD players made by Philips at a fac- tory in Belgium are sold in the Unit- edStates under the Magnavox brand name. Small is still beautiful in Europe, however, and some now well -estab- lished European companies started as cottage industries in much the same way as a number of Japanese and American companies. The rap- id success of the Canton speaker company in Germany is the result of a kind of entrepreneurial skill and energy that many businessmen in the United States think of as typ- ically American. Respect for the history and tradi- tion behind familiar brand names is stereotypically European, but com- petition from new companies is keen. Jamo speakers from Denmark have recently established a presence in the American audio market, and Dali speakers, from the same coun- try, are coming up fast. Cabasse speakers from France are beginning to appear on shelves in American storesalongsidethewell-known Dual and Thorens turntables and Blaupunkt car stereo units from Germany and Wharfedale speakers and Quad amps from England. The European audiophile lives in a world quite different from ours. Or perhaps we should say in one of severaldifferent worlds, because

70STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 generalizing about Europe is about as easy as describing America so as to include both Maine fishermen and California beach bums. The Eu- ropean fragmentation can give a na- tional character to certain audio at- titudes. England, for example, is ho- mogenous enough to succumb to fads with wonderful completeness. A recent British obsession concerns thephysicalcouplingbetween speaker and floor. Enthusiasts are mountingspeakercabinetson spiked feet that punch through a soft rug and bite firmly into the floorboards. Europe's higher population densi- ty also makes it feasible to hold hi-fi shows for consumers, an idea that has met with only limited success in the United States. Swiss -born Rey- naud Delapraz, factory consultant toStuder Revox America,Inc., says, "If you have a show in Zurich, anyone in[Switzerland] can get there by train in one and a half hours or less, so he can make the whole trip in one day. It's a reason- able investment-$20 for the train and $5 to get in-so the shows are popular." Broadcasting Sets the Standard Most American audiophiles who listen to the radio do so despite its sound quality, not because of it. The majority of our FM outlets are com- mercial rock stations that use heavy compression to increase their cover- age, and lots of equalization to give their sound more impact on low-fi car radios and boom boxes. The sound of our AM stations is even worse. European radio stations, in con- trast, are much more careful about sound quality. Even AM outlets- known there as "medium wave"- The Magnavox emit a reasonably wide -range CDB850 CD player monophonic signal. One reason for at top and on our cover is manufac- the difference is that stations over tured in Belgium by therehaveuntilrecentlybeen the Dutch giant owned and run almost exclusively Philips. It can by governments. (The Swiss govern- remember up to785 of your favorite ment granted itsfirst few private tracks on various CD's, automatically broadcast licenses about a year ago, skipping the others. and many European countries have not yet gotten that far.) The Thorens Phantasie turntable, Throughout Europe, live concert made in Germany, has a Plexiglass broadcasts, rare in America, have chassis and a three-point suspension. It long been a staple of FM program- is shown here, and on our cover, with a ming. Most broadcasts employ sim- Danish cartridge, the moving -coil Orto- ple microphone techniques, some of fon MC Super (close up at right), which, notably the BBC's Blumlein which has a Van den Hul stylus and a array and France's ORTF configu- carbon -fiber support system. ration (named for the Organization Radio -Television Francaise), have

STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 71 The analog disc, magnetic tape recording, the audio cassette, and the Compact Disc all originated in Europe, and European audio companies continue to be on the cutting edge of technology. They emobody that technology in some of the best speakers, CD players, tape decks, tuners, turntables, and amplifiers made for consumer use.

Dual's CS5000 Based in Austria, AKG Acoustics is manual turntable famous for its microphones and head- (top), from Germa- phones. both of which are used in re- ny, is belt driven cording studios worldwide. The K 240 and has a three- Monitor (left) is a dynamic moving -coil point floating sus- design with an acoustic -resistance baf- pension to isolate fle to reduce boominess. The similar the platter and tonearm from the mo- K 240DF (right) is a diffuse -field equal- tor and other interference. It also fea- ized headphone designed for uncolored tures Dual's Optimum Pivot System for reproduction. Both models are rated for precise groove tracking. Unlike most 0.3 percent total harmonic distortion at turntables made today for the Ameri- a sound -pressure level of 95 dB. can market, the CS5000 can play 78's aslir well as 45's and LP's.arar Jr lir 72 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 gainedinternationalrenownfor Loudspeakers The Linn Sondek their characteristically clear and sta- LP -12 turntable ble stereo imaging. It used to be that there were well- from Scotland is a For this and other reasons, broad- known regional and national differ- classic. Praised for casting plays a major role in Euro- ences among speakers, but accord- its simple design, it pean audio and has given rise to ing to Tim Holl (ex -British speaker is also criticized for manyimportantdevelopments. designer now working atBose), its finicky setup re- Concert broadcasts serve as a refer- these differences have narrowed. quirements usually taken care of by suitably fanatical dealers). It is a basic ence standard that both speaker de- "Basically, comparing speaker de- single -speed, manual, belt -driven turn- signers and audiophiles use when signs-Italian,British, American, table with a spring -suspension subchas- judging loudspeakers. British listen- you name it-there is no longer a sis. An adaptor is available for playing ers, for example, have become at- bright German sound, or a specifi- 45 -rpm singles. tuned to precise stereo imaging and cally British or New England or are sensitive to the loss of image West Coast sound. There are ob- clarity that can occur when speakers vious individual differences among Contemporary design characterizes the Bang & Olufsen Beocord 9000 cas- are located near reflecting walls. As speakers, but most designers are af- sette deck from Denmark (lower pho- a result, most speakers from Eng- ter the same ends and frequently to). With a control panel that suggests land are designed for use two or come up with similar results. Speak- a spaceship, the Beocord 9000 includes more feet away from the nearest er design is becoming more of a the Dolby HX Pro headroom -extension wall, ensuring that the first reflec- science and less of an art." circuits that were developed by B&O tions from the room boundaries will Indeed, Braun speakers produced engineers as well as Dolby B and Dol- arrive at the listener's ears too late in West Germany are very much by C noise reduction. to muddy the direct sound. like ADS speakers made in Massa- Reynaud Delapraz says, "In the chusetts. (This is hardly surprising French part of Switzerland, the Or- since they share some component chestredelaSuisseRomande broadcastsatwo -and -a -half-hour live concert every Wednesday eve- ning. The acoustics are good, and the sound quality is absolutely fan- tastic." Programs produced to simi- lar standards can be heard in Ger- many, Scandinavia, and Austria as well, and technology is being devel- oped to distribute high -quality FM signals by satellite. The world's first widely heard dig- ital audio system was the PCM (pulse -code -modulation) linkthat the BBC developed to relay its pro- grams from London to subsidiary FM transmitters throughout Eng- land,andthe EBU (European Broadcasting Union) has been at the forefront of efforts to develop stand- ards for international digital relays. The limits on private broadcast- ing are broadening now as govern- ments seek additional sources of revenue. In the States, most people confine their listening to stations in the nearest city, but European lis- -OP' -010 teners want to receive FM signals from neighboring countries, placing ,1101.4,` unusual demands on both the sensi- I 40 tivity and the selectivity of a tuner. That's why high -end tuners from companies like Tandberg and Re - vox offer two or even threei.f. bandwidths for maximum selectivi- ty when stations are close in fre- quency. A tuner's captureratio must also be very good, according to Tandberg president Tor Sivert- sen, "to cope with the severe multi - path reflections that we encounter in mountainous terrain from the Alps to the deep valleys and fjords of Norway." STEREO REviEw AucusT 198673 rr,

parts.) Speaker companies around the world, including about half of the 200 -odd brands on the U.S. market, rely on driver units made in Europe-particularlyby Philips (Holland), Audax(France),and SEAS (Sweden). And listeners in many countries increasingly agree on what good speakersshould sound like. The Quad, Celestion, and B&W speakers that are held in high regard by British audiophiles are equally esteemed by Americans. Conversely,thebestAmerican speakers have been received enthu- siastically in Europe. It wasn't always thus, however. EnglishaudioconsultantDenis Wratten, who spent years working in the American hi-fi industry, re- members the influence of the BBC and its simple microphone tech- niques on British designers in the late Sixties: "American loudspeak- ers at the time were designed to reproduce, as pleasantly as possible, music that was captured by close microphonetechniques.British loudspeakers were designed with a view to reproducing accurately ma- terial produced by the BBC, and if the records sounded wrong, well, thatwas because they were wrong." The BBC also played a more direct role in speaker design in years past. Some popular British speakers (notably the Rogers LS3/5A and Spendor BC -1) were actually de- signed in the BBC's own labs. They were created, according to Celes- tion's Graham Bank, "to evaluate broadcast quality, to judge miking, to hear whether mikes were in or out of phase, and so on. The speak- ers were designed to operate in tiny studios and mobile recording vans. Blaupunkt's Ger- You were supposed to sit very close man -made "Hous- to them, in the near field." ton" cassette tun- Their success paved the way for er-shown in top the current generation of small, photo installed in high -quality British two-way speak- the glove compart- ment of a car-has ers from Celestion, Mission, KEF, a wireless remote control so that back- and others. It was discovered, says seat drivers can choose from the six Bank, "that a narrow speaker sys- AM and six FM presets. The tuner also tem with a small frontal area works has station seek, phase -locked -loop cir- particularly well for stereo [because cuits, and a digital readout. The auto - of the problem of sound -wave dif- reverse tape section has Dolby B. lock- fraction at cabinet edges]. This led ing fast wind, and a music sensor. to a whole gamut of narrow, tall speakers, placing a high priority on The Swiss -German Revox B215cas- thepresentationofthestereo sette deck has three microprocessors to image-at a time when designers in control bias, level, equalization, tape the States were concentrating on transport, and the real-time counter. other things, such as realistic repro- See test report on page 40 for more. duction at high levels." This led to the American preference for large three-way systems with high power - handling capacity.

74 STEREOReviEw AUGUST 1986 According to Denis Wratten, fur- ther supportfor smallspeakers came from a widespread belief in the paramount importance of the "front end" (turntable, arm, and cartridge), an idea promoted heavi- ly by Ivor Tiefenbrun, creator of the Linn Sondek turntable and a lead- The Galiote speak- ing light of British high -end audio. er, made in France When a major part of the system by Cabasse, has a budget is devoted to the front end, 61/2 -inch woofer and little money is left for large speak- a 1 -inch tweeter. An ers, and designers were encouraged optional outboard to refine their smaller, two-way sys- signal processor tems. Wratten regards this as fortui- called the Active Compensator can be tous, because the inherent midrange used to adapt the directivity of thetypical8 -inch speaker to the woofer helps such systems sound acoustics of a par- better in most listening rooms by ticular listening reducing the strength of side -wall room. reflections. Furthermore, adds Bank, "There are fewer things to go wrong in the design of a smaller, simpler speaker. With fewer elements in the system, it's easier to get the design right. The idea 'that a big three-way is better than a two-way is a little like the advertising notion that a double - blade razor shaves better than a sin- gle blade. People tend to accept the notion,regardingitas obvious, without proof." Higher population density means that most Europeans live in smaller rooms than we do. Furnishings, too, are different in acoustically signifi- cant ways. As Keld Hansson, new products manager of Bang & Oluf- sen of America, says, the Danish "tend to live in a more high-tech environment than here. Their fur- nishings would be neither as heavy nor as absorptive." The preponder- ance of stone and brick in interior walls also reduces low -frequency ab- sorption in comparison with the re- lativelyflexible wood -frame con- structionthatistheAmerican norm. These factors can easily com- bine to reduce the power require- ments of a sound system by a factor of four. At the same time, the more rigid construction reduces the prob- lem of structure -bornefeedback from speakers to turntable. In practical terms, this means that the averageBritish, German, or Celestion,a British speaker manufactur- Scandinavian audiophile can er, introduced the SL6S as the successor achieve both realistic sound levels to its renowned Model SL6. The SL6S has and adequate bass response using new and improved drivers, and its attrac- either a smaller amplifier or smaller tively finished cabinet is designed to be loudspeakers. According to Dela- acoustically inert so that it will not add praz, "Power is not such an impor- any coloration to the sound. tant factor in Europe; 75 watts is adequate, and 100 watts is a lot." Ari Jr Jr Jr European speaker companies like Celestion and Braun put sophisti- cated (and expensive) drivers and

STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 75 fi crossovers in small, two-way speak- ers that combine rather low efficien- cy with smooth midrange response, adequate bass extension, and pre- cise imaging.

sexes; w Tape Recording The first magnetic tape recorder i was the German Magnetophon, de- signed and built in 1935. It became a high-fidelity device with the addi- tion of a.c. bias in 1942. The first tape for the new machine was made by Bayerische Anilin and Soda Fab- rik, now known simply as BASF. Several early Magnetophons "liber- ated" from Germany after the war evolved into new American profes- sional tape decks from Ampex and Scully.InSwitzerland,around 1948, Willi Studer produced the first Revox, a machine whose suc- cessors, appearing under both the Revox and Studer brand names, have been for many years respected by engineers and widely used by both amateurs and professionals. According to Reynaud Delapraz of Studer Revox, open -reel is still a viable medium in Europe: "Espe- cially in Switzerland, people have bought open -reelmachines, and they continue to update their sys- tems with the latest new equipment. In the States we have 200 dealers, but in Switzerland there are some- thing like 650 dealers for six million inhabitants." In Norway the Tandberg compa- ny (also known for sophisticated amps, preamps, and tuners, as well The Tandberg as a new CD player) has produced a TCP-3015A Com- steady stream of new design ideas to pact Disc player (top) is part of the improve tape performance.First Norwegian compa- camethecross -fielddesign,in ny's 3000 series, which an additional head aimed at which also includes the back side of the tape helped the 3016A power amplifier and 3018A focusthe magneticfieldof the preamplifier (see test report on page record head for extended high -fre- 31). The CD player uses dual digital - quency response and lower distor- to -analog converters that oversample at tion. For cassette decks Tandberg 176.4 kHz to minimize phase shifts. producedtheDyneq(dynamic equalization)circuit,whichim- Rotel's RA-820BX integrated ampli- proveshigh -frequency headroom fier (center) is a model of simplicity. and, by preventing tape saturation, The elimination of tone controls mini- minimizes intermodulation distor- mizes conductors in the signal path. tion in cassette recordings. Rated at 25 watts per channel, the Brit- The Danish firm of Bang & Oluf- ish -designed amp has inputs for a tape sen (B&O) created the HX Pro deck, tuner, CD player, and turntable. headroom -extension circuit, anoth- er method of enhancing high -fre- The Cyrus series from England's Mis- quency performance that is now be- sion Electronics includes (bottom pho- coming increasingly common in to, left to right) the Cyrus tuner, the cassette decks. An earlier Dolby HX Cyrus One integrated amplifier, and circuit had unexpected side effects, (stacked) the Cyrus Two integrated leading to the discovery that high amp and Cyrus PSX power supply. audio frequencies act as a biasing signal when lower frequencies are being recorded. Using this effect,

76 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 Digital video is on the horizon. While some European companies are introducing VCR's and TV sets that perform useful tricks such as The Magnasphere picture -in -a -picture and speakers from Mag- nat in West Germa- pepfectfreezeframe effects, ny have six 51/4 -inch other manufacturers are woofers, two spheri- cal midrange driv- developing digital video ers, and a spherical processing circuits that tweeter. The infi- nite -baffle systems enhance picture quality. The are rated for a fre- result is called EDTV, quency response from 32 to 27,000 enhanced -definition TV. Hz ±3 dB.

Acutaway of the Matrix 2 from Eng- land's B& W Loud- speakers shows the extremely rigid, cel- lular honeycomb structure of its cross members. Matrix series speakers are designed for mini- mal, fast -decaying cabinet radiation to avoid coloring the drivers' output.

STEREO REvIEwAu:us"' 1986 77 B&O devised (and Dolby adopted) collecting stamps or antique cars- the HX Pro circuit, which gives IEC something that people devote a Type I (ferric, or normal) and Type great deal of time and intense inter- II (Cr02) tapes nearly the same use- est to. In the old days, hobbyists ful high -frequency headroom as a experimented with drive units, cabi- Type IV (metal -particle) tape. net construction, crossovers. Now that the speaker is sold as a finished Looking Ahead item, what is left for them to fiddle European designs will continue to with? The stand, the connecting ca- play a major role during the months bles, the turntable base, the car- and years ahead, especially in the tridge/headshell interface, and so growth areas of digital audio and on. The more we refine the product video. For example, a new Philips so that hobbyists can't fiddle with it, digital -to -analog converter (featur- the more they will fiddle with the ing 16 -bit decoding with a four- ancillaries." times-oversampling digital filter) is The devotion of European audio- likely to be adopted by many manu- philes shows in their hi-fi maga- facturers of high -end audiophile CD zines. The most spectacular of these players. Philips has also developed are the Italian monthlies, whose an audio microprocessor that can lavish color printing and exhaustive serve as the heart of an all -digital testing procedures are enough to "preamp," accepting the direct digi- makeanAmericanaudiophile / tal bit stream from a CD player and drool. Dedicated hobbyists also de- The English -made providing many kinds of signal pro- mand greater involvement from the KEF 104.2 speaker, cessing while the signal is still in the people who sell equipment. shown in a cutaway digital domain. According to Reynaud Delapraz, diagram above, has Meanwhile digital video is on the "Dealers and salespeople are re- two 8 -inch woofers horizon. While some companies are quired by law to serve an appren- that load a coupled introducing VCR's and TV sets that ticeship and have some kind of cavity, two 40 -inch perform useful tricks such as pic- diploma. You can't just be a hi-fi midrange drivers, and a 1 -inch tweeter. ture -in -a -picture and perfect freeze- salesman because you couldn't find Frequency response is rated as within 2 dB from 55 to 20,000 Hz. An electronic frame effects, other manufacturers a job anywhere else. These people circuit protects the system from over- are developing digital video pro- are supposed to know what they're load damage. cessing circuits that enhance picture talking about. The industry also quality. (Digital -processed video is spends a lot of money to train these called EDTV, enhanced -definition people, so most of the products they TV. It is an intermediate step be- sell they know well." tween conventional TV standards There are audiophiles behind the and the cinemascope-like HDTV, Iron Curtain too. Because of trade high -definition TV, which is many barriers and foreign-exchange cur- years away because it will require rency limits, their access to both new broadcast standards.) Much of Western equipment and Japanese this digital processing, even in sets gear is restricted, so they have to bearingAmericanorJapanese rely to a considerable extent on brand names, will be based on a set home-brew products. This is fortu- of digital video integrated circuits nate for some Americans, however, developed by ITT in Germany. because manufacturers in Hungary It appears that West Germany and the Soviet Union were much will also be the first country to pro- slower to switch from vacuum tubes vide digital radio via DBS (direct - to solid-state components. Ameri- broadcast satellite). One of five pro- can audiophiles who prefer tube posed DBS television channels is amplifiers are now turning to Hun- being reallocated for audio use and garian -made tubes, since Western will carry up to sixteen digital stereo companies no longer make high - signals. Reception requires a com- quality tubes for audio use. pact 3 -foot satellite dish and a new This shows, perhaps, how much type of digital -broadcast tuner that dedicated audiophiles everywhere will cost only slightly more than an have in common. As Graham Bank FM tuner. said: "People genuinely want to get Perhaps the greatest difference be- the best out of their systems. You tween the European and American can produce some quite dramatic audio shopper is the greater intensi- improvements just by adjusting the ty with which the European ap- speaker height and location. A little proaches the subject. There are au- bit of time and effort can be very dio fanatics in the U.S. as well, of rewarding, and we in the industry course, but they are a smaller frac- have a duty to let people know that, tion of the whole. Celestion's Gra- just by trying a few simple things, ham Bank says, "In Britain, audio is they can get more out of any hi-fi

very much a hobby activity, like system they've got."

78 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT Revox cassette transport turns pro.

For consistently superior re- sults in home audio record- ing, you need a professional tape transport. So we put one in the Revox B215 cassette deck. Our company philoso- phy would allow nothing less.

Studer Revox of Switzerland is the world's leading supplier of audio tape decks to recording and broadcast studios. Every transport we build If adheres to the same strictly professional design criteria. 3. An Azimuth Stable Headblock- jerks. Tape damage of any kind The B2I5 is no exception. This is difficult to achieve in is virtually impossible. the cassette format because I. A Die -Cast Aluminum Alloy the headblock must move in Such uncompromisingly Chassis-Stamped or rolled and out of the cassette shell. professional transport design metal is not acceptable be- Nearly all other decks use an brings extraordinary perform- cause it could warp or bend inherently unstable "sled" ance to the home recordist: over time; also, it cannot be mechanism. But the B215 uses incredibly low wow -and -flutter, milled and drilled with the re- a pivoting die-cast headblock extended frequency response, quired precision. The 8215 mounted on precision bearings and consistently repeatable chassis reflects the same mas- (.001 mm tolerance) to assure results time after time, year sive stability seen in every the stability required for opti- after year. Studer Revox recorder right up mum high frequency response For one astute listener's through our $70,000 24 -track evaluation of the B215's sonic machines. 4. Gentle, Safe Tape Handling-An qualities, please note the re- on -board microprocessor (one view in Volume 8, #7 of Stereo- 2. Direct Drive Motors-The only of three) monitors all tape mo- phile. Reprints are available on alternative is belts and gears, tion in the B215. Optical servos request to the address below. both of which degrade perform- govern the spooling motors to ance over time. To avoid such give constant winding speed, compromises, the B215-and controlled tape ten- only the B215-has four tape sion, and smooth tape drive motors: two quartz -locked wrap. The motors Hall -effect motors for the dual gently slow the tape capstans, and two microproces- just before the end to sor -controlled DC spooling prevent tape -stretching motors. Studer Revox America, Inc., 1425 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville, TN 37210/(615) 254-5651

DERR EVOX CIRCLE NO. 43 ON READER SERVICE CARD Performance Now, thanks to German quality and craftsmanship, Canton enhances the driving experience with aucio products of exceptional performance. The discerning ear will appreciate the accurate sound reproduction. The discerning eye will appreciate the clossic good looks. Canton flush -mount and surface -mount Hifi--European solutions to high performance sound. AI-Travel the road of discovery, Forty poges of information on the entire Canton home & automotive product line ore yours for the asking. Insist on auditicning Canton instruments of precision and performance. A new world of sound awaits your visit at bette- audio specialists today. Performance. From Canton. Canton North America, Inc. 254 First Avenue North Minneapolis, MN 55401-1690 612/ 333-1150 CIRCLE NO13 ON READER SFRVICE CARD

UghFkiefit y 14idefriW(A 1F-DCH A CELEBR A TION OF EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY

el_iitilk11:7

One of the more innovative speaker abstract: "Two woofers are connect- major country and has received a companies to appear in recent years, ed back to back, one on the front plate series of excellent reviews in the au- DALI-for Danish American Limited of the system and the other on an dio press internationally.

Incorporated-has a fullline of im- internal baffle board . . . the back-to- ii pressively engineered speaker sys- back arrangement and mutually op- tems. The company has recently filed posed woofers results in a non -vibrat- for patents on several unique designs ing unit." In addition to negating po- reflecting significant breakthroughs in tentiallydestructivevibrations.the a number of key performance areas. DALI VE2BR design also provides a very low system resonance, excellent transient response and low frequency efficiency, and a significant reduction in harmonic distortion. A third, more recent DALI patent involves a double magnet. dual voice coilwoofer. Thisdesign,called DMSLS (Dual Magnet Super Linear Stroke) provides an extended and lin- ear woofer cone excursion which re- sults in very low distortion at substan- INNOVATIVE MARKETING tial low -frequency output levels. DALI's ongoing research has the dual DALI's advanced technology ap- goals of improving the quality of loud- pears in the six models marketed in speaker reproduction while lowering the United States: the bookshelf mod- its cost to the consumer. This dedica- els DALI 2 and 3 and the floor stand- tion to cost-effective quality has re- ing monitor models DALI 4, 6. 7, and 8. sulted in both a superb product line and an innovative marketing and dis- tribution plan. DALI speakers are not currently available at stereo retailers; INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING instead they are sold directly to the Since the fcunding of the company, public on an individual purchase basis. DALI engineers have been investigat- All DALI speakers are offered on a 10 - ing the complex acoustic relationship day "satisfaction guaranteed or mon- between speaker systems and rooms. ey back" basis. If you would like more Intensive research has shown that re- information about our products and flected room sound isa frequently direct marketing policy, we encourage ignored, but critical facto- in achieving you to write or call: realistic performance. Anditis the view of Dali's engineers that intelligent speaker design involves proper con- trol of reflected sound combined with a precisely defined d;rectionality. A psychoacousticallyplausiblesound stage is not possible unless the first - arrival sounds and reflected sounds The DALI 7 is the first model to use a are maintained in proper perspective. patented asymmetrical room -interface As a result of this philosophy, Dali crossover technology,andwillbe speaker systems are more "room available later this year. The DALI 40. friendly,"are easier to place, and also due this year, will incorporate the have a larger "sweet spot" with a VE2BR Principle in what will be judged wider and more accurate stereo imag- a world class speaker design. As be- ing than conventional designs fits their Danish o-igin, All DALI speak- Another proprietary Dali develop- ers are carefully assembled and fin- ment, dubbed VE2BR (Vibration Elimi- ished in elegant, hand -rubbed natural nating 2nd -order Butterworth Reflex), walnut veneers. DALI eliminates the usual cabinet panel vi- In the past two years, engineering 20732 SoledadStreet brations caused byconventional advances have earned DALI a reputa- Unit J woofer mountings. These vibrations tion for being one of the world's most Canyon Country, CA 91351 pp are an unappreciated source of a vari- respected and inrovative loudspeaker ety of sonic colorations. DALI's con- manufacturers. The company is cur- Toll -free 1-800-251-DALI figuration was described in the patent rently represented invirtually every In California: 805-252-7203

I I I I I I I I I I THE 800 SERIES MASTER MONITORS

LISTEN AND YOU'LL SEE

801S of o Deutsche Grommophon 801's pictured here in the 801's in the celebrated digital recording session in the Decca digital suite, London EMI Abbey Road studios, London Kingsway Hall, London

Top -of -the -line models 801 F, 802F, 808 and the new MPA810 power amplifier at the 'ore -front of sound reproduction technology. Used by digital recording studios worldwide and soon, we hope, by ycu.

CIRCLE NO. 59 ON READER SERVICE- CARD

/9z166,,Ai },./1/4_,Liys36 B&W CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF THE QUEST FOR PERFECTION

The inspiration behind B&W was, and stillis, that of John Bowers - creator, engineer, music - lover and perfectionist. B&W is a personal dream that became an internationally respected com- pany.

Twice the winner of the Queen's Award to indus- try and designer of numerous award -winning and trend -setting loudspeaker models, B&W stillre- if mains committed to the goal which was the im- petus for its founding: the most faithful re-creation of music possible. For while John Bowers and his B&W team enjoy the great respect of the audio industry, they have as many admirers and friends among the world's top professional musicians conductorsand recordingengineers. That, perhaps better than any other accolade, attests to the quality of every B&W design.

Today the B&W sound quality is legendary, and extends from the professional monitor models 801F and 808 to a range of products to virtually every application. The affordable 100 - series of Digital Monitors, the Video Acoustical Monitors, Professional Amplifiers, Active loudspeakers and a complete range of Automobile loudspeakers, all reflecting the "Quest for Perfec- tion" which motivated B&W's beginnings 20 wars ago.

"My own critical standards when listening to music have always been exacting. hove never expected those of B&W customers to be less so." John Bowers The world's audio press tells the story: Founder and Managing Director, B&W Loudspeakers

Model P2 (1966) "...for; this loudspeaker with its broad and balanced Model 808 (1984)"It is difficult to describe how one gets caught up in polar response, its linear and extended frequency re- the music, how the climaxes of a Mahler symphony, sponse is approaching the ideal everyone s seeking for instance, afford an emotional impoct that can truly - perfection." be described as uplifting... There is no doubt that the John Gilbert, Gramophone (U.K.) B&W 808 is a major achievement in advanced speaker design." Model 801 (1979) "In simplest possible terms, the 801 is among the Bert Whyte, Audio (U.S.A.)

handful of great loudspeakers available." Active1 (1985) 'The John Bowers Active I certainly measured like a High Fidelity (U.S.A.) `ine speaker, and we are happy to report that it sounds as good as its measurements imply -beautifully ba- Model DM6 (1975) "... the overall impression left after many weeks of anced and uncolored... The bass output from the two listening is predominantly one of satisfying, untiring 6 -inch drivers... compares very well with the output natural sound, without any distracting feature which from good 12 -inch woofers in cabinets at least twice could be termed a flaw." the size of the Active I." Trevor Atwell, Hi-Fi News (U.K.) Julian Hirsch, Stereo Review (U.S.A.) CIRCLE NO. 59 ON READER SERVICE CARD /966-.1777Y}ki-k Jo(c)6 B&W Hi-Fi Leaves Home... And Takes to the Road

The beginning of this decade saw the logical extension of home hi-fi into the automobile, with sophisticated audiophiles seeking performance standards on a par with those of their high -end domestic systems.

B&W responded to the challenge in 1982 by introducing -heir LM1 series of Leisure Monitors. For many LM1 provided for the first time an opportunity to have quality hi-fi in the automobile.

The enthusiasm with which LM1 was received led to the introduction of MASS - B&W's Modular Automobile Sound System- in 1985. Comprising 8 interlinking modules, MASS combines B&W's world-fam- ous sound quality with system flexibility, high sensitivity and a wide range of installation options.

MASS provides a refined solution to the problems of critical in -car listening, maintaining the highest performance standards while overcom- ing installation limitations, off -axis listening positions and adverse clima- tic conditions. Such refinements as B&W's APOC (Audio Powered Over- load Circuit) to protect the drive units and the unique dual -action swivel mount of the LT40 tweeter (based on the famous TXS26 high -frequency driver used in studio monitor 801F) are just some of the technological advances made with MASS.

Leisure Monitor LM1

The Kevlar Cone Kevlar - DuPont's aromatic polyamide fibre - is vastly superior to conventional loudspeaker materials and particularly suited to automobile loudspeaker applications. Kevlar's combina- tion of high stiffness and low mass had proved its sonic superiority through use in the all-important midrange driver of the 801F. Its extremely low mass is particularly critical for automobile applica- tions where high sensitivity is an important criterion given the lower power output of most car audio amplifiers.

Easily capable of withstanding temperature extremes and high humidity, Kevlar will not be affected by the adverse conditions inherent in the automobile environment. Initially developed for bullet-proof vests Kevlar is used today for racing cars, yachts, and many other high-performance products where the weight -to - strength ratio is critical, such as the Porsche 959 which must be a prime example of today's technology ahead of its time.

Eight associated modules form MASS Kevlar cone & Porsche 959 CIRCLE NO57 ON HEADER SERVICE CARD

/966 1:771\f,_ y9s6 Two Decades of Creative Innovation

In his heart John Bowers is an engineer and designer, and his engineering creativity has directed B&W's policy from the very beginnings of the Corn - pony. This dedication has made B&W one of the most research -oriented companies in the audio industry, and their Steyning Research Establishment is among the most advanced acoustical laboratories in Europe.

Dr. Glyn Adams, head of B&W's research department, pioneered a technique for monitoring the vibrational behaviour of loudspeakers using lasers.

Steyning Research Establishment

Although equipped with some of the most modern and sophisticated tools available,itis the Steyning Research Establishment's engineering team which is B&W's greatest asset. Their creativity over the last twenty years has pioneered a number of industry milestones: The Fibrecrete lining of its midrange head assembly a calibration certificate included with every production loudspeaker is one of the important reasons for B&W 801 F's digital testing for quality control in production superior performance. incorporation of electronic overload protection circuits first to use Kevlar for loudspeaker cone construction first in Europe with a linear -phase loudspeaker - DM6 first with computer optimisation for crossover design first to use composite enclosure techniques employing Fibrecrete bonded to structural foam first to employ laser interferometry to study the vibrational behaviour of loudspeaker drivers. ... and in1986... MATRIX - a significant advance in loudspeaker enclosure technology. It is a source of considerable pride to everyone at B&W that every model in the range employs only components of B&W's own design and manufac- ture. All drivers and crossover networks are manufactured at B&W's facilities in Worthing, Sussex, under the most stringent quality control systems.

Styling has always been recognised as an important feature of B&W loudspeakers and Kenneth Grange of Pentagram Design has consistently created enclosure designs which complement the technical excellence of B&W's automated tweeter assembly. the loudspeakers. Technology in the service of music. CIRCLE NO. 59 ON READER SERVICE CARD /96 y9s6 MATRIX The Modern Art of Sound

In loudspeaker design, as in other technologies, the frontiers of what can be accomplished are pushed back gradually in an evolutionary process of development. Occasion- ally,however,a breakthroughof major proportionsis made. B&W MATRIX*isjustsuch abreak- through.

Whilst steady progress has been made in the development of new and better drive units,until recent years little attention has been paid totheactualenclosure housing these drive units. Because of its im- portance to loudspeakerperfor- mance, B&W instigated a research programme on enclosure design three years ogo, embracing a wide range of materials including the so- called Aerospace materials, "Sandwich" construction and even concrete.Despite the extravagant claims mode for these materials, B&W's research showed thatin some respects they were inferior to o conventionalenclosure. B&W therefore invented MATRIX.

The MATRIX enclosure comprises an inner honeycomb structure bonded tothe outer skinof the cabinet and filled with sound ab- sorbing foam. The enormous stiffen- ing provided by this structure virtu- ally eliminates enclosure radiation at low and mid frequencies, with the additionaldampingprovidinga similar effect at high frequencies. The cellular foam configuration al- most completely absorbs rear radi- ation by the driver.

Of equal importance is the "Time History" the time required for the soundtodecay.MATRIX scores equally well on this count, mini- mizing "hang -over" inherent in less sophisticated loudspeaker enclosures. used by other rii(Jf iuia;iurers), u totally new Ferrofluid cooled tweeter giving 8dB increased dynamic headroom Ot high frequencies and a crossover The B&W MATRIX series of Digital Moritors has been designed for the network providing a new standard for low distortion and resistive amplifier age of the compact disc, with all the adcitionol requirements this source loading. material places on the loudspeaker sys'em: increased dynamic range, increased transient information and a lower noise floor B&W have published a complete "Design Story" on the MATRIX series of Digital Monitors, including research results from the three-year design Having designed a near -perfect enclosure B&W developed totally new programme. Write to us for your copy, or visit your local authorized B&W and improved components to complement their invention. Homopolymer dealer. Polypropylene cones (almost twice as stiff as Copolymer Polypropylene *B&W MATRIX is a trademark of B&W Loudspeakers Ltd CIRCLE NO. 59 ON READER SERVICE CARD MILESTONES

1967 P2H Approaching 1970 DM70 When launched 1972 DM4 Increased B&W's the ideal everyone is seeking - Funk-Technik (Germany) said: export tenfold in five years perfection." ... a milestone of development winning a second Queen's JOHN GILBERT, GRAMOPHONE for the next decade." Award. Time proved them correct.

1975 DM6 1979 801 B&W's Europe's first first professional linear phase monitor loudspeaker. system and the Now selected first to use worldwide as Kevlar in cone classical music construction. monitor by all major recording labels.

1983 DM110 Pop, jazz, rock, classical - total 1984 ACTIVE 1 spectrum capability B&W's first from this popular and 1984 808 Reproduction electronic affordable' Digital loudspeaker Monitor. to full reference system. standards - Originated, perfection to 120dB. designed and produced completely in-house.

1986 MATRIX This unique system ccncept incorporates a revolutionary enclosure design. Fiid out more from your B&W stockist.

Two decades of creative innovation, of setting the standards in advanced loudspeaker design. Constantly pushing at the frontiers of sound technology. The B&W quest for perfection continues.

ANGLO AMERICAN AUDIO, P.O. BOX 653, BUFFALO, NY 14240 416-297-0595 FM 1.151[1. AND VOY Ll

CIRCLE NO. 59 ON READER SERVICE CARD A CELEBR A TION OF EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY

TANDBERG: A UNIQUELY NORWEGIAN APPROACH TI AUDIO DESIGN Tandberg occupies a special position make dc without the "whitewash" age -comparator circuit that linearizes in the high-fidelity industry-not only cover-up effects of feedback. When the output stages without the use of because of our more than 50 -year his- feedback is no longer present to mask feec back. The absence of feedback is tory as a producer of quality audic and partly responsible for the absolute electronics products, but also foi- our stability of the 3000A series amplifiers unique approach to design and manu- with any type of loudspeaker load. facture. In our design conceptscir- Tie high current capability of the cuitry, and particularly in our attention Tandberg output stages further en- to the nuances of sonic performance, sures that the performance potential Tandberg defers to none of the nigh - of the amplifiers will be maintained, end "esoteric" manufacturers. Yet, as The TCA 3018A Preamplifier. howeverdifficulttheloadingpre- a major European electronics compa- sented by the speaker systems. A typ- ny, Tandberg is able to marshal :ech- the sonic inadequacies of standard ical "8 -ohm" speaker can fall as low nicalresources and manufacturing parts,a Iresistors and capacitors as 2 ohms under certain signal condi- skills that far exceed those ay.allable must be specifically chosen for their tions. Unless an amplifier has suffi- to conventional limited -production sonic properties and discrete transis- cient current reserves to cope with high -end manufacturers. tors must be used rather than ICs. such low impedances,itclips and And most important, all s:gnal-carry- gererates transient distortions. Tand- ing circuits must be designed to oper- berg was one of the first manufactur- ate with exceptional linearity. ers to understand the problem and eliminate it by designing high current output stages. The high current output CAPACITORS AND SIGNAL is supported by tightly regulated pow- er supplies using massive toroidal PURITY transformers and very large filter/stor- Research has shown that the electro- age capacitors. lytic capacitors used by most manu- facturers for signal transfer between The TPA 3016A Amplifier. audio stages typically exhibit 5 per- FINAL WORDS cent or more dielectric absorption. Although attention was focused on FEEDBACK NEGATIVES This refers to the tendency of the theelectricalperformanceofthe capacitors to "hang on' to each pass- 3000A series, physical design niceties The professionally critical listeners on ing signal and superimpose its char- we -e not neglected. The extruded sol- Tandberg's engineeringstaffhave acteristicson subsequentsignals. id aluminum slim line chassis (with been researching "esoteric" cistor- This results in a subtle blurring and integral heat sinks, when required) are tion problems since the late 70's. Ear- loss of detail. Tandberg's solution to all sized to stack neatly with other ly onitbecame clear that further the problem was to replace all the Tandbergcomponents.Totallyat reduction of conventional distortions capacitors with the more costly poly- home in any decor, each product in was not the answer toimproved propyler e and polystyrene types. Di- the 3000A series is designed to ap- sound. And, infact, one unive rsally electric absorption was reduced to a peal to the discriminating ear and eye, used distortion -reducing design tech- mere 0.05%, and the problem disap- whle maintaining the Tandberg repu- nique-negativefeedback-actually peared. tation for ease of use. proved to be a major trouble source. We have touched only on the high Negative feedback is supposed to points of Tandberg's purist approach OUTPUT CURRENT CAPABILITY cancel distortion as it occurs by feed- toaudiodesign.Other examples ing an out -of -phase version of the dis- Tandberg used Metal Oxide Semicon- could be cited of Tandberg's research torted signal back on itself. Ur fortu- ductor Field Effect Transistor output into the little -understood sonic prob- nately, when an amplifier's slew rate devices instead of the more common lems of amplifiers. FM tuners, and is inadequate, the fed -back signal isn't and less costly bipolar types. MOS- tape recorders. But aside from the returned to the earlier stages cuickly FETs are faster, more stable, and specifics of how we achieved our enough to cope with transient signals. eliminate the need for signal degrad- goals, we hope to have made it clear The distortion gets through, intensi- ing current -limiting protection circuits. that Tandberg has taken-and will fied-rather than cancelled-by the Although a number of competent am- continue to take-whatever steps are delayed feedback signal. Once Tand- plifiers employ MOSFET output de- necessary to ensure that the products berg's engineers realized that nega- vices, tie constant -impedance, high - bearing the Tandberg name are tech- tive feedback was a problem rather current driver stages used in Tand- nically and sonically second to none. than a solution, they sought ways to berg's 3000A series of power ampli- reduce feedback to insignificant lev- fiers are the only ones configured spe- els. Their ultimate solution was the cificallytofullyrealize the special creation of zero feedback design to- qualities of MOSFETs. The inherent pologies. linearity of the MOSFET devices is fur- TANDBERG It is both difficult and expensive to ther enhanced by a sophisticated volt- Audio Components for the Connoisseur '14 LECTROFIIC5

european technology at affordable prices

Mission Electronics Corp. of America 5985 Atlantic Drive, Unit 6, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 1S4 Phone: (416) 673-3777 CIRCLE NO 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD '711551 n LECTROF1ICS

European technology at affordable prices

near phaSe a -re prccessmg - Perxr.earrcli

Mission Electrcn cs :',orp cf America 59E5 Atlantic Drive, LndE, V1ississaLga, Ontario L4Vv 1E4 Phone: (416) 673-3777 CIRCLE NOSC ON READER SERVICE CARD THE EUROPEAN UROPE, over the years, has ABBA record can attest. That's the given so much to American kind of handicap that gets even a INVASION OF THE culture-the Magna Carta, first-ratehit -record -makingma- EIGHTIES MAY the theories of Marx and chine typed primarily as a novelty Freud,AnitaEkberg,to act. But today, for whatever rea- SIGNAL THE MOST name only a few exam- sons-the recent strength of the FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE ples-thatitcomesas Americandollar,aterrorist -in- IN POP MUSIC something of asurprise spired climate of international co- when you realize the pauci- operation, the fact that most suc- IN DECADES. ty of European contribu- cessful American rockers are near- tions to pop music in the ing the mandatory retirement age- rock-and-rollera.There was, of allthishas changed.Suddenly, BY STEVE SIMELS course, the original British Invasion Americans are buying records by of 1964-1965, but considering how Europeans in significant numbers. long it took for the British to join There are, of course, historical the Common Market, it could be precedents behind this latest threat argued that they aren't really Euro- to our trade deficit. After the suc- peans.Untilfairlyrecently, you cess of the Beatles, kids all over were about as likely to find a Euro- Europe formed garage -rock bands pean act on the American pop just as their American cousins did. charts as you were to meet Jerry Fal- Some even sold a few records in well at a massage parlor. theirhomelands,althoughthey What caused this form of what were sometimes pretty ridiculous by the French have called American American or British standards (you Cultural Imperialism no one can haven't lived until you've heard say for sure. The language barrier Swedishcoversof theRolling probably had a lot to do with it, as Stones singing Chuck Berry). And anyone who has ever giggled at the throughout the Sixties, an occasion- bizarrely accented English on an al Eurohit did sneak into the States.

92 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 There were big sellers by the Ger- man bandleader Burt Kaempfert, the man who first recorded the Bea- tles, who scored with his Wonder- land by Night, and the Teutonic pianist Horst Jankowski, whose big hit Ein Schwarzvald Fahrt was hast- ily retitled A Walk in the Black For- est for U.S. consumption. There was Sweden's Bent Fabric and his Alley Cat, a song that became a staple at weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. There was Spain's Los Bravos, whose 1965 Black Is Black got mistaken for a Gene Pitney out -take, and from France there was Paul Mauriat, whose treacly Love Is Blue was once actually covered by Jeff Beck (per- haps laboring under the misappre- hension that it had been penned by an aging sharecropper from the Mis- sissippi Delta). In the Seventies, the Europeans began to get a little more feisty, commercially speaking. Disco had a lot to do with that, since synthesiz- ers and chanted lyrics tended to travel better than electric guitars and Mick Jagger inflections (it was no accident that disco queen Donna Summer was recorded in Munich by Giorgio Moroder). But there was some traditional pop -rock as well. There was a mini Dutch invasion at the beginning of the decade-the Shocking Blue, whose Venus was one of the best Pete Townshend- steals of all time; the George Baker Selection,whose Ma belle ami wasn't; and Focus, whose Hocus Po- cus did not, fortunately, kick off a world-wide craze for yodeling. Lat- er, there was even the Dutch hard - rock band Golden Earring, whose Radar Love was one of the classic car -radio records. The band hung around into the MTV era. Else- where on the Continent, there was the ubiquitous ABBA, whose Waterloo was the greatest Phil Spec- tor record Phil Spector never made; a lot of one-shot wonders like Silver Convention and their mercifully forgotten Fly Robin Fly; the dour Germanic electro-rock of Kraftwerk (Autobahn), which was enormously influential on both disco and the more recent New Wave; and Bel- gian punk crooner Plastic Bertrand (ca plane pour moi). Still, it wasn't until the Eighties that Europeans began to penetrate the American market with any real frequency. Today, surprising as it may be, it is almost cool to be a European act, and we are living through a European Invasion that may signal the most fundamental changeinpopindecades-the emergence of a truly global music. and out of an animated cartoon like are at least as influential as their Our musico-geographical survey of some mod update of Buster Keat- vocal styles. An East German who European acts of the Eighties is not on's Sherlock Jr. And since the rest fled to the West, she is a quintessen- meant to define the musical scenes of the songs on the group's "Run- tial Teutonic punk. Her records up in each of the countries involved, ning High and Low" album were until now have been loud, vaguely but these acts have achieved high distinctly unmemorable in compar- political, and almost impossible to visibility in the U.S. ison, you wonder about their lon- listen to. Still, she regularly sells out In the wake of the Kurt Wald- gevity. Don't worry. If music fails large halls in major American cities, heim flack, it is perhaps appropriate them, they can always work as mod- and a hit record seems inevitable that we note the emergence of a far els for GQ. given the American public's docu- less controversial figure, thefirst Say what you will about England, mentedappetitefor hectoring Austrian rock star to affect the wal- butithas produced more rock harpies (cf the early Patti Smith). lets of American record buyers. Fal- bands per square mile than any oth- Far more accessibleis another co, nt Hans Hoelcel, is a twenty- er former world power. Of course, German girl act, the oh -so -cute New nine -year -old Viennese -born fash- perhaps as a result, the English mu- Wavers known as Nena. Nena her- ion plate who clearly spent a great sic scene is dominated by a kind of self, a young woman with the elfin deal of his formative years listening Flavor of the Month mindset, but at good looks of MTV vee-jay Martha toDavid Bowie and observing least there's always something hap- Quinn, singslike the proverbial Bryan Ferry (although, to his credit, pening over there. In that light it's bird, but in her own way she's as he does seem to have more of a instructive to compare two recent, politically committed as Ms. Hagen. sense of humor than either of them). critically acclaimed English imports In fact, her recent hit 99 Luftballons An extremelyambitiousyoung that couldn't be more dissimilar- was a trenchant little anti -war state- man, Falco made his first splash theDream Academyandthe ment,althoughitseffectiveness with Der Kommissar, but he really Pogues. The Academy, for all their may have been blunted for Ameri- clickedthis year with Rock Me Eighties packaging (as Warren Ze- can audiences because of her Ger- Amadeus, an amusing blend of von put it, their hair is perfect), are man accent. Oh, well. Actually, at Wagnerian overkill and American the apotheosis of the Sixties produc- heart both of these women make rap inspired, of course, by the Milos tion style, a Sgt. Pepper wet dream. fairly straightforward rock-and-roll, Forman film. Their sound is unbelievably lush, unlike the rest of the artists we're "I view myself as a European per- their melodies incredibly and ap- discussing here, which may or may son, and Wolfgang is such a part of propriately dreamy, their music one not be significant. Europe," Falco has said. "I'm con- of the purest studio creations in TheFrench,alas,have what vinced that if Mozart were alive recent memory. The band's roots might be described as a love/hate today, he'd be a classical rock-and- may be folkish, as in their hit Life in relationship with American culture roll star." a Northern Town, with its echoes of (believe it or not, the French gov- Basically, Falco is a product of the the gentle ruralisms of Nick Drake ernment has been trying to make video age. He does not tour in this (a legendary English songwriter who use of English words like "blue - country and does not plan to. In- committed suicide in the mid -Sev- jeans" illegal). Perhaps because of stead, he records slick MTV clips, enties), but their execution is the this ambivalence, they have never like the recent Vienna Calling, that last word in high -gloss Moderne. produced any rock-and-roll of note, make the most of his lounge -lizard Paul Simon, of all people, is reputed but not for lack of trying, as anyone good looks and Continental charm. to have given them studio tips. who remembers the premier French From Norway, meanwhile, comes Meanwhile, the Pogues are the punkband,theunfortunately a -ha, a bunch of highly photogenic Academy'spolarantithesis. A named StinkyToys,willagree. youngsters who have done more for punk -folk group, for want of a better However, the French have an unde- the Nordic blonde look than any- word, they're a sort of cross between niable knack for turning out mid- body since Ursula Andress. Let's a bunch of London subway buskers dle-of-the-road pop acts like Sylvie face it: these guys are so pretty that and the Ramones. Their album Vartan and Francoise Hardy, and they make Duran Duran look like "Rum Sodomy and the Lash," pro- right now the hottest French mu- the Beast Men in the original Island duced by Elvis Costello with his sicalexportisanimpeccable of Lost Souls, and if that suggests customary disdain for the slick, is middle-of-the-roader,Jean -Michel that they may become the Eighties political,angry,andobviously Jarre. A keyboard wizard in the tra- equivalent of the teen idols of an rooted in the English folk tradition dition of Vangelis or Rick Wake- earlier era (Frankie Avalon, Fa- that gave the world those two great man, Jarre is the son of the great bian), you'll get no argument from songwriters Trad. and Anon., but film composer Maurice Jarre, and, this quarter. with an Eighties edge that ensures not surprisingly, his multitracked Tellingly, a -ha had never played them an audience broader than the synthesizer musings tend to sound inpublic as a band untiltheir, purist folkie set. It will be very inter- like scores to movies nobody has appearance on themost recent esting to see how-or if-both of made yet.Currently kicking up Grammy Awards telecast-where, these bands develop. some dust with Rendez-vous, a trib- to be fair, they ran through their big From Germany, land of Schopen- ute to the late Challenger astronauts hit, Take On Me, with a reasonable hauer, sauerbraten, and Max that's one of the rare instrumentals degree of panache. Still, though the Schmeling, let us now praise two to have cracked MTV, Jarre makes song itself, with its instantly addic- pop stars on the distaff side. Nina music that is basically cornball de- tive falsetto chorus, is an attractive Hagen, whose credits include an ap- spite its high-tech trappings, but it's bit of pop fluff,itis doubtfulit pearance (apparently a first) on the also as French as runny brie, and a would have dented the charts with- cover of the German edition of Mad lotless fattening.It may not be out the help of a brilliant video in magazine, is one of those theatrical rock-and-roll, but we like it anyway.

which the band members popped in New Wave singers whose hair styles Vraiment.

94 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 HOW TO GET OTV AT HOME STE II

BY DAWN GORDON

HE first American stereo television broadcast tion is as exciting an innovation as color TV was back in occurred on July 26, 1984. On that dayThe the Sixties. Tonight Showairedinstereo, and things If you've replaced your mono TV set with a brand new haven't been quite the same since. Well over stereo model, you can receive stereo broadcasts now. three hundred stations are currently equipped Just like cable -ready sets that receive mid- and super - for Multichannel Television Sound (MTS) band cablechannels,stereo -readytelevisions(and broadcasts, and the three major networks are VCR's) contain the circuitry necessary for decoding the providing a total of thirty hours per week of stereo and secondary audio program (SAP) signals. Most regularly scheduled stereo programming to stereo TV's are high -end 1985 or 1986 models that con- their local affiliated stations. tain not only stereo decoding circuitry but better than But how do you receive stereo programming in your average speaker systems as well. And audiophiles will home if you own a mono TV set or have a satellite dish? appreciate another feature of many of these sets: audio Or if you are connected to a cable system that has yet to outputs for connection to a stereo system, allowing the offer stereo decoding equipment to its subscribers? The TV sound to be played through high -quality home solutions are easy enough to implement, and although speakers. In some cases, stereo TV's also incorporate you may have to spend some extra money, stereo recep- built-in amplifiers (usually around 5 to 15 watts per

STEREO REVII-AVAGI_ Sr 19S6 9E. channel) so that you can connect small or highly efficient larger exter- nal speakers to them directly. Stereo -Capable If you purchased a top -of -the -line 1984, 1985, or 1986 model TV from a major manufacturer, there is a very good chance that it is stereo - capable. What this means is that the set has a special multiplex (MPX) output designed to accept an exter- nal MTS stereo decoder. MTS decoders for stereo -capable TV's are available from many dif- ferent manufacturers, but, as with other specialty products, it may be best to purchase a decoder from the same manufacturer that produced your TV. Although many decoders are universal by design, some man- ufacturers use different types of MPX outputs,socompatibility could be a problem if you decided to Sansui's S-XV1000 audio/videoreceiver provides connections for up to mix and match. Because these de- three VCR's, a fader control, and a joystick -driven coders lack their own built-in tuners color -correction system. Rated power is 80 watts into 8 ohms with and rely on the TV's own tuner, less than 0.01 percent total harmonic distortion. they are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. Polk Audio's Video Sound speakers, the VS -25. VS -19,and VS -12, are Even a stereo VCR needs a decod- designed to be used with a TV set or video er for MTS. Without the decoder monitor. The speakers have a special magnetic structure to eliminate you will be recording off the air in interference with the picture screen. mono. While many stereo VCR's today have built-in MTS decoders, others have only an MPX terminal for connecting an outboard decoder, and still others have neither a de- coder nor an MPX jack. But suppose you like the TV and VCR you already own, and neither one has a built-in MTS decoder. If you don't want to spend the money for two MTS decoders (one for the TV and one for the VCR), there's a way to get by with just one-if your VCR is a stereo model with an MPX jack. Connect an outboard MTS decoder to your VCR and use the VCR's tuner instead of the one built into your TV set. Since the VCR is decoding the signal, simply connect a pair of audio cables to the VCR's audio output and the other end to your stereo system or the stereo video input on your TV set or monitor. You will then be able to receive MTS broadcasts, but you will have touse your VCR to change channels, and you will not be able to listen to one channel in stereo while recording another. Cable Even when you have stereo -ready or stereo -capable equipment, if you are a cable subscriber you may not be able to receive MTS because of the kind of converter box you have or the way the cable company han- dles the signals it transmits. A quick look at the way MTS is transmitted should make the situa- tion clearer. The audio part of a TV broadcast beginsatanetwork's main transmitter, which sends ei- ther of two pairs of audio signals- discrete stereo channels (left and right) or identical mono channels- to a satellite. The satellite rebroad- casts these signals, and they are pulled in by local affiliate stations. The local station sends the audio signals it receives from the satellite through a switcher that determines whether the program is mono or stereo. If it's mono, the audio signal is sent out to your home without further modification. If it's stereo and the local station has an MTS encoder,thesignalsarepassed through the encoder before being sent out over the air. If you have a he Proton 625 monitor/receiver has a 25 -inch screen, three video and decoder built into or attached to three audio inputs and outputs, MTS/EAP capability, your set, you can receive the audio and remote control. Its built-in power frequentty in stereo. response is rated as 20 to 30,003 Hz- 3 dB. ABLE companies pick up their nonpremium chan- Shire's HTS 5000 Surround Audio Processor has five speaker cutputs nels the same way you do and three audio modes: Doby Surround, ste-co at home-from the air. ambience recovery, and stereo synthesis for mono sound. A remote Theycanpassalong unit controls volume, surround -sound level, ausystem -n_te. MTS-encoded audio sig- nals for you to decode at C home, or they can kill the stereo audio by simply fil- tering it out or by sending it through older transmission equipment that cancels the MTS encoding during a demodulation/remodulation pro- cess. Moreover, if you're among the 15 percent of cable subscribers who have the old-style baseband con- verters instead of the newer r.f.-type converters, the MTS signal will be cut off before it reaches your decod- er even if the cable company has passed it along. The situation is even more com- plicated when it comes to premium cable channels such as MTV or HBO, the ones that don't originate in a local broadcast. In these cases it is the cable company that would have to encode the audio signal for MTS in order for you to receive it in stereo (with an appropriately equipped TV or VCR). Until very recently, the equipment for MTS encoding was too expensive for ca- ble use, since a separate encoder would be needed for each premium channel (which is, in effect, a sepa- rate "station"). The latest word is that a new type of encoder will be available very soon that will cost video equipment is Sony's ST-7TV, a CATV/MTS decoder with option- al remote control ($300). The ST- 7TV can receive the audio from a total of 181 channels, has separate A and B antenna inputs and audio/ video outputs, and can decode both stereo sound and SAP programs. Another example is the Pioneer VZ-100 ($150), which decodes ster- eo audio and SAP signals from VHF and UHF channels. Its MTS circuit- ry features automatic stereo/mono switching and the ability to receive MULTKHANIVEL TV SOINNIO SONY C= mammals stereo and SAP transmissions si- 4111111111011=1 multaneously. There are twelve pre- r sets for TV channels and twenty- four for AM/FM stations. If you want the most innovative MTS decoder available, however, The Fosgate 3601 Space Matrix processor features two built-in 40-wa take a look at the Recoton V622 rear -channel amplifiers, line outputs for external ($149.95). This unit,also called amplification, and five audio modes: stereo, mono, Dolby Surround, F.R.E.D. (Friendly Recoton Enter- surround, and panorama. A remote control is optional. tainment Decoder), does not re- quire the user to play with two Sony's new ST-7TV has both MTS and SAP decoding anda built-in channel controls.All you do is tuner for accessing up to 181 broadcast and cable change the channel on your TV and channels. Other features include separate A and B antenna inputs, the V622 will select the matching audio and video outputs, and optional remote control. audio channel automatically thanks to an r.f. probe that attaches to the TV set. The r.f. signal picked up by only about $2,000 per channel, so it existing MPX jack on a stereo -capa- the probe contains the MTS infor- is likely that most cable companies ble TV or VCR. Essentially, it is a mation. The V622 may not work will eventually offer MTS service. separate, audio -only receiver along with TV sets connected to cable sys- Inthe meantime, some cable with the necessary MTS decoding tems that are not encoding the MTS companies have provided a tempo- circuitry. Most of these units re- signal. With those cable systems rary, partial solution by feeding the quire you to select channels twice, that are just supplying premium stereo audio portions of their trans- once on the TV and then on the channels such as HBO, however, missions on the FM band. Subscrib- decoder. you can use the V622 for stereo ers can receive simulcast stereo au- If you don't have cable, connect- reception of normal broadcast chan- dio by connecting a cable to their ing such a decoder is fairly easy. nels and the cable box for the premi- FM tuners. Obviously, thisis a Unhook the antenna cable that al- um channels by using an outboard stopgap procedure, but cable com- ready feeds your TV and attach a A/B switch to select one or the other panies make a lot of money with it two-way signal splitter to. the end. reception mode. from installation fees and monthly Connect coaxial cable to both out- UTthe Recoton V622 has "stereo" charges for this service. puts on the splitter, then run one numerous other features cable to your TV and the other to that set it apart from the Adapting Mono Equipment the MTS decoder. For audio output crowd.Insteadof the If you belong to the majority in you have the choice of feeding the usual 25 to 30 dB of ster- this country, you do not have a ster- stereo signals from the decoder to eo channel separation, the eo -ready or stereo -capable TV or your stereo system or, if the decoder V622 has aseparation VCR. Until you trade up to stereo/ has built-in amplifiers, to a pair of spec of 40 dB! It has two MTS equipment, or until your cable external speakers. sets of audio output jacks. company modifies its equipment to If you do have cable, with or with- The second set is for use with a ster- let you receive the MTS signals out a stereo -ready TV or VCR, the eo VCR, so that you can listen to unaltered, what can you do? Fortu- first thing you will need is a good set one channel and record another si- nately, audio/video manufacturers of rabbit ears or any other decent multaneously without a separate de- have solved the problems of mono TV antenna. By connecting the an- coder for the VCR. The V622 also cable systems and mono TV sets tenna to the MTS decoder's antenna includes a stereo synthesizer that and VCR's by offering numerous input, you are taking the broadcast automatically engagesfor mono external MTS decoders with built-in MTS-encoded audiosignaland programming,anambienceen- tuners. Basically, all you have to do feeding it into the decoder. The vid- hancement circuit, DNR (Dynamic is to attach one of these to your ster- eo portion of the program is sup- Noise Reduction) for mono materi- eo audio system and stereo TV plied as usual by your cable compa- al, and an MPX input for use with broadcasts are yours. ny hookup. TV's and VCR's that have an MPX This type of MTS decoder differs One example of a good external output jack. All the V622 lacks is from the kind that connects to an MTS decoder for use with mono SAP capability.

98 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST1986 Due out by the time you read this comes with infrared remote con- willbeRecoton'snewV624 trols: TV's, VCR's,videodisc ($199.95), which has all of the fea- players, CD players, and even audio tures of the V622 and also a 15 - receivers. But in their efforts to free watt -per -channel amplifier, separate us from the tangle of wires that go bass, treble, balance, and volume with any complicated system, man- controls, and a Channel 3/4 loop - ufacturers have cluttered our coffee through input for easier connection tables with little hand-held control to cable boxes. (See test report in devices. this issue.) One way around this problem is the total audio/video system from a Simulated Stereo sound as well. All you have to do is single manufacturer operated by a If the stations in your area are not to connect the audio outputs of your singleremotecontrol.Pioneer, yet transmitting in stereo, you're stereo -ready TV or VCR or MTS Sony, JVC, and RCA are among the temporarily out of luck. An inex- decoder to the auxiliary or tape companies offering such systems. pensive device called a stereo syn- inputs on your audio receiver or But for people who would rather thesizer, however, will produce a integrated amplifier. select their components from vari- simulation of stereo sound for a If you are passing the MTS signal ous manufacturers, there. are other very niceeffect.Many MTS decod- through your stereo system, it's im- ways. Magnavox and Sylvania are ers incorporate stereo synthesizers portant to have your speakers flank- now offering a "universal" video for mono programming, and a num- ing the TV screen. If the image is remote control with many of their ber of audio/video receivers such as coming from in front of you and the TV's thatis preprogrammed to the Yamaha R-9 also include it. It sound from speakers on your right, work with VCR's from twenty-nine may be pseudo -stereo, but for many it won't seem natural. And make different manufacturers, and one people it's significantly better than sure that the speakers are no more version even controls cable boxes. listening in mono. than 8 feet apart or you will lose the General Electric's Control Central center of the stereo image. If you ($149.95) can "learn" the codes Satellite Reception cannot place your speakers closer used by the remote controls for up Earth -station owners can get the together, it may help to turn the vol- to four different components, such best stereo reception of all, because ume up on the TV to fill the "hole" as a VCR, a TV, a CD player, and the satellite dish receives the stereo created in the center of the listening an audio receiver, so you only have audio signals in the same form they position. to use one hand-held remote for all are sent to a local TV station. If you of them. It's definitely a conven- have an earth station, you will need Integrating Audio and Video ience worth looking into. astereo satellite receiverto receive Since the introduction of stereo INALLY, if you want the the incoming stereo feed. Because VCR's, LaserDisc players, and MTS latest offspring from the the MTS encoding hasnotyet been broadcasts, manufacturers have de- marriage of audio and done, however, you cannot send the veloped receivers designed to unify video you can buy a sur- output of the satellite receiver to the audio and video. Normally these round -sound decoder to antenna input of a stereo -ready TV units do not include video tuners provide the ultimate in set or VCR and get stereo. The pilot but do handle the audio from video theater -type sound. You frequency that the MTS decoder sources. Companies such as Sony, will also need a separate looks for is simply not there. What JVC, Yamaha, Sansui, Kenwood, pair of rear speakers, and you have to do is to connect a pair Panasonic, and Pioneer offer audio/ in some cases a rear amplifier, but of audio cables to the stereo outputs video receivers with a variety of you'll be able to experience space- of the satellite receiver and attach facilities for video switching, dub- ships and planes flying overhead or the other end to the audio inputs on bing, and signal processing. the sound of wind from behind your your TV or music system. One of the more elaborate of back. Many stereo videotapes and these a/v receivers is the Sansui SX- videodiscs contain surround -sound Getting the Best Sound V1000 ($599), which features a information, and even stereo TV Although stereo TV broadcasts built-in rear -channel amplifier and broadcasts are beginning to offer it are limited to a top of 15 kHz, you delay system for realistic theater or as well. The decoders range in price can still achieve sonic performance hall ambience, a special simulcast from $150 to $600, and they're similar to that from your FM tuner. circuit for combining audio from made by such companies as Sony, One way to do itis to purchase the FM tuner with video from any Pioneer, NEC, Sansui, Shure, Sur- speakers specially designed for use of three different sources and re- round Sound, and Fosgate. within close range (2 feet or less) of cording it on a VCR, dubbing con- After nearly five years of waiting a video monitor/receiver. These nections for three VCR's or two for the bureaucratic red tape to speakers are magnetically shielded VCR's and a videodisc player, and clear, MTS broadcasts are finally because magnetic interference from separate outputs for a video moni- here. It may take the various cable ordinary speakers placed very close tor/receiver and a standard TV. It companies another five years to to a video screen can cause color even has a front -panel joystick con- catch up and offer stereo transmis- interference. trollerfor color correction, and sions, but you don't have to wait to Probably the best approach is to there's a built-in fader for semipro- receive many stereo programs in connect your MTS decoder to your fessionalvideoediting.Remote your home. So the next time you music system. Your high-fidelity control is standard. enter the theater, it could just be in speakers will deliver the best video These days almost everything your own living room.

STEREO REviEw AUGUST 198699 HE CARE AND STORAGE OF

Tips on how to give your tapes a longer, better life by Larry Klein

HETHER your video- are heat, humidity, dirt, stray mag- tape (and recorder) an hour or two cassette collection neticfields,and improper han- to return to indoor room tempera- consists of old mov- dling. ture-and allow condensation to ies, Star Trek episodes, or a com- Heat. Tapes, whether recorded or evaporate-before you start playing plete documentation of your child's not, ideally should be stored under a it back. early years, there are certain sensi- constant temperature of, say, 21° C Dirt. Videocassettes are fairly well ble steps you can take to preserve (70° F). Extreme variations in tem- sealed against dirt when they're in your cherished recordings. perature cause expansion and con- theirstoragesleeves,butwhile The earliest video recordings were traction of the tape base, which they're in the VCR the guard shield made about twenty-five years ago could result in long-term deteriora- is raised and the tape is exposed. It's on 2 -inch -wide tape. Since the pic- tion and even oxide shedding, espe- wise, therefore, to keep your VCR ture and sound seem to have suf- cially with poorly manufactured, and tape storage area as dust free as fered no detectable changes through off -brand tapes. Therefore, avoid possible. There sums to be a certain the years, experts believe that vid- leaving individual tapes in an area amount of oxide shed from any tape eotape longevity is such that your where directsunlight can reach during the record -play process, but children's children should be able to them, and locate your tape storage the higher the grade of :he tape, the enjoy the videocassettes you made area away from air conditioners, ra- less it is likely to shed. last month-if your care and stor- diators, and heating vents. Should you use a VCR head age conditions are adequate. The Humidity. For archival storage, a cleaner? The question is somewhat major causes of tape deterioration constant humidity of about 55 per- controversial. Althoug:i there are cent is recommended, but in a typi- perhaps a dozen differeit brands of cal home it is likely to be far lower video head cleaners on the Ins rket, thar that. in winter and higher than that in summer. In any case, don't store yoer cassetes in a damp base- ment. And if yot.'ve been recording out of doors on a cold day, give your most of them from highly reputable ly because the chance of edge dam- tween tape layers. It seems to rre manufacturers,some technicians age to the tape inside is then mini- that there's no harm in such a pro- strongly advise against the he me mized. I don't think tape damage cedure, but it could be a zirne-cou- use of any head cleaner. In their from flat storage is likely, however, suming task given the slowress of view, the only way to avoid exces- since even in that position the integ- most VCR fast -wind mechanisms sive wear and possible head damage rity of the tape pack is pro:ected by and the size of many videocasset:e is to return the VCR to a factory - the housing. collections. authorized service center for prcper It is probably not a good idea to Tape quality. Although I did not cleaning. store tape half -wound, because the list tape quality as one of the factors My view is that a reputable brand internal protective mechanism that that causes (or prevents) deteriora- of head -cleaning cassette is not hke- keeps the tape pack tight could press tion, it certainly should be consid- ly to cause problems if it is used creases in the tape that might cause ered when you are tapir g for ooster- only for the brief periods recom- momentary losses of the picture and ity-or at least for you- odd age. Be mended and only when a grainy sound. For much the same reason, assured that none of the better VCR picture shows that its services it'sbest not to leave a cassette brand -name manufacturers is likely are needed. If I had followed the loaded in the VCR unplayed for to produce a tape that is subject :o advice of the return -it -to -the -fac- long periods. Admittedly, if you've early deterioration. Their technolo- tory group, by now I would have set your machine to tape two weeks gy and quality -control procedures paidforfourcleaningsof my of programs while you are on vaca- are just too good for that to happen. VCR-aside from the inconven- tion, there isn't much you :an do to However, every manuiac-urer does ience of getting it to and from the avoid some risk. produce tapes in a broac range of service center. It seems to me :hat Handle your cassettes with rea- prices reflecting their relative audio the money and time saved by using sonable care. A dropped cassette and video recording quality. Tapes a reputable head -cleaning cassette might become unplayable because that are intended for high -quality more than compensate for any addi- of internal or external mechanical stereo music recording an an appro- tionalhead wear thatitnight damage. pria:e VCR must be vimally drop- cause. If the phone rings when you are outfreeor the souk will3e traymagneticfields. watching a tape, it's best to hit STOP, affected. Most manufacturers haile Since the video picture rather than PAUSE, if your conversa- a tape that they specify for hi-fi and sound are embodied tion is Lkely to last longer than a audio/video recording_ Ir ary case, on the tape in the form of complex minute or so. Unlike the situation it seems logical to me -hat any tape magnetic patterns, any disrupticn of with an audio cassette player, PAUSE intended for archival use should oe these patterns by externally applied on a VCR is the same as FREEZE of the very highest grade, and it magnetic fields will affect the pic- FRAME, and in this mode the VCR should be recorded at the fastest ture. Therefore, avoid storing tapes heads repeatedly sweep the tape in speed. These precautions will en- close to or on top of magnetic -field one smallarea.Although most sure that the best pcssible signal sources such as loudspeakers, TV VCR's will automatically switch to quality is available for occasional sets, amplifiers, etc. A distance of at STOPafteracertainperiodin future viewing and hearing-ever if least a couple of feet from tnese FREEZE FRAME, why subject the tape the program material itself isn't of potential problem sources shoukl be to unnecessary wear? the highest quality or an_ve:sal ap- more than adequate. Some experts suggest that video- peal. After all, how many times will Improper handling. There seems cassettes that are not played regular- the grandchildren of afifty -five- to be general agreement that it is ly be "exercised" by fast -forwarding year -old lawyer want to witness his best to store videocassettes vertical- and rewinding them at least once a out -of -tune contribution to a high- year. The purpose is to prevent pos- school band concert? U sible print -through of the standard audio track and/or adhesion be- JEAN -PIERRE NI 1PAL COURTS GENIUS. A

CBS Masterworks is proud to S present Jean-Pierre Rampak newest Baroque masterpiece, The Put?. At The Court Of Frederick The GrcEt Rampals insight into the rarely performed concertos of court T composers Benda and Quanz rEsults in an album of historical significarce and musical genius. Masterworks is honored that E Jean-Pierre Ra-npal, one of tie most recorded class cal instrumentaists it history, continues to create his q-eatest music on the C3S Masterwo-ks lobe. R

Jean-Pierre Rampal The Flute at the Court of Frederick the Great Benda Quantz Frederick the ..3rm Ensemble Orch. de Paris/Walez 0 R

IN39702

2 -Record Set RAMPAL RAMPAL & J.S. BACH SONATAS FLUTE VIVALDI DOMINGO ms 6 CONCEBTL OE 10 A NIGI-1 AT THE FORFL 111. 39/V ION K JEwaAN-PIERRE SL I SOLIST1VENETI OPERA SCIMONE,D. TREVORTINNOCK THE MAGIC FLUTE ROLAND. 731rt7.0UX ( ell.

DIGITAL IM394162 M 42100 12.139746

On CBS Masterworks Re:ords, chrome Cazse-tes and Connect D scs. "CBS," ' Masterworks," are t ademerks of CBS Inc. 1986 CBS Inc

CIRCLE NO5 ON READER SERVICE CARD BEST OF THE MONTH

Stereo Review's critics choose the outstanding current releases DOHNANYI'S DAZZLING DVORAK

voctAx's pristinely beauti- ful Symphony No. 8, in G Major, has not lacked for distinguished recorded per- 11)formances, going all the way back to Conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi: among the very best pre -World War II 78's, but the new one by the Cleveland Orchestra un- come up short. Not so Simply Red. der Christoph von Dohnanyi surely VISCERAL This band, led by vocalist Mick ranks among the very best. And R -&-B FROM ("Red") Hucknall, has chops B. B. while it has formidable rivals even SIMPLY RED King would be proud to play off, on CD, the balance may be tipped and it has an emotional center that's in its favor by the filler piece, the closer to Memphis, New Orleans, first digital issue of the passionate and Chicago than most U.S. bands Scherzo capriccioso, which for me is HILE the British have ever get. one of the choicest of Dvotak's always seemed more In its debut album for Elektra, smaller works. rabid about Ameri- "Picture Book," Simply Red Dohnanyi and the orchestra give can soul and rhythm- smokes through one of the most their all throughout the four move- and-blues than most Americans, exciting studio sessions I've heard ments of the symphony in a daz- British attempts at r -&-b, from John inyears.Hucknall's gutsy blues zling performance marked by razor- Mayall's Bluesbreakers to Dexy's countertenor (youcould almost sharp attacks and rhythmic alert- Midnight Runners, have always mistake him for Phoebe Snow) is ness, combined with all the plan- gent lyricism the music demands. Simply Red: a nonstop virtuoso display The wind and brass playing is su- perlative,andspecialmention should be made of the flute soloist in the finale. The Scherzo capriccioso here is simply exhilarating, a delight to hear both in the fiery sections and in the ravishing slower passages. The English -horn and bass -clarinet players do an especially fine job in this piece. From the days of George Szell, Cleveland's Masonic Auditorium has been the locale for many sonic- ally notable recording sessions. In terms of total clarity throughout the audio range, stunning dynamics, and ideal ambience, this recording meets the highest standards set in that hall in the past. Strongly rec- ommended! David Hall

DVOIIAK: Symphony No. 8, in G Ma- jor, Op. 88; Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66. Cleveland Orchestra, Christoph von Dohnanyi cond. LONDON 0 414 422-1 $10.98, 0414 422-4 $10.98, al 414 422- 2 no list price. SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking By Pregnant Women May ResultinFetal Injury, Premature Birth, And Low Birth Weight. 16 mg "tar': 1.0 mg nicotine av per cigarette, FTC Report Feb '85 Come to where the flavor is. Come to Marlboro Country.

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one of the most distinctive voices in no personality.Rather,likethe No. 4 in E -flat Major, Op. 7. Emil pop. He doesn't just attack the up - great English pianist Solomon, he Gilds (piano). DEUTSCHE GRAMMO- tempo songs, he rips the lyrics off never made a self-conscious gesture PHON G 415 481-1 $10.98, ©4115 481-4 the page with his teeth, and his bal- in the name of "interpretation" but $10.98, (I5) 415 481-2 no list price. lad singing is so visceral you wonder put all his formidable musical pow- how he pulled himself together long ers at the service of the composer. enough to stand up at the mike. Part of what defined his personality, THE FASCINATING Hucknall'sperformanceplaces in other words, is that it was never WORLD OF him instantly among the great sing- allowed to get in the way of the ers of the Eighties, but he doesn't music's own character-which heJOE JACKSON have to go it alone. Side one of "Pic- conveyed unfailingly well. ture Book" is a nonstop virtuoso Gilels apparently did not com- display of the rest of the band-the plete his survey of the Beethoven ROCK'S angry young man funky bass and drum rhythms of sonatasforDeutsche Grammo- has got a lot off his chest Come to My Aid punctuated by phon, but those he did record are all with his new album, "Big pianistFritzMcIntyre'sblock exemplary of the very highest stan- World." It took the most chording and Sylvan's syncopated dards of musicianship and the deep- advanced digital technology to do rhythm guitar, the walking -bass and est levels of satisfaction and con vic- it, but Joe Jackson has proved that blues -piano octaves of Sad Old Red, it's still possible to record music the the lightning -fast synthesized -horn way it was done twenty years ago: in charts of Look at You Now, and the three days, not six months, without strutting ensemble riffing of Jericho. infinite overdubbing and remixing. It's rhythm-and-blues played with And as if taking a swipe at pop zprecision and heart. The material music's obsession with technical on side two doesn't give the band overkill weren't enough, Jackson quite as free a range: the slower also sounds a warning about Ameri- tunestherefocusattentionon ca'sarrogant,uncomprehending Hucknall, who proves his mettle by march to moral and political de- making some otherwise tepid cuts cline around the globe. But you sizzle. This is one record I intend to don't have to agree with Jackson's wear out. Mark Peel politics to recognize the power and conviction of his music on "Big SIMPLY RED: Picture Book. Mick World." Hucknall (vocals); Fritz McIntyre (key- Soundfreakswillfind"Big boards, vocals); Chris Joyce (drums, World" fascinating. It was recorded percussion); Tony Bowers (bass); Syl- live, digitally, direct to two tracks. van (guitar); Tim Kellett (trumpet); vo- Emil Gilels: exemplary Beethoven While recording to two tracks rather cal and instrumental accompaniment. Come to My Aid; Sad Old Red; Look at than the customary twenty-four or You Now; Heaven; Jericho; Money's tion for the listener. In two recently thirty-two might seem a mathemati- Too Tight (to Mention); Holding Back released early sonatas, Nos. 2 and 4, cally simpler propostion, itis,in the Years; Red Box; No Direction; Pic- as in the other recordings in his fact, far more difficult. Every instru- ture Book. ELEKTRA 60452-1 $8.98, © cycle, he did not undertake to give ment must be in perfect balance 60452-4 $8.98, 60452-2 no list price. us "Gilels's Beethoven" but Bee- during performance. There is no op- thoven pure and simple. The power portunity to adjust the dynamic lev- of his playingisnever exagger- el or correct any mistakes after the ated-it is, in fact, occasionally un- music is on tape-which explains EMIL GILELS: derstated. But the clarity of vision why rock music (even "live" rock BEETHOVEN and impeccable technical execution music) is never recorded this way. that he brings to these superb per- To make it work here, Jackson and PURE AND SIMPLE formances is at all times remarka- his band spent months rehearsing ble. In short, music making doesn't the material for "Big World," play- get much better than this, in any ing club dates, and ironing out the /F the late Emil Gilels has been repertoire, and, fortunately, the re- technical performance problems be- less in the forefront of many corded sound isalso just about fore recording the album live over people's minds, particularly in ideal on all counts. three nights at New York's Rounda- connection with the Beethoven This is a treasurable release-not bout Theatre. Unlike conventional sonatas, than several other major as a souvenir of a great artist but "live" concert albums, there is no pianists (his juniors as well as his simply as a notable addition to the crowd noise here: the audience was seniors), it's probably because Gil- Beethoven discography. asked to hold it's applause until the els made less of an imprint in terms Richard Freed last note of each song had decayed. of being what the entertainment After the recording was finished, media call a "personality." I'm cer- BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 2, in Jackson used Direct Metal Master- tainly not suggesting that Gilels had A Major, Op. Z No. 2; Piano Sonata ing to create the album master,

STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 107 BEST OF THE MONTH

NOW ON CD Compact Discs of previously released LP's

POPULAR O JACQUES BREL: A ?Olympia 1962. PHILIPS 814 372-2. The French poet and singer recorded live at the peak of his career. O THE COSTELLO SHOW: King of America. COLUMBIA CK 40173. "Unexpectedly rewarding" (June 1986). Joe Jackson: a simmering restlessness, an angry edge DONALD FAGEN: The Nightily. WARNER BROS. 23696-2. "Nostalgia, eliminating two "generations" in and the boogying piano and guitar surprises, and an irresistible beat" (Best the disc -making process. riffs of Soul Kiss. of Month, March 1983). Why did Jackson go to so much Fast or slow, a simmering restless- O 1 REMEMBER MAMA (Richard trouble to get around the modern ness runs the entire course of "Big Rodgers -Martin Charnin). PoLYDOR 827 336-2. Studio recording of conveniences of multitrack record- World."SongslikeRight and Rodgers's last musical (1979), with Sally ing technology? Part of it was his Wrong (inspired by Ronald Rea- Ann Howes and George Hearn. reaction to the growing dependence gan's infamous speech denouncing JERMAINE JACKSON: Precious of rock artists on electronics -not Russia as the embodiment of evil Moments. ARISTA ARCD-8277. just for special effects, but to get on earth), Tango Atlantico (Jack- "Unfailingly attractive vocals" (July son's wry commentary on the Falk- 1986). down a solo or vocal track they LOGGINS AND MESSINA: Full couldn't otherwise deliver and even lands War), and Forty Years (about SaiL COLUMBIA CK 32540. "Inventive to stay on key or with the beat. The the steady disintegration of the old and charming" (April 1974). other part, of course, was sound. By American -European alliances) give O LOU REED: New Sensations. RCA stripping away the layers of elec- the album the appearance of a polit- PCDI-4998. "Smart, moving, and tronic gauze, Jackson was able to ical statement, but Jackson is just as accessible" (Best of Month, July 1984). give "Big World" a razor-sharp clar- interested in people, places, and re- O DIONNE WARWICK: Dionne. ARISTA ARCD-8295. "Sweet and ity to match the angry edge in the lationships. Big World, for instance, easygoing" (October 1972). music. restores the wide-eyed awe foreign There wouldn't be much point to places can inspire when not trivial- all this if "Big World" weren't inter- ized by global political quarreling. CLASSICAL esting from a musical point of view. Jackson'slastbattle O BEETHOVEN: Moonlight, on "Big Pathdtique, and Appassionata Sonatas. Fortunately, itis. As its title sug- World" was with the accountants at Serkin. CBS MYK 37219. "Stunningly gests, it is a globe-trotting pastiche his record company. He had fifteen powerful" (January 1964). of styles and subjects. Jackson re- new songs -too much for two LP BRAHMS: Lieder. Norman. PHILIPS turnstothelean,rock -quartet sides, not enough for four. So the LP 416 439-2. "Luscious" (February 1981). sound of his first albums, although version of "Big World" is a three - BRITTEN: Peter Grimes. Pears; he continues to range over jazz, sided album on two discs, with one Britten. LONDON 414 577-2 (three blues, and reggae. The music is stri- CD's). The definitive Grimes (1978). side blank -and, at Jackson's insis- DEBUSSY: La Mer; L'Aprds-midi dent and jarring on side one, from tence, at the price of one record. dlanfaune; Jeux. Boulez. CBS MYK the rubbery reverb guitar of Wild Regardless of how you feel about 37261. "Boulez at his best" (April West to the angry cadences and politics or pop, that's a fight ev- 1975).

demented chords of Right and eryone can get behind.Mark Peel DONIZETTI: L'elisir d'amore. Wrong to the wobbly Middle East- Sutherland; Bonynge. LONDON 414 461-2 (two CD's). "Vocal magic" (April ern scales of Big World.It then JOE JACKSON: Big World. Joe Jack- turns quiet and reflective on side 1972). son (vocals, piano, recorder, accordion, MAHLER: Symphony No. 1. two. The moody piano and guitar of melodica); vocal and instrumental ac- Levine. RCA RCDI-0894. "Crisp, Shanghai Sky, the corny accordion companiment. WildWest; Right and impulsively youthful" (May 1975).

of Fifty Dollar Love Affair, the ach- Wrong; (It's a) Big World; Precious RACHMANINOFF: Symphony No. ing vocal chorus of We Can't Live Time; Tonight and Forever; Shanghai 2. Previn. ANGEL CDC 47159. "Broadly Together, the slowly swaying waltz Sky; Fifty Dollar Love Affair; We Can't lyrical" (December 1973). Live Together; Forty Years; Survival; VIEUXTEMPS: Violin Concertos time of Forty Years Ago -all are Soul Kiss; The Jet Set; Tango Atlantico; Nos. 4 and S. Perlman, Barenboim. classicexamplesof Jacksonian Home Town; Man in the Street.A&M ANGEL CDC 47165. "Near perfection" emotion. Things start shaking again SP -602I two discs $8.98, © CS -6021 (April 1979). on side three with the shuffling one cassette $8.98, CD -6021 one CD high -school -gym sound of Survival no list price.

108STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 Even if college isn't for you, caance 3o travel. To meet new people. To the G.I. Bill Plus the Army College get yourself into the best physical shape Fund can be. you'v-t. ever been in. And, you'll get the You can earn $17,000 for your Army's high-tech training that can help you Vo-Tech schooling with the Army's in your Vo-Tech major and your career. special Two -Year Enlistment. Or If you'd like to learn more about $25,200 if you serve four years. how the G.I. Bill Plus the Army College Of course, how much you earn fcr 7-und can help pay for your educa- your schooling depends on how long tion at an accredited Vo-Tech school, you serve and which specialty you qual- visit your local Army Recruiter. Or ify and enlist for. call, toll free, 1 -800 -USA -ARMY. But you'll get a lot more out of yo it ARMY. enlistment than money. You'll have a BE ALLYOU CAN BE.

IF YOU WANT TECHNICAL IT ISN'T ONLY FOR COLLEGE. POPULAR MUSIC

Discs and tapes reviewed by had enough summaries. It's time Laurie thrill as a hallucinogenic drug, and just Anderson moved forward again.M.P. as effective. M.P. Chris Albertson Phyl Garland THE ART OF NOISE: InVisible CHET ATKINS: Street Dreams. Chet Silence. The Art of Noise (vocals and Atkins (guitar); instrumental accom- Alanna Nash instrumentals). Opus 4; Paranoimia: paniment. Spats 'n' Hats; The Crystal in Mark Peel Eye of a Needle; Legs; Slip of the the Light; The Official Beach Music; (If Tongue; Backbeat; andfiveothers. You'll) Stay a Little Longer; Classical Peter Reilly CHRYSALIS BFV 41528, © BVT 41528. Gas; and five others. COLUMBIA () FC Steve Simels no list price. 40256, © FCT 40256, CK 40256, no Performance: Seductive list price. LAURIE ANDERSON: Home of the Recording: State of the art Performance: Chet stretches out Brave. Laurie Anderson (vocals, violin, "In Visible Silence," an awesome dem- Recording: Excellent synclavier, keyboards); Joy Askew (key- onstration of the state of the recording In the last few years, Chet Atkins has boards); Adrian Belew (guitars); Dave art, is the epitome of what, for better or become fond of writing "C.G.P.," for Van Tieghem(drums,percussion); worse, is happening to pop music in the Country Guitar Picker, after his name. Richard Landry (saxophone, clarinet); electronic age. The line-up alone cues It's a fitting moniker for a backwoods, vocal and instrumentalaccompani- you to a trend in music personnel: the barn -dance musician, I suppose, but it's ment. Smoke Rings; White Lily; Late band includes a recording engineer, a a touch too humble for a man consid- Show; Talk Normal; Language Is a Fairlight programmer, and one bona ered to be one of the world's foremost Virus; and three others. WARNER BROS. fide "musician," a keyboard player. The guitarists, especially a musician adept at 24500-1 $8.98, 24500-4 $8.98, Art of Noise's members, all protees of so many different styles. 24500-2 no list price. Trevor Horn, have contributed their That signature isparticularly mis- Performance: Excellent technical wizardry in production or per- leading on "Street Dreams," since a Recording: Excellent formance to albums by Frankie Goes to mere country guitar picker would have Hollywood, ABC, Malcolm McLaren, a heck of a time trying to figure out A Spanish-speaking quiz -showhost Wham!, Billy Idol, Scritti Politti, Paul what's going on. This is more of a light - asks a contestant which of two objects, a McCartney, Yes, and many others. jazz album, or I should say a fusion of pineapple or a knife, is more "macho." These are no ordinary sidemen; their country and jazz. As usual, Atkins's Naturally, it turns out that the pineap- technical contributions go a long way insistence on making his music com- ple is more macho than the knife-after toward defining the very sound and merciallyaccessibletothemasses all, this is Laurie Anderson. character of the performing groups they makes his artistry sound deceptively "Home of the Brave" is drawn from work with. simple and commonplace, particularly the soundtrack for Anderson's first film, Anne Dudley, Gary Langan, and Jon- on a reworking of Mason Williams's her first major attempt to reach the larg- athan Jeczalik wrap layers of simple Classical Gas. Don't let the ol' boy fool er audience her work deserves. For two- and three -chord tones in a dazzling you, though. No matter how you look at thoseunfamiliarwithAnderson's variety of synthesized sounds, the most it, this is charming music, an antidote strange jumble of music, story -telling, prominent of whichisthe human for a month's worth of stress. A.N. dance, comic word -play, slapstick, and voice-digitized, sequenced, and sam- sight gags, the film and the album are an pled to the point that the vocals (there BODEANS: Love & Hope & Sex & entertaining introduction to her "per- are no lyrics as such) are hardly recog- Dreams. BoDeans (vocals and instru- formance art." The album, which con- nizable as human. While an occasional mentals). She's a Runaway; Fadeaway; tains roughly half the music from the "real"musicalinstrumentcanbe Still the Night; Misery; Say You Will; movie, is brilliantly performed and re- heard-some guitar, for instance-vir- UltimatelyFine;andfiveothers. corded. tually everything on this album was SLASH/WARNER BROS. 25403-1 $8.98, Anderson's music is alive with agi- created at the keyboard and the digital © 25403-4 $8.98. tated, continually shifting rhythms and console. an unending variety of unusual sounds. There isn't room to catalog all the Performance: Onto something The results are chaotic, unfamiliar, yet sound effects the trio achieves, but a Recording: Good immediately accessible. But for those typically amazing succession occurs on The music of the fast -paced quartet who know Anderson's previous albums, Instruments of Darkness. It opens with called BoDeans is a subtle, savvy, and "U.S.A.," "Big Science," and "Mr. a South African minister delivering a intelligentinterweavingof country, Heartbreak," little on "Home of the speech imposing martial law. A synthe- folk,and root -levelrock-and-roll, Brave" is new or thought -provoking. sizedstring choir begins playing a wrapped in a cloak of cool. In other The phone conversations, the dream Holstian theme when a voice inter- words, much of this album is a sort of interpretations,thestories-virtually rupts, saying "the fuse is lit," at which Bob Dylan meets the Everly Brothers everything on the album is either famil- point the strings hit a thunderous note kind of music, especially in Sammy Lla- iar or predictable. It could be consid- that sounds like an explosion. The nas's Dylanesque lead singing and in his ered a summing up, a quick digest of strings then play through a series of Phil -and -Don harmonieswithKurt her work to date. But with one five - brief explosive attacks, which gradually Newmann-otherwise known as Beau record compilation ("U.S.A.") and two wind down as the tape is slowed, finally BoDean. On side two, however, the Bo - other albums that represent excerpts or ending with what at first sounds like a Deans' music pays great homage to ear- variations on that larger work, we have stylus scratching back and forth against lyElvis, and throughout you'll find the record grooves and then a nuclear instrumental references to the Beatles detonation. Terrifying stuff. as they were influenced by the Everly EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS: The insidious thing about the Art of Brothers and American r -&-b. Some- O DIGITAL -MASTER ANALOG LP Noise is that while I regard their work times, in fact, when Llanas handles the = STEREO CASSETTE philosophically as the death of music, lead vocals-on Misery, The Strangest = DIGITAL COMPACT DISC the record is all but irresistible. It's tech- Kind, and Ultimately Fine-you get the = MONOPHONIC RECORDING nology working directly on the reptilian odd feeling that you're listening to Dy- brain stem-as shallow and cheap a lan sing a catalog of newly discovered 110STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 Presley tunes, songs with lyrics that still revolve around the heart but with a mainline hookup to the head. The important thing is that the Bo - Deans don't just surgically graft this stuff together; it all comes out of some higher sensibility and synthesis of style. And producer T -Bone Burnett, part of the old Alpha Band as well as a big part of Dylan's old Rolling Thunder Revue, knows a lot about integrating styles and keeping things suitably raw and loose. This is a most impressive debut album. With any luck, it just might be a real sleeper. A.N. BRENDA & THE BIG DUDES: Weekend Special.Brenda & the Big Dudes (vocals and instrumentals); in- strumental accompaniment.Weekend Special; I Wanna Be Single; Gimme Your Love; If I Hurt You Little Boy; Bongani;and three others. CAPITOL ST - 12482 $8.98, 0 4XT-12482 $8.98. Performance: A real surprise Recording:Good At first this album appears to be by a black vocal -instrumental group from, say, Harlem or Detroit, but a checkof the credits reveals that the artists have KATRINA AND THE WAVES names like Desmond Molatana, Du- BELIEVE it or not, there are ac- whelmed by the blandishments of a cur- Ngubeni, and Fats Mlengeni. tually some cynical souls out rent paramour. Other especially win- Brenda & the Big Dudes are, in fact, there who think that Katrina ning tracks includeSun Street,a shame- black South Africans, and their tracks (Leskanich) and the Waves are lessly retro slice of British Invasion were recorded in that country. Addi- too lightweight and unabashedly cheer- whimsey via the early Kinks or Small ful to be taken seriously. For those Faces, andLove That Boy,one of the tional instrumentals and remixing were group's trademark rave-ups by way of done in New York. Even if you scratch people I have only one word: phooey. beneath the surface of the U.S.-added These three Brits and their American La Bambaand Buddy Holly. chanteuse are not exactly on rock's cut- The concludingStop Trying to Prove "sweetening," however, you'll find that is an the music still has the ring of contempo- ting edge, I admit, and they don't deal (How Much of a Man You Is) rary American pop. There's nothing much with anything beyond the prima- inspired piece of feminist blues bashing, wrong with that, of course, though I do ry subtext of rock-and-roll, which is cars she kind of thing Janis Joplin might wish the sound had remained a bit more and girls (or cars and boys in Katrina's have done if her tongue had been more exotic. When vocalist Brenda Fassie case). No messages here. And, yes, they firmly in cheek. The rest is high-class pop rock, 1986 -style. You should hear and her banddoveer a bit away from wear their influences-old r -&-b, early the established course, as onBongani, guitar -rock,Richie Valens -likeTex- all of it, and soon. The songs may not which has a slight African flavor, they Mex, and Beatlesesque songcraft-on mean much, but this is a wonderful are not just good but stunning. P.G. their collective sleeve. But none of that band_ As Sam Goldwyn said, "If you matters on any essential level. What want to send a message, call Western Steve Simels CULTURECLUB: From Luxury to does matter is that Katrina and the Union." Heartache.Culture Club (vocals and Waves know how to entertain. "Waves," the follow-up to their 1985 KATRINA AND THE WAVES:Waves. instrumentals); vocal and instrumental Katrina and the Waves (vocals and accompaniment.Move Away; I Pray; major -label debut, may lack the imme- diate grabbiness and energy that made instrumentals);othermusicians.Is Work On Me Baby; Gusto Blusto; Heav- That It?; Tears for Me; SW: Street; Love- en's Children;and five others. VIRGIN/ its predecessor such a delight, but it has much that warrants attention nonethe- ly Lindsey; Riding Shotgun; Sleep on EPIC OE 40345, © OET 40345, no list My Pillow; Money Chain; Mr. Star; price. less. Perhaps the best thing on it isIs That It?,a wonderful horn -laden. Stax/ Love That Boy; Stop Trying to Prove Performance:Bland Volt -inspired dance tune in which Ka- (How Much of a Man You Is).CAPITOL Recording:By the numbers trinafindsherselfslightlyunder- ST -12478 $8.98, © 4XT-12478 $8.98. "From Luxury to Heartache" shows why an album doesn't have to be ugly or inept to be bad. Bland will do just as could make the Art Ensemble of Chica- and less like the vintage Smokey Robin- surely. When Culture Club first hit the go sound like ABBA, and his produc- son he was once compared to and more U.S., the band had to work hard to tion here is glitzy, sanitized, and utterly like the middle-aged Smokey of the late overcome America's prudish skepti- conventional. Every song sounds as if it Seventies. cism. Now that Boy George's outra- had been written and arranged for an "From Luxury" isn't a total write-off. American Bandstandlistening test. So It closes strongly with two killer dance geous androgyny is more an asset than a and the hot liability, however, they seem to be on the fate of these proceedings rests on tracks-the angryToo Bad Boy George's pipes-still an appealing Sexuality.But wading through a side automatic pilot. Part of the problem is and a half of what amounts to "The ArifMardin'sproduction.Mardin instrument but one that's growing less STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 I 1 1 Culture Club Mike Douglas Sessions" son and Depeche Mode-made even to get to two good tunes hardly seems Leo Kottke records. Fans of early Big more obvious by the use of Anderson's Star or current DB's records will find worth the effort. M . P. producer, Roma Baran, and Depeche this highly reassuring stuff. S.S. Mode's engineer, Gareth Jones. But the GREEN ON RED: No Free Lunch. Humpes take eccentricity to a bold RONNIE MILSAP: Lost in the Fifties Green on Red (vocals and instrumen- extreme. The opening cut and first sin- tals). Tonight. Ronnie Milsap (vocals, key- Keep on Moving; Honest Man; gle,Three of Us,offers a lesbian twist on boards); vocal and instrumental accom- Ballad of Guy Fawkes; No Free Lunch; the lovers' triangle, followed by an ode paniment.Lost in the Fifties Tonight and three others. MERCURY 826 346-1 to masochism,Happiness Is Hard to $8.98, © 826 346-4 $8.98. (In the Still of the Night); Old Fashioned Take.Side one ends up withDon't Girl Like You; I Heard It Through the Performance:Interesting in spurts Know Where I Belong,a letter to a psy- Grapevine; Don't Take It Tonight;and Recording:Good chiatrist explaining why "I skipped the six others. RCA AHL1-7194 $8.98, © couch today." Obviously, the girls have AHKL-7194 $8.98, © PCD1-7194 no Green on Red got lumped in with the a sense of humor to match their musical list price. LosAngelesPaisleyUnderground talents. But when you're born with a movement (to their chagrin, apparent- name like Humpe, I suppose it'sa Performance: Heartattack ly), but they're on the Angry Young necessity of survival. A.N. Recording:Exceptional Cowpunk end of that particular spec- trum. They sound vaguely For allhis superior technicalskills, like the JOE JACKSON: Big World (see Best Ronnie Milsap too often turns in album Stones circa "Let It Bleed," Dylan circa of the Month, page 107) "Blonde on Blonde," and Gram Par- performances that reek with the sort of glossy shallowness undiscriminating lis- sons after a three-week bender. Lead LET'S ACTIVE: Big Plans for Every- teners mistake for soul. There's a cer- singer Dan Stuart does the best imita- body. Let's Active (vocals and instru- tain amount of that here, particularly in tions of early Mick Jagger I've ever mentals).In Little Ways; Talking to heard from anybody I didn't go to high his cover of Barrett Strong'sMoney Myself Writing the Book of Last Pages; (That's What I Want),but when Milsap school with, and the rest of the band Last Chance Town; Badger;and six oth- makes a fairly convincing acid -country buckles down andcroons,when he gets ers. I.R.S. IRS -5703 $8.98, © IRSC- his heart as involved as his fingers, he's racket behind him. The songs are prob- 5703 $8.98. ably a matter of taste. hard to beat for seamless, ingratiating pop. There's a lot of that on this album, I likethe Ballad of Guy Fawkes,a Performance:Mystery rock Recording:Very good which is built around the Grammy win- political screed in which Stuart casti- ner gates Ronald Reagan, Lenin, Ghandi, Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Here's a difficult -to -classify little album Still of the Night).To go with it, Milsap and Che Guevara (although he mum- that should appeal to pop formalists of subtly weaves together material from bles so determinedly that atfirstI all ages. Fronted in a neo-Chipmunk thought he was talking about Jake Riv- three decades to create an overall ro- voice by Mitch Easter, the music is built mantic, reflective mood reminiscent of iera, Elvis Costello's old manager). And up with layered acoustic guitars and slow -dance sock hops and fluttery inno- I also cotton to the title song, a very fun- imaginative production touches that re- ny rockabilly history of the group in cence. With only one real exception, the call acid -era Beatles. The massed gui- tunesareengaging,evocative, and which they lament that "all our friends tars,strings, backward sound effects, dressed to perfection, with loving atten- were Republicans or on heroin." The and the like display the kind of South- tion to the smallest instrumental detail rest, including what must be the woo- ern Gothic sensibilityyou'd expect ziest cover of a Willie Nelson song in and only a small nod to Nashville from a guy who once worked with formula. A.N. memory(Funny How TimeSlips R.E.M. Oddly enough, perhaps the Away),is fairly tough sledding unless most accessible track is the concluding OAK RIDGE BOYS: Seasons. Oak you're a fan of the genre. But there is Route67,a demented slide -guitar work- something going on here, and you could Ridge Boys (vocals); instrumental ac- out with a Bo Didley beat. Unless I am companiment.Seasons; What Are You do worse than to check it out. S.S. very much mistaken,itbespeaks a Doing in My Dream; Don't Break the youth at least partially spent with old HUMPE HUMPE. Humpe Humpe Code; Juliet; You Made a Rock ofa (vocals); instrumental accompaniment. Three of Us; Happiness Is Hard to Take; The Oak Ridge Boys: singing about humanity and personalgrowth Can't Leave the Pool; Don't Know Where I Belong; Belle Jar;and five oth- ers. WARNER BROS. 25402-1 $8.98, 25402-4 $8.98. Performance:Hot stuff Recording:Very good Imagine, if you can, what the McGarri- gle Sisters might sound like if they came from Germany, and you have a vague idea of what to expect from Humpe Humpe. Like Kate and Anna,the Humpes are sisters, Anete and Inga. And while the McGarrigles sing some songs in English and some in French, the Humpes offer songs in English, Ger- man, Japanese, and Spanish, singing more as one voice than in a traditional lead -and -harmony format. As you might expect, the Humpe sis- ters' song structures are totally unpre- dictable. Again like Kate and Anna, much of their material sounds born of amateurism, but it is utterly winning, with strong Europop underpinnings and obvious influences from Laurie Ander-

112 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 New Digital Demand Car Stereo Amplifiers

Rolling Stone; Take a Step (Yesterday Powerful enough Waltz);and four others. MCA 0 MCA - 5714 $7.98, CI MCAC-5714 $7.98. Performance:New maturity to be Pyle Recording:Excellent Five NEW models, power After a particularly flaccid album last packed and distortion free for time out, the Oak Ridge Boys have pu-e explosive sound. Pyt come back with a surprisingly varied Digital Demand ampli=fiers. and able contender. With the exception preamp/EQ and electronic ofJuliet,a mindless, ultra -commercial crossover are American nade ditty in the vein ofElvira,the program and fine tuned by over 3C years is unusually thoughtful and grown-up experience. Perfectly Pyle! Pyle Industries. Inc 501 Center St. compared with much of the quartet's iunbngton, IN 46750 (219) 356-120 previous material. These areadults singing about mature ideas and situa- tions-about humanity, personal growth, codes of ethics, and responsibil- ity to loved ones-not the usual radio fare of hedonistic pleasure and self-cen- tered image. The songs never get heavy- handed, though. Not every tune is a winner, but the engineering makes up for almost anything-never have the Oaks' voices sounded so stirringly vi- brant or so thoroughly musical. A.N. PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION: Parade.Prince and the Revolution (vo- cals and instrumentals); vocal and in- strumental accompaniment.Chistopher Tracy's Parade; New Position; I Wonder U; Under the Cherry Moon; Girls & Boys;and seven others.WARNER BROS. 25395-1$8.98, ©25395-4 $8.98, 25395-2 no list price.

Performance:PG -13 CIRCLE NO. 35 ON READER SERVICE CARD Recording:Excellent Until now Prince's records have been sprawling, runaway affairs, like walking -Shelf Conscious? - A DIFFERENT KIND As of into a bacchanal of frightening intensi- Now you can organize your cop FREEOF RECORD CLUB ty.It wasn't simply his explicit lyrics, TREMENDOUS SAVINGS which revealed an almost Jovian licen- Stereo Review INCLUDING COMPACT DISCS... tiousness, but his raucous, freewheeling `low your magazines can be a handsome on every record and tape in print - brand of funk-loud, thwacking bass addition to your decor, well organized, and easy 10 "agree -to -purchase'. oblication of any kind. and even louder, practically ear-split- to find, thanks to these durable library -quality DISCOUNTS OF 200/o TO 730/o ting whiperack percussion. So what's cases or binders. They're made of luxury look oft mgt. suggested list.. special catalog happening here? In "Parade" Prince has leatherette over high -quality binders board. And features hundreds of titles and artists both styles are custom -designed for this or any MOST LABELS AVAILABLE created a quiet, pretty album whose magazine you save, with size, color, and imprint including most imports through special custom lyrics actually leave something to the selected by the publisher. FREE transfer foil ordering service-guarantees satisfaction imagination. included for marking dates and volumes. SCHWANN CATALOG lists thousands of titles. The arrangements on "Parade" are Magazine bindershold a years DISCOUNT DIVIDEND COUPONS leaner and more daring, combining the issues on .ndividual snap -in rods. redeemable immediately for extra discounts combining them into one volume. spare but clean sound of muted trum- NEWSLETTERS $7.95 each: 3 for $22.50: 6 for $42.95. pets, woodwinds, and strings with occa- informational news and happenings in the sional bursts of splintered piano chords Mixed titles OK for quantity prices. world of music ... special super sale listings and fractured drumming. The album's Open -back casesstore your DISCOUNT NEEDLE GUIDE erratic changes of mood keep you off issues for individual reference. most mfg. replacements available balance and attentive. At the conclusion $6.95 each: 3 for $19.75: QUICK SERVICE of side one, for instance, it shifts from 6 for $37 50. Mixed same day shipping on many orders.. titles OK for rarely later than the next several days the euphoric flute -and -synthesizer call - quantity prices. 100% IRON -CLAD GUARANTEES and -response ofLife Can Be So Niceto on all products and services-your total the placid interplay of piano and strings satisfaction is unconditionally guaranteed Stereo Review. P.O. Box 5120 on the balladVenus de Milo.There are Philadelphia. PA 19141 Dicount Music Club is a no -obligation membership guarantees tremendous discounts onall dozens of inventive details and memor- DCases CI Binders Quantity clubthat Please send: stereo records. tapes and CD's and let you buy what able moments-theStrawberry Fields Stereo Review: you want.when you want_ or not at all if you choose (Other titles)' woodwinds and trumpets that march These are lust a few of the money -saving reasons to 'Add $1.00 per order [I ENCLOSED IS $ wile for free details. You can't lose so why not fill out alongin Christopher Tracy's Parade, for post. & handling. Outside USA add $2.50 per unit and mail the coupon below for immediate information. the flutes that echo Prince's vocal in I ordered. Send U.S. funds only. CHARGE ORDERS Wonder U,the laughing baritone sax of accepted for American Express. VISA, or MC. PHONE TOLL FREE 800526-0790. In NJ only 201. ans DISCOUNT MUSIC CLUB, INC 009-0886 Girls and Boys,the prancing strings and 540.0445. BY MAIL include credit card name. ` 481 Main Street. New Rochelle. N.Y 10801 strip -show brushstrokes of the snare and exp. date. MINIMUM CHARGE ORDER $10 Name _ drum onDo U Lie. Print Name Address _ Prince, of course, is still Prince: some- Address where between Sly Stone and Mae City/State/Zip City West. His lascivious intonation suggests Z,o 'PA residents add 6% sales tax. State

IL CIRCLE NO71 ON READER SERVICE CARD

ti I I It I) \ I Al \ l(.1s I 1 1 he's licking chocolate from his fingers as Heart In San Francisco that shows he coos, "I love you baby, love you so JAZZ some of the wear and tear of the years much/ . . . maybe we should stay in on his voice but not on the vitality of touch." StiLl, there's nothing on "Pa- his delivery. Other highlights are a deli- rade" you need to worry about sup- TONY BENNETT, MARION AND ciously sly Let's Do It by Byrd and Ms. pressing when the neighbors' kids are JIMMY MCPARTLAND:TonyBen- McPartland's trio and a refreshingly up- around. M.P. nett/TheMcPartlands and Friends beat (though not unsoft) Softly As in the Make Magnificent Music.Tony Ben- Morning Sunrise. Roy Hemming SIMPLY RED:Picture Book(see Best nett(vocals);Marion McPartland of the Month, page 103) (piano); Jimmy McPartland (trumpet); FREDDIE HUBBARD, WOODY Charlie Byrd (guitar); other musicians. SHAW:Double Take.Freddie Hub- ZENO. Zeno Roth (guitar, vocals); Mi- Watch What Happens; Softly As in a bard(trumpet,flugelhorn);Woody chael Flexig (lead vocals); U. Winsomie Morning Sunrise; Lonely Avenue; Let's Shaw (trumpet); Kenny Garrett (flute, Ritgen (bass, vocals); vocal and instru- Do It; Stompin' at the Savoy; In a Mel- alto saxophone); Mulgrew Miller (pi- mental accompaniment. Eastern Sun; A low Tone; and four others. DRG MRS ano); Cecil McBee (bass); Carl Allen Little More Love; Love Will Live; Signs 910 $8.98, © MRSC 910 $8.98. (drums). Boperation; Lotus Blossom; on the Sky; Far Away; and six others. Performance: First-rate Lament for Booker; Desert Moonlight; MANHATTANST -53025 $8.98, © 4XT- Recording: Live and lifelike Sandu; Just a Ballad for Woody; Huh 53025 $8.98. Tones.BLUE NOTE0 BT 85121 $9.98, Behind the awkward album title lies a C) 4XT 85121 $9.98. Performance: Labored better -than -average selection of taped Recording: Good excerpts from a session that took place Performance: Provocative I'm sure it wasn't Zeno's intention, but in a Buffalo, New York, club in May Recording: Excellent the cover illustration on the band's 1977. It's a generally easygoing session, In their new "Double Take" album, debut album neatly sums up the con- of the type that (for me, at least) bears trumpeters Woody Shaw and Freddie tents: a young boy standing along a more repeat listening at home than a Hubbard are not, as producer Michael highway at sunset seems to be catching whole album by the same singer or Cuscuna points out, engaged in a "cut- the last rays of sunlight in his left hand. instrumentalist. Best of all, of course, is ting" contest where one player blows But because his hand is held up against the chance to hear Tony Bennett, Mar- himself blue in the face to outdo the his ear, it looks as though the sun is ion McPartland, Jimmy McPartland, other. In fact, both players are com- shining through the boy's head. Zeno's and Charlie Byrd together. mendably restrained. The game plan for music is just as empty-headed, although Bennett makes quiet magic with both most of the tracks has the two leaders it'sless apt to inspire laughter than Watch What Happens and While We're paving the way to a series of solos with a impatience. This album is AOR mysti- Young, and he closes the set with a let - unison statement of the theme, which is cism at its wimpiest. M.P. it -all -hang-out version of I Left My repeated at the end. Two selections

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CIRCLE NO. 20 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE NO. 26 ON READER SERVICE CARD

114 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST1986 depart from this format: Just a Ballad companiment. Novo tempo; Comecar than the sounds that shaped Nascimen- for Woody and Lament for Booker. de novo; Abre alas; Formigueiro; Dino - to's artistry in the province of Minas Written by Shaw's wife, the former rah, Dinorah; and eight others.PHILIPS Gerais during the early Forties. And to owes a debt to Body and Soul and fea- 822 672-1 $8.98, © 822 672-4 $8.98. make absolutely sure that we pay atten- tures sensitive solos by Shaw and Ken- tion, the producers have thrown in Hu- ny Garrett on flute. The latter is a 1962 Performance: Brazil ruts bert Laws and Pat Metheny for good Hubbard tribute to the memory of Recording: Very good marketing measure. They're barely no- trumpeter Booker Little. Played on the Since his arresting presence on Wayne ticeable, however, on the two tracks flugelhorn by Hubbard, its backbone is Shorter's 1975 Columbia album, "Na- they play, and their presence serves no a fragile melodic line whose structure tive Dancer," singer/composer Milton real musical purpose. and arrangement is oddly reminiscent Nascimento has helped generate a new What we do hear is Nascimento's silk- of The Day After, a little-known Tom Brazilian influence on American pop en voice, in Portuguese, sailing through Macintosh tune recorded by Howard jazz. Ever since the tango began to slide eleven of his own enchanting songs with McGhee almost two years earlier. With American couples across parquet floors the kind of emotional power we used to wonderful bass support from Cecil in the Twenties, we have seen periodic hear from Piaf. Yes, he also plays guitar, McBee and a good foundation laid musical invasions from south of the but it is his voice and his material that down by pianist Mulgrew Miller and border. The present one from Brazil is grip us. drummer Carl Allen, this is, all in all, a more subtle than the Bossa Nova fad of Ivan Lins is a Brazilian composer, nice album, but you will wait in vain for the early Sixties. This time it is not one singer, and pianist whose music is bet- goose bumps. C.A. particular rhythm but a multitude of terknown thanhisname.Sarah refined percussive and melodic twists Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Carmen MILTON NASCIMENTO: Meetings that are slowly being woven into our McRae are among the American singers and Farewells. Milton Nascimento (vo- pop and jazz fabric. who have recorded his songs, and you cals, guitar); Nico Assumpgao (bass); In the process of becoming an inter- can add him to the list of performers Tulio Moult°, Wagner Tiso(key- national star, Nascimento has occasion- whose talent has been exploited by boards); other musicians. Rap; A pri- ally succumbed to the fusion trap that Quincy Jones, but "Juntos," the other meira estrela; Mar do nosso amor; has downgraded so many of our own release in the new series,is his first Radio experitncia; Quem perguntou por players, but he comes through itall American album. It is a good example mim; and five others. PoLvDOR 0 827 unscathed on "Meetings andFare- of the new Brazilian influence on Amer- 638-1 $8.98, 827 638-4 $8.98. wells," which is one of two albums ican music-or, if you will, the Ameri- launching PolyGram's Brazilian Wave canization of Brazilian artists. The in- Performance: Winning series. Granted, this is decidedly a com- spiration clearly flows two ways, but Recording: Very good mercial release, laced with as many as Lins's album does neither side justice. IVAN LINS: Juntos. Ivan Lins (vocals, twenty-eightstringsand fourteen This one is a bland Brazilian splash the keyboards); vocal and instrumental ac- voices, and itis considerably glossier current wave can do without. C.A.

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STEREO REVIEW AUGUST1986 115 YOURSHOPANIOMEHI.TECHDEPARMENTSTORE SAVE 10% to 50% AND MORE . IMPIUS1CWORLD ON QUALITY MERCHANDISE FULLY GUARANTEES

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CIRCLE NO39 ON READER SERVICE CARD CLASSICAL MUSIC

Discs and tapes the performance practices of the time, such as having the fortepianist play reviewed "ORIGINAL" along with the orchestra in a kind of Robert Acrt BEETHOVEN continuo. Newman also chose to use his own brilliant and lengthy cadenza for Richard Freed the first movement instead of the one David Hall Beethoven composed. Taken as a whole, Newman's fleet - Stoddard Lincoln fingered performance is brilliant in the extreme, and I'm glad he used an instru- ment that is less twangy than some for- BARTOK: Allegro barbaro; Three Ron- tepianos I have heard on records in the dos on Folk Tunes; Three Hungarian past. Compared with most modern - Folk Tunes; Suite, Op. 14; Piano Sona- piano performances, Newman favors a ta; Romanian Folk Dances; Old Dance distinctly destache fingering style, but Songs (from Fifteen Hungarian Peasant thanks to the Graf's light keyboard Songs). Zoltan Kocsis (piano). DENON action and a lighter sonority than mod- C37 -78I3 no list price. ern concert grands, the resulting sound is far from dry. Performance: Lyrical Newman is accompanied by the Phi- Recording: Excellent lomusica Antiguaof London. The As a Hungarian musician, Zoltan Koc- sound of its reduced string body and sis responds to the ethnic content of aggressive, almost strident woodwind these works comfortably and idiomati- section is both arresting and fascinating cally, without having to work at it. The Fortepiantst Anthony Newman to the ear. Stephen Simon does a forth- happy consequence is that the "ethnici- right, if not exactly scintillating, job as ty"is unlabored and musical values NEW digital recording of Bee- conductor. By and large, the soloist car- emerge with special clarity in his pre- Athoven's Third Piano Concerto ries the performance, and he is generally dominantly lyrical approach. The piano on the equally new Newport favored within the otherwise intimate is reproduced with exemplary realism, Classic label proves to be of acoustic surround. As a filler (bringing and the recording sounds even more unusual interest.It is one of the few the total playing time to forty-two min- stunning now on CD than it did on the Beethoven piano -concerto recordings utes), Newman gives us a powerful original LP version issued about a de- yet available featuring "original" instru- reading of Mozart's great C Minor Fan- cade ago. It does seem odd to be offered ments and performance practices com- tasia, which also has much to reveal on only the final group from the Fifteen mon in early nineteenth-century Vien- the early instrument. David Hall Hungarian Peasant Songs, but BartOk na. The soloist, Anthony Newman, has designed that portion to be more or less chosen to use a modern copy of an 1815 BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3, detachable, and it provides an effective Viennese Graf fortepiano, which was in C Minor, Op. 37. MOZART: Fanta- conclusion to an enjoyable program of much favored in its day for its light key- sia in C Minor (K. 475). Anthony New- his most familiar keyboard works. R.F. board action. man (fortepiano); Philomusica Anti - Inhis interesting and informative qua, Stephen Simon cond. NEWPORT BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 notes, Newman describes some of the CLASSIC © NC 30007 $9.98, NCD and 4 (see Best of Month, page 107) singular features of the Graf as well as 60007 no list price. DVORAK: Symphony No. 8, in G Ma- jor, Op. 88; Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66 formance of Handel's Samson is now ano). DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 0 415 (see Best of Month, page 103) finally available in this country. The 670-1 $10.98, 415 670-4 $10.98, cast is stellar, and Raymond Leppard's 415 670-2 no list price. HANDEL: Samson. Dame Janet Baker concept is fittingly grand. (soprano), Dalila; Helen Watts (contral- Robert Tear's portrayal of Samson Performance: Poetic to), Micah; Robert Tear (tenor), Sam- leads us from his abject slavery to his Recording: Very good son; John Shirley -Quirk (bass), Ma- moral regeneration in the carefully cal- LISZT: Annees de pelerinage, premiere noah; Benjamin Luxon (bass), Harapha; culated confrontations with his father, slink.: Suisse. Joseph Villa(piano). Felicity Lott (soprano), Messenger, Is- his wife, and a Philistine warrior. Sung SECOND HEARING GS 9006 no list raelite Woman; Philip Langridge (ten- respectivelyby JohnShirley -Quirk, price. or), a Philistine; others. London Voices; Dame Janet Baker, and Benjamin Lux - English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond on, these characters epitomize sorrow, Performance: Intense Leppard cond. ERATO/RCA STU 71240 sensuality, and brute force. Helen Watts Recording: Close-up four discs $43.98. as the sympathetic Micah sustains her Daniel Barenboim's recording of the contemplative role with complete digni- "Swiss" year of Liszt's Annees de pEleri- Performance: Fabulous ty and warmth, and Felicity Lott dis- nage, made back in 1979, has apparent- Recording: Great charges "Let the Bright Seraphim" as ly not been issued until now. It is very Recordedin London atthe Henry brilliantlyas Gerald Ruddock pro- welcome even among several distin- Wood Hall in 1978, this rousing per- claims his trumpet obbligato. As a bo- guished issues in observance of the nus, Dame Janet has appropriated all of Liszt centenary. Betweenit and the the soprano airs in the first part for her- recent recording by Jorge Bolet there is, EXPLANA I ION OF SYMBOLS: self, and she makes a great show of in fact, little to choose-and no possi- DIGITAL-MASTFR ANALOG LP them. In short, this is English oratorio bility of anything resembling disap- © = S I FitFOCASSFI-IT at its best. S.L. pointment.Barenboim's older-and = DIGI I AL COMPACT Disc analog-recording actually sounds = MONOPHONIC RFCORDING LISZT: Annees de pelerinage, premiere smoother and warmer than Bolet's new wild*: Suisse. Daniel Barenboim (pi- digital one. Perhaps the difference is

S'IT.RFO REVIEN' AUGUS I' 1986 117 PRO-FORMANCE COUNTS!

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CIRCLE NO4 ON READER SERVICE CARD accounted for by the respective instru- Denmark's greatest composer, begin- ments: Bolet's tends to sound just a bit ning with the one most favored on the clangy at the top, while Barenboim's is international circuit. There are magnifi- gratifyingly pearly. Barenboim's per- cent moments in this Nielsen Fourth, formance itself is sheer poetry, in the though it is not without flaws. vigorous sections as well as the reflec- The Swedish Radio Orchestra sounds tive ones. marvelous here-in its entirety, in its The difference in recorded sound, or various individual choirs (except the sonic focus, makes for a much stronger winds at certain points), and in the contrast between the Barenboim and admirable overall balance-while the Joseph Villa recordings. Villa gives a recording itself, made in Berwald Hall, fairly dramatic reading of these pieces. conveys the most realistic and spacious In general his tempos are brisker than sonic image. The opening is splendid, Barenboim's, but in the longest piece, but there is a bit of conspicuous gear - "ValIte d'Obermann," they do not en- shifting later in the movement that im- able him to hold the various contrasting pedes the momentum. The pulse is not sections together as seamlessly as Bar- as steady as it might be in the slow enboim does. If Villa seems more con- movement either, and some of the cerned with vigor and intensity than winds are out of tune in the scherzo, but with the sort of poetry Barenboim dis- the concluding section is sheer glory. tills from this material, it may be in part The only other Nielsen Fourth on CD because of his less successful realization so far is Herbert von Karajan's, whose of the music's structural integrity. No Berlin Philharmonic winds have no less a factor, however, is the very close- problems but whose overall perform- up recording, which gives an exception- James Conlon: satis/iing Poulenc ance is less compelling than the young ally realistic image of the piano but Finn's and less impressively recorded. makes the listener too aware of the With a total playing time of thirty-eight instrument, the recording, and the per- sommeil (Sleep's Spaces), was com- and a half minutes, it is also poor value former.Villa'sthunderous machine posed for Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to a for an entire CD. CBS provides the seems to get in the way of the music, text by the French poet Robert Desnos, Helios Overture as filler. Salonen's pac- while Barenboim's more judiciously fo- who died tragically a month after VE ing of it is brisker than the norm, but cused recording allows-compels-the Day as a result of concentration -camp there is no suggestion of haste. This is as listener to forget about everything but imprisonment. Lutoslawski's musical fresh, buoyant, and altogether splendid the music. R.F. setting follows the imagery of the poem a performance of the piece as you're with the utmost vividness, and the vo- likely to hear-and it too is enhanced LUTOSLAWSKI:Symphony No. 3; cal line and the richly variegated or- no little by the spacious sonics. Les Espaces du sommeil.John Shirley - chestral colors reinforce one another A promising beginning, then, for a Quirk (baritone); Los Angeles Philhar- fromtheextraordinarilyevocative cycle that could do much to establish monic, Esa-Pekka Salonen cond. CBS 0 opening pages to the explosive end. Nielsen's symphonies more firmly in IM 42203, C) IMT 42203, MK 42203, Baritone John Shirley -Quirk is in su- the general repertoire. R.F. no list price. perb vocal form here, and his French pronunciation is remarkably clear and POULENC:ConcertoforOrgan. Performance: Handsome intelligible. The young Finnish conduc- Strings, and Timpani; Concert cham- Recording: Very good tor Esa-Pekka Salonen shows his mettle ',etre for Harpsichord and Orchestra. Witold Lutoslawski is the senior and in repertoire that puts both him and the Marie -Claire Alain (organ); Ton Koop- much -honored member of the "Polish Los Angeles Philharmonic to the test, man (harpsichord); Rotterdam Philhar- Modern School" that emerged in the not to mention the recording engineers. monic Orchestra, James Conlon cond. late Fifties and includes as one of its All come through with flying colors, ERATo/RCA 0 NUM 75210 $10.98, C) junior members the perhaps better- and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion MCE 75210 $10.98, ECD 88141 no known composer Krzysztof Penderecki. proves a fine recording venue for the list price. Beginning stylistically as a post-Bar- biting rhythmic figures and vivid solois- tic coloration of Lutoslawski's music. Performance: Excellent t6kian, Lutoslawski eventually evolved Recording: Gorgeous his own personal, expressionist musical All told, a highly recommended disc, language-pantonal, highly colored in especially for contemporary -music en- POULENC:Concerto for Two Pianos terms of orchestration, occasionally em- thusiasts. D.H. and Orchestra; Piano Concerto; Au - ploying aleatoric procedures but never bade.Francois -Rene Duchable, Jean - sacrificing formal control for the sake of NIELSEN:Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 Philippe Collard (piano); Rotterdam momentary sensation. ("The Inextinguishable"); Helios Over- Philharmonic Orchestra, James Conlon Lutoslawski wrote his Third Sympho- ture, Op. 17.Swedish Radio Symphony cond. ERATO/RCA 0 NUM 75203 ny for Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Orchestra,Esa-Pekka Salonen cond. $10.98, © MCE 75203 $10.98, ECD Symphony, which gave its world pre- CBS 0 IM 42093, C) IMT 42093, (15) MK 88140 no list price. 42093, no list price. miere on September 29, 1983. It is in Performance: Satisfying three connected movements laid out in Performance: Mostly splendid Recording: Piano(s) too close roughly a prelude -allegro -epilogue for- Recording: Spacious mat, and whatever one might read into It was a lovely idea to record all of Pou- it by way of a "message," there is no In May of last year I heard Esa-Pekka lenc's concerted works in two volumes question that the hand of a master is at Salonen conduct this symphony in his and a nice touch to make them avail- work from start to finish. Form and debut with the National Symphony Or- ableseparately. Marie -ClaireAlain's content are well and truly integrated chestra in Washington. He was then earlier recording of the Organ Concerto, along the lines of post -World War II twenty-six and looked even younger, with Jean Martinon conducting, always advanced yet mainstream musical dis- but the concert was stunning: clearly, struck me as one of the strongest reali- course, striking, you might say, a highly Salonen not only knew the music but zations of that work's solo part, and it is communicative middle ground between knew how to get an orchestra to give its good to have her authoritative contri- the stern control of a Milton Babbitt very best. Now the young Finnish con- bution again, this time recorded with and the cheerful anarchy of someone ductor and the Swedish orchestra he striking realism on the splendid instru- like John Cage. took over last fall have embarked on a ment in the Rotterdam De Doelen con- The companion work, Les Espaces du recorded cycle of all the symphonies of cert hall. Ton Koopman gives a very

STEREO REVIEWAuGusr 1986 119 persuasive performance in the Concert champOtre-his sensible tempo for the THE ACCESSIBLE BABBITT final movement is especially convinc- ing-but, like most other soloists in this work, he sounds rather overwhelmed, despite what seems to have been the most thoughtful effort toward balancing his harpsichord against the large orches- tra.(Itshould be remembered that Wanda Landowska, for whom the work was composed, used aharpsichord made for her by Pleyel that was consid- erably more powerful than the more "authentic" instruments favored now.) In any event, Alain and conductor James Conlon are surely the most fetch- ing team in the Organ Concerto, and the Compact Disc version is of demonstra- tion quality. The Concerto for Two Pianos, with its vivacious outer movements and its Mozartean middle one, is one of Pou- lenc's most ingratiating works in any form, and it is most attractively per- formed here. In the recording, however, the pianos are given a little too much prominence in relation to the orchestra, and the balance favors the piano even more in the Aubade and the solo Piano Concerto. This sort of thing may dis- tress some listeners less than others, though, and there is no other recording of the Piano Concerto currently avail- able. The convenience of having all Pianist Robert Taub with Milton Babbitt three works for piano(s) and orchestra in such handsome performances and ILTON BABBITTturned sev- and 1973-exhibit the spirit of an ex- opulent sound, even if the balance is and in honor of plorer, but also the solid musical sense than ideal, should make the Erato thatoccasion Harmonia of a composer who knows the piano and package pretty appealing-especially on Mundi U.S.A. produced a how to use it to make his ideas not only CD, where the balance problem is less recording of all of his piano music forceful but attractive. Side two opens noticeable than on LP, and which is, of played by Robert Taub. It has been with the 1974 Reflections, the only work course, unmarred by the LP's side Babbitt's fate, as far as the general pub- in which Babbitt combines a live piano break. R.F. lic is concerned, to be one of those com- with a synthesizedtape.Itisnot posers whose names are known but "bloop-bleep music" but an imagina- TCHAIKOVSKY: The Seasons, Op. whose music is not. He is identified tive utilization of a new technology. It is 37b; Humoresque, Op. 10, No. 2; Na- with the synthesizer and electronic mu- possible to regard the tape as a perform- tha-Valse, Op. 51, No. 4; Polka de sic, with pedagogy, with analytical writ- ing partner in a work whose musical salon, Op. 9, No. 2; Mazurka de salon, ings on the music of our century. Most character is served, but not determined, Op. 9, No. 3. Ruth Laredo (piano). of his important works are available in by that technology. NONESUCH ()79119-1 $10.98, 79119- first-rate recordings now, but it takes a TaubhaschampionedBabbitt's 4 $10.98, © 79119-2 no list price. hardy soul to investigate them in the piano music for some time. Canonical face of repeated caveats that Babbitt's Form, the longest of the nine works Performance: Enchanting music is "inaccessible," or that itis here, was composed for him three years Recording: Excellent meant only for an elite inner circle of ago under a Fromm Foundation/ISCM Never mind that Tchaikovsky ought to academic musicians. commission, and the latest, Lagniappe, have called his suite The Months in- The six works on side one of the beau- was composed early last year especially stead of The Seasons. It is filled with tifully recorded new disc are about as for this recording, which represents its charming and imaginative ideas, and I "inaccessible" as the Gershwin pre- world premiere. The composer was have never heard it make a stronger ludes. In fact, some inflections in the present at the sessions, and he must be impression than in Ruth Laredo's irre- earliest pieces, the Three Compositions as pleased with the piano sound cap- sistible performance, in which the full of 1947-1948, may remind us that Bab- tured by recording engineer David Han- piquancy of each of the twelve pieces is bitt too had productive experience in cock as by Taub's splendid perform- realized to the full without any senti- jazz in his youth. As a youngster in ances. Every aspect of the production is mentalizing. Of the filler pieces, the Jackson, Mississippi, he came under the first-rate, and the documentationis Humoresque and Natha-Valse are fa- spell of Bix Beiderbecke, though he took quite exceptional, expanding upon the miliar both in their original form and up the clarinet and alto saxophone brief jacket notes in a handsomely de- from Stravinsky's use of them in The instead of Beiderbecke's trumpet, and signed booklet. Richard Freed Fairy's Kiss, while the two little dances at age ten he sat in with more than a are delightful discoveries. Laredo plays dozen professional jazz bands as both BABBITT: Three Compositions; Duet; all four, like the big work preceding performer and arranger. Among his oth- Semi -SimpleVariations;Partitions; them, with obvious relish and affection, er early heroes were Jerome Kern and Post -Partitions; Tableaux; Reflections; and the sound throughout could hardly Irving Berlin. Canonical Form; Lagniappe. Robert be better. All in all, this is an enchanting The brief Duet, Semi -Simple Varia- Taub (piano).HARMONIA MUNDIHMC recording. R.F. tions,Partitions, Post -Partitions, and 5160 $11.98, © 40.5160 $11.98, 0 Tableaux-all produced between 1956 90.5160 $18. VERDI: Arias (see Collections-Aprile Millo)

120 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 And four others. Jost Carreras (tenor); seppe Patane cond. ANGEL 0 DS -37356 Collections Martin Katz (piano). PHILIPS 0 411 $11.98, 0 4DS-37356 $11.98, 0 CDC - SERGIO AND ODAIR ASSAD:Latin 478-1 $10.98, 0 411 478-4 $10.98, 0 47396 no list price. American Music for Two Guitars. 411 478-2 no list price. Performance: Exciting Works by Piazzolla, Brouwer, Pascoal, Performance: Very pleasing Recording: Fine Ginastera,and others. NONESUCH Recording: Good presence 79116-I $8.98, © 79116-4 $8.98. Congratulations to Angel for making Jose Carrerasis shown to his best the first of Aprile Millo's commercial Performance: Fluent advantage in this collection of attractive recordings. Not yetthirty,Millois Recording: Open Spanish songs. He meets the changes of already heralded as "the new Verdi This collection of music for two guitars pace and emotional content in the sty- soprano," and well she may be. As this offers, as is often the case, unfamiliar listically varied program with obvious debut album of Verdi arias shows, her composers and repertoire, making it all ease and seeming pleasure. The materi- voice hassomethingof Leontyne the more enjoyable. Ginastera was the al puts no stressful demands on his Price's golden warmth as well as some- only composer whose work I knew, but voice, which sounds rather like a light thing of Zinka Milanov's silvery ping to I would like to hear more music by the baritone here, and he appears to be very cut through heavy orchestration. Mil- others. The pieces, all in twentieth-cen- much at home musically. Particularly lo's interpretive powers, moreover, re- tury neo-Classical style, are filled with effective are a lullaby by Falla, Mom- semble Maria Callas's in her ability to inventive melodies and imaginative pou's Combat del somni, and Of That convey identification with the charac- sounds, and the skillful performances Softest Hair by Fernando Obradors. All ters she portrays. In short, she has by Sergio and Odair Assad are fiery, of the songs, however, are sung with a everything going for her. relaxed, lyrical, and animated in turn. winning directness and unpretentious- In "Ernani, involaini " Millo displays The recording, produced by Robert ness, complemented by Martin Katz's a very agile coloratura, and "Tacea la Hurwitz and Kathryn King, is delight- perceptive accompaniments. The re- none" embraces lovely pianissimo pas- fully clean and filled with subtle details. corded sound is clean and well bal- sages. "MorrO, ma prima in grazia" At the same time, the producers have anced. R.A. from Un ballo is well colored for dra- avoided the microscopic distortions of matic effect, and Lady Macbeth's sleep- close miking and given the sound a spa- APRILE MILLO:Verdi Arias.Ernani: walking scene is hauntingly pathetic cious, live quality. Steve Birchall Ernani, involami. II Trovatore: Tacea and eerie. Indeed, Millo brings individ- la notte placida. Macbeth: Una macchia uality of execution and honest musical JOSE CARRERAS:Cancioneses- e qui tuttora! La forza del destino: Pace, feeling to each of her nine selections. paitolas.Falla: Seven Popular Spanish pace, mio Dio! Don Carlo: Tu the le Under the experienced and sympa- Songs. Mompou: Combat del somni. Gi- vanita.Aida: Ritornavincitor. And thetic hand of Guiseppe Patane, the nastera: Cancibn al arbol del olvido. three others. Aprile Millo (soprano); London Philharmonic provides fine ac- Turina: Poema en forma de cancinnec. London Philharmonic Orchestra. Giu- companiments. R.,4.

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Discs and tapes reviewed by CLASSIC CLASH pUNKrock, to paraphrase an ob- Robert Ackart servation about America, was a Chris Albertson musical form that went from barbarism to decadence without Louis Meredith ever passing through civilization, and Alanna Nash the Clash, which for all intents wasthe punk -rock band, mirrored that process rather neatly. You can see that (and a EVERLY BROTHERS:Album Flash. lot more) in "This Is Video Clash," an Everly Brothers (vocals and instrumen- anthology of the band's career in front tals);instrumentalaccompaniment. of the cameras. A young band full of You Make It Seem So Easy; The Story piss, vinegar, and righteous indignation ofMe; Following the Sun; On the Wings turns before your eyes into a fagged -out, ofa Nightingale. SONYR0191VH VHS druggy bunch of ineffectual corporate $19.95, R0191BE BetaHi-Fi rockers.It's absolutely fascinating (it $19.95. took the Rolling Stones, for example, more than a decade to make the same Performance:In the pocket transformation the Clash underwent in Recording:Varies only a few years). At the end of this video, Phil Everly The cautionary aspect of it all not- says that he believes the fans of the withstanding, "Video Clash" is a genu- Everly Brothers share a sense of having inely exciting tape. At least before the grown up together and of having made a rot set in, the Clash really was a great good choice of music back in the Fif- rock-and-roll band in the classic mold, ties-a music that has matured and and the camera loved them. The clips endured. I suppose someone needed to here are low -budget, nonconceptual af- say it, but it's something the viewer fairs, except for the obviously story - realizes within the first few moments of boardedRock the Casbah,which made this engaging video, made up of record- the Clash MTV stars just prior to the combative, occasionally full of crap, ing -studio footage, concept -video sin- bust-up, and they are extraordinarily and raw -edged in all the right ways, the gles, and interviews with Phil and Don gritty and evocative of their era. Clash was one of the most interesting and their producer, Dave Edmunds. For my money, the high points are bands in all of rock's brief history, and This is something of a mini -documenta- the hypnoticreggae run-through of here is its story in as danceable a pack- ry of the making of "EB '84," the duo's Bank Robber(with legendary producer age as we're ever likely to get. As an ear- comeback LP, but it never gets too hip, Lee "Scratch" Perry hovering in the lier bunch of punks in Detroit used to or too gooey, or even too technical. It background)andLondonCalling, say, it's a killer. Louis Meredith doesconfirm whatyou already whose martial sentiments are perfectly thought-that offstage and without gui- caught as the boys lip -sync their hearts THE CLASH:This Is Video Clash. tars in front of them, Phil is articulate, out on some scummy barge on the The Clash (vocals and instrumentals). with an almost spiritual calm, and Don Thames. But with the possible excep- Tommy Gun; London Calling; Bank2 is restless and unsettled. It never does tion ofThis Is Radio Clash,whose funk Robber; Train in Vain; The Call Up; >1. answer what we've always wanted to pretensionsalways seemedalittle This Is Radio Clash; Rock the Casbah; know: Why did they break up to begin strained, there isn't anything here that Should I Stay or Should I Go.CBS/Fox with? But it's a captivating look through won't get your juices flowing. Feisty, 7098 VHS and Beta $19.98. the keyhole, and a very nostalgic twen- ty-six minutes. A.N. of the ordinary. Lots of energy overall, years ago at Nick's Uptown in Dallas, GAP BAND:Video Train.The Gap but in the end this one's for Gap Band King is backed by what is perhaps the Band(vocals,instrumentals).Party fans only. A.N. house band, perhaps not-the cassette Train; Early inthe Morning; You cover is uninformative, and the one - Dropped a Bomb on Me; Burn Rubber B. B. KING:Live at Nick's.B. B. King hour tape itself gives no clue. The band (Why You Wanna Hurt Me); Jam the (guitar,vocals); instrumental accom- soundsas if it were King's very own. Motha. SONYR0193VH VHS Hi-Fi paniment.Every Day I Have the Blues; Using a plunger, the unnamed trumpet- $19.95, R0193BE Beta Hi-Fi $19.95. Love Me Tender; Sell My Monkey; The er delivers a wonderful growling solo on Thrill Is Gone; Inflation Blues;and four Memphis Slim's EveryDay I Have the Performance:Comin' atcha others.SONYR0194VH VHS Blues,the tenor saxophonist contrib- Recording:Good $29.95, R0194BE Beta Hi-Fi $29.95, utes a robust solo toNever Make Your The Gap Band, a sort of ersatz Sly and R01948M 8mm $29.95. Move Too Soon,the bassist gets his the Family Stone, was one of the first moment onBetter Not Look Down,and black acts to realize the potential of Performance:Substantial everybody jumps on King'sSell My music videos early in the decade. On Recording:Excellent Monkey.It's King's show, of course, so this compilation of videos dating from I don't care for B. B. King's rendition he naturally occupies the limelight most 1982 to 1984 the band moves through here of the old Presleyhit Love Me Ten- Of the time, and if his voice is beginning two concept videos, one performance der-itjust isn't his kind of song-and to show its age, his guitar playing is as video, and two that try to be both. All he sounds wobbly and uncomfortable vibrant as ever. C.A. five are well lighted and professional, with a dreadful number calledThere but onlyJam the Motha, an imagina- Must Be a Better World Somewhere. MONTEREY POP. The Mamas and tiveand surrealistic video in the Herbie But the rest of "B. B. King Live at thePapas:Creque Alley;California Hancock mold, attempts anything out Nick's" is wonderful. Recorded three Dreamin'; Got a Feelin'.Janis Joplin:

STEREO REviEW AUGUST 1986 123 Ball and Chain.Otis Redding:Shake; burst that is outdone only by Hendrix's shots of sailors going crazy, Hank and I've Been Loving You Too Long.The Wild Thing,an unmusical, grotesque the ship's captain swapping ego awards, Who:My Generation.Ravi Shankar: ritual during which he sets his guitar on and even a quick tour of the ship. That Raga Bhimpalasi.Scott McKenzie:San fire and smashes it. These repulsive per- plays havoc with the pacing, to say the Francisco.Simon and Garfunkel:59th formances areoffset by the tuneful least, but when the second half finally Street Bridge.And eight others. SONY sounds of Simon and Garfunkel and settles down, Williams proves that for R0162VH VHS Hi-Fi $59.95, R0162BE three selections by the Mamas and the all his hillbilly hype and Big Overgrown Beta Hi-Fi $59.95, R01628M 8mm Papas, whose John Phillips co -pro- Kid bravado, he is a masterly show- $59.95. duced the festival. On the emotional - man-witty, full of black humor, and Performance:Historic mixture yet -musical side is Otis Redding'sI've capable of creating bone -chilling mood. Recording:Very good Been Loving You Too Long,Janis Jop- In fact, when he goes into a blues ver- lin's energy -chargedBall and Chain, sion ofThe Ride/The Man of Steel, The 1967 Monterey Pop Festival was a and a stunning eighteen -minute display young Bocephus is so affecting that you milestone in the history of American of musicianship and rhythmic intensity clean forget about the trip to the boiler popular music. It inspired Jann Wenner by Ravi Shankar and his group. room. Well, almost, anyway. A.N. to launch his enormously successful The technicalqualityisgenerally Rolling Stone magazine.It boosted con- high, but there are some bad cuts in the JOHNNY WINTER:Live.Johnny siderably the careers of such stars and audio, some of which seems to have Winter (vocals, guitar); Jon Paris (bass, acts as Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, been taken from other sources. Still, this harmonica,vocals);BobbyTorello Jimi Hendrix, Canned Heat, and the remains a remarkable document of an (drums).Jumpin' Jack Flash; Unseeing Mamas and the Papas. And I would event that helped redirect the course of Eye; Highway 61 Revisited; Johnny B. venture a guess that the sensational con - American music. C.A. Goode; Sweet Papa John;and four oth- ers.PIONEER PA -85-121LaserDisc $19.95. Performance:Good Recording:Dull Johnny Winter appeared on the nation- al scene in the late Sixties and made his last notable albums in the early Seven- ties. "Johnny Winter Live," taped at Toronto's Massey Hall in 1983, proves that he's still a fine blues guitarist, but the music is never so exciting that you can overlook how boring the show is visually. With the exception of two brief inserts, in which Winter makes some consists entirely of concert footage- forty-eight minutes of dimly lit,rela- tively unanimated performers captured with all the finesse of a local news crew. Here is a case where an audio release would not only have sufficed; it would have been preferable. C.A. U PAUL YOUNG:The Video Singles. raut Young: an appealing voice anaimpeccable taste in material Paul Young (vocals); other musicians. Come Back and Stay; Everytime You tribution by Ravi Shankar did much to HANK WILLIAMS, JR: AStar Span- Go Away; I'm Gonna Tear Your Play- foster an appreciation for Indian music gled Country Party.Hank Williams, Jr. house Down;and two others. CBS/Fox in this country. (vocals, guitar, piano); Waylon Jen- 347094 VHS Hi-Fi $19.98, 247094 Beta The event also produced thefirst nings, Jessi Colter, Earl Thomas Con- Hi-Fi $19.98. filmed document of a rock festival, a ley, Gus Hardin (vocals); instrumental memorable seventy -two -minute page accompaniment.Honky Tonkin': Texas Performance:Likable from the annals of American pop music Women; Good Hearted Woman; Luck- Recording:Very good that is now available on a Sony video- enbach, Texas; The Conversation; Dixie In a lot of ways Paul Young is a sort of cassette. Already seen on television, the on My Mind;and six others. PACIFIC Eighties English version of Boz Scaggs. film contains all or part of eighteen ARTS 599 VHS Hi-Fi and Beta Hi-Fi He's a guy who genuinely loves black selections by fourteen different acts, in- $29.95, 12-599 LaserDisc $24.95. music and has an appealing voice and terspersed with footage designed to cap- impeccable tasteinmaterial,allof ture the milieu, much as Bert Stern's Performance:Making waves Recording:Varies which calls to mind Olivier's advice filmJazz on a Summer's Daydid for about acting: when you can fake sincer- the Newport Jazz Festival ten years What we have here is a video that tries ity, you're almost all. the way home. before Monterey. to do too much-and darn near pulls it This collection of Young's video hits- Intertwining glimpses of the era's off. The idea was to put Hank Williams, mostly lip -synced concert clips that give flower children with the stage perform- Jr., on board the U.S.S. Constellation him many opportunities to perform ances-which range from the sublime with 10,000 sailors and their guests and athletically with his microphone (Ravi Shankar) to the ugly (Jimi Hen- invite Earl Thomas Conley, Gus Har- stand-features the singer faking sincer- drix)-"Monterey Pop" captures the es- din, and Waylon Jennings and his wife, ity with almost breathtaking aplomb, sence of the day's pop scene, complete Jessi Colter, to come along. You'd need which already puts him leagues beyond with rose petals, light show, and love at least ninety minutes to do that idea such cosmic bores as the Thompson signs. There is not much love, though, right, but, alas, we get only an hour, Twins. And since he isalso goofily in the fury exhibited on stage by the which means that Conley and Hardin endearing, and since the production on Who and Jimi Hendrix. The Who'sMy are edited down to one song each, and his records is as superficially gorgeous Generationends with a contemptuous what little is left for Waylon and Hank as you'll find these days, I'm not dis- assault on their instruments, an out - is further eaten up by the usual junk posed to quibble. L.M.

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views for her perform- by Christie Barter ancesattheMetropolitan & Steve Simels Opera. Asked for suggestions for young singers who are not as far along as she is, she AMERICAN audio manu- advises them to work hard facturers may keep and to "try to be worthy of struggling to meet competi- the art form." 0 tion from the Japanese, but recording classical music- HEY'RE cute, they're even for American labels- Brits,they're Bananara- has become largely a Euro- ma! More important, these 40 pean business. Angel Rec- three fun gals, who in the past ords, headquartered in Los have favored us with such z Angeles, has teamed up with popconfectionsasCruet rd Summer and Robert DeNiro's rd Waiting, have just released a 1- new single that ties in neatly with the European theme of this issue. Handily enough, it's a cover version of the 1970 hitVenus, a Pinball Bunanarama: a new generation of Europop Wizard ripoff originally re- cordedbyaDutchpop contribution and can be or- theny. They may be the un- group, Shocking Blue. The dered from Reiner Record, likeliest jazz duo in recent Ban'sversionon London Chicago Symphony Mara- memory, but that hasn't hin- z Records is similar in style to thon, 310 S. Michigan Ave., dered sales of "Song X," their recent efforts by Dead Or Chicago, IL 60604. Add $3 for new album for Geffen, and

1.4z Alive, and the gratitude of a postage and handling. 0 people who saw the show re- struggling writer is extended portthatthecollisionof to the lasses for reviving one ALTO saxophonist Ornette styles made for unusually in-

of the few important pre - Coleman,theageless teresting music. Eighties Europop hits in time jazz revolutionary, recently for Steve Simels's article on OCK-AND-ROLL JOKE OF page 92. 0 A THE MONTH: Q-Where do cantaloupes go for the IN connection with its an- summer? A-John Cougar nualfund-raisingmara- Mellencamp. Millo at the Met: raves thon this spring, the Chicago Mellencamp recently per- Symphonyissuedatwo - formed a rare solo acoustic the Ambassador Foundation, record album of perform- set on behalf of beleaguered of Pasadena, California, for a ances conducted byFritz farmers in Chillicothe, Mis- series of debut recordings by Reiner during the 1957-1958 souri (not the rock capital of young American artists of ex- season.Neverbeforere- the United States, but what ceptional promise. The first leased, they include Berlioz's the heck). He reportedly was is New York -born soprano Benvenuto Cellini Overture, tuckered out after staging this Aprile Millo, whose debut al- Vaughan Williams'sTallis Metheny and Coleman sequel to last year's Farm Aid bum, a recital of Verdi arias, Fantasia, Schoenberg's Trans- benefit concert but is said to is reviewed in this issue. Itfigured Night, Wagner's Rien- played an SRO date at New be working up new songs for was recorded with the Lon- zi Overture, and Schumann's York's Town Hallinthe a sequel to his Multi -Plati- don Philharmonic Orchestra Second Symphony. The al- company of the younger (and num "Scarecrow" album. No in England. bum is still available, accord- generally more commercial) word, however, on when it's Millo isthrilled that her ing to the orchestra, for a $35 fusion guitar player Pat Me- scheduled to be released.0 first recordis on Angel, a label associated with many Mellencamp: a rare acoustic solo for the farmers CANS of British post -punk great singers of the past, such rabble rousers the Alarm asElisabethSchwarzkopf, and lead singer Mike Peters Kirsten Flagstad, and Maria will be pleased to learn that Callas. She says, "Verdi is my thegroup'srecentfifteen - best friend at the moment. nation television concert is Not only is his music like about to be immortalized for medicine for my voice, but home video. A cassette of the there's a magical, mythical concert, in which the band something in his work that performed in front of 18,000 makes me feel released. In like-minded young people at the future I look forward to UCLA, will be available mo- Wagner and Rossini, and ul- mentarily as the first release timatelytoBellini'sNor- of the fledgling I.R.S. Home ma-but not until I earn the Entertainment label, distrib- right." uted by MCA. As a consumer Millo has gotten rave re- note, however, we pass along

132 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 RECORD MAKERS

this comment by one of our galiia Symphony and Menuhin, and a coupling of spies at a recent Alarm show a couple of jazz -tinged trum- Walton'soratorioBelshaz- in Manhattan. Asked to as- pet concertos by Andre Joli- zar's Feast withthesuite sess the group, she replied, vet and Henri Tomas,, fea- drawn from his music for the "Just four guys with scary turing Wynton Marsalis as film Henry V conducted by

haircuts." the soloist. 0 the orchestra's music direc-

tor, Andre Previn. ar HEprofessionalbreak- F you are not yet aware of a / through for the young Fin- /noticeableincreasethis GRACENOTES: Hard to be- nishconductor Esa-Pekka year in radio and T\' pro- lieve, but squeaky -clean Salonen came in September gramming of Canadian mu- ex -teen idol Donny Osmond 1983 when he was asked, on sic, in performances by Cana- was spottedrecentlywith only a few days' notice, to dianmusicians,youun- heavy-metalmavensBlue lead the Philharmonia Or- doubtedly will be. This year Oyster Cult at an all-star ce- chestra of London in Mah- has been declared the Inter- lebrity bash at a biker club in ler's sprawling Third Sym- national Year of Canadian Vickers: eminent Canadian California. We've heard that phony. He claims he barely Music, and itis being ob- Osmond was contemplating knew the score at the time, served with an extensive pro- ANINETY -MINUTE film an image change, but this is but apparently his perform- gram of concerts, recordings, portrait of Billie Holi- ridiculous. . . . Book of the ancesatisfiedasufficient and special radio and televi-day, among the best known Month: 'Ti! the Cows Come number of criticalears to sion performances devoted of all American jazz singers. Home: Rock 'n' Roll Nebras- boost him into the big time. to music by Canadian com- is scheduled to be shown on ka by Bart Becker is, incredi- Invitations for guest conduct - posers. Many of these broad- PBS stations on August 4 as bly enough, a history of 892 casts are being or will be car-part of the network's Ameri- Nebraska bands, from the ried locally in the U.S. during can Masters series. Appro- Addicts to the Zarfs, with the year. priatelycalledThe Longbios and discographies-and "What we're celebrating in Night of Lady Day, the docu- pictures along the way-of 1986," says contralto Mau- mentary traces Holiday's life such near -celebrities as Zager reen Forrester, who is chair- from her difficult early child- and Evans, the Eagles' Randy person of the International hood through her first dates Meisner, and Buddy Miles. Year, "is the vitality of music with Benny Goodman. Teddy in Canada." Wilson, and Count Basie in Another eminent Canadi- the mid -Thirties. Filmed ex- an. tenor Jon Vickers, hascerpts from some of her later done his part with a record- televisionappearancesin- ing of songs by seven con- clude footage from a CBS temporary Canadian com-special in which she's sur- posers on the Centrediscs la- rounded by a virtual pan- bel, a Canadian Music Centre theonof jazzmusicians, subsidiary. among them the saxophon- Centrediscs is also produc- ists Coleman Hawkins, Les- Peters of the Alarm ing three new Compact Discs ter Young, Ben Webster, and featuring various Canadian GerryMulligan.Holiday ing engagements poured in orchestras performing Cana- died in New York in 1959 at

from orchestras on both sides dian repertoire. For further the age of forty-four. a. of the Atlantic. information on these record- American Masters contin- C Only last year Salonen, still ings, along with others the ues on August 11 with a pro- inhis twenties, was made company has produced overgram devoted to "the life in principal guest conductor of the past few years, write Cen- music" of conductor James the Philharmonia, and short- trediscs at 20 St. Joseph St., Levine, artistic director of the ly thereafter he signed an "ex- Toronto, Ont. M4Y 1J9. Or Metropolitan Opera, and on clusive,multi -record,long- telephone 1-416-961-6601. 0 August 18 with a documenta- termcontract"with CBS ry salute to composer Aaron Holiday: American master Masterworks. Salonen: the big time Copland, who celebrates his His first recording under eighty-sixth birthday in No- You can get a copy for $15 this contract was Carl Niel- vember. 0 from Real Gone, P.O. Box sen's Fourth Symphony, 17314, Seattle, WA 98107. which he recorded with the THE Royal Philharmonic, . . The new Run-D.M.C. SwedishRadio Symphony basedinLondon,has album "Raising Hell," on (of which he's the principal launched its own record la- Profile Records, has just be- conductor). He followed it up bel, RPO Records, with the come the first rap LP ever to by flying thousands of miles aims of making records by ship Gold. . . . Singer and to the U.S. West Coast to artists who are closely asso- occasional ("No Nukes") ac- recordLutoslawski's Third ciated with the orchestra and tivist James Taylor on why Symphony with the Los An- of givingitsmusicians a he wasn't involved in Live geles Philharmonic. Both re- share in the profits. Aid or Farm Aid: "Nobody cordings are reviewed in this The first RPO release in- called me." .... Don't forget issue. cludes an album of Handel to check out Bill Cosby's new With the Philharmonia Sal- suites conducted by the Phil- Geffenalbum,"Thoseof onen has recorded Olivier harmonic's president and as- You with or Without Chil- Messiaen's massive Turan- sociate conductor, Sir Yehudi dren, You'll Understand." 0

STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 133 NEW PRODUCTS

Onkyo Sixteen AM and FM stations can be programmed into the memory presets of Onkyo's T-4038 quartz -synthesis tuner. Because the power system for the memory is charged each time the tuner is switched on, the programmed sta- tions are retained in memory for several weeks if the tuner is unplugged. Scan tuning automatically searches for the next receivable station in either direc- tion. The frequency of the tuned station is shown by a digital display. To com- pensate for weak or noisy reception, an automatic FM high -blend circuitre- duces stereo separation. Total harmonic distortionfor the T-4038 is given as 0.1 percent in mono and 0.2 percent in stereo. Selectivity is rated as 55 dB (DIN) and usable FM sensitivity as 11.2 dBf (IHF). Price: $159.95. Onkyo, Dept. SR, 200 Wil- liams Dr., Ramsey, NJ 07446.

Bose reflected sound. The 601 Series III uses a dual -frequency crossover network, The 8 -inch woofer at the top -of the and the low- and high -frequency drivers floor -standingBose601 SeriesIII operate together over nearly a full oc- speaker is surrounded by four 3 -inch tave. The gradual rolloff slopes are said tweeters pointing indifferent direc- to minimize phase shift and coloration tions.A second8 -inchwooferis in the crossover region. mounted on the front. The long -excur- The Bose 601 Series III, finished in sion woofers are housed in separate walnut veneer, measures 12*16 inches enclosures that vent into the main cabi- wide, 121/2 inches deep, and 30 inches net and out through a slot port in the high. Bose recommends that the speak- rear. Each port is tuned to extend bass ers be used with amplifiers delivering at response while selectively controlling least 10 watts and a maximum of 200 frequencies that can be distorted by watts per channel. Price: $1,026 per room boundaries. Sound radiates from pair. Bose, Dept. SR, 100 The Moun- the top, front, and back of the system so tain Rd., Framingham, MA 01701. that listeners receive both direct and Circle 127 on reader service card

Akai 10 -watt -per -channel amplifier, allowing stereo TV broadcasts. For better picture a pair of speakers to be connected quality and special effects, the VCR has The VS -565U VHS Hi-Fi videocas- directly to jacks in the rear of the unit. four video heads and VHS HQ signal- sette recorder from Akai has a built-in An MTS decoder allows reception of processing circuitry. By following on -screen instructions and using the wireless remote control, users can program the VS -565U to record six events over two weeks. The remote also permits direct channel se- lection and volume adjustments. The VCR can tune 107 cable channels and has 32 presets. A security system can prevent use by children. Specifications for the VHS Hi-Fi soundtrack include a dynamic range greater than 80 dB. Hor- izontal video resolution is greater than 340 lines. Price: $880, including remote control. Akai America, Dept. SR, 800 West Artesia Blvd., P.O. Box 6010, Compton, CA 90224. Circle 128 on reader service card

134 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 from a single video source through a ADVERTISERS' INDEX READER PAGE slender wire to as many as five televi- SERVICE NO. ADVERTISER NUMBER sion sets. It is said to deliver a clear sig- nal as far as 300 feet. A transmitter 18 Acoustic Research 12-13 moduleisconnectedtothevideo 46Akai 15 source, and thin, thread -like wires carry 46 Akai 39 45 All Disc Music 29 its output to receiver modules hooked 17 Altec Lansing 58-59 up to each TV. 20Audio-Technica 114 If the video source has an infrared 26Audio-Technica 114 remote control, its commands can be transmitted to the unit through any of 59B&W Loudspeakers 83-88 the VCR -Rabbit receiver modules. The 33Canton 81 VCR -Rabbit can also transmit cable - 49Carver Corporation 22-23 TV signals throughout a house from a 49Carver Corporation 66-67 single cable hookup; channels can be 5 CBS Records 102 individually selected on each TV. Price Columbia CD Club 41 of one transmitter, one receiver, and Columbia Classical Club 33 connecting wire: $89.95. Each addition- 11 Concord Electronics 9 al receiver is $44.95. Rabbit Systems, 68Coustic 30 Rabbit Systems Dept. SR, 233 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Crutchfield Corp. 20 The VCR -Rabbit from Rabbit Sys- Monica, CA 90401. Dali 82 temstransmitsaudio/videosignals Circle 129 on reader service card Delco Electronics 45 71 Discount Music Club 113 10 Discwasher 24

8 Fischer America, Inc C-4 EPI 70Ford Electronics Division 35

The Video Concert System 2000 from General Motors Corporate 43 EPI is a wooden audio -video cabinet General Motors Chevy Car 36-37 with built-in three-way speakers. A 6 General Motors Chevy Truck 106 inch woofer is mounted face down at General Motors Pontiac 18 the bottom of each speaker enclosure General Motors Truck 55 for a slot -loading effect said to increase low -bass output. A I -inch tweeter and a Harman America 53 4 -inch midrange are mounted in the top Illinois Audio 121 front corners of each enclosure. The VCS2000 has three adjustable 39J&R Music World 116 shelves for components, tapes, and ac- JBL 21 cessories, and a television set canbe placed on top. Magnetic shielding pro- 29Kenwood 1 tects nearby video screens from the 2 Klipsch 27 color distortion that can be caused by 30LaBelle Camera & Stereo 122 the fields around speaker elements. Frequency response of the speakers is delivering from 10 to 100 watts. The 22 McIntosh Laboratory, Inc 63 given as 45 to 20,000 Hz ± 3 dB. The cabinet is finished in simulated dark - 55Magnat Electronik 10-11 crossover frequencies are 200 and 2,000 oak, light -oak, or black -ash woodgrain Marlboro 104-105 Hz. Rated sensitivity is a sound -pres- vinyl. Price: $369.95 to $399.95 de- 50Mission Electronics 90-91 sure level of 88 dB at 1 meter from the pending on finish. Epicure Products, 16 Ortofon 115 cabinet with a 1 -watt input. The system Dept. SR, Newburyport, MA 01950. is recommended for use with amplifiers Circle 130 on reader service card 25Pioneer Video 16-17 37Polk Audio 6-7 Proton 4 35Pyle Industries 113 Bang & Olufsen Radio Shack 2 RCA Compact Disc 25 The 51/2 -pound subchassis of Bang & R.J. Reynolds-Winston C3 Olufsen'sbelt -driven Beogram RX2 turntable is suspended from three pen- 41 Shure Brothers 47 dulums to resist vibration and acoustic 53Sony Tape C2 feedback. Its straight tonearm is de- 4 Soundcraftsmen 118 Stroh's Beer 50-51 signed for low distortion at all points on 80 an LP as well as minimal resonance and 43Studer Revoz record wear. The arm's resonance is giv- 3 Tandberg 89 en as 14 Hz in the vertical plane and 12 48TDK Electronics 49 Hz in the horizontal-higher than the frequency of record warps but below U.S. Army 109 audible frequencies. The two speeds, 331/3 or 45 rpm, are manually selected. Bang & Olufsen, Dept. SR, 1150 Fee- Wisconsin Discount 125 Other controls start and stop the turnta- hanville Dr., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056. ble and cue the tonearm. Price: $199. Circle 131 on reader service card AUGUST

More New Products on page 14 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST' 1986 135 THE HIGH END

by Ralph Hodges cal to continue trying to sell them Otala has done much recent, pro- amplifierB,because they know vocative work on the loudspeaker - what they want, and we don't. In amplifier interface, and I asked him fact, we actually know very little." to summarize his findings. Very little about the way people per- "The problem is that our usual ceive sound, that is. assumptions about speaker -system It's fortunate that Otala is not impedances are unrealistic, and the merely an armchair philosopher. reasons are several. The argument His practical work on all -transistor- that a speaker is not a simple resis- ized electronics for Harman Kardon tor-thatactualspeaker imped- frequently brings reactions of sur- ances can vary from 2 to 60 ohms, prise from reviewers, and his tute- and phase angles from +60 to -60 lage has changed the face of ampli- degrees-is well known. It remains fier design worldwide. You would significant,however. Inrecent not be reading so much about low - measurements we have found that negative -feedback and high -current many '100-wate amplifiers can put designs if it were not for Matti out only a couple of watts into a 2 - Otala. ohm, +60 -degree load. Since Otala ruffled so many feath- "As we've learned more about all ers with his original claims, I de- this,high -current amplifiers have cided to check in with him to see come somewhat into vogue. But where his philosophy had taken him this doesn't mean we know terribly and what he was working on now. much about the right way to design Matti Otala and "Well, pretty much more of the a high -current amplifier. All we re- What We Don't Know same thing," he said. "We haven't ally know is thatit must be the come close to getting where we'd responsibility of the amplifier to like to be yet. cope with the peculiarities of the /T was in the early Seventies, "When I started designing ampli- speaker load, since it's much easier when most critics of "transistor fiers (tube devices in 1953, transis- to increase the current reserves of sound" had decided the cause torized in 1963), I came up against an amplifier than to design a soni- was lost, that Dr. Matti Otala, a the same interesting problem that cally good speaker system with well- professor of electronics at the Uni- was baffling many others at the behaved impedance." versity of Oulu in Finland, sprang time, that amplifiers with the worst What, I wondered, are the impli- upon the scene with intimations of measured distortion-static THD cations for amplifier power -supply an unheralded distortion mecha- and IM distortion-all too often design, which is critical to current nism. That is, he found an unantici- had a better sound quality. As prog- reserve? Power supplies are already pated way in which an amplifier can ress was made during investigations tending to the awkwardly bulky and sound bad-thereby giving new life into dynamic distortions-not just expensive. Could the so-called sig- to the tube -transistor controversy. in promulgating the theories of such nal -tracking techniques help us out I don't think that Otala, in his distortions but in devising practical, materially? presentation of the theory of tran- revealing measurement methods for "Well, I'm not at all convinced sient intermodulation distortion, or them-we began to learn a bit about that they would," Otala told me, TIM, had anything like the aboli- what had been overlookedpre- "except possibly at frequencies be- tion of transistors in mind. He did, viously, and the improvements in low about 1 kHz. Above that, I sus- certainly, have gripes about the use sound quality were gratifying. But pect the tracking could not respond of large amounts of negative feed- we are still farther from perfection fast enough to prevent subtle faults back (inconvenient with tubes, but than many people realize. exhibited by marginal power sup- readily possible and sometimes nec- "We still have many disputes in plies,if not actual clipping. One essary with transistors) to turn a which audiophiles claim to hear thing that might save us would be a fundamentally bad amplifier into plainly audible differences in equip- truly immaculate delay line put into something that measures like a good ment, but engineers,myself in- the signal path before the output one. And he was ready and willing cluded, cannot find anything meas- stage, which would hold the signal to apply his own brand of Aristote- urable to account for them. Yet back long enough to give the supply lian logic to amplifier design. Allow based upon my experience, I tend to a chance to preview it and come up me to paraphrase his argument: "If side with the 'golden ears' and sus- to strength. However, we don't have some people like amplifier A but pect that sooner or later we'll find such a delay line." don't like amplifier B, and if we pro- reasons and methods to measure At this point my last quarter fell ceed on the assumption that they're what we can't fathom right now. into the telephone's coin box, and I not cranks, then it's logical to work With all that has been discovered decided to bring things to an end. I on identifying and isolating the dif- during the past ten years, there's no still didn't know quite what Matti ferences between A and B, whatever reason to believe the list of signifi- Otala is going to be up to next, but they may be, until we hit on the one cantproblemshasbeen ex- it's possible that he doesn't quite

that resolves the problem. It's illogi- hausted." know either.

136 STEREO REVIEW AUGUST 1986 .c 1985 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO.

-Jv c, -/\rr J. r) Iv! ston

.(?" .:-r 1ti mg. "tar",1.2 rr g. nicot re ay. per cigarette by FTC method.

SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxic e. CLEAN UP YOUR ROOM.

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