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A rose is just a rose. And a speaker is just a speaker. Martin Logan invented Curvilinear Electrostatic Right? Get a grip. Technology. And we packed it all intoa line of very These are Martin Logan Speakers. Unlikeany others. remarkable loudspeaker designs. From thenew Aerius Gone are the components of a traditional speaker. It starting at $1,995 a pair to the $60,000 Statement looks like we put nothing behind the grill. That's System. our electrostatic driver, incorporating an incredibly advanced Vapor Deposited Membrane All this is something you'll have a difficult time that you can see right through. With lessmass seeing. But you will hear it.Clearly. than the air it's moving. Capable of cleanly reproducing the exquisite texture of a MARTIn.LOGAR LTD. Stradavarious violin, yet able to unleash the THE ELECTROSTATIC TECHNOLOGY awesome power of a Fender® bass. 913-749-0133 New Aerius P.O. Box 707 Lawrence, Kansas 66044 $1,995.00 pr. Thereare146 tubeamps listed in the Audio Magazine Buyer's Guide. Onlyonehas current. Onlyonehas IGBT's. Onlyone isthe Natural Progression Mono Amplifie by Counterpoint. FEBRUARY 1993 VOL. 77, NO. 2

Bob Dylan, page 92 AUDIO features THE AUDIO INTERVIEW: Ted Fox 24 THE UNEASY TRUCE BETWEEN MUSIC AND THE ROOM F. Alton Everest 36 equipment profiles SONY MZ-1 PORTABLE MINIDISC RECORDER Leonard Feldman 44 LEGACY CONVERGENCE LOUDSPEAKER D. B. Keele, Jr. 54 ALPINE 7980 CAR CD CHANGER AND TUNER L. Feldman and 1. Berger 68 auricles ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM 150 HT SURROUND SPEAKERS Leonard Feldman 76 Roomsand Sound, page36 LINN KARIK CD TRANSPORT AND NUMERIK D/A CONVERTER Anthony H. Cordesman 80 recordings CLASSICAL 86 ROCK/POP 92 JAZZ & 96 Sony MD, page 44 departments FAST FORE -WORDEugene PittsIII 4 SIGNALS & NOISE 6 WHAT'S NEW 11 AUDIOCLINIC Joseph Giovanelli 14 Eddie Kramer, TAPE GUIDEHerman Burstein 18 page 24 BEHIND THE SCENESBert Whyte 21

The Cover Equipment: Sony MZ-1 portableMiniDisc

recorder The Audtt The Cover Photographer: Carl Zapp 461Bureau

Audio Publishing, Editorial, and AdvertisingOffices, 1633 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10019

Subscription Inquiries, (303) 447-9330 N930 REFERENCE DIGITAL PROCESSOR

PRIDE IN THE DETAILS. .

Mark Levinson'' components have earned a reputation for their rugged reliability, uncompromising fit and finish and, above all, superior sonics. We at Madrigal Audio Laboratories are understandably proud of this reputation. The presence of "high technology" in our society has, for some, come to mean the absence of craftsmanship. Mass- produced look-alikes are everywhere, even in the realm of so-called high -end audio. The quality that you see and hear in a Mark Levinson component is not the rest_lt of automated mass production-ratt-er, it is the result of painstaking atten- tion to the details of design, and of pride in tl-e art of craftsmanship.

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Mark Levinson comp-nents are handcrafted in limited quantities and to exacting specifications. All who participate in their production share the feeling of pride that comes from knowing that they contribute to a product that defines quality. It is with great pride, then, that we intro- duce the Mark Levinson N2 30 Reference Digital Processor. Five years of exhaustive research into digital audio yielded a processor worth waiting for, deserving of the Levinson marque. The N2 30 is a true reference: it neither adds to nor subtracts from the music. It brings to your home the accuracy as well as the essence of the performance. Finally, the promise of digital audio is fulfilled. The N2 30 is proof that state-of-the-art digital and analog technology can coexist with craftsmanship. The subject here, however, ultimately is music, and the heart of music is in the listening. To fully appreciate the quality of the NI9- 30, we recommend that you visit your Mark Levinson dealer for a full audition.

Levinson

Mark Levinson® products are designed and manufactured by MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES P.O. Box 781, Middletown, CT 06457 FAX (203) 346-1540 FASTFORE -WORD AUDIO THE EQUIPMENT AUTHORITY

reliable, a steady beacon or lighthouse V.P./EDITOR-IN-CHIEF when the economic or technical seas got Eugene Pitts III rough. Perhaps there isn't a significant ART DIRECTOR difference between being predictable and Cathy Cacchione reliable. In the end, I realized that there was nothing wrong with polishing up the ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Linda Zerella lighthouse lens with a redesign. There are a number of interesting things TECHNICAL EDITOR about the redesign; I'll mention a few, and Ivan Berger MANAGING EDITOR I invite query letters about any others. The Kay Blumenthal new logotype is a design that is a near ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR relative of the one we started to use during Teresa Carriero ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR the late '50s. We needed a new title at that Douglas Hyde ell, you've seen the redesign of time because the Audio Engineering DIRECTORY EDITOR our magazine, one whole issue Society had begun their Journal and we- Ken Richardson ASSISTANT EDITOR/MUSIC of it by now, and you've under our old name Audio Engineering- Michael Bieber probably seen it for a month, were being confused with them. The in that most of you are identification line, "The Equipment ASSOCIATE EDITORS Edward Tatnall Canby, Bert Whyte subscribers. So it's time to Authority," in the bar beneath the logo extend kudos, formally and up -front in proper, is new, but it recalls one we used SENIOR EDITORS Leonard Feldman, D. B. Keele, Jr., this column, to our Art Director Cathy for many years, "The Authoritative David Lander Cacchione. She has done a truly superb Magazine About High Fidelity." job. Thanks, Cathy! And thanks, as well, to There are some subtle shifts in our CONTRIBUTING EDITORS/ARTIST Michael Aldred, Herman Burstein, Associate Art Director Linda Zerella! coverage of various types of equipment, as David L. Clark, Anthony H. Cordesman, I thought the magazine design Cathy we are attempting to get around to more Ted Costa, John Diliberto, Frank Driggs, John Eargle, Susan Elliott, Edward I. Foster, had done when we came north from pieces of gear. I've often said that even if Joseph Giovanelli, Bascom H. King, Philadelphia to New York City a dozen the four principal magazines in this field Edward M. Long, Robert D. Long, years ago had been so good that we really Frank Lovece, Jon W. Poses, Jon R. Sank, had some central computer to book John Sunier, Michael Tearson, didn't need to do another. At least, we coverage in reviews, there still would be Jon & Sally Tiven, Michael Wright didn't need to do a new one right now, many pieces of worthy equipment left AUDIO, February 1993, Volume 77, Number 2. even though I could see the competition undone. But that's one of the functions of AUDIO (ISSN 0004-752X, Dewey Decimal Number gaining on us a bit. My thought was to reviews-to pick the best and leave the 621.381 or 778.5) is published monthly by Hachette Magazines, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ha- save our ammunition, to wait until the rest. One of the main shifts in the coverage chette Publications, Inc., at 1633 Broadway, New "other guys" were nearly as good, and has been to include more of the "Auricle" York, N.Y. 10019. Printed in U.S.A. at Dyersburg, Tenn. Distributed by Warner Publisher Services Inc. then do it to 'em. reviews, since we can get two of them into Second class postage paid at New York, N.Y. 10001 After seeing what Cathy has done, and the space a full review takes up. And, too, and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions in the United States, $24.00 for one year, $42.00 for two after living with the various parts of it for for some types of equipment, the years, $58.00 for three years; other countries except several weeks, I can see that I ought to "Auricle" is the proper sort of report, both Canada, add $8.00 per year; in Canada, $32.00 for one year (includes 7% GST; Canadian GST registra- have helped to get the redesign from the readers' and the writer's tion number 126018209). accomplished much earlier. All I can say at standpoints. AUDIO® is a registered trademark of Hachette Maga- zines, Inc. ©1993, Hachette Magazines, Inc. All rights this point is that you live and learn-at So let us know how you like the new reserved. The Editor assumes no responsibility for least you try to learn, if you dare. Some of design. We think it looks great. manuscripts, photos, or artwork. The Publisher, at his sole discretion, reserves the right to reject any ad the other folks around the magazine had copy he deems inappropriate. felt that we should have done the redesign Subscription Service: Forms 3579 and all subscrip- tion correspondence must beaddressedto AUDIO, earlier, that we had become somewhat too P.O. Box 52548, Boulder, Colo. 80321-2548. Allow set in our ways, too predictable. There is eight weeks for change of address. Include both old and new address and a recent address label. If you more than a little weight to that argument, have a subscription problem, please write to the but I have felt throughout my term as above address or call (303) 447-9330. Back Issues: For information, write to P.O. Box 7085, Brick, N.J. Editor that the magazine should be 08723. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 4 Remember the first time you heard a CD? It sounded Take Yamaha's new CDC -835 for example. With Yamaha's so good, you hoped the music would never stop. S -Bit Plus Technology, twin Plus Which is the whole idea behind the CD changer. balanced D/A converters and S-Bit Unfortunately most companies, in their rush to produce Class A amplification at every stage, the CDC -835 outperforms one, neglected to isolate the disc that's playing from the most single disc CD players on the market. changer platform. A big mistake. (Not as big as the Hubble Its fluorescent display can be dimmed or set to automatically telescope, but pretty shut off during playback, darn serious.) eliminating any chance of One that transfers interference. internal and external And the CDC -835 is vibrations to the playing equally impressive in the disc. Creates resonance. convenience department. Distorts the sound. And Its TOC Memory defeats a primary rea- memorizes the contents son for buying a CD on each disc, speeding up player in the first place. access to specific songs, Fortunately Yamaha especially during random avoided this common disc -to -disc play. problem by developing And to give your an entire line of CD Or buy one of Yamaha's new CL) changers. favorite kind of music changers that are even more presence, virtually vibration -free. A pretty amazing feat in itself there's a built-in equalizer with five digital presets. How they do it is something called PlayXchange. A unique In fact, the CDC -835 can remember your favorite songs on design which not only up to 100 discs and play them back in any sequence. It even isolates the playing remembers EQ settings. disc from the Then there's 5 -Disc Tape The CDC -1V5 The only changer with loading tray, providing Edit. A useful recording fe.a- a five -mode digital equalizer vibration -free play- ture that arranges the tracks you select so they fit neatly on back, but also allows two sides of your tape. Yamaha's PlayXchange System. The only By now, if you're not quite sold on the CDC -835, you only carousel mechanism that doesn't transmit you to change four CDs vibration to the playing disc An important have two options. You can drop by your nearest Yamaha feature that permits four discs to be changed without disturbing the without disturbing the one playing. fifth one that's playing. dealer and let your ears make up your mind. And because you're supposed to spend your time listening Or you can buy another changer. Which when you stop to your CDs and not the machine that plays them, Yamaha's to think about it, would be a total developed a new changing mechanism that's exceptionally shock to your system. YAMAHA quiet, quick and reliable. But you can't judge a superior CD player merely by its changing mechanism. What makes the difference between a good player and a great one has to do with attention to details. ©1992 Yamaha Electronics Corporation USA P.O. Box 6660. Buena Park. CA 90622 Call 1-800-368-8883 for the Yamaha dealer nearest you. SIGNALS AUDIO IMMIZECIZINELDIEI Dynaco Stereo 70 Series II Review with any product, the Stereo 70/II has its V.P./GROUP PUBLISHER Dear Editor: flaws and its virtues. We think that when it Nicholas Matarazzo Thank you for your review of the new (212) 767-6035 is used properly, the consumer who V.P./ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dynaco Stereo 70 Series II tube amplifierchooses the Dynaco Stereo 70 Series II will Tony Catalano (November 1992). We disagree with Bas- find it everything they were looking for, (212) 767-6061 com H. King's conclusions in several areas,and at a price that will leave a smile on their and with his methodology for listening face. GENERAL MANAGER tests, as noted below: In closing, I would just like to say that Greg Roperti Regarding his comments about the sta- our company appreciates any coverage we PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Silvia Coppola bility network, we note that bench tests can get from the editorial press. Some critics PRODUCTION MANAGER be devised that any amp will fail. Since its will like what we have done, and others will Kerry Tonning introduction many years ago, the Stereo 70not. In all cases, we urge consumers to seek RESEARCH MANAGER Dru Ann Love has had numerous modifications suggested out the product and make their own judg- OFFICE MANAGER by everyone from Bill Johnson to Bobment. Nadine Goody Carver. Upgrade kits abound from no few- Bob Rapoport OPERATIONS MANAGER Sylvia Correa er than 15 companies even today. Dynaco Vice -President, Sales/Marketing AD COORDINATOR engineers have reviewed all of them and Dynaco Linda Neuweiler incorporated the time -tested and widely Hauppauge, N.Y. accepted Van Alstine mod into the new de- ADVERTISING sign. Others may have merit, but Bascom'sSlightly Warped Solution REGIONAL V.P./AD DIRECTOR, claims of instability have not been realized EAST COAST Dear Editor: Charles L. P. Watson (212) 767-6038 in real -world applications. We have all run into the problem of REGIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Speaker/amp interfaceis importantslightly warped records. I am not talking Christine B. Forhez (212) 767-6025 REGIONAL V.P./AD DIRECTOR, when doing listening tests. We noted thatabout something you left on the package MIDWEST Bascom failed to mention which speaker hetray of your car last summer; my problem R. Scott Constantine (212) 767-6346 used to make this test, but anyone familiar REGIONAL V.P./AD DIRECTOR, is with the records that are warped just WEST COAST with his reviews knows he uses the Winenough that I cannot clamp them flat. In Bob Meth (213) 954-4831 Research SM-10; at $6,250 per pair, andthe past, I would set them aside or stick WESTERN MANAGER Paula Mayeri (213) 954-4832 very low sensitivity (minimum power of 50them in a tightly packed record rack and NATIONAL SALES watts rms), we think it was a poor choice.hope. Recently I decided to try an experi- MAG Inc. High -sensitivity speakers such as our own Mitch Herskowitz (212) 490-1715 ment, and it has worked far beyond my Steve Gross (212) 490-1895 A-25 Series II reference monitor (92 dBexpectations. SPL, 1 watt/1 meter) can be played at high Iobtained two 121/2 -inch -square, 3/8 - levels with a modestly powered tube amp inch -thick glass plates. I preheated my oven UMWErt a such as the Stereo 70 Series II, with noto about 125°. I made sure the glass plates CHAIRMAN Daniel Filipacchi strain. Using a pair of monoblock ampsand the record were clean and then sand- PRESIDENT, CEO, AND COO three times more powerful and four timeswiched the record between the plates and David J. Pecker more expensive is EXEC. V.P. AND EDITORIAL not a fair or usefulbaked it for one hour. This accomplished, I DIRECTOR Jean-Louis Ginibre comparison. turned the heat off and allowed the assem- SR. V.P./DIR. CORP. MARKETING Audiophiles on a budget, who are look- Paul DuCharme bly to cool for several hours. I removed the SR. V.P./DIR., CORP. SALES, ing for a tube amp they can afford, learnedrecord, ran it through the cleaner again, MAGAZINE NETWORK Jay Burzon nothing about how the Stereo 70/II com-and stored it on a tightly packed record V.P./DIR. OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, ADV. & CIRC. petes with other amps, both tube and solidshelf. The next day I found the warps were Patrice Listfield state, in its own price range. It should begone. I tried this on other records and had V.P., CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER noted that there are very few, if any, tube Paul De Benedictis equal success. V.P., CORP. COMMUNICATIONS amps at $995. We have very thoughtfully I am not sure all these steps are required. Jolie Cross Doyle redesigned the best-selling tube amp of allSince I did not know the softening point of V.P., GENERAL COUNSEL Catherine Flickinger time, and we make it here in the U.S.A. Wevinyl, I set the temperature by feel. If it was V.P., MFG. & DISTRIBUTION back it with a three-year warranty andtoo hot to hold the metal rack in the oven, I Anthony Romano V.P., CIRCULATION Leon Rosenfield replace tubes free of charge forpne year. As judged it too hot for the record. This led to AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 6 Third in a series

THE COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENCE: AsTiN(i\\II I Beforeyoubuya new stereo,consider whysome people would ratherown aused McIntosh thana newanything else.

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By now, most people realize that "new" serious music overs, virtually attaining the stereo components often are introduced just status of collectibles. Never intended to be to be new. In contrast, McIntosh designs and "disposable", they have been built to deliver builds their outstanding high fidelity compo- leading -edge performance on a foundation nents incorporating the proven as well as of timeless excellence. The lasting value of the new, drawing on the McIntosh heritage its products is just one of the components of quality, performance and innovation. of excellence that has earned McIntosh This is why McIntosh products offer such its rightful title as builder of the world's a high level of intrinsic quality. And why finest audio they continue to be eagerly sought by components. McIntosh McIntosh Laboratory Inc.. 2 Chambers St., Binghamton, NY, USA 139032699 (607) 7233512 Components of Excellence Enter No. 13 on Reader Service Card my setting of about 125°; a higher tempera- was to try to insure against any memory inreach extremes-the degree varies from ture might have been better. Since the the vinyl, although there might not be any. oven to oven. The objectisto remove pressure applied to the record was on the Others can try their own variations. Thiswarps, not grooves. Extreme cautionis label and outer edge, cleanliness may nottechnique worked for me and has allowed advised. And don't put your CDs in the have been critical, but I thought I should me to enjoy a number of records I thought toaster.-K.R. not take a chance on anything sticking inwere lost. the softened vinyl. Ditto the post -cleaning. Robert B. PierceGo Forth and Record An hour in the oven seemed about right, Venetia, Pa. Dear Editor: but a shorter time might have worked. The I have been watching the DAT wars for gradual cooling was designed to allow anyEditor's Note: The type of oven in the as long as they have been a topic of contro- stresses to work out, which you need to doaverage home utilizes bursts of heat fol- versy. Recently, talk of DCC and MD has with glass but maybe not with vinyl. The lowed by cooling periods. Though the aver- consumed the editorial sections of many final sandwiching between other recordsage temperature may be low, peaks can magazines, including Audio. I am looking forward to MD over DCC for the conve- nience and the fact that the MiniDisc is an optical device. The record industry opposed DAT be- cause there was fear of black-market pro- INTHI duction of CDs. I could never figure out LIGIO why this argument was even entertained as a reason to keep a digital recording format off the market. Here's a current example: I buy a DCC or MD recorder at $500. A IT'S OKAY TO recordable tape/disc costs $4. The average commercial CD length is 60 minutes.I copy a commercial CD onto the recordable DCC/MD and sell it for $8, which gives me EXPRESS 100% profit, not factoring in the cost of the recording device. If I work an 8 -hour day recording, I make $4/hour. If I have two re- cording devices, I increase my profit to $8/ BASS DESIRES. hour. For every recording device I add, I have to invest an additional $500. The majority of stores in my area sell CDs for about $13. These stores usually promote new releases at about $9. Most consumers, I would think, would rather buy from the store than from my little black-market scheme. So, please, let digital recording for the Brethren:witness ProSeries u ,woo ers - t e best way to add kick to any car system. There's the 8 -inch 8.0LF, our small, powerful wonder. The 10 -inch consumer go forth, and allow all of us who love to tinker with recording as a hobby do 10.0LF, which outperforms most other 15 -inch subs. And the mighty 12 -inch 12.0LE that handles 700 watts, peak. Feel free to covet. so without limitations that have so long haunted the DAT. rSATISFY MY BASS DESIRES. Forrest E. Sealey Houston, Tex. Name:

Address' Editor's Note: Unfortunately, a recording

City: State: ZIP. limitation on all consumer digital record- ers-the requirement that they include the Car make: Model' Year Serial Copy Management System-has in- Send $5 to Boston Acoustics, Dept. CSR -8, 70 Broadway, Lynnfield, MA 01940. In return, you'll get information on Boston subs. Plus a very cool CD, "The Boston Bass Disc" with music specially chosen to deed come to pass (or more precisely, has test suhwoofer performance. All of your desires will then he satisfied. Well, almost. come to be passed by Congress), along with eight weeks for deliver. offer Ilvee.711 dee IN;wind ,IPplle last. LA" "taxes" on both recorders and blank media. See "Fast Fore -Word" in the December BostonAcoustics 1992 issue.-E.P. CAR SOUND IS OUR RELIGION. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 8 WHAT'S NEW

Counterpoint Etymotic Research Amplifier Earphone A solid-state amp from Unlike most high -end a company known for tube earphones, Etymegic's ER -4 and hybrid designs, the 'phones fit directly in the a a Counterpoint Solid 2 ear, for flatter frequency O delivers 200 watts per response and isolation from channel into 8 ohms and external noise. Frequency nearly double that into response is rated at ±4 dB 4 ohms. The circuitry from 20 Hz to 16 kHz and includes a Class -A FET ± 2 dB from 50 Hz to w input stage and a high - 10 kHz. Rated sensitivity is current bipolar output 108 dB SPL for 1 V in, and with adjustable bias. No nominal impedance is Hughes like effects from a single negative feedback is used. 100 ohms. Two versions are Spatial Enhancer pair of front speakers. The Price: $2,795. A new IC version of the Retriever has all the available, with slightly For literature, circle No. 102 different frequency Hughes Sound Retrieval control features of the

System (SRS) has allowed more expensive Model NMI the introduction of a lower AK -100 (which remains in Sonance priced stand-alone SRS the line) but does not have Indoor/Outdoor Speaker processor, the Retriever. the original unit's LED Available with a stainless The Sound Retrieval display. Price: $179. steel or cloth grille, the System produces surround - For literature, circle No. 101 MB30 features a 61/2 -inch woofer with polypropylene cone and 30 -mm voice -coil, and a 1 -inch soft -dome contours: The ER -4B, for tweeter. Rated frequency binaural recordings, is response is 60 Hz to designed for the closest 20 kHz, ± 3 dB, and possible match to the ear's sensitivity is 91 dB. A nail - diffuse -field response; hanger bracket is provided the ER -4S, for stereo with the speaker, and recordings, has a slight adjustable -mount stainless high -end roll -off to steel brackets are optional. compensate for boosted The speaker is available in highs in commercial white or black, and it can recordings made for be painted. Price: $499 speaker listening. Price: per pair. $330. For literature, circle No. 103 For literature, circle No. 100 AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 11 No matter how good loudspeakers may sound in the lab, in a review column, or in a dealer's showroom -what really matters is how they sound when you get them home.

This is why KEF developed the Uni-Q'

Driver... to help reduce the adverse effects of your room's boundaries. Uni-O works as a point -source of sound, producing a precisely controlled, highly uniform dispersion pattern.

This reduces the room reflections that can muddy the sound and destroy the spatial accuracy of the stereo image. The result? Isyourhome Freedom to place the speakers where they fit best, knowing they will also sound their best.

Uni-Q's realistic sound, accurate imaging the right place and placement flexibility become especially valuable in home foryourspeakers? theater and surround sound applications, which require precise localization to effect BY PLACING THE TWEETER AT THE cinematic realism. CENTER OF THE WOOFER. KEF HAS CREATED THE UNI-O, A VIRTUAL The Uni-Q Driver POINT SOURCE OF SOUND joins such other KEF scientific advances as the Coupled Cavity Bass system, which delivers deep bass from small enclosures; and Conjugate Load Matching. which makes it less strenuous for your amplifier to drive your speakers. Together, these have earned

KEF its international reputation for real -world performance.

For KEE the world's finest loudspeakers are those that sound the best in yourhome.

The Science of Loudspeakers KEF Electronics of Arne Ka, Inc .1701 Touchstone Road,Colonial Heights, VA 23834 I _,.....01111W0000114002011000 Enter No. 12 on Reader Service Card The movement of people about the AUDIOCLINIC room either cancels or reinforces the re- JOSEPH GIOVANELLI ceived signal, causing changes in the quali- ty of reception. I have often found that the best overall solution to problems like yours is to dis- Differences in Signal Level While you would get increased signal connect all conventional antennas from the Q. I have a system that includes a CD level by using the loudspeaker outputs of tuner and attach a short length of wire (6 player and an FM tuner. I use their line outcomponents whose line output levels are inches should suffice) to just one antenna jacks and believe I have been accurate in low, you'd also get increased noise and dis- terminal. Tune in your favorite station, and following the instructions for connecting each tortion from the added circuitry in the orient this antenna until you obtain the of these devices. My problem is that there are signal path. best reception. If the tuner is well located, huge differences in output between the two. reception will be much improved, and be- I've had all my other components checked so Serious FM Distortion cause the antenna is behind the tuner, it I could exclude problems there, and all Q. Although I live scarcely a mile from will be shielded from the effects of people checked out fine. I wondered if impedance the transmitters of FM stations I listen to, I moving around the room. mismatches could be the problem and was am only rarely able to receive these signals Editor's Note: As a city -dweller, I've en- assured that this was not a concern. decently. Sonic problems include whooshing, countered most of Mr. Fitzpatrick's prob- In all events, running back and forth to rushing noises, high-pitched whistles, and lems. The best reception I ever got was with adjust the volume control of my amplifier is outright static! Although most apparent in a rooftop directional antenna (a fringe -area very annoying and, in my opinion, should be stereo, these problems sometimes are present TV type without an FM trap) mounted on unnecessary. My proposed solution is to use in mono. Worst of all is the way the problems a rotor and hooked to a switchable attenua- the loudspeaker output terminals on some ofcan return after painstaking antenna fiddling tor to prevent front-end overload. I usually these devices rather than the line outputs, has seemed to defeat them. The slightest got the cleanest, though not the strongest, and then somehow match impedances using physical movements made by me or anyone signals by aiming the antenna away from some kind of network. I'm hoping you can walking through my apartment disrupts re- the station, to some point where it could help me with that part of the problem. ---Ray ception further. pick up one lone reflected signal. When Willoughby, Naples, Fla. Having given up on wire dipole indoor aimed at the station, the antenna usually A. There will always be differences in antennas, I tried one of the powered direc- picked up a strong direct signal and a host signal from one component to the next; tional units. There was no improvement, so I of almost equally strong reflections. there will even be differences in level be- Like Mr. Fitzpatrick, I live in an apart- tween recordings heard through a single ment, and as is the case with tenants in source component. Often, CD players have THE SIGNAL REACHING AN most apartment buildings, I'm not allowed more output than other devices. INDOOR FM ANTENNA to put an antenna on the roof. In my loca- From what you say about your system, it tion, signal strength is no problem (I get sounds as if you have an integrated amplifi- FLUCTUATES AS PEOPLE better than 30 dBf on most stations with er, with signal selection and switching. MOVE AROUND THE ROOM. even the floppy wire dipoles that come with Some such amps have ways of setting the tuners), but multipath certainly is. Under gain differently for each input, to cure these conditions, the best antenna I've yet exactly the problem you now have. If your tried connecting the tuner to the rooftop TV tried is a simple rigid dipole, which can be amp doesn't have such provisions, you antenna.This improved the reception of aimed to exclude some of the signal might consider replacing it with one that some stations, but most stations remain bounces; a cheap rabbit ear will probably does or adding a preamp with separate level hopeless. Do I give up FM?-John Fitzpat- work just fine, though I'm using Magnum settings. (This feature is more common in rick, New York, N.Y. Dynalab's version-a bit more expensive preamps.) A. Your problem is twofold, a combina- but considerably more elegant. If your components have output level tion of both multipath distortion and Amplified antennas do cut multipath a controls, you can adjust them for roughly front-end overload. Although the direc- bit, if they're sufficiently directional, but equal output levels. This is mostly a matter tional antenna might have helped reject also add a bit of noise to the signal even if of turning down the louder components to multipath distortion, it made the overload they have adjustable gain. (I suspect the match the quieter ones. You could also in- condition worse. troduce fixed attenuators between the The master TV antenna didn't help be- If you have a problem or question about audio, louder components and your amplifier. cause, first of all, most such antennas are write to Mr. Joseph Giovanelli at AUDIO Maga- zine, 1633 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10019. All Such in -line attenuators are available from set up to reject signals in the FM band. letters are answered. In the event that your letter is DB Systems (Main St., Box 460, Rindge Thus, the only signal received is via leakage chosen by Mr. Giovanelli to appear in Audioclinic, please indicate if your name and/or address should Center, N.H. 03461) and probably from in the shield of the coaxial cable connected be withheld. Please enclose a stamped, self-ad- other companies as well. to the tuner. dressed envelope.

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 14 THE ULTIMATE MOVIE EXPERIENCE. OWN Hook *0854307 Buggy *0853408 The Prince Of Tides *0847103 The Addams Family *1000900 Fried Green Tomatoes 1005404 Wayne's World *0853705 Allen 0000208 The Hunt For 3LASER Henry & June *0499301 *0825000 Aliens 0360909 Red October The Grifters 0383000 The Abyss * 0881102 Jaws 0100008 Bugs Bunny Classics 0297705 Die Hard *0367607 Edward Scisaorhands 0104604 D4IICS Conan The Barbarian*0220509 Die Hard 2 *0041806 The African Queen 0051102 The Empire Of The Sun *0633206 Ghost *0826008 Beetlejuice 0633008 Dangerous Liaisons *0638700 American Graffiti 0211300 E.T.: The Extra - stk. Reversal Of Fortune 0969709 Terrestrial * 0681106 Blue Velvet *0515007 Always *0921502 The Silence Of Harry Connick, Jr.: Dirty Harry 0601708 The Lambs 0805309 SIngin' & Swingin' 0968107 Memphis Belle *0983502 The Godfather 0000802 Star Trek: SEE DETAILS BELOW Big 0367409 The Godfather: Part III 0842302 The Motion Picture *0203505 New Jack City 0971507 Back To The Future *0211409 Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khen * 0201301 Fatal Attraction 0439307 Back To The Future Part II *0921304 Star Trek Ill: Chariots Of Fire 0601401 The Search For Spock *0201608 All Dogs Go To Heaven Back To The Future 0289702 Part III *0497008 Star Trek IV: 48 Hrs. 0202200 The Voyage Home * 0430603 Predator *0364901 Hamlet (1990) *0970608 Star Trek V: Predator 2 *0104307 Black Rain * 0911701 The Final Frontier *0448605 Dances with Wolves' Sin Trek VI Body Heat Robin Hood: Superman: The Movie *0001305 0805200 1001007 0602003 Prince of Thieves *0976803 The Andromeda Strain* 0216200 Superman II 0601500 Home Alone *0104208 Class Action 0298307 Hard To Kill 0953505 Scarface (1983) 0216804 Casablanca 0050708 Born On The Fourth Goodfellaa *0969808 Of July *0489104 A Bridge Too Far * 0061705 The Blues Brothers 0211706 Field Of Dreams 0920306 Double Indemnity 0210104 Dune 0211102 Presumed innocent *0962100 The Bonfire Of Kindergarten Cop 0523407 The Vanities *0961706 Road Warrior 0602805 Lethal Weapon 0630806 Star Wars' Return of the Jodi' Caddyahack 0602300 Chinatown *0202507 0056408 0354704 Lethal Weapon 2 *0642702 The Commitments 0691303 Bird On A Wire *0497305 National Lampoon's Forbidden Planet *0844407 0205302 Animal House 0211508 Beverly Hills Cop The Last Boy Scout * 0779108 Lawnmower Man 1014505 Beverly Hills Cop II 0431908 The Naked Gun 216: The Man Who Would Henry V (1990) *0040303 The Smell Of Fear *0842609 Be King *0085803 Hearts Of Darkness: North By Northwest *0844209 The Bible * 0074708 A Filmmaker's 2001: A Space Odyssey *0844308 Batman (1989) *0642504 Apocalypse 1002500 Patriot Games* The Sound Of Music *0003905 Batman Returns *1029909 My Cousin Vinny 1033109 0091009 1051309 Backdraft *0559005

Here's a great way to build a days to decide; if not, you may return collection of your favorite movies-on the selection at our expense. Columbia House Laserdisc Club laserdiscs! Just write in the numbers Money -Saving Bonus Plan. If you Dept. 39EP.O. Box 1 1 1 2, Terre Haute, Indiana 47811 -1 11 2 of the 3 laserdiscs you want forcontinue your membership after Yes, please enroll me under the terms outlined in this advertisement. As a member, $1.00 each, plus shipping andfulfilling your obligation, you'll be I need buy only 2 more selections, at regular Club prices, within the coming year. handling. In exchange, you simply eligible for our generous bonus plan. Send me these 3 laserdiscs for $1.00 each plus $1.50 each shipping and handling (total $7.50) agree to buy two more laserdiscs in It enables you to enjoy great savings the next year, at regular Club priceson the movies you want-for as long (currently as low as $29.95, plus as you decide to remain a member! shipping and handling)-and you 10 -Day Risk -Free Trial. We'll send Please Check How Paying: My check is enclosed 20Y/20Z may cancel membership at any time I Charge my introductory laserdiscs and future Club purchases to: after doing so. details of the Club's operation with your introductory package. If not H MasterCard 0 Diners Club AMEX 0 VISA Discover Free Magazine sent every four satisfied, return everything within 10 weeks (up to 13 times a year) days for a full refund and no further Acct. No. Exp reviewing our Director's Selection- obligation. Signature plus scores of alternate choices, For fastest service, use a credit card including many lower -priced and call us toll free 24 hours a day: laserdiscs. And you may also receive Name Special Selection mailings up to four times a year. (That's up to 17 buying 1-800-538-2233 Address Apt opportunities a year.) City State Buy only what you want! If you want the Director's Selection, do Entertaining Zip Phone No. ( nothing-it will be sent automatically. If America... Note: Columbia House Loserdisc Club reserves the Tight to rect or cancel any membership. Offer limited to you'd prefer an alternate selection, or One Person continental U.S. (excluding Alaska) Applicable soles tax added to all orders. 1400 N. Frixtridge Ayenue, Terre Haute, IN 47811-1112 none at all, just mail the response at a Time.' 084/S93 card always provided by the date LASERDISC CLUB © 1993, The Columbia House Companyl specified. And you'll always have 14 Lk Letterbox signal overloads their built-in amplifiers a by which r.f. enters the earlier stages of the TIPS FOR MAIL ORDER PURCHASERS bit.) The tall pyramids made by Parsec and amplifier is probably correct. There is often Terk are the most directional of amplified a capacitor across the feedback resistor, and It is impossible for us to verify all antennas. However, they only cut multi - this capacitor is a fine gateway for r.f. Once of the claims of advertisers, in- path if they're turned down on their side r.f.i. gets into an early stage, the signal is cluding product availability and and aimed at the best signal, and, when you demodulated and then amplified and existence of warranties. There- do that, the antennas look silly (guests keep passed along to the loudspeakers. fore, the following information is setting them back upright again) and the It is reasonable to expect that the shield provided for your protection. problems of signals changing when people will help, but it might not totally cure the move around the room are exacerbated. problem. The shield, if it is to be effective, 1. Confirm price and merchan- Terk's disc -shaped Pie amplified antenna must be at r.f. ground. The low side of the dise information with the seller. in- ($79.95) and square FM+ ($19.95) work speaker output circuit may be grounded as cluding brand. model, color or finish, accessories and rebates included in best for me when standing up (their more far as the audio is concerned but, because the price. normal -looking position), which makes of inductance, may not be a good r.f. 2. Understand the seller's return them very modestly directional. Their di- ground. Therefore, if the shield is separate and refund -policy, including the rectionality is so modest thatit doesn't from both of the conductors, ground this allowable return period and who much matter which way they're aimed- pays the postage for returned mer- shield to the chassis, and run the two chandise. maybe the main effect is just to screen out conductors to the appropriate loudspeaker 3. Understand the product's war- some of the signal reflections. The FM+ is connections. If you don't want to use ranty. Is there a manufacturer's war- not only cheaper but quieter in strong -sig- shielded speaker cable, ordinary cable may ranty. and if so, isit from a U.S. or nal locations. work all right if you bypass each channel's foreign manufacturer? Does the seller AudioPrism's new Model 8500 sounds speaker output terminals-both "hot" and itself offer a warranty? In either case. what is covered by warranty. how promising, though I haven't tried it. It's a low sides-to ground. Use a capacitor on long is the warranty period, where phased -array antenna, built into a cylinder the order of 0.02 µF. will the product be serviced, what do about a foot thick and about 5 feet tall. As a Sometimes r.f. can enter the power am- you have to do. and will the product phased array, it can be aimed by a remote plifier via its input signal leads, despite be repaired or replaced? You may control, so you can steer it to the cleanest their being shielded. Some cables have in- want to receive a copy of the written warranty before placing your order. signal when you're seated without worry- tentionally poor shields in order to have 4. Keep a copy of all transactions, ing about the signal changing after tne the lowest possible capacitance across the including cancelled checks. receipts antenna has been aimed. Because it's big, amplifier's input. and correspondence. For phone or- the 8500 has enough inherent gain to do The preamplifier, with its many inputs, ders. make a note of the order includ- away with noisy amplifiers-it even has a is also a source of r.f. pickup. I have had ing merchandise ordered, price order date. expected delivery date and switchable attenuator to prevent tuner lots of problems from phono cables picking salesperson's name. overload. Itis, however, more expensive up interference. 5.Ifthe merchandise isnot than most indoor antennas ($250). And Although bypassing within the equip- shipped within the promised time despite its simple shape, its large size may ment can be successful, doing so could or if no time was promised. 30 days make it too obtrusive in some rooms. cause some high -frequency degradation. I of receipt of the order, you generally have the right to cancel the order Using a 75 -ohm antenna can also help a recommend slipping ferrite beads over in- and get a refund. little, because a 75 -ohm shielded line won't ternal and external cables. These increase 6. Merchandise substitution with- pick up additional, interfering signals as a the cable's small inductance, effectively out your express prior consent is not 300 -ohm twin -lead can.-/./3. placing a series inductance in the path of allowed. r.f.i. The resulting reactance is high at r.f. 7.If you have a problem with your order or the merchandise, write a Radio Interference in Amplifiers frequencies but remains low in the audio letter to the seller with all the pertinent Q.I have a problem withr.f.interference band. Beads are available in different sizes information and keep a copy. from police radios and CBs in my power am- and formulations, depending on the fre- 8.If you are unable to obtain sat- plifier. Is this interference picked up by the quency of the signals causing the interfer- isfaction from the seller, contact signal cables or by the amplifier itself? Can ence. Sources from which you can obtain the consumer protection agency in the seller's state or your local U.S. r.f. be picked up by the loudspeaker intercon- ferrite beads include Palomar Engineers Postal Service. necting cables and amplified via the feedback (Box 455, Escondido, Cal. 92033), Amidon loop? In that event, can shielded speaker Associates (2216 East Gladwick St., Do- If, after following the above guide- cables eliminate the problem?-Donald Bis- minguez Hills, Cal. 90220), and Fair -Rite lines, you experience a problem bee, Columbus, Ohio (Box J,1 Commercial Row, Wallkill, N.Y. with a mail order advertiser that A. I have not used shielded loudspeaker 12589). Palomar Engineers has notes re- you are unable to resolve, please cables, but I have to think they would act as garding the proper use and placement of let us know. Write to Nick Mata- a deterrent tor.f.interference. The as- ferrite beads, and Amidon Associates can razzo, Publisher of Audio Maga- sumption that the feedback loop is the path zine. Be sure to include copies of provide many ferrite -coil forms. A all correspondence. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 16 I don't

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.Cutlass Supreme International 'cries eat.

200 -horsepower, 24 --calve, Twin Dual Cam V6. Four-wheel anti -lock disc brakes. Power-adiustable bucker seats. Four-wheel independent suspension. Analog instrionentation. Why would you ever get out' Cali 1 -800 -242 -OLDS.

CUTLASS S U PR EME OLDSMOBILE THE POWER OF INTELLIGENT ENG NEERING LM .Buckle tsipMonreprimAll rights re,ervel. Enter No. 17 on Reader Service Card TAPEGUIDE Are Metal Tapes Abrasive? Q. In Eastern Europe, where I recently HERMAN BURSTEIN travelled, people were reluctant to let me play my metal tapes on their cassette decks, saying that such tapes ruin a deck's heads. I felt in- dignant, since my tapes are of top quality and Complexity and Perplexity nal processing, in general, is best done in are expensive. Please inform me on this mat- Q. I hope you can help me with whatplayback. On the other hand, if you are ter.-Valentin Fedorovich, Thousand seems to be a very complex problem. My hus- making a tape to be played in a car or to be Oaks, Cal. band recently began collecting stereo compo-played by someone else, you may well want A. To my knowledge, metal tape (Type nents, and I have become avidly interested in the benefits of processing the signal to be IV) has no more adverse effect on tape them. We had help connecting them all to-recorded. To do this, you will have to heads than do the other types. Any adverse gether, and I made a diagram of the connec-reorganize your system connections. effect has to do with friction, and all high- tions but lost it during our last move. Now I I suggest that you make a diagram ofquality tapes contain sufficient lubricant in am lost as to what I'm doing wrong, afteryour present hookup so that you can at their coating to minimize friction but not consulting the instruction manuals, maga-least get back to where you are now; to sim- so much as to permit slippage when the zines, and audio dealers-all to no avail. My tape is pulled by capstans and pressure problem is that the system functions properly YOU SHOULD DIAGRAM rollers. Also, smoothness of the coating is a for playback, but not for recording from deck factor, and I have heard nothing to indicate to deck or from microphones. The list of com- YOUR SYSTEM'S that metal tapes are inferior in this respect. ponents is as follows: An integrated amplifier, CONNECTIONS BEFORE Many years ago when chromium dioxide a mixer, three tape decks, a turntable, an tapes (Type II) first appeared on the mar- REARRANGING THEM. equalizer, two reverb units, a tuner, two ket, it was widely rumored, and too often dynamic range controllers, a dynamic noise- believed, that they would wear the heads reduction unit, a transient -noise eliminator, plify, show only one channel. Study care- more quickly than other types.It took and an impulse -noise reducer. fully where you may have gone wrong. Orseveral years for the rumors to die. The three tape decks are connected to threeshow the diagram to an expert, if you can tape inputs of the mixer, and I have no trou-find one. Mark indicated changes. RewireSound Quality of Digital Tape ble there. My problem is with all the filters, your system according to the indicated Q. Is is true that the quality and type of noise -reduction units, etc. When connectedchanges; mark each end of each cable as to tape used in digital audio decks have no effect as specified in the manuals, namely in -linewhere it goes. on fide/ity?-Scott H. Kalata, Flanders, N.J. back to the amplifier, I can't get them to work A. In a sense, you are correct. Digital on both playback and recording.-D. Berry,Disappearance of dbx NR recording involves only the transformation Kaweah, Cal. Q I am thinking about replacing my cas-of sampled audio voltages into numbers A. If I understand your problem, itis sette deck, which has dbx noise reduction, but made up of ones and zeros. Beyond digital that the various signal processors (for noiseI have noticed that the number of cassetterecording's rather demanding minimum reduction, reverb, equalization, etc.) workdecks with dbx NR has declined. Will it total-requirements, such factors as an individual only in playback and not in recording, soly disappear, and is now the time to buy a tape's treble response, biasing, and sensitiv- that you cannot put their results on tape.new deck?-Name withheld ity do not enter into the picture. When you state that they are connected A. In home cassette decks, dbx noise On the other hand, the tape's magnetic "in -line back to the amplifier," I guess thatreduction seems to have totally disap- coating must be very smooth and resistant you mean they are connected between thepeared, as you can see for yourself from the to wear, lest there be excessive dropouts. output of the preamp section of the inte-Annual Equipment Directory in the Octo- Some dropouts are inevitable, but digital grated amplifier and the input of the powerber 1992 issue of Audio. tape systems are designed to compensate section. If so, only playback can be subject- If you have valued tapes that have beenfor reasonable dropout levels through error ed to signal processing. recorded with dbx encoding, you shouldcorrection and concealment. Tapes in the In order for the signal processors tokeep your present deck, regardless of DAT format must also meet exacting phys- work in recording as well as in playback,whether you buy a new one (which in all ical requirements so as to withstand the they would have to be connected via theprobability will have only Dolby noise re- rigors of its rotating -head system. A mixer between the tape out and tape induction). Otherwise, you won't be able to jacks of the integrated amplifier; the mixerplay these tapes satisfactorily, because If you have a problem or question on tape record- would carry signals to and from the decks.Dolby decoding is not compatible with dbx ing, write to Mr. Herman Burstein at AUDIO, 1633 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10019. All letters are It is often considered undesirable to pro-encoding. At some point you may want to answered. In the event that your letter is chosen by cess signals to be recorded on tape, becausedub your dbx tapes, using the old deck to Mr. Burstein to appear in Tape Guide, please indicate if your name and/or address should be there is danger of overloading the tape,play them and a new one to record them withheld. Please enclose a stamped, self-addressed particularly in the case of equalization. Sig-(with Dolby encoding, of course). envelope. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 18 George Strait -Pure Travis Tritt- "Honeymoon In Vegas" Gune N' Roses -Use Country (MCA) 448.753 T-R-O-U-B-L-E (Warner CO L U M B I A HOUSE-Original Soundtrack Your Illusion II (Geffen)al Bros.) 445.767 (Epic) 444419 442-038 Great White -Psycho City (Capitol) 447.565 Damn Yankees -Don't h -Countdown Faith No More -Angel Tread (Warner Bros.) Toxtinction (Capitol) Dust (Reprise/Slash) Phil Collins -Serious 445.759 444489 439.307 Hits...Live (Atlantic) 448444Suzanne Vega -99.9°F Barbra Streisand-"Just Mary Chapin Carpenter (A&M) 447.516 For The Record" -Come On, Come On Marky Mark And The (Columbia) 444372 440450 Funky Bunch -You Gotta Collin Raye-In This Life (Columbia) Believe (Interscope) (Epic) 447.268 David Bowle-David Live Lyle Lovett -Joshua 447.771 (Rykodisc) Judges Ruth (MCA) Bad Company -Here 438.218/398.214 Elton John -The One Comes Trouble (ATCO) 440.479 (MCA) 4426772 446.203 James Brown -CD Of JB Wilson Phillips - ( Polydor) 425.025 Marlah Carey -MTV Public Enemy -Greatest Shadows And Light (SBK) Unplugged (Columbia) Misses (Columbia) Marvin Gaye's Grt. Hits 444271 441.790 445478 (Motown) 387465 Nell Diamond -The Gn. "Singles"-Orig. Sndtrk. Branford Martalis-I Aretha Franklin -30 Hits (Columbia) (Epic) 439404 Heard You Twice The First Greatest Hits (Atlantic) 439.778/399.774 354793/394799 Kris Kross-Totally Time (Columbia) 445.460 Wynton Mara/die Septet Krossed Out (Ruffhouse/ Freddie Jackson -Time - -Blue Interlude Columbia) 435.743 For Love (Capitol) (Warner (Columbia) 439463 Bros.) 349.803 Garth Brooks -Rom' 445.262 Firehouse -Hold Your The Wind (Liberty) George Thorogood And Jethro Tull -Aqualung Fire (Epic) 439448 428.862 The Destroyers -The (Chrysalis) 345.157 Saddest Of The Bad (Hits) Del Amitri-Change Expose -Expose (Arista) -Live In Everything (A&M) 439.331 449.306 (EMI) 444.505 New York City (Capitol) Helmet -Meantime Pat Metheny-Secret 342.774The B -52's -Good Stuff (Reprise) 439.281 (Interscope) 449486 Story (Geffen) 444422 Motown's 25 01 Hits - Morrissey -Your Arsenal From 25 Years (Motown) Bob James & Earl Klugh Acoustic/Good As I Been (Sire/Wamer Bros.) 319496/394998-Cool (Warner Bros ) 439.232 To You (Columbia) 444398 Stevie Wonder's Orig. 449.454Rude Boys -Rude House Musiquarlum I (Tamla) -Doo-Bop Sade-Love Deluxe (Epic) (Atlantic) 44463641 9 9 3 314497/394999 (Warner Bros.) 439.224 4496439 HI Five -Keep On Goin' Best Of Carly Simon David Sanborn -Upfront Shabba Ranks-X-Tra On (Jive) 444.331 (Elektra) 291.856 (Elektra) 438.994 Naked (Epic) 449.199 Warrant -Dog Eat Dog Deep Purple- Machine Cure -Wish Mild Howard -Femme (Columbia) 4446091 Head (Warner Bros.) (Elektra) 438655 Fatale (Giant/Reprise) 291484 448.688 DAS EFX-Dead Serious THE ART. (eastwest) 438.630 Diamond Rio -Close To The Edge (Arista) 448.290 Beanie Boys -Check Your Head (Capitol) 121 Eric Clapton-Unplugged 438499 (Reprise/Duck) 446.187 Cellos Dion R.E.M.-Automatic For (Epic) 436.782 The People (Warner Bros.) a 448.522 - Lucky Town (Columbia) Billy Ray Cyrus -Some 436.600 Gave All (Mercury) 441451 Bruce Springsteen- Human Touch (Columbia) Mother Love Bone- 436492 Stardo Champion (Mercury) 447.755 Sophie B. Hawkins - Tongues & Tails Patty Smyth (Columbia) 436402 (MCA) 446.773 Sonic Youth -Dirty Eagles -Hotel California Indigo Girls -Rites Of Al B. Sure -Sexy Versus (Geffen) (Asylum) 286448 Passage (Epic) 436.394 (Warner Bros.) 4466088 Tears For Fears -Tears Soul Asylum -Grave Ricky Van Shelton - Meat Loaf -Bat Out Of Greatest Hits Plus Hell (Epic) 279.133 Roll Down (The Hits 1982- Dancers Union (Columbia) (Columbia) 444.067 SCIENCE. 92) (Fontana) 4366006 445410 Boston (Epic) 269.209 Tom Cochrane -Mad Ugly Kid Joe -America's Trisha Yearwood-Hearts In Armor (MCA Nashville) Mad World (Capitol) Least Wanted (Mercury) Peter Frampton - 435485 445.379 444042 Frampton Comes Alive! David Bowie -Diamond (A&M) 2626311/394316 k.d. rang -Ingenue Too Short -Shorty The (Warner Bros /Sire) Dogs (Rykodisc) 442.442 Player (Jive) 443.788 Jim Croce -Photographs 435404 Saigon Kick -The Lizard & Memories: Grt. Hits Temple Of The Dog Screaming Trees -Sweet (3rd Stone/Atlantic)al (A&M) 442.780 (Saja) 246.868 441434 Oblivion (Epic) 445.312 Various Artists -Red Hot Marty Stuart -This One's "Boomerang"-Orig. ZZ Top-Grt. Hits (Warner And Dance Gonna Hurt You (MCA) Sndtrk. (LaFace) 442.335 Bros.) 436.010 442.418 (Columbia) 440.289 Guns N' Roses -Use Arrested Development Alan Jackson -A Lot E P M D -Business Never Your Illusion I (Geffen)13 -3 Years, 5 Months & About Livin' (Arista) Personal (RaVDef Jam/ 442087 2 Days (Chrysalis)436204 447458 Chaos) 442.244 THE VALUE.

1 PLUS A CHANCE TO GET ONE MORE CD -FREE! See Details on other side. II Contains explicit lyrics which may be objectionable to some members.

Keith Sweat -Keep It Randy Travis -Greatest Comin' (Elektra) 431.130 Hits, Vol. I (Warner Bros.) 448454 Erasure -Chorus (Sire/Reprise) 430.546 Vince Gill -I Still Believe In You (MCA) 448.571 The Vaughan Brothers - Family Style (Epic/Assoc.) Grover Washington, Jr. 411.306 -Next Exit (Columbia) 435.396 Traffic -The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys Bobby Brown -Bobby (Island) 351.24 En Vogue -Funky Divas (eastwest) 435.750 (MCA) 445403 INXS-Welcome To Harry Connick, Jr.- Blue Wherever You Are Light. Red Light (Atlantic) 4456023 Entertaining America... (Columbia) 429.191 Smokey Robinson One Person at a Time.sm Spin Doctors -Pocket ERN The Miracles -Anthology Full Of Kryptonite (Motown)334057/394051 (Epic/Assoc.) 428482 Teals -Psychotic Supper Stevie Ray Vaughan Bryan Adams -Waking Mary J. Bilge -What's (Geffen) 442.178 10,000 Maniacs -Our Double Trouble -Sky Up The Neighbows The 411? (Uptown/ MCA) Time In Eden (Elektra) Michael Bolton - Is Crying (Epic) 429.258 (A&M) 429.779 444197 Nirvana-Nevermind 448.530 442.046 Timeless (The Classics) (DGC) Skid Row -B -Sides 445494 Pearl Jam -Ten (Epic/ Jackson Browne -The "The Commitments" James Taylor -New (Columbia) Pretender (Asylum) Sndtrk. (MCA) 429.753 Moon Shine (Columbia) Kiss -Revenge Ourselves (Atlantic) Associated) 428433 292443 429.209 (Mercury) 441436 447.847Nine Inch Nails -Broken Skirled O'Connor -Am I (Interscope) 448.548 Lionel Richle-Back To Soundgarden-Badmo- Not Your Girl? (Chrysalis) Toad The Wet Sprocket ZZ Top -Eliminator Front (Motown) 441-063 tOrfinger (A&M) 428.250 447.532-Fear (Columbia)424468(Warner Bros.) 319424 © 1993, The Columbia House Company COLUMBIA H OUSE CLASSIC ROCK'S GREATESTNITS Foreigner -The Very Rush -Chronicles (Mer- Fleetwood Mac-Grt. HitsJames Taylor's GR. Hits Best.. And Beyond cury) 423.780/393.785 (Warner Bros.) 375.782 (Warner Bros.) 291.302 (Atlantic) 447424 The Very Best Of The Journey's Greatest Hits Best Of rim Dorablers Yes-Yesstory (ATCO) Righteous Brothers - (Columbia) 375.279 (Werner Bros.) 291.278 446411/396218 Unchained Melody (Verve) The Steve Miller Band- 423.772 Best Of The Doors (El- Steely Dan-Gold-Grt. Grt. Hits 1974-78 (Capitol) ektra) 357416/397.612 290.171 Hits (MCA) 435.993 The Moody Blues-Grt Hits (Polydor) 423.758 The Police -Every b. Eagles-Grt. Hits, 1971- Steppenwolf-Bom To Be You Take -The Singles 75 (Asylum) 287-003 Wild (MCA) Eric Clapton-Time (A&M) 348318 Loggins & Messina - 430.678/390.674 Pieces (Polydor) 423467 The Beech Boys -Made In The Best Of Friends The Allman Brothers The U.S.A. (Capitol) (Columbia) 289.605 Band -A Decade Of Hits Lynyrd Skynyrd Band- Skynyrd's Innyrds/Their 346445Santana's Grt. Hits 1969-79 (Polydor) 430439 (Columbia) 244459 Grt. Hits (MCA) 381.129 B ad Company -10 From 6 The Byrds-20 Essential (Atlantic) 341.313 's Get Hits Tracks (Columbia/ Grateful Dead -Skeletons (Columbia) 231470 From The Closet (Warner Legacy) 426440 Joe Cocker's Grt. Hits Simon & Garfunkel's Bros.) 379.406 (A&M) 320411 Rod Stewart -Downtown Greatest Hits Train/Selections From Roy Orbison-The All - Cnredence Cie/shyster (Columbia) 219.477 The Storyteller Anthology Time Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 Revival -Chronicle -20 Bob Dylan's Grt. Hits (Warner Bros.) 425332 (CSP) 377.946 GI. Hits (Fantasy)308049 (Columbia) 138.586

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Just mall the coupon together with check or bonus plan. It lets you get a single CD for as little Natalie Cole - Jimmy Buffett -Songs money order for $1.86 (that's 10 for your first 8 as $3.99 (or a single cassette free) for each CD Unforgettable (Elektra) You Know By Heart (MCA) CDs, plus $1.85 for shipping and handling). you buy at regular Club price. 422.279 131 339411 You agree to buy just six more selections in the 10 -Day Risk -Free Trial. We'll send details of Jane's Addiction -Ritual Dire Straits -Brothers In next three years, at regular Club prices currently De Lo Habitual (Warner Arms (Warner Bros.) the Club's operation with your introductory Bros.) 407.098 336.222 $12.98 to $15.98 -and you may cancel mem- package. If not satisfied, return everything within bership at any time after doing so. (A shipping and Depeche Mode - Bruce Springstesen- 10 days for a full refund and no further obligation. Violator (Sire/Reprise) Born In The U.S.A. handling charge will be added to each shipment.) Extra Bonus Offer: you may take one additional 405423 (Columbia) 326429 Free Music Magazine sent every four weeks CD right now at the super -low price of only Kenny G Live (Arista) The Charlie Daniels (up to 13 times a year), describing the Regular $6.95 -and you are then entitled to take an extra 401405 Band -A Decade Of Hits Selection for your listening interest, plus hundreds CD as a bonus FREE! And you'll receive your (Eoic) 321.067 of alternates. And Special Selection mailings up to discounted CD and your bonus CD with your 8 six times a year (total of up to 19 buying opportunities). introductory selections -that's 10 CDs in all! DANCEBEAT Buy only what you want! If you want the If the application is missing, write to: Marky Mark & The Funky Paula Abdul -Spellbound Regular or Special Selection, do nothing -it will be Columbia House, 1400 N. Fruitridge Ave., Terre B unch -Music For The (Virgin) 420.257 sent automatically. If you'd prefer an alternate Haute, IN 47811-1129. People (Interscope) C & C Music Factory - 448.498 selection, or none at all, just mail the response Gonna Make You Sweat card always provided by the date specified. Gerardo -Dos (Columbia) 416433 You always have 10 days to decide; if not, you (Interscope) 447.763Madonna -The may return the Selection at our expense. Entertaining America... Various Artists -East Immaculate Collection New "Buy More -Pay Less" Bonus Plan. If Coast Family, Vol.1 (Warner Bros./Sire) One Person at a 'rime.' (Motown) 444.846 414457 you continue your membership after fulfilling your Stevie B -Healing (Epic) Janet Jackson- Rhythm obligation, you'll be eligible for our money -saving 439438Nation 1814 (A&M) 388418 Selections with two numbers contain 2 CDs and count as 2 -so write in both numbers. TLC-O000000hhh... (LaFace) 434421 Jon Seceder (SBK) 435.154 COLUMBIA HOUSE, 1400 N. Fruitridge Ave., P.O. Box 1129, Terre Haute, IN 47811-1129 511493 "Mo' Money"-Orig. Sndtrk. (Perspective/ CarCe Peniston-Finally I am enclosing check or money order for $1 .86 (that's 16 for my 8 MM) 443.739 (A&M) 433.606 CDs, plus $1.85 for shipping and handling). Please accept my application SEND THESE 8 CDs FOR 14 under the terms outlined in this advertisement. I agree to buy 6 more Selections with two numbers contain 2 CDs and selections (at regular Club prices) in the next 3 years -and may cancel count as 2-wnte each number in a separate box The Best Of Luther Michael Jackson -Thriller my membership anytime atter doing so. Vandross (Epic) (Epic) 318.089 400473/390476 My main musical interest is (check one): Brooks & Dunn -Brand Rap (But I may always choose from any category) Aerosmith-Pump New Man (Arista) 429.969 L.L. Cool J, (Geffen) 388.009 O Hard Rock Soft Rock D Modern Rock Public Enemy The Fabulous Van Halen, Michael Bolton, The Cure, Ught Sounds Don Henley -The End OfThunderbirds -Hot Stuff: ZZ Top Mariah Carey Morrissey The Innocence (Geffen) The Greatest Hits (Epic/ Neil Diamond, 383402Associated) E Heavy Metal D R&B/Soul D Easy listening James Taylor 445-098 Megadeth, Luther Vandross,Frank Sinatra. El Dance Pop Tom Petty -Full Moon Cher -Love Hurts Ozzy Osboume Boyz ll Men Ray Conniff C&C Music Factory Fever (MCA) 382.184 (Geffen) 443.036 E Country D Jazz E Classical En Vogue Bonnie Raitt-Nick 01 Rodney Crowell -Life Is Time (Capitol) 381-087 Messy (Columbia)439471 Patti Labelle-Bumin' Mr. Extra Bonus Offer: Slaughter -The Wild Lite Mrs. Age (MCA) 430074(Chrysalis) 436.642 Also send one more Miss Print First Name Initial Last Name CD now, for which l am en- Hammer -Too Legit Melissa Etheridge - Quit (Capitol) Address closing an additional $6.95. Never Enough (Island) 4 - Robert Cray Sand- 435.180 ...and I'm entitled i Was Warned (Mercury) Trey Lorenz

City to get this extra 447.508 (Epic) 449.108 CD FREE) -Damn Right Randy Travis -Greatest Note: we reserve the right to reject arty application or cancel any I've Got The Blues (Jive) State Zip membership Offers not available in APO, FPO, Alaaka, Hawaii, Hits, Vol. 2 (Warner Bros.) Puerto Rico; write for details of alternative offer. Canadian 434.373 448.662 Do you have a VCR? (04) Yes D No residents will be serviced from Toronto. Applicable sales tax Do you have a credit card? (03)D Yes E NoMZC-8F-RN added to all orders Alice in Chains -Dirt (Columbia) 445.633 Recessionary times notwith- THE SCENES standing, members of the BEHIND Audio Engineering Society BERT WHYTE gathered in San Francisco last October for their 93rd Convention. Though a few familiar names were absent from the PAPER CLIPS exhibitor roster, newcomers made up the difference, proving once noIs... again (at least in audio engineering) that hope springs eternal in the hu- man breast! la7-ttl kHz Every AES convention seems to have a central theme. Digital tech- nology certainly has dominated the J- scenes for quite a few years, and this +j5 3.3 trend continued at the 93rd Con- vention, though there was more em- 9 phasis on the phenomenological as- , ea+- tp7co pects of digital audio. The wide r.oz+0'_ '20 availability of powerful but relatively 411111114 I7 inexpensive DSP engines has Ec5 C-5 ""..: 0- 11) spawned myriad investigations into hitherto unexplored areas of acous- Hz tics and electronics. Apart from all the glittering audio artifacts on display, the core of AES conventions is the presentation of papers by audio engineers and scien- tists. Usually, some of the papers reflect interest in "hot" new devel- Music and Acoustics, Stanford Uni- sion and thus heard hundreds of opments, such as the current dawn- versity, and Dept. of Psychology, times in the same key. The partici- ing of DCC and MD. Surprisingly, University of Oregon. Levitin feelspant then sang a few notes of his or the 93rd Convention saw very littlethat pitch memory is "a necessary, her chosen song into a digital audio activity on DCC and just one paper though perhaps not sufficient, con- recorder. The results showed that, in on MD, concerning its ATRAC tech- dition for what is classically thoughtcontrast to the 0.01% mentioned nique of data compression. Most ofof as absolute pitch ability" and thatearlier, 27% of the Stanford subjects the papers are available as preprints larger numbers of people may pos- "made no deviations in pitch from from the AES. After surveying all sess this memory. Levitin set out totheir target tones, and thus demon- available preprints, I have selected a test pitch memory by seeing howstrated absolute pitch memory," few Ifeel have relevance for Audiowell his subjects could reproduce a while another 46% made errors clus- readers. song in the proper key after muchtered within only two semitones of Itis generally accepted that the intervening time and distraction. the correct notes. ability to perceive the absolute pitch His hypothesis: "Repeated exposure of a given note of music is quite rare to [a song] will not only form a AT THE CORE OF AES and is more usually found in musi- memory representation of the set of CONVENTIONS ARE THE cians. Indeed, researchers have esti- relative pitches of the song (melody) PAPERS PRESENTED mated that only 0.01% of the general but as well form a representation of population has absolute pitch. But the actual notes that were originally BY AUDIO ENGINEERS the story is very different for pitch experienced." AND SCIENTISTS. memory, according to "Absolute Both musicians and nonmusi- Memory for Musical Pitch: More cians were among the 26 subjects Every audiophile is acutely aware than the Melody Lingers On," Pre- randomly selected at Stanford Uni- of the importance of loudspeaker print No. 3351 (A-4), by Daniel J.versity. Each was asked to choose placement in the listening room. Levitin, Dept. of Psychology and one title from a list of more than 600 Those with some knowledge of Center for Computer Research inrock songs known in only one ver- acoustics can usually place speakers AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 21 in a configuration that will allow reason- ably good performance; the lessskilled Why This Ad must use trial and error. The typical listen- ing environment imposes a number of con- straints, such as room size and geometry, as Is Making The Other well as the acoustical influence of furniture, drapes, carpeting, etc. Then there is the Loudspeaker Company common situation of auditioning a speaker in a dealer's listening room and later hear- ing a very different sound quality when the Nervous. same speaker is taken home. These topics are explored in consider- INt think the Ensemble II speaker system by Henry Kloss able depth, with quite complex statistical is better than the BOSE AM -5 Series II. And because analysis, in "The Effects of Loudspeaker Cambridg SoundWorks sells direct...it's half the price. Placement on Listeners' Preference Rat- ings," Preprint No. 3352 (A-5), by Sean E. Audio Hall of Fame member, Henry Kloss Olive and Peter L. Schuck, Institute for Mi- All Cambridge SoundWorks products are designed by crostructural Sciences, National Research our co-founder and chairman, Henry Kloss, who created Council, Canada, and Sharon L. Sally and the dominant speakers of the '50s (AR), '60s (KW) Marc E. Bonneville, Canadian Audio Re- and '70s (Advent). Our high performance, high -value speakers and systems are all manufactured in our search Consortium. The abstract states: factory in Newton, Massachusetts. Through the use of an acoustically ad- Ensemble II performance for half the Bose price. justable listening room and a binaural Ensemble® II is the latest version of the subwoofer- record/reproduction system, "live" and satellite speakers Audio magnine said "may be the best "binaural" subjective evaluations were value in the world." Unlike the Bose® system, it uses two-way satellite speakers and acoustic suspension made of different loudspeakers placed in subwoofers (with 35% more cone area). It can sound different room locations. identical to our original Ensemble system. The experimental results from both tests show that listeners' preference ratings Audio experts on call 365 days a year. for different loudspeakers are significantly Our helpful, knowledgeable audio experts (not clerics) are on duty for advice, hook-up information or orders, influenced by their location within the 8AM-midnight, every day, including holidays. They room. In fact, the positional effects can be don't know the meaning of the phrase "hard sell:' larger than the subjective differences be- A customer wrote "The quality of your product is tween the loudspeakers themselves. The matched by your attitude towards your customers:' binaural evaluations indicate listeners' preferences are significantly influenced by %Wye eliminated the expensive "middle -men:' All Cambridge SoundWorks components and systems interactions between the loudspeaker, its are sold factory -direct to the public, eliminating huge location, and the type of program material distribution expenses. Don't be fooled by our reasonable auditioned. These secondary effects were prices-our products are very well made, with premium less significant in the live tests, suggesting quality components throughout. With our 30 -day that traditional real-time listening tests satisfaction guarantee, you can't lose. may be inadequate for measuring or con- FREE catalog-Pioneer, Philips, Denon and more. trolling these effects. Our full -color catalog is loaded with systems and com- ponents from top name brands, including our own. 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Find out how good we are: experts on call 8AM-midnight (ET) every day 1-800-AKA-HIFI AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 22 Enter No 5 on Reader Service Card reflecting his deep involvement with Ambi- 5 -Year er they be multi -bit or bitstream units, Parts & Labor some of these advances impose newly criti- sonics and other methods of surround Warranty cal design factors that must be addressed. sound: For example, the enclosure for the D/A "Problems of Upward and Downward Spec+, converter has a direct bearing on jitter. All Compatibility in Multichannel Stereo Sys- the audiophile tricks of using shock -ab- tems," Preprint No. 3404 (J-6). sorbing feet, damping sheets and blocks, "Compatibility of and Conversion Be- and various clamps are nothing more than tween Multispeaker Systems," Preprint No. bandages. The careful design and fabrica- 3405 (J-7). tion of the enclosure is now vital to achieve "Psychoacoustic Decoders for Multi - speaker Stereo and Surround Sound," Pre- print No. 3406 (J-8). Gerzon describes a new generation of Ambisonic decoders and MANY DEVELOPMENTS other variants on which he has patents CHRONICLED IN AES pending. PAPERS EVENTUALLY "Signal Processing for Simulating Realis- E tic Stereo Images," Preprint No. 3423 FILTER DOWN TO (0-1). Audio Catalog THE AUDIOPHILE. "Applications of Blumlein Shuffling to Call toll -free for factory -direct savings. Stereo Microphone Techniques," Preprint Save hundreds on components and No. 3448 (S-1). This utterly captivating systems from Cambridge SoundWorks, top performance. An eye-opening paper on paper describes a new variation on the Philips, Pioneer, Denon, Nakamichi, this subject is "Enclosure Detuning for 20 - Blumlein Difference Technique (or Blum- Thorens, Koss and others. Bit Performance," Preprint No. 3440 (Q- lein Shuffling), the oldest stereo miking Audio Experts will answer all your 5), by Don Moses of Wadia Digital. Moses method. This is a must read for practition- questions, before and after you buy... 8AM-midnight (ET), 365 days a yrar. analyzes such things as enclosure construc- ers of "purist" minimal stereo miking. tion and material, wall thickness, structural "Microphone Techniques for 3 -Channel 30 -day total satisfaction guarantee. integrity, cavity resonances of various Stereo," Preprint No. 3450 (S-3). Virtually 1 types, and internal coatings (dielectric or a primer on tomorrow's multispeaker ste- conductive) and then discusses the correc- reo and HDTV sound, this paper includes "Ensemble II, like fascinating, informative mike and speaker tive measures that have been used to ensure its companionsin suppression of r.f., skin effects, and jitter. layouts. It would be impossible to fully discuss For a related paper, see "A 3-1 Quadra- the Cambridge here all 107 preprints from the 93rd AES phonic Microphone for HDTV," Preprint SoundWorks lineup, Convention, so here is a rundown of some No. 3451 (S-4), by Akita Morita and To- performs so far of the other papers that cover cutting -edge shiro Haraga, NHK Science and Technical beyond its priceand audio technology: Research Labs, and Keishi Imanaga, Sanken size class thatit can "Jitter: Specification and Assessment in Microphone. The Japanese companies be comparedonly Digital Audio Equipment," Preprint No. NHK and Sanken have developed a single - 3361 (C-2), by Julian Dunn of Prism point mike with four capsules to provide with much larger Sound. front left, front right, front center, and rear speakers at substan- "Audio Power Amplifiers for Loud- center audio channels for HDTV produc- tially higherprices." speaker Loads," Preprint No. 3432 (N-6), tions. No doubt the mike does its intended by Eric Benjamin of Dolby Labs. job, but with the emergence of the SMPTE -StereoReview. "Super Bit Mapping: Psychoacoustically discrete six -channel system and the similar Optimized Digital Recording," Preprint method for Dolby SR -D film soundtracks, No. 3371 (D-9), by Makoto Akune, Robert this mike may have to be modified to allow 1-800-FOR-HIFI M. Heddle, and Kenzo Akagiri of Sony for discrete left and right rear channels. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (800-252-4434) Corporate Research Labs. A good compan- History has shown that many of the ion for this paper would be "Compatible developments chronicled in AES preprints CAMBRIDGE Improvement of 16 -Bit Systems Using Sub- of yesteryear have eventually filtered down SOUNDWORKS tractive Dither," Preprint No. 3356 (B-2), to the audiophile, providing new levels of A new kind of audio company, by Peter G. Craven and Michael A. Gerzon. sonic realism. Preprints are $5 each and with factory -direct savings. can be obtained from the - 154 California St., Suite 104FEB Newton, MA 02158 The prolific Gerzon, a technical consul- *In Canada call 1-800-525-4434. Fax: 617-332-9229 tant based in Oxford, England, has no ing Society, 60 East 42nd St., New York, Outside U.S. or Canada 617-332-5936 ®1991 CambridgeSoundWAS Ers2mbie is a reppiered trademark of fewer than six other papers of his own, all N.Y. 10165. A Cimbridge ScundlAt&. AR& Advert are trademaxis of Irtemationaljaven. kr. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 23 Enter No. 6 on Reader Service Card THE AUDIO INTERVIEW

There are some who were destined to be key witnesses and partici- pants in important periods of history-without becoming household names. Eddie Kramer is one of those people. The British Invasion? Whether it was engineering a show for the seminal Radio Luxembourg, recording , mixing , helping create the legend, Eddie was there. Woodstock? Eddie was theman who recorded it. ? Eddie was his great facilitator and alter- ego in the control room. Multitrack recording? Eddie built Hendrix's

Electric Lady, the first studio with a board specifically designed for 24- track recording. Early on in a career spanning three decades, hewas usu- ally the engineer, not the producer, so his name sometimes didn't make it to the cover. (Perhaps with the recent publication of Hendrix: Setting the Record Straight, his will become more of a household name. Another book from Kramer, From the Other Side of the Glass, is in preparation.) Later he became a producer for heavy rock acts from Anthrax to Whitesnake, but it is as the quintessential rock engineer that he first became known. That is primarily what our discussion here is concerned with. Eddie KramerT.F.

ROC -SOLID

EXP (ED TED Fox

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 24

to do some e were blown The Beatles away when came in

I am sure a lot of English bands in the early Kramer receives Platinum Music only making 3 pound, 50 a week, and I was and middle '60s must have had very strange Networks' Lifetime Achievement living at home. But Pye was the place that experiences working with engineers who had really exposed me to so much. We used to never done rock records before. Award from ex -Kiss guitarist do a lot of remote classical recordings. The Yes, but I think I was fortunate enough that Ace Frehley. mobile unit was very simple. It was a bunch the studios I worked in were on the cutting of Vortexion mixers. They were like elevat- edge. Pye Studios was the leading studio in Kramer at Electric Lady in 1970. ed Shure mixers; they had studded rotary the early '60s. Bob Auger was my first pots and were sort of like something the mentor. His connection to American re- BBC would have built. We would take one cording techniques was unique in England with a three -track Ampex machine and because his friend in New York was Bob three Ampex speakers-little self -amplified Fine, who ran Fine Recording. He was 8 -inch speakers encased in gel.Ithink responsible for the Mercury 35 -mm mag- acoustically some of these big halls we netic recording of classical music; he in- recorded in were better than the studios. vented his own microphone and all sorts of The technique of recording an orchestra stuff. So through Fine, Auger imported a was imprinted in my brain. lot of American gear back to England, While you did classical at Pye, you were also making Pye radically different than any doing groups like The Kinks. other studio in England. It also ran on 110 The Kinks were the first heavy rock session volts. They had these huge transformers so that I was on. Bob Auger saw The Kinks that we could run all the Ampex 300s, Am- not as a bunch of noise, but as an opportu- pex 350s, and Pultecs. Bob Auger loved the nity to do something creative. Listen to sound and wanted to incorpo- those early Kinks records. They are amaz- rate it into what was happening in England.it was an all-American rhythm section,ing. He was just very creative with limiters, Pye Studios was a branch of Pye Records,which was another big deal. It was the most which was the distributing arm for Repriseterrifying thing. I had never been so scared and for Chess Records, so I got an early ex- in my life. I remember him coming into the posure to American R&B and blues recordscontrol room; he had this cane with a silver at Pye Studios. I became the engineer/DJtop on it, and he laid it across the console for a half-hour radio show on Radio Lux-and said, "Now let's get down, let's not embourg, which transmitted pop musichave any shit." Then he laughed. Pye was a across the continent to England. We usedtesting ground for me in a lot of ways. to put in all these records from Howlin' It sounds like a great place to get started. Wolf and Chuck Berry and all the early Yes. But actually the very first studio that I Chess blues records. We were playing that worked for was Advision, which was basi- music way before anybody else. cally a jingle and film house that did some So while you were working at Pye, that samework in recording, and they had a couple of music was being broadcast over Radio Lux-mastering rooms as well. All the recording embourg. ... that I learned there was mono. I was there a ... And influencing all the musicians who year, thenIheard about Pye opening, were on the scene.. .. Here's another thing which was the hot studio. I always went to that was unheard of that we did at Pye: One the new studio in town that I thought was of the very first sessions that I remember the "cool" place where I would learn some- was Sammy Davis, Jr., and it was called forthing. I learned the basics at Advision. I was 11:30 p.m. This was unheard of, sessionsalso a delivery boy, a tea boy-the tradi- going beyond midnight. This was 1963. tional ground -up education. I did a lot of The musicians' union was in a completeblue beat at Advision. It was the precursor tizzy because a session had been called atto reggae. They did a lot of recording there 11:30 or midnight. History making! Sam- because it was so cheap. Those were my threw this big party in the studio. And cut for 10 or 15 pounds per session. I was

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 26 at Olympic- independent sessions a top studio with a point to prove. and compression and distortion. I wasn'ttion. Olympic was the top independent right off again without stopping for the sure what was going on, but I absorbed astudio, and we had a point to prove. Keith length of one roll of tape. Then we would lot from Bob Auger. and I did the first Beatles session at Olym- put up another roll of tape and would listen When did you go to work at Olympic Sound pic, "Baby You're a Rich Man." The whole back after two or three rolls of tape. Studios? thing was recorded, overdubbed, and When did they put everybody else on that In 1966. Olympic had a very good reputa- mixed in one night. The Beatles had this cut? tion. Keith Grant was the chief engineer. I ability to be able to just get in there, con- I cut the basic track for that, and they took remember walking into this place, and itcentrate, and just pound it out. Georgethe tape and then they overdubbed the just freaked me out. It was an old movieMartin sort of held the reins on them, and strings, etc. at EMI. house with 30 -foot ceilings. It was unusual he and John Lennon played keyboards. What about the Stones sessions you did because it wasn't in the center of town, itLater on I engineered the basics for "All there? was in the suburb of Barnes. This You Need Is Love?' Martin asked, "Could I was Glyn Johns' assistant on Between the was the new Olympic. I worked at the old you work it so that John could be in the Buttons and the Flowers album. During that studio, which was haunted. The place was control room?" So we figured out a way to periodI was working with Traffic and built in the 1600s or something. hook up the talk -back mike so that it was Jimmy Miller, who later produced The Didn't you work on some Beatles sessions at wired directly into the studio and into their Stones. Jimmy and I worked very closely Olympic? headphones. John sat next to me, and I was together. He taught me so mach in terms Yes,Idid two. EMI was so busy, Themixing, and he would sing. They would of production-how to get the best out of Beatles could not get in there. We were verycount off "one, two, three, four" and then the music and get the band at it, and get blown away that they were going to come [singing] "." Then, as that atmosphere going. Get them all excit- in. Keith Grant says, "Look, we got to reallythey got to the end of the song, he said, ed. That was his vibe on the Traffic records. show these guys up at EMI who's boss." "Make sure you leave the tape running?' As In the middle of a take, for instance, he There was a real rivalry. EMI was verywe got to the end of the song he went "one, would run out of the control room, grab stuffy, very proper, and had a great reputa-two, three, four," and they wouM start maracas and a tambourine, and jump on Hendrix and his engineer were "breaking new ground every day." hand side, were two big double doors. There were all these cars outside-Rolls, Bentleys, and Aston Martins. The local constabulary came by to see what all the fuss was about. The front door to the building was left open by mistake, so these two motorcycle cops with the leather boots came upstairs and were standing in the doorway. Mick's in the middle of this vo- cal. Now, in the control room there is every drug known to man. There was a fog of pot smoke hanging like a pall over the control room. I am the one who sees the cops first. So I said to Glyn, "The fuzz are here!" He doesn't stop the take, but there is a button he can hit and talk through the headphones without talking through the studio speak- ers. He says, "Mick, the fuzz are behind you so just be cool." In the meantime, there is something like a Chinese fire drill in the control room. Doors are opening to blow all the smoke away. [Producer] 's little suitcase was like a walking pharmacy. And he had this sort of perfume spray that he was using around the control room to make it smell better. It was hysterical. We were just laughing and N carrying on like nut cases. It was "hide all "1: the drugs immediately," because in those days The Stones were being marked. So (,)Mick, without missing a beat, calls to the the stage. We would set up a stage at theWollensak. We put the band in a little cir-two cops, "Excuse me, come over here!" end of the studio for Traffic. We were do-cle. Just one little snare drum with brushesThen he says, "I am having a bit of a prob- ing "Dear Mr. Fantasy" live. You can actu-and an acoustic guitar. You can hear it iflem here with my headphones; would you ally hear that on the record. you listen to the beginning. You can hearmind holding them on for me?" There are Jimmy Miller was asked to do Thethe wow on the tape machine, because thethese two big, burly English policemen Stones, because they wanted to go from amachine was not very stable. We playedwith one finger on each headphone holding slightly different direction. They liked the that track back through a little speaker, andthem while Mick was trying to sing, which fact that he was American and an ex-recorded it with a U-67 onto one track ofis giving us time to clear the control room. drummer/comedian. I cut a lot of basicthe four -track, and that became the basic Then Mick says, "Wind back to that middle tracks for . Also, "Jumpin' Jack track. bit,I have an idea. Can I borrow your Flash" was mine, and so was "ParachuteTell me about the recording of "Let's Spendtruncheons?" They say, "All right," so he Woman" [from Beggars Banquet]. We cut the Night Together." takes the two truncheons and goes "click, the basic track for "Jumpin' Jack Flash" onI was the assistant, Glyn was engineering,click, click:' It sounded like claves. Eventu- a cassette. We wanted to get that funky and Mick Jagger was in the studio singing.ally, after all this comes down, he asks, "Do sound, so we cut it on Jimmy Miller's About halfway down the studio, on the left - you want to come in?" All they wanted AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 28 NEW FROM THE WORLD-RENOWNED E MAGAZINE, REF , . : .... arm The iornple:e monthly guileIn ciass cal MUSIC 0 It*/ ee:tMt. 't Nothingmore

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( ) Phone 1-800-257-1100 Have you bought anything by mail 0 Last 6 months 0 Year 0 Never or mail the reply card. Dept. KAS We reserve the right to ask for additional information, reject any application , or cancel any membership. limited to new members; one per family. Local tax, if any, will be added. 1993 Warner Music Enterprises laW was shy; I had to 11!ocals were very Jimi, but he construct gobos important to so no one could see him. were autographs. So he brought them in ly teaching. I was enthralled with the fact and signed the autographs, and they went. Keith Richards, circa "Jumpin' that somebody was receptive to my ideas, Some techniques that have become nearly and I think it was a two-way street because Jack Flash," a Kramer track. ubiquitous in rock started at Olympic. I was receptive to the way he was playing My assistant, George Chkiantz had been and what he was doing in the studio. experimenting since George Martin came He did a lot of amazing stuff-backward in to do The Beatles' sessions. We had guitar ... asked George [Martin] how he got that The backward guitar solos were something phasing sound. We called it . And he practiced, and contrary to popular be- he told us, "It's pretty simple, and it is also lief, Jimi was very prepared in the studio. in the BBC Radiophonics Handbook from Preproduction was done very carefully 1949:' George, my assistant, had done it on away from the studio in the apartment with The ' "." I said, Chas. He worked in the apartment with a "We have to use this on Hendrix." Jimi had little tape machine, turning the tape told me about this dream he had about around and listening to it and practicing to being underwater and in this weird sort of it backwards. So when it came time for him space, and we said, "Aha, okay." We were to do a backwards solo, he knew exactly doing the Axis: Bold As Love album, and I where he was at any moment on that tape. told Jimi we had a surprise for him. We There was never a moment when he didn't played him the part of "Bold As Love" real tight hold on everything, but withinknow where he was, and he knew what his where the drums fall down. He could not that framework we were having a lot of fun.guitar was going to sound like when the believe it. He said, "That's exactly what I That's the thing that's missing today fromtape was turned back the right way. dreamed of." records. It's been written that Keith Grant would lock How did you first get involved with Jimi Jimi never felt he was a great singer. up the good mikes when Jimi came in because Hendrix? His vocals were very important to him, buthe was worried about him blowing them up. They had done "Hey Joe" and some B he was very shy about that. He thought heNever! Jimi was not rough on the equip- sides, three or four tracks, maybe 40% of couldn't sing. Ihad to construct thesement! If anything, he would have to accuse the Are You Experienced? album. Jimi felt it gobos around him to make sure no oneme of doing that. I don't think so, not from could be a lot better. Chas Chandler [Hen- could see him while he was singing. Hewhat I remember. As a matter of fact,I drix's manager and producer] had heard of wanted to be very private, and that madecame up with what I felt was the best com- Olympic from Bill Wyman and Brian Jones him feel more confident. He really didn'tbination of mikes-the M160 on his vocal, of The Stones. He came in to look at the like the way his voice sounded. which was like a telescope in terms of its studio and thought it was really cool and How would he communicate with you? front -to -back rejection; it's a ribbon mike, then brought Jimi in. So I ended up remix- In the beginning you have to remembervery warm -sounding. We used the normal ing a lot of the stuff and cutting new tracks that Chas was very much in control. But bycondensers on the drums and M160s and for the Experienced album. We hit it off. Axis, the second album, Jimi was veryU -67s on his guitar amps. Jimi and I really enjoyed each other's work. much expressing his own ideas. MitchHendrix developed a tendency to do many I would do something on the console that Mitchell, too. By the second album Mitch takes and rework things incessantly. ... would freak him out, and he would do was very much into what we could get outOnly later on! In the beginning he was very something in the studio that would freak of the drums and how we could make thetight, First two albums, Chas wouldn't let me out, and I would go, "Oh, yeah, well I drums sound better. There was a very openhim. Electric Ladyland was a different story. can do this," and he would say, "Well I can line of communication between me andFrom Electric Ladyland on was when Chas do this:' There was a constant sort of back Jimi and Mitch. was no longer there. Then it became much and forth where we would just get excited Do you think you helped educate Jimi aboutmore of a thing that Jimi and I did togeth- about the way things were sounding. We what was possible to be done in the studio? er. Of course, he had much more freedom were breaking new ground every day. Quite I don't know if it was possible to say that Ithen and was very much looser-but still frankly, we didn't know what we were educated him. I certainly exposed him to awith me being there to make sure that doing. We didn't think we were making lot of the possibilities. The man was athings were going to be recorded right. something earth -shattering. It was just fun. genius. He picked up on what I was show- Was that a source of friction with Chas? Of course, Chas Chandler had to keep a ing him very quickly, so I wasn't conscious- In a way. In retrospect I think it was a good AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 31 ©DAVID GAHR thing. Chas being there as the person hold- the bass on one track, and there was ain 1992 on an analog machine and com- ing the reins forced Jimi into a situation rhythm guitar track. We took that four -pare it with a digital version, and the analog where he had to be creative in a short peri- track and mixed that down to two tracks ofis going to blow it away! Digital sucks! I od of time. I think some of his best work another four -track machine, which gavehate digital! It is horrible! It has no soul reflects that. It gave him very good training, him more tracks-one for solo, one forwhatsoever. DAT is a great storage medi- very good input as to how a song should be better vocals. Then sometimes we would doum. Same with CD, same with digital. The structured. Chas was the one who helpedthat again-go to a third four -track. The48 -track Sony isa decent machine. It him restructure his songs. Later, on Electrichiss buildup was enormous. sounds pretty good. But itstill doesn't Ladyland and the stuff I did on The Cry ofHow did you deal with that? sound as good as-I defy anybody, particu- Love, it would be six, seven, eight, nineYou didn't deal withit!It was there!larly with the stuff that I do -15 ips, 16 - takes of guitar solo because we had theWhat're you going to do? You just load thetrack, with a shitload of level on the tape. tracks. Then I would be left with this unen- tape up with a shitload of level and hopeNow try to do that on a Sony 48 -track. viable task of trying to figure out which was for the best! There is no way in hell that the drums are the best solo, and they were all great. Even- I think the Hendrix CDs sound great. going to sound like anything. It can't! It's tually he and I would sit together and pickYeah? I don't know. One of these days itimpossible! There is no saturation, no the best bits, I'd bounce it down to oneought to be done properly. I don't think gradual amount of distortion in the curve. track, and that would be it. the CDs sound nearly as good as the origi- Who cares about the hiss in the background? How long did the first two albums take to do? nal recordings! I don't! I can see digital's point. I like digi- Very short process. You have to think Well, a whole generation of people like metal for certain things.I certainly made a about the technique we were using: Four- listened to that originally on garbage equip-sweeping generalization about digital, but track. In an evening we would cut two to ment, and there was a lot of stuff on thoseit is true to a large degree. It's essentially a three tracks. The album would be finished records that I never even heard because I wascold medium, where you are converting in a matter of two to three weeks. Four to listening to it on crappy equipment. music to numbers. Now, doesn't that say fours and down to stereo, and that's it! AllNo question about it. But if you compare a something? I think a lot of classical records those little intermediary mixes had to be pristine LP pressing from one of thosetoday sound quite good, but Istill think right, because in the early days the drums German manufacturers or one of those some of the older recordings ... and bass were on two tracks. I changed that audio research companies with a contem- Why is there such a fascination with this whole aspect of recording, by making the porary CD, the LP will blow it away. You reissue stuff? Because the older stuff sounds four -track a bed. The drums were in stereo, can give me the finest rock recording done better. When you said the Hendrix CDs AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 32 analog machine rock recording on an Thefinest done in 1992 is going to blow the digital version away! in the States, and it's 12 -track. I skipped sounded better, in some instances you are The Kinks were Kramer's probably right. There is not much tape eight -track altogether. They had a Scully noise; maybe they have done some EQing. "first heavy rock session." 12 -track, an abomination of a machine. I This guy Joe Gastwirt, who did the Hendrix can't imagine any machine worse than that. stuff, is good, but he is only as good as the It was noisy, but it was the hip thing, 12 - Steve Winwood: Kramer worked gear is. And unless you know how the orig- track, wow! Big deal! So all the four -track inal stuff was recorded, how are you going on Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy." stuff that I had done in England was trans- to make a CD of an original quarter -inch ferred to12. Jimi now had eight more 15-ips tape that I mixed sound better? You tracks to play with. But the 12 -track didn't are going to have to know what I did! One last that long, because it was so unreliable of the mistakes these record companies and so noisy. At that point the first 16 - make is they hire these guys to do this shit, track machines were coming out, so all and they are great engineers and all the rest those 12 -tracks that were filled up were of it, and sometimes they hit the mark, transferred yet again to16. So my "All sometimes they don't. But what they Along the Watchtower," which started as a should do is hire the guys who did the four -track in England, ended up on a 16 - original,if they are around, to at least track machine and went through three gen- supervise and give input into that process. I erations-and yet it still sounds good. The did this with the Zeppelin CDs. Yves Beau- Record Plant was a shitty studio, I thought. vais, at Atlantic, and I went over the initial The control room windows and walls were one. I said, "It is too harsh; what is Jimmy very thin, and they leaked badly. When we doing?" He said, "Yeah," and went back cranked up these big Tannoys, we some- and re -equalized it, softening it up a little times had feedback. It was very primitive. bit. You can get carried away! And CDs Gary was a brilliant engineer. I loved him. have a tendency to sound harsh anyway! I The board was a Datamix console, a hor- think a lot of the nuances from the original rendous -sounding console. Very noisy and get lost. People in the business five or 10 had a weird EQ. But we worked through it. years ago said, "That's it, the end of ana- Chris Stone, who ran the Record Plant withIt wasn't a great studio, but we produced log:' Boy, we proved them wrong. There Gary Kellgren, heard about my work in En- great records. Eventually the Record Plant has been a shift away from digital and into gland with Jimi. And Tom Wilson, whodid become a very good studio. analog because it does sound better, and was one of the founding members of theDid your experience at the Record Plant you lock up your two machines and away Record Plant-he produced Bob Dylan- contribute to thinking about Hendrix build- you go. Dolby SR is amazing sounding. I worked with me at Olympic doing some ing his own studio? love the way 15 ips sounds. I prefer 15 to 30, Animals sessions. Gary had done one or No. That came about because Jimi and his because the bottom end kicks you in the gut. two sessions in New York with Jimi, so they manager at the time, Michael Jeffrey, Let's move on to the recording of the Electric thought it would be really cool to get anbought the Generation nightclub with the Ladyland album. English engineer, particularly since Jimiview to having a little tiny control room to I left England in April of '68. We had cut was going to live in the States. So eventually record live gigs. When I was invited to three or four sides for what was to be the I came over and started working on the come down to look at the possibilities, I Electric Ladyland album in England-"All Electric Ladyland album. By the second or told them, "You guys are out of your Along the Watchtower," "Crosstown Traf- third session that I did, Chas was already minds-what nightclub? Forget that. Let's fic," and a couple of others. Chas had come not very happy with Jimi and the amount make this the greatest studio in the world:' over to America and started to work with of people who were in the control roomIt made them think, because they were Jimi already at the Record Plant. I was fin- and the amount of drugs Jimi was doing. going to run into a lot of problems getting ishing up The Stones' Let It Bleed album. I Chas just decided, "Sorry, see you later," so liquor licenses and stuff like that. So the was the new young engineer in town, Jimi and I basically took over the whole studio became the big thing. Jimi was brought over specifically because of my project. spending a fortune, $200,000 or $300,000 a work with Jimi. What was the setup at the Record Plant then? year in studio time, and wasting it. Why did you decide to leave England and go Ha! Very interesting. I had left England re- What was the original budget for the studio? to the Record Plant? cording on four -track. All of a sudden I am Half a million. It ended up twice that. Jimi AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 33 TheEnglish groups had

on Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man." I knew John Paul Jones, whose real name was John Baldwin. He was a session bass player who used to be in and out of Olym- pic all the time, and we became very good friends. Just before I left for the States in '68, he said, "I am putting this band to- gether with Jimmy Page. Got this singer from the north and this bricklayer of a drummer. It's pretty heavy. It's called Led Zeppelin:' He played me an acetate. It was amazing. When I was in the midst of constructing Electric Lady-that was the year thatI became an independent engineer-I mixed Led Zeppelin II.It was cut in various differ- ent studios. They were on the road, and they cut in Vancouver, in Texas, in En- gland. And I had cut a whole bunch of stuff in New York at various studios, all kinds of weird, funky studios. These places were so funky and primitive. It was all eight -track stuff. Eventually we got all these tapes to- gether, and the band came in to mix it with me and we had done overdubs, fixing up of this, editing that. Still, the entire album was mixed in two days in A&R Studios with a little 12 -input Altec console with two pan was not involved in it except in a remote very lucky that the studio sounded right,pots. Now you go figure that! way. I knew what he wanted, and I wantedpretty much from the beginning. It was Howdid thePhysical Graffitisessions come to make sure that it was going to be veryhome for Jimi, with the white carpets on about? comfortable since it was going to be his the walls and the theater lighting systems in Jimmy had a history of recording Zeppelin place. John Storyk was the architect. Hethe ceiling that could wash the walls in dif- in weird places. They had heard that Mick had never designed a studio before. He was ferent colors. He felt very comfortable inJagger had bought this house and wanted fresh out of college. So it was a novel there and loved to record in that studio. He to rent it out. We hired The Stones' record- experience for him and me. I knew what I was there early every night. Seven o'clock ing truck and pulled it up to the back of the wanted in terms of a console. Unfortunate- on the dot he was there, and sometimes be- house. Everybody stayed there-Mick's ly we had to go with the same manufactur- fore. I would be finishing up a session, andbedroom was off-limits. We had a great er, Datamix, since he was the only guy inhe would be there waiting to come in. Ittime. We cut eight tracks there. John Bon- New York who could do a custom board.was so unusual. The year of '69 he hadham was in the conservatory, beautiful - But it was a lot better built than the Record spent frittering his time away, doing long- sounding room. He was very together dur- Plant one. I laid it out and insisted that it winded jams at the Record Plant and Hit ing the sessions, very straight. But at night be 24 -track, because I knew that was the Factory and not really achieving much. Sohe would get blasted. up-and-coming thing. We were the first he really could not wait to get started. One lovely day we set up the mikes studio in New York to have a board specifi- Let's talk about some of the other classic ses- outside the house and recorded the acous- cally designed for 24 -track.I wanted to sions you did. Led Zeppelin ... tic guitar there, because I thought with no make sure the room acoustically was com- I had known Jimmy Page briefly during the reverberation at all, it would have a nice fortable and that it was live enough. WeOlympic days when he came in to do thepresence. On "Black Country Woman" you were flying by the seat of our pants. We had odd session as the heavyweight guitar play- can hear an airplane that flies overhead. We a good acoustician, Bob Hanson. We were er of the time. I recorded him doing a solo were doing a vocal overdub outside. You AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 34 groups havethe a great The American sense of humor. to take themselves awfully seriously.

can hear the talk -back click, "Gonna get Jimmy Page and Robert Plant: was chaos! It was a miracle that stuff was this airplane on. . .. And you can hear the recorded. I stayed up for three days and response, "Nab, leave it, yeah!" That's the Led Zeppelin's landmark second LP nights with vitamin B-12 shots. Slept on kind of accidental stuff I love. was mixed in two days. the floor for a few hours. It was definitely

You became a producer. ... exciting. The thing that was a disappoint- In '71 or '72. It was after Electric Lady Kramer produced Carly Simon's ment for me was the Hendrix performance, which I thought was awful, except for the studios had been going for about a year, debut. and I had started doing more of that kind odd song. of work. I did Carly Simon's first album You talked about how the fun has gone out of

and a whole bunch of stuff at Electric Lady. making records. .. . It was difficult, because I was running the The English rock 'n' roll bands of the '60s studio at the same time and producing my and '70s, and even part of the '80s, always own records. It was a natural thing because had a tendency not to take themselves I was basically doing that anyway, and seriously, and they had a great sense of quite often the producer would sit there humor. It was all a big joke. The American and ask me what I thought and what I groups have the tendency to take them- wanted to hear. My opinion would be selves awfully seriously: "If I can't get this incorporated into the record. I had done 64th note, the world is going to come to an the Voices of East Harlem for Elektra. Jac end!" I think that is so much horseshit! Holzman played me some of Carly's stuff, And that takes a lot of the fun out of it. In and we talked about it and hired variousA the old days the prevailing attitude was that musicians that she wanted. It was an inter- we are here to make music and to have a esting album. It was tough in the end Perhaps your most memorable live recording blast. We were experimenting all the time, because she had something very specific was the Woodstock festival. breaking new ground every day. Maybe that she wanted to hear, and I am not quite It was five o'clock in the morning, and the those records stand up so well today be- sure she heard it quite the way I did. In the sun was just coming up. I remember we cause of that, and because of the fact we end the album turned out great. "That's the could not drive any closer, because it was had to fight very hard to make them sound Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" was just too jammed and we had to walk about good. the first single. To do a Carly Simon album a mile from where we parked the car. I was Maybe the music was just better? was a good change for me. working at the Record Plant. Jimi was Well, people have said that. There is noth- Let's talk about John Mayan's The Turning going to perform. He was the big star of the ing new under the sun. Point. thing. Because I was Jimi's engineer, the Is it harder for you to work with groups that I was in the basement of the Fillmore East film people hired me to record the whole are so obviously derivative of classic rock with two eight -track machines supplied by thing. I had no idea what I was getting into. bands? the Fedco truck. That hall had the most In those days you just did what you did. ItIt is harder in one sense because I have al- fantastic acoustics, because the stage was was, "This is going to be cool, fine:' When ready done it. Some kid will say, "Give me pretty high and all wood and suspended. It I saw all the cars, I said, "This will be prettythat John Bonham drum sound:' "If you was the only acoustic album he ever did. hairy." We were in a trailer with an eight - were John Bonham, you would get that He lucked out with the various musicians track machine out of its box and sitting on John Bonham drum sound, wouldn't that he picked. The audience was totally an orange crate, and another eight -trackyou?" He was unique. How can you re- into what he was doing. I remember mix- machine was precariously slung together.create that? Even his son can't! Jason is a ing it with him. He came in with the album Seven tracks were available for recording; very good drummer in his own right, but cover completely designed and finished; he the eighth track was 60 -Hz pulse sync. We he is not his dad. Maybe he shouldn't try to designed his own album covers. As we were had a tiny handmade mixer with about be his dad! mixing, we would time the cuts, and he eight channels and a stack of Shure mixers Now, some 20 odd years later, where are would write on the jacket artwork with a on top of that. It was a nightmare. Between the Hendrixes? Where are the Zeppelins? pen what the final running order would be, each set, I would have to switch tracks and And where are the Santanas of today? But I and that would be it. They would send offchange things around, and the communi- still love making records. I still get excited the artwork. I had never seen an artist work cation between the control room-where I making records even if I know that the like that. was-and the stage was minimal at best. Itband is a problem. A AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 35 F. ALTON EVEREST

een o0n2

o matter how pure and reflected back. Two waves travelling in op- clean the sound leaving posite directions are superimposed, and, at theloudspeaker,the a certain characteristic frequency, a "stand- sound falling on the lis- ing wave" is set up. This is essentially a tener's ears can be quite condition of resonance that prevails when ,Cdifferent. Sound is borne the excitation frequency of the source is from the loudspeaker to equal to the speed of sound divided by the listener by the acoustics of the room. twice the distance between the surfaces: An understanding of the sound field of a Frequency of resonance = room can be of great practical help in 1,130 feet per second optimizing the listening environment. (1) (2) (Distance between surfaces) In this article,Iwill discuss acoustic coloration of low -frequency sound up to For example, with a spacing of 15 feet, the an arbitrary 300 Hz; a future installment frequency of resonance is 1,130 divided by will look at the band above 300 Hz. There is 30, or 37.7 Hz. The (2) is in the denomina- a very logical reason for this division. In tor of Equation 1 because a round trip is terms of the wavelength of sound, our needed to sustain the standing wave. listening rooms are acoustically "small" for Let us examine the resonances to be low frequencies and acoustically "large" for found in the rectangular room in Fig. 2, higher audio frequencies. This requires em- which has a length of 23.3 feet, a width of phasis on sound waves for the low frequen- 16.0 feet, and a ceiling height of 10.0 feet. cies and sound rays for the high ones. The reasons for these particular dimen- Out in free space, sound travels on and sions will be revealed later. on-unimpeded, unreflected, unrefracted, Taking first the longest dimension, the undiffracted, and unabsorbed. The addi- length of 23.3 feet, and applying Equation tion of walls, floor, and ceiling introduces a 1, we find a frequency of resonance of whole new set of rules for sound in an 1,130 divided by 46.6, or 24.2 Hz (rounded enclosed space. off to the nearest 0.1 Hz). This frequency, In Fig.1 a sound source is located be- associated with the greatest dimension of tween two plane, parallel reflecting sur- the room, is the lowest frequency to receive faces. The sound reflected from one surface resonance support. For frequencies lower travels toward the other surface and is then than this, sound will be just likeitis AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 36 Paper Sculpt -um Ian Colliety Photograph: Bill Milne outdoors with no reflecting surfaces. A interaction as a single round trip. Thesenances at 70.6, 105.9, 1413, 176.6... Hz graphical representation of the 24.2 -Hz two end surfaces result in resonance fre- and are plotted in Fig. 4B. lengthwise resonance is shown in Fig. 3A. quencies of 24.2, 48.5, 72.7, 97.0. .. Hz, as The distance from floor to ceiling, 10.0 This is the first brick in the acoustic struc- shown in Fig. 3B. Ah! The acoustics of this feet, resonates at 56.5 Hz (Fig. 5A), with ture of this room, and we are impressed byspace are beginning to fill out! Any sound multiples (harmonics) at113.0,169.5, all the blank space out to 300 Hz. in the room will be boosted at these partic- 226.0, 282.5... Hz (Fig. 5B). All of the res- Now comes an interesting fact: The 23.3 - ular frequencies-but there are sizable onances considered to this point are called foot distance between the two reflecting spaces yet to be filled in. axial modes, because the wavefronts travel surfaces (the ends of the room) is just as The width of the room is 16.0 feet, so the perpendicularly to the three axes of the resonant at 2, 3, 4, 5... times 24.2 Hz as it fundamental resonance of these two side room. Other names for these resonances is at 24.2 Hz. This makes sense, as multiple walls (from Equation 1 and rounded off) is encountered in the literature are normal round trips of the sound between the two 35.3 Hz. This is plotted in Fig. 4A. Integral modes, eigentones, characteristic frequen- surfaces result in the same travelling wave multiples of 35.3 Hz give harmonic reso- cies, and natural frequencies. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 37 lice idea/room(mu/6 I no! manyof

The three sets of resonances for the rectangular room all function simulta- neously; they have been considered singly only for clarity. Ml three sets of resonances are combined in Fig. 6 and listed in Table I as our picture of the acoustics of the room continues to grow. The combination of all the resonance peaks of all the axial modes begins tofill up this "frequency space"al, involving both amplitude and phase from 0 to 300 Hz. angle rather than simple summation. In Fig. 1 -Standing wave resonance can be our desire to achieve a relatively uniform established between a single pair of plane, Tangential and Oblique Modes room response, we must pay attention to parallel reflecting surfaces. We still do not have the full picture ofthe spacing of modes to avoid "coinci- the low -frequency acoustics of this en-dences" (resonances appearing at the same closed space. There are other resonancefrequency) and excessive gaps. modes than the axial that tend to fill in be- tween the resonances of Fig. 6. Figure 7A Designing for Mode Distribution illustrates the paths of sound constituting The dimensions of 23.3 X 16.0 X 10.0 the axial modes. These are the easiest to vi- feet were carefully selected for the above sualize, but there are also tangential modes example to distribute these resonances as (Fig. 7B) and oblique modes (Fig. 7C) as uniformly as possible. If the room were cu- well. The air in an enclosed space canbical, the three sets of axial frequencies Fig. 2 -An enclosure such as a listening resonate in these three different ways with room is acoustically resonant at many equal facility, and do so simultaneously. Table I -Axial modes for room of 23.3 X 16.0 frequencies determined by its dimensions. The axial modes involve only two surfaces; X 10.0 feet. the tangential and oblique modes involve Axial Modes, Hz four and six surfaces, respectively. (A) LENGTH WIDTH HEIGHT Itis harder to visualize tangential and 2 24.2 35.3 56.5 2 0 50 00 150 200 250 300 oblique resonances being set up with all 48.5 70.6 113.0 those multiple reflections on a single round 72.7 105.9 169.5 1 (B) trip around the room. For our purposes, I 97.0 141.3 226.0 L 121.2 176.6 282.5 50 suggest that you just take them as a matter 50 200 250 300 145.5 211.9 339.0 FREQUENCY -Hz of faith. For inquisitive readers not satisfied 169.7 247.2 Fig. 3 -The space between the two ends of with this, a perusal of the appropriate solu- 194.0 282.5 the room of Fig. 2 is resonant at 24.2 Hz tion of the wave equation in any standard 218.2 317.8 (A) as well as at integral multiples of acoustics text will be convincing. 242.5 These modal resonances are the acous- 266.7 24.2 Hz (B). 291.0 tics of the room in the low -frequency re- 315.2 gion. The response curve of the space is (A) 11 made up by superimposing the individualwould coincide and result in exaggerated modal resonance curves. The separation of g 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 spacings. Rectangular rooms of other pro- rc the individual modes determines the portions can also have their problems. For smoothness of the room response. Exces- example, a room that is 10 X 15 X 30 feet (B) sive gaps between them lead to dips in the would have many coincidences because of 11 J 0 SO 100 (50 2'00 250 300 room's low -frequency response. A number the 2 -to -I, 3 -to -1, and other ratios that FREQUENCY - Hz of these resonances clumping near a certain lead to many pileups and large gaps. Utiliz- Fig. 4 -The space between the two side frequency could result in a peak in the low - ing optimum dimensional ratios in new walls of Fig. 2 is resonant at 35.3 Hz (A) as frequency response of the room at that fre- construction is a major step toward satis- well as at integral multiples of 35.3 Hz (B). quency. Ml such superimposing is vectori- factory low -frequency response of a room. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 38 lacAresonancesbul woulo ktoe not spaced loo close or loofar aparl.

For existing rooms, you have to live with 6 dB less that of the axial modes, respec- what is provided and treat the resulting tively. Energy level in Fig. 10 is indicated by fl (A)

problems. the height of each line. 100 1.50 200 250 300 The inevitable presence of tangential and What would be lost in our evaluation of tri3

oblique resonances in the room is some- our listening room by considering only the 8 (B) what beneficial, but their effect is limited. axial modes? In the stretch between 50 and They do add resonances between the adja- 100 Hz in Fig. 10 (also see Table II), only 100 ISO 200 250 300' FREQUENCY -H, cent axial resonances for a minor effect. four axials raise their pointy heads, while interspersed are 10 tangentials and four Fig. 5-The space between the floor and the ceiling of Fig. 2 is resonant at Table II-Axial, tangential, and oblique modes obliques. (Note that the computer calcula- for room of 23.3 X 16.0 X 10.0 feet, for the tion forming the basis of Fig. 10 and Table 56.5 Hz (A) as well as at integral multiples range from 50 to 100 Hz. II was carried out only as far as mode of 56.5 Hz (B). Modes, Hz 4,4,4.) The more potent axial modes domi- nate in shaping the acoustics of the listen- AXIAL TANGENTIAL OBLIQUE ing room. Gilford [2] states: ".. the axial 56.43 I L 59.86 modes are therefore the only ones likely to 110 50 100 50 200 250 300 FREQUENCY - H, 61.39 become individually significant. An excep- 66.55 tion to this rule is that a few tangential or Fig. 6-The length, width, and height 70.54 oblique modes of low frequency may possi- resonances of Figs. 3, 4, and 5 combined. 70.80 bly be audible owing to their high initial in- These are the axial modes of the room of 72.55 Fig. 2. 74.32 tensities or wide spacings." 74.57 80.67 Fig. 7- 82.27 Axial modes involve 85.53 reflections from two 90.33 (A) 91.92 surfaces of the room (A), 93.51 tangential modes from 96.74 four surfaces (B), and 98.45 oblique modes from 101.19 six surfaces (C). The Modal Bandwidth and Energies energy levels of (8) In Figs. 3 to 6, modal resonances are tangential modes and represented by narrow lines. Actually, each oblique modes are 3 dB resonance has a finite bandwidth deter- and 6 dB below that of mined by the amount of absorption in a the axial modes, room. For the average listening room, this respectively. This means bandwidth is about 5 Hz (Fig. 8). A reso- that axial modes (C) nance curve of this bandwidth is presented dominate the acoustics in Fig. 9 for each of the axial modes in the of a room. region from 50 to 100 Hz. In their classic 1944 paper "Sound Sound Transmission Measurements tive sound pressure level picked up in an- Waves in Rooms" [1], Morse and Bolt To the average audio person, the mostother part of the room shows wide fluctua- point out that axial, tangential, and oblique familiar sources of signal coloration are tions. Similar wild fluctuations will be seen modes are not created equal: For a given irregularities in the frequency response ofif the frequency is held constant and the pressure amplitude, an axial wave has two amplifier, loudspeaker, etc. This approachdistance between the microphone and the times the energy of a tangential wave and fails miserably in room acoustics. Figure 11 loudspeaker is slowly varied. Extensive four times the energy of an oblique wave. shows a typical acoustic response of a well - study of this effect has led to the conclusion In other words, the energy levels of tangen- designed studio. As the frequency of thethat such frequency irregularity in room tial modes and. oblique modes are 3 dB and sinusoidal signal is slowly varied, the rela- response has no significance in describing AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 39 Coen 112 (teft-cleslynedrooms, varywifJIy

the acoustical quality of a room. This is steady-state measurement, and speech and music signals are transient in nature. In ad- dition, our hearing mechanism is unable to perceive the changes such rough steady- state response variations impose on the signal. Then why worry about mode spac- ings and coincidences? Because they still constitute the acoustics of the space and arethe 50 -Hz mode and also forces the 53 -Hz active on a transient basis. mode to vibrate at 50 Hz. When the excit- ing component of the signal is removed, Low -Frequency Sound Colorations both modes decay at their natural frequen- What is there about room resonancescies of 50 and 53 Hz, both returning energy Fig. 8-Each resonant mode is effective over that results in coloration of speech andto the room. There is a momentary color- a narrow band of frequencies. This musical sounds? ation of the signal during this transient de- bandwidth is determined by the amount of Colorations of sound have been directlycay, as 53 -Hz energy (not in the original absorption in the room and is about 5 -Hz traced to adjacent modes that are either too exciting signal) is radiated into the room. wide for typical audio rooms. far apart or too close together. GilfordThis amounts to a brief change of pitch. describes BBC experience in the design and The four axial modes of the region from measurement of 120 talk/news studios and 50 to 100 Hz are shown in Fig. 9 with their 160 monitoring/listening rooms whose vol- respective bandwidths. The tangential and umes range from 1,000 to 4,200 cubic feetoblique modes are neglected for the mo- -;(:\ (the volume of our example is 3,728 cubicment because of their secondary impor-

I I feet). He confirms that coincidences are the tance. Only a rough room response can be ; source of problems and concludes thatderived from the 5 -Hz -wide resonance spacings greater than 20 Hz should be curves of these four axial modes. There is a

avoided. 60 70 80 90 100 24 -Hz gap between the 72- and 96 -Hz FREQUENCY - Hz The constantly changing low -frequency modes that will certainly result in a signifi- Fig. 9-In the example room of Fig. 2, the energy of the musical sound radiated into cant dip in the response. The six tangential frequency range from 50 to 100 Hz contains the listening room sets the room reso-and two oblique modes in this gap may four axial modes. Their 5 -Hz bandwidths nances to vibrating. A given resonance may help the situation somewhat but will surely leave sound energy at many frequencies be highly or lightly excited, depending on not eliminate the effects of the gap. The 14 - unsupported by room resonance. Tangential the signal energy at that particular frequen- Hz gap between the 56- and 70 -Hz axials and oblique modes tend somewhat to fill in cy at that particular moment. The excita- probably will result in a shallower room such spaces. tion level of a given resonance is constantly response dip than the one between 72 and changing, with a small but finite time re- 96 Hz. The two axial modes near 70 Hz quired for the build-up and the decay. could result in a peak and beat together at 2 A strong signal component may force Hz as they decay. one or more closely adjacent modes into Several possibilities for audible color- vibrating at the excitation frequency. How- ations come from the action of the room ever, as soon as the exciting force is re- resonances, among them transient pitch moved, the adjacent modes decay at their shifts, beats, and irregularities of room re- natural frequencies, beating together dur- sponse resulting from coincident modes, ing the decay. This beat may be audible. clumping of modes, and/or spacings of 50 60 70 80 90 100 During the decay period, new frequen- axial modes greater than 20 Hz. FREQUENCY - Hz cies are radiated into the room that were Fig. 10-Axial, tangential, and oblique not present in the exciting signal. For ex- Audibility of Low -Frequency Modal Effects modes of the example room for the range of ample, assume that an axial mode of 50 Hz Ears are required to answer the vital 50 to 100 Hz are plotted at their respective is adjacent to another axial mode of 53 Hz. question of how audible low -frequency energy levels. A strong 50 -Hz signal component excitesmodal effects really are. These ears may be

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 40 frepencyckzracierislics 4osilionandsourceolisfance.

those of test subjects in a formal psycho -room acoustics. Lines of pressure maxima acoustic test; better yet would be criticalwould make a similar pattern. Figure 13 and informed listening by the person whobegins to reveal the great number of sound uses the space. The complexity of the prob- pressure minima distributed throughout lem is due both to the spectral complexitythe room, (assuming all modes are fully of the music and to the modal complexityexcited). The individual modes, of course, of the space's acoustics. Transients are thecontinuously rise and fall in response to the spectral distribution of energy in the name of the game! 100 150 200 250 300 Coloration of sound depends on: Thespeech or music signal. How beautiful FREQUENCY -Hz bandwidth of modes, the degree of excita-would be the shifting pattern of room Fig. 11-Typical `frequency response" of tion of modes, the separation of modessound pressure in response to music if we a room up to 300 Hz; see text. from strongly excited neighbors, the fre- quency content of the source, and the posi- tion of loudspeakers and listener. Fig. 12- Representation of sound (A) pressure patterns for the Modal Pressure Distribution 1,0,0 2,0,0 3,0,0 4,0,0 cc The first requirement is to understand long -axis modes of that the low -frequency transient sound the example room (A) (8) field of the listening room is made up of a and for the side -to -side 0,1,0 0,2,0 0,3,0 0,4,0 bewildering array of room resonances re- axis modes (B). sponding to the excitation influences of the 22 2 2 22 2 2 22 signal. We must appreciate the steady-state or- to 0 cyr. o r- o sound pressure variations in the room re- had magic glasses that would make sound sulting from these resonances. Let's con- pressure changes visible in color! 105.9Hi Even though they play a minor role in 70.6 Hz centrate first on the axial modes. Figure 41.3Hz 12A illustrates the pressure distribution be- our listening room, tangential and oblique 16 353 Hz FEET 05.9 Hz tween the ends of our example roommodes have some effect on the room's 41.3Hz (1,0,0), and Fig. 12B shows the pressure sound pressure pattern. Figures 14 and 15 70.6 Hz 05.9 Hz distribution between the two side wallsshow how tangential and oblique modal 41.3 Hz

(0,1,0). (We neglect for the moment the energy appears in corners. 233 FEET vertical mode 0,0,1.) The axial mode sound Identifying and Correcting Colorations pressure is always maximum at the reflect- Fig 13-Floor plan of room 23.3 X 16.0 X ing wall surfaces, giving rise to the standing The first step is to evaluate the acousti- 10.0 feet, showing lines of null pressure waves. In the case of the 1,0,0 mode, thecal quality of your listening room by an corresponding to the steady-state excitation pressure null (nominally zero) lies midway intensive series of listening tests. Select sev- frequencies shown. between the two end walls. This is not aeral CDs of music rich in low -frequency line of zero pressure on the floor; rather, energy. Start with your present loudspeaker the pressure is at its minimum from floor arrangement. Listen throughout the entire to ceiling at this midplane. Figure 12 also room, not just in your customary position, Perhaps the most difficult listening test shows the pressure patterns for multiples of listening intently and critically for regions will be that for detecting momentary fre- the 1,0,0 and 0,1,0 modes out to the fourth of loudness consistently above or below the quency shifts during the brief time sounds harmonic. normal level. This is a rough test for uni- die away. The shifts could be either up or The lines of nulls are more sharply de- formity of room response. down in frequency as modes forced into fined than the regions of pressure maxima. Listen for distortions, including those excitation begin to decay at their normal For this reason, only the nulls are plotted repeatedly appearing at a fixed frequency frequency when the excitation force is re- on the floor plan of our room (Fig. 13).coincident with pulses of signal energy. moved. Only the length and width modes are in-Such distortions may be easier to detect Measure the length, width, and height cluded for simplicity, although the room iswith speech than with music. These distor- of your room and calculate the corre- obviously three-dimensional, and thetions could be the result of serious coinci- sponding series of axial resonance frequen- height mode is very much a part of the dences of room modes. cies. Tabulate them as in Table I, evaluating AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 41 Z&JereyouplaceyourspeaAers

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room resonances(tiff4-e ciciled.

modes-that is, in the corners-so that thecy absorbers. They act like diaphragms that flaw disappears. vibrate freely at low frequencies, absorbing If the goal is to reduce the effect of asound by flexure and friction. It is therefore particular axial mode, the only useful loca-important to establish a true need for more tion for an absorber for that frequency islow -frequency absorption before adding it. where the sound pressure of that particularMusic listening conditions sufferif the mode is high. For example, assume that aspace is too dead. coloration in our room of 23.3 X 16.0 X 10.0 feet is traced to about 50 Hz. A glanceColorations and Speaker Placement at Table I shows a second harmonic of the Loudspeakers are relatively nondirec- Fig. 14-Pressure plot of the tangential 2,1,0length mode, at 48.5 Hz, which is suspecttional at low frequencies. This means that mode, showing the concentration of pressure and should be reduced. The 2,0,0 mode ofnearby reflecting surfaces radically affect in the corners, unlike that of the axial Fig. 12 shows high pressure at the end wallstheir low -frequency output, which can be modes. (Courtesy of Brilel er Kjaer.) and in the middle of the room; here islifted 6 to 12 dB or more in typical rooms. where an effective absorber could be locat-This bass rise can be readily equalized, but ed. An important fact to remember is thatfirst its existence must be recognized. It all modes terminate in corners-that is, allmust not be confused with the room reso- modes have high pressure in corners. Fig-nances previously discussed. ures 12, 14, and 15 support this statement. The location of the loudspeaker also If the desire is to reduce the magnitude ofdetermines which modes are excited and all modes, placing absorbers in the cornerswhich ones are not. If a specific coloration is effective. has been detected, experimentation with Porous absorbers such as glass fiberchanges in loudspeaker and/or listening are relatively ineffective below 300 Hz un- position is a logical corrective action. less extreme thicknesses are used. A 6 -inch In a future issue, we'll move on from thickness of normal 3 pound/cubic foothow wave effects in rooms affect low fre- glass fiber is required for 100% absorptionquencies to how rooms affect high frequen-

at 125 Hz, but it is insufficient an octavecies, which act as rays. A Fig. 15-Pressure plot of the oblique 2,1,1 lower. Absorption with glass fiber can be mode. Note the scale, which indicates the improved with an air space, but valuable highest pressure at the intersection of the space is required. References three planes, decreasing farther from the Reactive absorbers, such as Helmholtz 1. Morse, Philip M. and Richard H. Bolt, corner. (Courtesy of Briiel dr Kjaer.) resonators, can be tuned for good absorp- "Sound Waves in Rooms," Reviews of tion at the low frequencies. The construc- Modern Physics (April 1944, Vol. 16, No. coincidences and spacings and remember- tion of such absorbers with perforated or 2, pp. 69-150). ing the 5 -Hz bandwidth. Once you've esti- slat facings is not difficult. Complete design 2. Gilford, C.L.S., "The Acoustic Design of mated the frequency at which a distortiondata may be found in [3]. Talks Studios and Listening Rooms," is heard, you may be able to relate it to a Proprietary absorbers effective at low Proceedings of the I.E.E. (1959, Vol. 106- specific mode. That specific mode may befrequencies are also available, such as B, pp. 245-258); reprinted in the Journal treated with an absorber effective at that Korner Killers from RPG Diffusor Systems, of the Audio Enginerring Society (1979, frequency and positioned at a high-pres-RoomTunes, Tube Traps from Acoustic Vol. 27, No. 1/2, pp. 17-31). sure region for that mode (see next step). Sciences Corp., and others. These suppliers 3. Everest, F. Alton, The Master Handbook For the average listener and the average lis- also provide information on the use of of Acoustics, Second Edition, Tab Books tening TOOM, it may make more sense totheir products. (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa., 1989), espe- "overkill" by positioning wideband absorb- The walls, floors, and ceilings of frame- cially Chapter 10. ers where they will be most effective for allconstruction homes are good low -frequen- AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 42 For over eighty years Denon has lived the definition of high fidelity- producing sound faithful to the

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Enter No. 9 on Reader Service Cara EQUIPMENTPROFILE recorder, including fast random access, multiple playback modes (shuffle play, re- peat, etc.), 10 -key direct access to individ- ual tracks, and programming of up to 21 SONY MZ-1 specific tracks to be played in any desired order. The MZ-1 also has switchable dy- PORTABLE namic bass boost, which is common in CD MINIDISC RECORDER portables. There are, of course, both digital and analog outputs-but unlike a CD play- er, this recorder has analog and digital inputs as well. SPECS

Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, ± 1.0 dB. Record/Playback S/N: 80 dB using analog input, 88 dB using digital input. Record/Playback THD: 0.08% using digital input. Channel Separation: 90 dB at 1 kHz for recordings made via digital input. Analog Input Level: Line, 245 mV; mike, 1.38 mV. Analog Line Output Level: 1 V rms for 0 -dB reference level. Channel Imbalance: Analog input, 1 dB. Wow and Flutter: Below measure- ment level. Power Consumption: 4 watts. Dimensions: 41/2 in. W X II% in. H X 51/2 in.D (11.4 cm X 4.3 cm X 14 cm). Weight: 11/2 lbs. (0.69 kg) including rechargeable battery. Price: $749.95. Company Address: Sony Dr., Park Ridge, N.J. 07656. For literature, circle No. 90 Iwas fortunate to receive the first pro- on user -recorded discs can be numbered duction MiniDisc portable recordermanually or automatically and can be sent to any U.S. reviewer, although Ierased. For shock -resistant playback, data was only able to have it in my lab for from the disc is read into a buffer memory, one day-others were clamoring to getor storage chip, that feeds the data out their hands on it! Yet that one day was again even when the laser has been tempo- enough to convince me that the MiniDiscrarily jarred off its track. The one -mega- is the portable music carrier of the future-byte, 3-S buffer originally announced for and the future is now! the system has now been replaced by a The MZ- I has so many features that Ifour -megabyte buffer that stores 10 S of hardly know where to begin. When record-digital data. (See "The Mechanics of Sony's ing discs, you can encode 16 -character ti-MiniDisc" in the December 1992 issue.) tles, as well as the date and time of record- Many of the features common in today's ing, for display during playback. The tracksCompact Disc players are in this MiniDisc

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 44 For most, the benefits of a Rotel CDplayers. They have pre/power amplifier set-up is received worldwide aclaim.Hi -fl rarely considered as many Choice(11/91)Rotel CD player combinations cost thousands of RCE'965 'Best Buy' produces the dollars-most are discouraged well sort of sound that many highend before a demonstration.. Rotel, products wouldn't have a hope of winners ofWhat Hi-fi?"Best achieving."Hi -fl World(11/91) product of the year 1991 and Best FROM THE RCD965"effortless sound quality..." System"has an affordable solution. CD & Hi-fi Buyer(12/91)again Rotel introduces the 360watt 8ohms reviewing the RCD965 "bass is tight, (Bridged Mono) amplifier that can deep and where appropriate, be bought in stages. MIME thunderous, always well under Aclaimed byAudiophile(11/91), control. High frequencies the RB980 can form the heart of are sweet and your audio system, it can grow as your system grows. Begin by using one RB980 with 120watts nominal per channel and then add another when you need.Audio Review

(2/92)measured the RB980; 137watts 8ohms per channel, 267watts4ohms per channel, 388watts 2ohms per channel. Audio Reviewnoted, "a really great performance. The sound quality is extraordinary for products in this price range."

Designs developed in England by audiophile Tony Mills; Roil amplifiers truly are built from the inside out using only premium parts. Selected for sound quality, RTC950 resisitors and capacitors come from RCD965 RD965 Germany and the UK, while special semiconductors orginate in USA. If you're on a budget then consider Drive your amplifier withRemote the Rotel RB960 power amplifier, its ControlAM/FM tuner/preamp of dual mono design and capable of RTC950 motor -driven volume 60watts per channel in stereo. By control and 20 presets or RC980 bridging a pair of amplifiers you can preamp with its non magnetic feed your speakers with a stunning chassis which cancels hysteresis 180watts.What Hi-fi?(3/92)says, distortion. Whichever you select, "a thoroughly commendable the sound quality is going to be performance. Great sound quality incredible. Also, check out the for price." Designedin Dritoin Enjoyed Worldwide ROTEL OF AMERICA -PO BOX 653 - BUFFALO -NY 14240 - USA TEL 1-800-724-3903 Enter No. 22 on Reader Service Card The MZ-1's nickel -cadmium batteries the top, side, and front surfaces. Discs are are decreased automatically. Subsequent can power it for about 11/2 hours of record- inserted in a slot on the front surface of the track numbers will also be decreased if you ing or about 2 hours of playback. One fea- MZ-1; this turns the unit on. Adjacent to combine two tracks into one, since they ture Ireally appreciated became evident the slot is the eject button. On the top will now share the first track's number. If when I hooked the unit to the charger and surface, beneath a backlit LCD, are 10 you divide one track into several, subse- a.c. supply provided with it. Since the bat- numbered buttons for instant track access. quent track numbers increase. tery I was trying to recharge was not com- During disc or track labelling, they are used The space occupied by "deleted" tracks pletely discharged at the time, the MZ-1's to enter letters and spaces as well as num- doesn't go to waste. Normally, every new display showed the word "Refreshing." Ibers; pushing a button sequentially selects track you record starts right after the last learned from the instruction manual that from three characters (A, B, or C for button recorded track. But when the MiniDisc has the MZ-1 was actually discharging the bat- 1, etc.). While labelling can be a bit tedious, been recorded to its end, the MZ- I will go it works well, and I now have a back and reuse the spaces left by track dele- AustITUISE (n) YS. ICY WO: SONY ME -1 IV RECOVER +1 recorded MiniDisc identified as A tions. If you try to record a seven -minute 0 "Lens First MD Disc" (there's no song on a disc that is full except for two Ap apostrophe available). An "Enter/ four -minute spaces left by previously de- 20 100 lk 10k20k Repeat" button, adjacent to the leted tracks, the MZ-1 will put the first four +1 1,...... "" B alphanumeric keys,isfor pro- 0 gramming selections or for bring- Ap THE MZ-1 SHOWED ME 20 100 lk 10k 20k ing up the playback repeat mode. THAT MINIDISC IS FREQUENCY- Hz Controls along the right side of the Fig. 1-Frequency response top surface are the usual play, THE PORTABLE pause, and forward and reverse for recordings made via MUSIC CARRIER analog input (A) and digital fast -search and track -select but- input (B). tons. Also found here are buttons OF THE FUTURE. for "Stop/Charge," "Date," "Disc Name," and "Track Name:' minutes of the song in one space and the NO WISECO FREOUDCY SOP 1¢-1 b rams Audio signal connections are on last three minutes in the other. In playback,

1 the left side of the MZ-1. These you'll hear all tracks in their numbered or- -.Eil:: VIA ANALOG INPUTEH= include a microphone input, and der-even if their locations on the disc are 1 01ImpVIA DIGITAL INPUT input and output jacks that each not sequential-and will hear no break in -- - N.11:1 handle connections for both coaxi- the middle of songs that are split between MIME MEI REFERENCESIGNAL al analog line and optical digital two or more locations. These tricks are

0.011111111111MNIiiniiii1111111=111. hookups. Sony offers adaptor ca- possible only because this is a disc system, 20 100 lk 10k 20k bles for digital hookups (at $34.95 whose laser can make shortcuts from one FREQUENCY- Hz each), with special plugs at the place to another without having to wind Fig. 2-THD + N vs. MZ-1 end and the now -standard past all the spots in between, and because frequency; see text. Toslink connectors at the other. of the memory buffer mentioned earlier. On the same side of the unit are A recordable MiniDisc's track number- the "Record Level" control and a ing (and normal playback) order can be tery completely before beginning the re- mike-attenuator switch. If you prefer not permanently changed by using the "TOC charge cycle, to ensure that the batteryto bother setting levels when making ana- Edit" mode. For temporary reordering, would be fully charged. (Otherwise, the so- log recordings, an automatic gain control however, it's simpler just to program the called "memory" effect common in nickel - ("AGC") just above the level pot will han- track order you want at playback. cadmium batteries would reduce the bat- dle that for you. (When recording from a The right side of the MZ- I carries a mini tery's life and charge capacity.) A separate digital source, there is no need to control headphone jack, its associated lithium battery maintains the time and date recording levels, of course.) level control, for "date stamping" of user -recorded discs, On the front panel, below the disc slot, and it lasts about six months. The MZ- Iare slide switches for "Rec Mode" and can also be powered from an optional car"Edit." The "Edit" switch, which works battery cord, and the microphone inputonly in record/pause mode, is used when provides d.c. "phantom" power for somenaming the track or disc and when you Sony electret condenser mikes. delete, combine, or divide tracks. Deleting a track does not actually erase its contents Control Layout but modifies the User Table of Contents Despite its small size, the MZ- I sports a(UTOC) to show that the track should be great many controls, logically arranged on ignored, and all subsequent track numbers AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 46 YouONLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.Right? Well, not Add to this a seamless dividing network and the results are always.PARADIGM,the leader in speaker performance/value, has outstanding! Musical, three-dimensional, theTITANoffers done the impossible - made a speaker system that is an absolute performance that belies its astonishing low price. audiophile delight for an incredible $199/pair... theTITAN! You WON'TFIND PARADIGMspeakers everywhere. Product WHAT DOES IT TAKE tobuild the finest speaker at this price? this good requires the expertise of a qualified audio specialist. Quite simply, better design execution and better materials. So, before you buy any inexpensive speaker, visit your So, rather than typical inferior cone -type tweeters, the TITAN uses AUTHORIZED PARADIGM DEALERand listen to the amazingTITAN. a wide -dispersion dome tweeter complete with high -temperature What you will hear is music... for a song! voice -coil, aluminum former and ferrofluid damping and cooling. Instead of lesser paper -cone -type woofers, theTITAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL1-800-553-4355 Ext. 41274 or woofer uses a polypropylene cone with a high compliance write:AUDIOSTREAM,MPO Box 2410 Niagara Falls, NY 14302. suspension, high -temperature voice -coil and kapton former. In Canada:PARADIGM,569 Fenmar Drive, Weston, ON M9L 2R6.

ENA1114111 INA MIER WP -7 it Enter No. 18 on Reader Service Card COPYRICHT.D l'ARADIGM/BAVAN a three -position switch for adding bass The "Resume" feature is rather unusual. tor cable or had no optical outputs at all. As boost during playback, a "Play Mode" but- In playback, if you set this switch before a result, my testing was confined to analog ton, and switches for "Resume" andyou press "Stop/Charge" or remove the and digital signals derived from my Audio "Hold" plus the rechargeable -battery com- disc, play will resume from the same spot as Precision equipment. While these certainly partment. The "Play Mode" button se-soon as you replace the disc and restart exercised the capabilities of the MZ-1, I quentially selects normal, random, or pro- (some Sony Discman CD portables do this had wanted to record some special signals grammed play. The other two take a bit too). When recording, if you set the switch available only from some of the test CDs to more explanation. while still in record/pause mode and then assess the action of the MiniDisc format's press the control for play, the MZ- ATRAC bit -rate reduction scheme. A more NACAPNIC COMMENTS Cf IAN, INPUT SIGNAL AP4LIEO to MI -I MINIOISC PORTABLE 1 will play back the last track you - 40 complete exploration of these facilities will A recorded. You can therefore decide have to wait for another report at some -60 whether you want to keep or re- future date. - 80 placeit and what you want to Using an analog sweep -frequency signal - 100 A. record next. Naturally, you could from the Audio Precision test equipment, I -120 also stop and resume from the 0 6k 12k 18k 24k 30k same point by pressing the pause FREQUENCY- Hz button, but since the MZ-1 con- LINEARITY WAS sumes nearly as much power in HARMONIC COMMENTS OF I HA SIGNAL RAYED BACB FROM MINTOISC SONY KZ - VIRTUALLY PERFECT - 40 pause mode as in full operation, AP B DOWN TO AT LEAST - 60 you'll get more from your batteries - 80 if you use "Resume" during long -100 dB, WHICH FEW interruptions. The "Hold" switch - 100 CD PLAYERS MATCH. locks all controls so they won't be -120 0 6k 12k 18k 24k 30k accidentally activated when this FREQUENCY- lit portable is carried around. plotted record/play frequency response via Fig. 3-Spectrum analysis The d.c. input is on the rear sur- the MZ-1's analog inputs and outputs (Fig. of 1 -kHz signal (A) and of face of the recorder. Underneath 1A). Response is virtually flat from 20 Hz signal recorded and played the unit is a small hole into which to 20 kHz, with less than +0.6 dB of devi- back (B);see text. a ballpoint pen can be pushed to ation at 20 Hz and less than +0.2 dB of activate the date and clock -setting deviation at the treble end of the sweep. function. There is, however, a channel imbalance of TAD+ NOISE VS. RECORD LEVEL, SONY MO -I HINIDISC PORTABLE RECORDER The LCD display incorporates a approximately 0.5 dB; this could not be 5 =MME ig bar -graph level meter for use when IMINE MIIMMENE compensated for in playback, since the IMIMMINMENI recording from analog inputs. The MZ-1 does not have a balance control. (Of 1=11111E11111111111 scale is very short, however, with course, if you use the MZ-1 with a stereo -=-="MMEEEEE Imignimmmmo the "-12" indication followed component system, that system would have 111M11111101111111Min quickly by a bar indicating maxi- a balance control.) mum level and then an "Over" As expected, frequency response was 01 indicator that shows when input even better when a digital sweep signal 01 2 levels exceed the maximum. Other from the Audio Precision system was ap- OUTPUT - V items in the display include track plied to the recorder via the optical digital Fig. 4-THD + N vs. number and the status of such recording level. input (Fig. 1B). Channel balance is perfect, functions as repeat play, table -of- and deviation from flat response is no contents edit, record, play, and more than +0.15 dB at 20 kHz and is negli- pause. The display also has a low - gible at the bass end. battery warning. Track and disc titles, and Next, I plotted THD + N versus frequency the recording date and time, are shown for signals at maximum recording level. For 'f6T11:11360 when called up by the appropriate controls. reference, I first measured the signal passed MD-XG 60 directly from the digital input to the digital Measurements output (bottom curves in Fig. 2); this signal liL The MZ-1 provides only its proprietary had not been subjected to the ATRAC optical jacks for digital input and output. data -reduction processing. Over the bass This kept me from transcribing test CDs to and most of the midrange, THD + N is just MiniDisc, as the CD players available to me under 0.02%, increasing to 0.043% at 10 that day had optical outputs that weren't kHz and rising further above 16 kHz to compatible with the MZ-1's Toslink adap- 0.6% at 20 kHz. Since the second harmon- AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 48 qwe These days "home theater" is a term Of course, no television can be better than the medi-

liberally applied and widely advertised. um it projects. So at the heart of our system isthe Elite We invented the But having defined the category in liquid -cooled, aspherical LD-S2 LaserDisc Player. The most accu- lens to deliver the highest resolution on the rate device for the reproduction of a the first place, we reserve the right to widest screen. redefine it. So here goes: True home theater must rival or moving picture and sound in the home. Any "home theater"

exceed the very best movie theaters. without a laser picture source is not a contender. Not just in the quality of picture but in the quality of Which brings us to the receiver: The Elite VSX-95. It

[THE ELITE HOMETHEATER. IT STANDS AT THE VERY PINNACI F. OFTHE CATEGORYWE CREATED. sound. As does the extraordinary system pictured here. features the detail that is our hallmark. Gold-plated Handpicked complementam Dominating center stage is the Elite' PRO-% terminals. Hand -selected capacitors reduce cross talk - while improving imaging and Projection Television. It's the top of a new line which oncecomponents. And five amps transient response. again sets the standard for projection television. The driving five discrete amplification channels. liquid -cooled aspherical lens - our own invention- projects In concert with Dolby® Pro Logic® circuitry, it powers

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For the name of a select Elite dealer in your area. please call1 -$55 -PIONEER. (01552 Pionerr I .lecrronics a USA, Ina.. Lung Beach. (A. Dolby and Pro Logic ate regnitered trademarks of 111,ormorie. Itcenstly P., Actual on -maven tmage. Enter No 19 on Reader Service Card SPECTRUM ANALYSISOFNOISE (OBI VS FREQUENCY SONY 112-1 MINIDISC RECORDER - 80 for signals recorded through the Next, I plotted THD + N versus record- AP analog inputs, THD + N increases ing level using the analog input of the MZ-1. - 90 ./ to just over 0.3% over much of the Results, shown in Fig. 4, resemble those I -100 4 audio frequency range. This level is obtain for audio amplifiers: At low levels -110 still quite acceptable, especially for the noise component dominates; as levels -120 a recorder intended primarily for increase, the noise remains constant (and 30 100 1k 10k20k portable use. FREQUENCY- Hz therefore represents a smaller percentage of Fig. 5-Spectrum analysis I wanted to analyze the nature of the THD + N). Finally, as overload ap- of residual noise on the THD + N to determine how proaches (above an output of approxi- "no -signal" recording. much of the reading represented mately 1.1 V), actual harmonic distortion true harmonic distortion and how dominates the overall readings. much was noise contributed by the LINEARITYOFBONY N2-1 MINIDISC PECOADEK OIGITAI. IN/ANALOG DOT 0 ATRAC processing or other sources. Figure 3A shows a spec- - 20 THE SOUND WAS SO 7 trum analysis of the 1 -kHz analog -40 signal I used for this test. Note that SATISFYING THAT I LOOK it has major harmonic compo- 60 FORWARD TO GETTING nents at -60 dB, -68 dB, -80 dB, A MINIDISC RECORDER - 80 and so on. All harmonics but the second have little bearing on the OF MY OWN. - 100 overall distortion percentage, -120 which I calculated as around 0.1%. -120-100-80-60-40 -20 0 But when I recorded and played Using the MZ-l's analog input and out- OUTPUT - dB back the 1 -kHz analog signal, the Fig. 6-Linearity. put facilities,I measured an A -weighted spectrum analysis (Fig. 3B) re- signal-to-noise ratio of 81 dB when I vealed two aspects of the ATRAC played back a "no -signal" MiniDisc record- ics of signals above 16kHz start at 32kHz, system. First, the higher order harmonics ing I had made. This is far better than I these harmonics would be too high to hear. seen in Fig. 3A have disappeared. They have obtained from any analog cassette MiniDisc's ATRAC processing (whose pur- were of such low amplitude that they fell deck, let alone a portable. When I repeated pose is to save bits by omitting the inaudi- below the threshold of human hearing or the measurement for a "no -signal" track ble) cuts them out, as seen in the top and would be masked by other signal compo- recorded via the optical digital input of the middle curves. This processing does, how- nents. So, in accordance with the ATRAC MZ-1, A -weighted signal-to-noise ratio in- creased to an impressive 91.8 dB! A spec- trum analysis of the residual noise as a function of frequency, using a third -octave bandpass filter, is shown in Fig. 5. The initial Finally, I applied a digital signal of grad- group of MDs ually decreasing level to the optical digital released by input of the MZ-1, recorded it, and played Rykodisc includes it back to determine linearity of the system. several strong Results are shown in Fig. 6. Linearity re- pop/rock titles. mains virtually perfect from maximum re- cording level down to at least -100 dB. Few CD players (all of which use linear PCM encoding, of course) can deliver this degree of linearity!

Use and Listening Tests ever, add a small amount of distortion and/ algorithms, they did not need to be record- I wish I could have performed additional or noise over most of the spectrum. For a ed. Second, note how the noise floor below tests on this MiniDisc recorder, such as re- recording made via the digital input, the 6 kHz has been elevated from around -105 cording and playback of impulse wave- readings increase to between 0.07% and dB in the original signal to about -85 dB. forms, to further illustrate the action of the 0.08% at most frequencies-a numerically This is also a result of the ATRAC system, ATRAC coding and decoding. As I men- significant increase but certainly not an though any of the bit -rate reduction tioned, the inability to hook up the digital audibly objectionable one, as I found out schemes now used for audio and video for- outputs of any of my CD players to the dig- during my subsequent listening tests. And mats would do the same thing. ital input on the MZ-1 prevented my doing AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 50 The Breakthrough.

The original Adcom GFA-555 power amplifier. The New Breakthrou

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Upon its introduction, the Adcom GFA-555 and more music lovers the opportunity of experiencing power amplifier was considered a breakthrough in the thrill of sonic perfection without the shock of audio technology. Rated superior to amplifiers cost- exorbitant costs. ing two and three times as much, some critics had Visit your Adcom dealer and listen to the new difficulty in naming a better component at any price. GFA-5551I. Then ask its price. You'll hear how good Now, after years of using the GFA-555 as their this new breakthrough sounds. model of superior performance and value, Adcom *Power output watts/channel, continuous both channels driven into 8 engineers announce another breakthrough. The new, ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz at less than 0.04% THD. upgraded GFA-555II, rated at 200 watts per **Stereophile, October 1990. channel*, offers greater stability, superior heat 8 dissipation and less distortion. It is everything which made the GFA-555 "...one of the best selling a amplifiers of all time,"** and more. With the GFA-555II, Adcom begins a new gener- details you can hear ation of amplifiers, designed to set a new standard 11 Elkins Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 U.S.A. (908) 390-1130 for performance at a reasonable price... giving more Distributed in Canada by PRO ACOUSTICS INC. Pointe Claire, Quebec H9R 4X5

Enter No. 1 on Reader Service Card "Nothing Short ofStunning"*

"Nuances and subtleties barely hintec at by other "With the Theta Generation III, we hear into the processors were revealed with clarity by the Gen. music as we have never heard from digital, its III." stunning and effortless transparency is reminis- cent of the clarity we have heretofore encoun- "...Gen. III's remarkable transparency,a crystal- tered only from the world's very finest turn- clear picture window on the music that allowed tables..." me to look deeo into the soundstage." "...Theta DS Pro Generation III can give you a "The Gen. III's huge, spacious, three-dimen- total musical experience that you can't get sional rendering made the loudspeakers and anywhere else from digital." listening -room walls truly disappear." - Peter Moncrieff International Audio Review #64 "The sheer sense of instruments hanging in space, completely free of the loudspeakers and "...the most sonically impressive and musically unfettered by room boundaries,was awesome." accurate digital replay I've yet experienced in my reference system." *Robert Harley, Stereophile Vol. 15, No. 10, October 1992 "...the closest thing to the holy grail of digital audio..."

"Theta Generation III DS Pro does not merely "Better than anything I've yet experienced in the digital domain." sound better than other digital processors. It literally redefines what digital music can sound - Lewis Lipnick, Stereophile like." Vol. 15, No. 10, October 1992

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eta Digital Corporation Derry Ave., Suite R, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (818) 597-9195 FAX (818) 597-1079 this. I therefore turned off the test equip- ment and began listening to some prere- corded MiniDiscs provided by Sony. I also spent a fair amount of the remaining time I had with the unit learning how to make re- cordings and how to utilize all of the avail- able features. Many of the operations are almost intuitive, and you should find that the MZ-1 is fairly easy to work with. In my listening tests,I was unable to make direct A/B (or A/B/X) comparisons with equivalent CD software. Yet this much I can say with a fair amount of certainty: Prerecorded MiniDiscs provide superb sound, without any of the artifactsI had feared might arise from ATRAC's extreme data reduction. One of the discs I listened to was a remastered version of Willie Nel- son's Stardust, on Columbia. The country singer's unique vocal quality came through beautifully and was smoother than my rec- ollection of the "original" CD. Based on my measurements, I attribute this added smoothness to expert remastering of the original recording rather than to any alter- ation caused by ATRAC. On another Co- lumbia MiniDisc release, Natalie Cole's rendition of "Our Love Is Here To Stay" If you'd like to know more about how we make whiskey here in Jack Daniel's Hollow, write to us. was also reproduced with excellent fidelity and no loss of stereo imaging (anotherONCE THE BUNG is pounded in, the artifact thatIfeared might result from extensive data reduction). hard part to making Jack Daniel's whiskey is At test time, I did not have any prere-over with. corded classical music on MiniDisc, so I used the analog input of the MZ-1 andOur miller hand -selected Grade A American recorded a few minutes of one of my favor- ite classical CDs. In this case, I was able tograins for it. Our distiller cooked a mash of the do an A/B test of the sound of the CD (Mo- zart's Clarinet Quintet in A Major, Denonbarley, rye, and corn-using rare ironfree DC -8098) with that of the recorded Mini -water from our cave spring.Once Disc version. In this admittedly nonsynch- ronized comparison test, I honestly coulddistilled, our tickers supplied hard- not detect any differences in sound qualitymaple charcoal to smooth out the or musical texture. Interestingly, Sony does not claim thatnew whiskey in ourmellowing vats. the differences between CD and MD are undetectable, suggesting only that Mini -Now, our barrelman will lay it Disc sound quality "approaches CD's dy-down in the aging house, and namic range, frequency response, and low distortion." That conservative positionwhile the years take care of this notwithstanding,Ifound the sound ofbatch, we'll work on the next. MiniDisc to be totally satisfying-so much so that I look forward to owning a Mini - Disc recorder and amassing my own collec- SMOOTH SIPPIN' tion of MiniDisc software. TENNESSEE WHISKEY Leonard Feldman Tennessee Whiskey 40-43% alcohol by volume (80-86 proof) Distillee and Bottled by AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, Proprietor, Route 1, Lynchburg (Pop 3614, Tennessee 37352 53 Placed in the National Register offlistoric Places by the United States Government. EQUIPMENTPROFILE who first gave a detailed description of it). The major benefits of this configuration in- clude higher vertical directivity (which re- duces floor and ceiling reflections), sym- LEGACY metrical up/down polar response, greater acoustic output capability, and lower dis- CONVERGENCE tortion. Because his implementation of this configuration does not follow some of LOUDSPEAKER D'Appolito's guidelines, such as odd -order Butterworth slopes and driver spacing less than one wavelength at crossover, Dudles- ton prefers not to call his a D'Appolito configuration but rather names his tech- nique Field Optimized Convergent Source technology. The output of the system is op- timized for seated listeners. In addition to the front -mounted mid- ranges and tweeter, the Convergence has SPECS

System Type: Three-way, floor - standing, vented box. Drivers: Two 12 -in. cone woofers, two 61/2 -in. cone midranges, and two 1 -in. aluminum -dome Ferro - fluid -cooled tweeters. Frequency Response: 21 Hz to 20 kHz, ± 3 dB. Sensitivity: 98 dB at1 meter with 2.83 V rms applied. Crossover Frequencies and Filter Slopes: 180 Hz (second -order high-pass, third -order low-pass) and 4 kHz (second -order high- pass and low-pass); both cross- overs yield third -order slopes, acoustically. Impedance: Nominal, 4 ohms; mini- mum, 2.6 ohms; maximum, 18 The Convergence, a large floor - Dudleston's primary goals in designing ohms. standing three-way tower, is next to the Convergence were uniform lateral cov- Dimensions: 51 in. H X 15% in. W the top of Legacy's lineup of loud- erage, wide bandwidth, high efficiency X 13% in. D (129.5 cm X 40.3 speaker systems and subwoofers. (sensitivity), and low distortion. When op- cm x 34.9 cm). The Legacy line is made and distrib- timizing the crossover and driver -to -driver Weight: 150.3 lbs. (68.2 kg) each. uted by Reel to Real Designs. Bill relationships, he considers overall power Price: $3,400 per pair; optional bass - Dudleston, one of Reel to Real Designs' response to be just as important as on -axis alignment filter, $450; available in founders (in 1983), is the chief architect ofresponse. After all, he states, "Our ears are walnut, oak, cherry, mahogany, the Legacy line and brings to the company mounted on the sides of our heads, right?" teak, rosewood, or black finish a rich background in engineering, math,After much experimentation with driver with black, brown, gray, tan, ma- and chemistry. Reel to Real Designs is spacings, tweeter offsets, and polar pat- roon, or off-white grille fabric. known for exotic and elaborate cabinet terns, he ended up with a tweeter halfway Company Address: do Reel to Real construction, and the Legacy line is avail- between two identical vertically stacked Designs, 3021 Sangamon Ave., able in many woods and finishes, from teak midranges, similar to the D'Appolito con- Springfield, Ill. 62702. to ribbon mahogany (the systems Ire- figuration (named after Joseph D'Appolito, For literature, circle No. 91 viewed were supplied in this wood). a contributing editor of Speaker Builder, AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 54

;10141art:- ',nowt ,41,114effir ArAtrAiA 11Vik :-4215:S=11=441tAr;"7Tr''. *10'0.4444.P. AtrArAr41.111,41,A. , ..ir*,4-4*,trArAverArAr44414iii;t1111171i Now this iswear news: or Aloss TA of -inch sound disc quality. that you That can stores record up onto 74overfind minutes a million times with no in a second.That comes in its own protective cartridge for dura- of digital sound and lets wherever you bility. That virtually eliminates skipping from shock and vibration, so you can goany song and have music flow uninterrupted. Meet the digital, recordable, Muwo E biggest step yetinstantly in personal accessible, music entertainment virtually unshockable, for people portable who never MiniDisc stop moving. from Sony.you go It's your the Mil LOVE HOILI MUCH YOU CAN HEAR. Many tides from your favorite recording artists are already outon MiniDisc.

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kt1992 Sony Corporation of America, All Monts reserved., ks At NNW two husky, low -resonance 12 -inch woofers sound pressure level than most systems, tweeter. A voltage of 5.66 V rms was ap- with rubber surrounds, in a rear -ported which have lower sensitivity. plied and the measurement referenced vented box. The four ports are in a two -by - The woofers of the Convergence operate back to 1 meter. The response below 1 kHz two array on the top rear of the cabinet. up to 180 Hz, where the midranges start was derived from 2 -meter ground -plane Dual woofers were chosen to increase max- operating. The midranges are used up to measurements, and the input was reduced imum acoustic output capabilities and to about 4 kHz, where the tweeter takes over. to 2.83 V rms to compensate for the lower distortion. An optional high-pass The crossover of the Convergence contains ground plane's 6 -dB boost. The 20° off -axis bass -alignment filter/equalizer further ex- 11 resistors, nine inductors, and six capaci- response corresponds approximately to tends response and decreases distortion tors, not counting paralleled units. Three what a centrally located listener would hear due to elimination of below -band energy in rear -mounted switches control the mid- with the systems pointed straight ahead, as the program material. range and front tweeter levels and also the manufacturer recommends, rather than The French -built Focal midranges have defeat the rear tweeter. High -quality parts toed in at him. cast frames, polyglass cones, and a station- are used throughout, including audiophile - ary bullet -shaped diffuser (or phase plug) type wire. The crossover is hand -wired on in the center that is said to improve off -axis two hard -board panels mounted behind THE SENSITIVITY OF response. The front -mounted Ferrofluid- the woofers. Two pairs of gold-plated Tiffa- THE CONVERGENCE IS cooled dome tweeter, sourced from Vifa of ny double -banana binding posts on the Denmark, isrecessed by about 1/4inch. rear panel provide for straight or bi-wire THE SECOND HIGHEST According to Dudleston, this creates a quasi - operation. I HAVE MEASURED. horn -loaded configuration that smoothes Most of the cabinet is constructed of me- off -axis response, increases output above 5 dium -density fiberboard, 1 inch thick. The kHz, and simplifies crossover design. An inside of the cabinet is strengthened quite Although somewhat rough overall, the additional, switch -selected tweeter is on the well, with braces running up the sides and response fits a fairly tight window of 6 dB top rear of the cabinet. It provides addi- rear of the enclosure and two internal cross between 40 Hz and 20 kHz. Above 2 kHz, tional energy to fill out the system's high - partitions (called Q -braces by the manufac- the response is significantly smoother at frequency power response, compensating turer). Tubes of PVC, 6 inches in diameter, 20° off axis but rolls off somewhat at higher for the way the front tweeter's coverage form sub -enclosures for the midranges and frequencies. Above 20 kHz (data not narrows with rising frequency. connect the front and rear of the cabinet. shown), the response had a high -Q dip of The overall impedance of the Conver- White polyester fiber is used for internal 20 dB at 24.2 kHz followed by a sharp 6 -dB gence is deliberately on the low side to take damping. peak at 25.5 kHz, presumably due to the advantage of the high current capability tweeter's metal -dome resonance. The re- typical of high -end amplifiers. This lets the Measurements sponse rolled off very rapidly above 30 audiophile tap into some of the unused ca- The on -axis and 20° horizontal off -axis kHz. Separate measurements (not shown) pability of these amplifiers that sometimes anechoic frequency responses of the Con- revealed that the unmarked rear -panel goes to waste on higher impedance sys- vergence are shown in Fig. 1, taken without switches controlling the midrange and tems. However, Dudleston points out that, the bass -alignment filter and with all the front -tweeter levels attenuated their re- because the Convergence speakers have a rear switches in their normal (up) position. spective drivers' output by about 1.5 dB relatively high sensitivity, they actually re- Measurements were taken 2 meters from each quire substantially less current for a given the cabinet's front, at the height of the Averaging the response over the range from 250 Hz to 4 kHz yielded a sensitivity figure of 92 dB, significantly less than the manufacturer's rating of 98 dB but still the second highest I have measured, surpassed only by the KEF 105/3 (reviewed in the June 1991 issue). The Convergence's grille caused fairly severe interference effects (not shown) in the on -axis response above 1 kHz, with ir- regularities of up to +2 and -4 dB. I suggest leaving the grille off for serious listening; the speaker looks quite good without it. Above 100 Hz, the right and left systems matched within a close ± 1dB, which ensures stable lateral imaging. A conspicuous aspect of the bass re- sponse, seen in Fig.1,is an octave -wide AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 59 peak at 62 Hz, followed by a depression be-to the overall phase response. Clearly, the nificant 280°, due to a combination of the tween 85 and 170 Hz. This trough coin- normal polarity connection is preferable. crossover's design and the offset between cides with the crossover between the woof- The moderate changes in response with the acoustic centers of the tweeter and ers and the midranges. Separate ground - normal and reversed mid/high polarity in- midranges. Between 1.2 and 4 kHz, the plane measurements of the woofer anddicate that the two sections are approxi- midrange output lags the tweeter by about mid/high sections, with the bi-wire straps mately 90° out of phase with each other 0.23 mS. The dips in the group delay at 100 removed, revealed that the two sectionsthrough the lower crossover range. and 170 Hz coincide with dips in the axial were slightly out of phase in this trough re- The bass -alignment filter provided a response at the same frequencies, which in- gion and thus summed to a lower level. standard second -order high-pass response dicates a possible minimum -phase aberra- Connected separately, the woofer response at 21 Hz with a peak of 5.4 dB at 24 Hz tion. If the response were equalized flat in peaked at 62 Hz and then rolled off at (response not shown). The filter changed this region, the phase and group delay higher frequencies, although it did so quite the system's overall low -frequency re- response would also be much smoother. slowly from 200 Hz to 1 kHz. sponse from a vented -box fourth -order The Convergence's energy/time response high-pass into a sixth -order high- is shown in Fig. 3. The test parameters were 100 TEF pass. This was accomplished by the ON AXIS chosen to accentuate the system's response

1090 filter's boosting of the response at from 1 to 10 kHz, which includes the upper 20 OFF AXIS 0. and above the box resonance fre- crossover region. Except for a slight pertur- 0. u) 8 0 quency, where the power handling bation about 10 dB down from the peak, is high, and rapidly rolling off the the response decay is well behaved. Lower 70 20 100 1k 10k20k response at lower frequencies, level delayed reactions, some 24 dB down FREQUENCY - Hz where the power handling capabil- from the peak, are exhibited. Fig. 1-On-axis frequency ity is much lower. response. The sixth -order loudspeaker

+180 alignment provides a good combi- THE CONVERGENCE'S ic nation of high acoustic output and ic BASS OUTPUT EXCEEDS 0 resistance to potential intermodu- THAT OF ANY SPEAKER -180 lation from below -band power in the program material. It was first -OR SUBWOOFER- tg -360 described by A. N. Thiele in his I HAVE TESTED.

5 4 0 pioneering paper "Loudspeakers in 20 100 1k 10k20k Vented Boxes, Parts 1 and 2" FREQUENCY - Hz Fig. 2-Phase response and (Journal of the Audio Engineering Figure 4 shows the horizontal off -axis re- group delay. Society, May and June 1971, also sponses of the Convergence. The bold reprinted in Loudspeakers, the first curve at the rear of the graph is the on -axis 100 of two anthologies of speaker arti- response. The horizontal coverage is quite TEF cles from the JAES. Incidentally, I good, because the on -axis response aberra- recommend these anthologies tions are carried over quite appropriately 90 highly.) into the off -axis curves. The output of the co Ialso investigated the phase relation- rear -mounted tweeter shows up in the 180° 80 i ships between the tweeter and midranges curve at the front of the display. The rear w by reversing the tweeter's polarity (mea- tweeter operates above 10 kHz, at about the 70 surements not shown). The output actually same level as the front tweeter. went up by about 2 dB between 1.5 and 3.2 In Fig. 5, the vertical off -axis responses, kHz but decreased by about 5 dB between the bold curve in the center of the graph 6 00 2 4 6 8 10 3.5 and 4.7 kHz. These level changes con- (front to rear) is on axis (at a right angle to firm that the tweeter and midranges are the front of the cabinet). Not clearly seen in TIME -mS Fig. 3-Energy/time neither in phase nor completely out of the graph is the fact that only the -5° to +5° response. phase through the crossover region, but are curves are reasonably flat. The response at halfway between, about 90° out of phase. higher and lower angles exhibits dips in the This does not, however, increase the speak- crossover region from 3 to 6 kHz. This Reversing the polarity of the mid/high er's lobing, because the D'Appolito config- means that to hear the flattest response, the section raised the level between 80 and 180 uration minimizes this problem. listener should be sitting down; a standing Hz by about 2 dB but decreased the level by Figure 2 shows the phase and group -de- listener is about 10° to 14° above the axis. about the same amount in a broad range lay responses of the Convergence, refer- The relatively high vertical directivity of the from 180 Hz to 1 kHz. The reversed mid/ enced to the tweeter's arrival time. Between Convergence is due to its use of two com- high connection also added an extra 180° 1 and 20 kHz, the phase curve rotates a sig- paratively wide -spaced midranges, coupled AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 60 Push the envelope!

FIBER OPTIC CABLES In the world of high technology the term "envelope" is used to des- cribe the performance limita-_ons of the equipment. In the worlJ of music and wonder, a diverse group of technically competent proiucts from AudioQuest lets you ex-iand the performance envelope of your audio or video system. The common thread running -TOSLINK & ST STANDARD --- through all the AQ products is ANALOG INTERCONNECT CABLES that they offer the most impnve- ment for the least money. No system is so poor or so perfec_ that using AudioQuest products won't make a wonderful improve- ment. The only proof is in the products themselves - please put us to the ultimate test - lister and look fm yourself.

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-GREAT MUSIC -GREAT SOUND- AC POWER CABLES audioquest P.O. Box 3060 San Clemen>r CA 92674 USA TEL (714) 498-2770 FAX :714) 498-5112 Distributed in Canada by Audio Products I lbrnationa , 3641 McNicoll Ave., Scarborough, Ontario IV1 X 1G5 Tel: 416-321-1800 withitsrelatively high, 4 -kHz a broad range from 19 to 35 Hz, with a crossover frequency. The vertical minimum excursion at 23 Hz, the system's 10 dB' off -axis curves exhibit up/down vented -box tuning. (I would have preferred I

T symmetry that is an inherent char- to have the effective box tuning at the OFF acteristic of the D'Appolito config- 90 SIDE AMS- minimum excursion point for large signals, 135 DEGREE:, uration. rather than at 18 Hz, the impedance mini- 180 REAR 200 2k 2 0 k The Convergence's impedance mum for small signals, where the designer 11IF NC,' Hz Fig. 4-Horizontal off -axis magnitude is shown in Fig. 6. A put it.) The vent reduced the excursion to responses. minimum impedance of 2.6 ohms about 50% of its maximum excursion occurs at 65 Hz and a maximum of above box resonance, which occurred at 54 10.8 ohms at 42 Hz. Below 20 Hz, a Hz. Even at levels above 20 V rms near box minimum impedance of 3.7 ohms resonance, the port turbulence was quite was reached at 18 Hz (near the low. On high-level low -frequencysine vented -box tuning frequency), and waves, the Convergence always sounded the maximum was 8 ohms at 6 Hz very clean and effortless. ( (the lower anti -resonance imped- The maximum excursion of the woofers ance peak of the vented -box sys- was a healthy 0.7 inch, peak to peak, with a tem). The curve in Fig. 6 has a R 90 BELOW pass -band max/min variation of .4 DISTORTION WAS VERY 0 FRONT AOFFMS- about 4.2 to 1, so the Convergence 45 DEGREES 90 ABOVE will be somewhat sensitive to cable LOW AND OUTPUT VERY 200 4 FREOUF resistance. Cable series resistance HIGH, A DYNAMITE Fig. 5-Vertical off -axis should be limited to a maximum responses. COMBINATION. of about 0.04 ohm to keep cable- drop effects from causing response peaks and dips greater than 0.1 dB. linear excursion of about 0.5 inch, peak to For a typical run of about 10 feet, peak. The woofers overloaded very grace- 14 -gauge (or larger) low -induc- fully and exhibited no dynamic offset prob- tance wire should be used. Smaller lems. The speaker could handle levels up to diameter wire can be used but will 30 V rms (225 watts into 4 ohms) at result in higher peak -to -dip varia- frequencies all the way down to 10 Hz tions in reponse. without making any bad noises whatsoever Figure 7 shows the complex im- (although my whole lab was shaking above pedance of the Convergence, plot- 18 Hz)! This is the highest sine -wave power ted over the range from 5 Hz to 30 handling in the low -frequency range that I

1k kHz. The large circle in the plot is have measured on any system. FREQUENCY - Hz the upper vented -box impedance Figure 8, the 3 -meter room response of Fig. 6-Impedance. peak. The overall curve is quite the Convergence, includes curves for both energetic and exhibits five com- raw and sixth -octave smoothed data. The plete clockwise loops as frequency speaker was in the right-hand stereo posi- increases! The passband imped- tion, aimed straight ahead (not at the lis- ance phase (not shown) reached a tening position), and the test microphone maximum angle of +25° (induc- was at ear height (38 inches), at the listen- tive) at 30 Hz and a minimum of er's position on the sofa. The system was -50° (capacitive)at 54 Hz. Al- driven with a swept sine -wave signal of 2.83 though the phase angles are not ex- V rms (corresponding to 2 watts into the cessive, the low minimum imped- rated 4 -ohm load). The direct sound and ance of the Convergence (2.6 13 mS of the room's reverberation are ohms) requires that an amplifier included. Above 1 kHz, the curve is fairly with low output impedance and smooth but exhibits roll -off above 7 kHz. high current capability be used. Repeating the test with the speaker aimed When the speaker was subjected at the microphone revealed less roll -off but 3 6 9 12 to a high-level low -frequency sine - much less smoothness. Excluding the RESISTANCE - OHMS wave sweep, no significant cabinet room -effect dip at 400 Hz and the 600 -Hz Fig. 7-Complex resonances were evident. The ports peak, the averaged curve fits a window of 8 impedance. reduced the woofer excursion over dB ( ± 4 dB) from 100 Hz to 13 kHz. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 62 copy at your localAQdealer. (The good stuff is on the inside)

2 N onRecordings Quest Joe Harley 3 For 1992 Audio New Products Cable Debuts 4 New Crystal audio doesnot perfection in -DownSince audio philoso- must be an Low exist there with im- helps us cope The phy which Spain.: Yes. perfection. understanding 92, Seville,waiting two philosophy is puMli xpo worth Audio in prioritizing it was Canada pa- the roleof subjectivitycompromises hours to getinto the in accepting at theWorlds Fair. imIrrfections, vilion herefor thismost grue- wily. believe any The reason wond Some audiothinkersother -- that wait issimple-the good as any some that the new48 frames opinion is as they arewrong! was out IMAX subjective-- of second high-definition it s all is anabsolute goal per "something tosee." Slice there the role ofsubjec- film was screen wasa stag- u_timate accuracy to a path(or The movie26m (62 ft. x85 ft.); tvity mustbe confinedwhich points gering 19m x the lane freeway) and detail - e million the definition informa- ultimate goal. amount of of Ibward this mean?" tremendous 70mm print does allthis really tion -made a movie look "So what system is tobe favorite epic of an audio your this fantastic the nature The purpose emotionswhere TV. All reflects or to carry your type of like a 19" offered Bill Low a vehicle matter what and software lives to go --no hardware glimpse into of musicreprodixtion you want anincredible goourselves. music youenjoy. and placeswe can'texperience was this audiomanufacturer, The viewingwas fun.Unprec- the "lestpredictable For the method must fantastic, it used system is task. that scientific to facilitate accuracy wasandan audio this noble means in order edented visual emotion, means ofexecuting areasonablebe employed imperfec- to inspirehuman and might significant ways the of allpossible all the power In some believable than awareness and toreasonably yet, for -breaker is more and yetsuch (distortions) im- projected by anArtic ice audio systemIMAX screen, tions (juggle) the straight at you,it wasimage on an glaranteeaudic control andchoose arrive at a turned does not that au order to coming No one believability facts are perfections indoes theleast harm. notbelievable. of getting The d3solt_teperfect --enter gathering for fear ofsatisfaction. is never mixture thatmethod means and ran audio system Scientific data -- espe- crushed. Theunbelievabilitythe compromise. emperical Ca didn't stop and all possible experience subjectivity listening! the being acomplete st_c- cially from this means: film from people who of audio listener, two million or " Thepurpose For the about theequipment, cess. Theline fortwo hours system don't thinkguess thetechnology stood in the filmdid audio don't second listen and enjoyed what ream), to an product - just more there was no carryyour of a specific in theonly for them; is ... to judge itsperformanceyouhaving dwell onthelimitations. where counts - are have way that does this emotions fun! Look "So what togo." fun? and havesome to dowith audio?" youwant So go out toequipmen: have triedto that listen phenomena I for storesbuy, lookfor products The is a before they based ontheir that accuracy -body inaudio existence is describe isthan anends. By "Why is Eve whose not theirmar- means more level of different?" qualities andand lookfor extraordinary sayingsomething audio using an the high-defi- various phi-keting orpackaging,sit downaid technical accuracy,enhances its Mankind hascmstructedof copingwith who willreally try to system losophies as ameans conform tosalespeoplewhile they nition IMAX human emo- whim donot listen to youhandle onequipment ability totriggerfailure 'rotruly thinkers get a equipment Oat ultimate phenonmena Some audio phi-help you look for tion. Its never an absolutes no:require a values, and for yaur reality was physical aud.o does absolute real- honest vehicle representviewersmird. believe that is an is a nuetral,forget theequipment issue in the also employ bemuse there They aremusic. Then Audio systems inlosophytryirg :oreproduce.bLt wrong somemusic! degrees ofaccuracy ity we are absolute goal, and enjoy varying listener about the toallow the andcorrect need fcr aphilosophy their attemptthe emotion about the appreciate Accuracy in to music. sensuality of audioquest. State of the Art Music/State of the Art Sound

P.0 Box3060, San Clemente, CA 92674USA714-498 2770 fax714-498- The spectra of single -frequency harmon-below the floor of my measuring gear. At The upper curve in Fig. 12 shows the ic distortion versus power for the musical200 watts, the system generates a very loud maximum peak sound pressure levels the notes of E1 (41.2 Hz) and A2 (110 Hz) are 100 dB sound pressure level at 1 meter at system can generate, at 1 meter on axis, for shown in Figs. 9 and 10. As with most large41.2 Hz. the input levels shown in the lower curve. speakers I've tested lately, distortion for the Figure 10 shows the harmonic data for Also shown is the "room gain" of a typical 440 -Hz tone was too low to present, onlyA2 (110 Hz). The second harmonic reaches listening room at low frequencies, which about 0.5% second harmonic rising above only 3% at 200 watts, and the third har- adds about 3 dB to the response at 80 Hz the floor of my measurement gear at full monic reaches 4.9%. Higher harmonics are and 9 dB at 20 Hz. power. The power levels were computed very low. At 110 Hz with an input of 200 The peak acoustic output rises with fre- using the rated system impedance of 4 watts, the Convergence generates a very quency up to 55 Hz, then flattens out, and ohms. A high maximum power level of 200loud 113 dB SPL at 1 meter. continues to rise above 400 Hz. Between watts was set as the upper limit, the highest Figure 11 displays the IM distortion cre- 800 Hz and 8 kHz, the level actually ex- I have ever used for these tests. Even with ated by tones of 440 Hz (A4) and 41.2 Hz ceeds an ear -shattering 130 dB! These levels this power level, the Convergence always (E1) of equal input power. The IM distor- are high enough to keep up with the peak sounded quite clean. tion rises only to the low value of 4% at full SPLs of live percussion instruments. With The El (41.2 -Hz) harmonic distortion power. The Convergence's lower crossover, room gain, the maximum output exceeds data is shown in Fig. 9. At maximum (200- at 180 Hz, separates the two IM test tones 110 dB above 18 Hz and 120 dB above 30 watt) power level, the distortion only and thus minimizes the distortion. Hz, the lowest frequencies I have measured reaches 6% second harmonic and 3.4% Figure 12 shows the speaker's short-term for these SPL points! The Convergence's third. The higher harmonics were mostly peak -power input and output capabilities, low -frequency maximum output exceeds measured using a 6.5 -cycle tone 90 any of the systems I have tested for Audio, burst with third -octave band- including the four subwoofers I measured 80 width. Due to the high input and for the November 1992 issue-and this for output capabilities of the Conver- a single system! A stereo pair of Conver- 70 gence, the scales for this graph a. gence speakers can reach even higher low - were increased by one division, so frequency levels with bass material com- 60 that the top of the SPL scale is 140 mon to both channels. 50 dB (rather than 130 dB, as in pre- 20 100 1k 10k vious reviews) and the input power Use and Listening Tests FREQUENCY - Hz starts at 10 watts (rather than 1 Fig. 8-Three-meter room The appearance and the fit and finish of response. watt). The peak input power was the Convergence are superlative. As stated calculated by assuming that the before, the finish of my review samples was measured peak voltage was applied ribbon mahogany, which reminded me of across the rated 4 -ohm impedance. majestic old-time console radios. These 100 MAXIMUM POWER: 200 WATTS The input power starts very speakers are large and heavy (150 pounds O 2nd. 6 0% 10 I' high, at about 1 kW at 20 Hz (the apiece), and one person can only move O 3m1, 3.4% highestIhave measured in the them by walking them with a side -to -side 1.0 7-12 dB range from 20 to 70 Hz!), and then fluctuates as frequency increases. ON SOFT AND DELICATE Between 63 and 100 Hz, the input CHAMBER MUSIC, THE 50 was limited because the output FREQUENCY -Hz waveshape changed to a triangle, Fig. 9-Harmonic distortion CONVERGENCE SOUNDED presumably due to crossover -in- products for E1 (41.2 Hz). SMOOTH, DETAILED, ductor saturation. A power limita- tion occurs between 170 and 400 AND NEUTRAL. Hz, where the wave became quite rounded and sounded hollow at MAXIMUM POWER: 200 WATTS rocking motion. The speakers are supplied higher levels. A maximum peak with molded plastic rails that are screwed input of 10 kW (200 V!) is reached to the bottom of the cabinet for stability. 08 between 1 and 5 kHz. The reduc- Cone spikes are also supplied. Connections tion of input power above 6 kHz are made through heavy-duty double -ba- was not caused by the Conver- nana jacks on the cabinet's bottom rear. 02 gence, but by my test amplifier 550 650 Each speaker is supplied with two short ca- n -Hz running out of gas due to the bles with spade lugs to be used as jumpers Fig. 10-Harmonic distortion speaker's low impedance in this when the speaker is under normal (not bi- products for A2 (110 Hz). range! wired) operation. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 64 ExperienceThe newSoily the tu MonlOgies gg Headphones. The thorough 10 -page instruction man- Wire Maestro speaker cables were used to National Symphonic Winds (Wilson Audio ual covers such topics as speaker place- connect the Convergence systems to the WCD-8823) was truly awesome when ment, connections and cabling, fine tuning amps. About half my listening was done played at high level. (with the systems' level -adjustment switch- with the Legacy's optional bass -alignment Of course, I had to get out my assort- es), amplifier and power requirements, and filter inserted in the tape loop of the ment of sound -effect CDs to try, including bi-wiring and biamplification. Additional-preamp. When the bass filter was used, I the jets and steam locomotives on Sonic ly, Reel to Real Designs will even supplyalso used it when listening to my reference Booms (Bainbridge BCD6276). The Con- custom passive resonance -trap filters to use B & W 801 Matrix Series 2 speakers be- vergences didn't even whimper when sub- with the bass section. These may help solve cause of its close similarity to the filter sup- jected to this material played through the some typically troublesome room andplied with the 801s. very powerful Crown amplifier, the same placement problems. First listening disclosed that the Conver- amp I use in my peak power tests! These As discussed previously, Legacy statesgence has considerable bass impact, very speakers also did considerable justice to that the optimal listener position is actuallywide dynamic range, and a clean and open various rock 'n' roll tracks, easily creating 20° off the horizontal axis and recommendssound. No matter how loud I played these full concert levels, including bass. that the speakers fire straight into the roomspeakers with demanding bass material, When Bach's The Art of the Fugue by the rather than being toed in. For best results,they always sounded quite clean and effort- Juilliard String Quartet (Sony Classical S2K less. At seated listening positions, 45937) was played, the Convergences dem- the tonal balance and overall onstrated a fine capability to re-create soft 4 sound were quite close to my refer- and delicate chamber music with smooth- ence speakers'. Only when I stood ness, a detailed and neutral sound, and 2 up did the Legacy systems differ good instrument placement and stereo fo- o -- tonally in the upper midrange cus. Male speaking voices sounded natural 0.2 2 20 200 POWER - WATTS from the references. When I was and well controlled. Compared to my ref- Fig. 1 1-IMdistortion for standing, the tonal differences of- erences, the Legacy systems had a more for- 440 Hz(A4) and ten sounded like a general reduc- ward sound that was less influenced by my 41.2 Hz (E1). tion in level rather than a spectral listening room. I attribute this to the Con- aberration. vergence's greater directivity in the impor- Some one -note bass character tant mid -frequency range. Tambourines, was noted on acoustic bass lines. cymbals, and other high -frequency percus- 140 Subsequent speaker and room sion exhibited a crisp and well-balanced

130 measurements revealed that the sound with extended response. 60 -Hz bass hump of the Conver- Overall the Convergences did a com- 120 gence coincided with a 60 -Hz mendable job on most program material. 110 10k mode in my listening room, thus Only rarely were the speaker's limits emphasizing notes in this range. reached, and even then it overloaded quite 100 1k My reference speakers also excite 90 100 this room mode, but the Conver- 80 10 gence systems were consistently 20 100 1k 10k20k louder when a bass note fell in this STEAM LOCOMOTIVES? FREQUENCY Hz range. Fig. 12-Maximum peak JETS? THE LEGACY input powerand On third -octave, band -limited sound output. pink noise, the Convergence's low - CONVERGENCE DIDN'T frequency maximum output sig- EVEN WHIMPER. nificantly exceeded my reference systems' in the bands from 20 to 40 the listener's ear should be at the sameHz. Particularly impressive was the output height as the tweeter. All my listening wasin the 20- and 25 -Hz bands, which made gracefully. Particularly impressive were its done with the speakers facing straighteverything in the room vibrate! The high wide dynamic range capability, high sensi- ahead and not aimed at my listening posi-sensitivity of the Convergences enabled tivity, powerful bass response, and very tion. I placed them 8 feet apart, 10 feetthem to play significantly louder and clean- high power -handling capabilities.Its from my sofa, and about 5 feet from theer than my references when turned up to smoothness, frequency range, and imaging wall behind them. the point where the power amplifier occa- capabilities were also first-rate. No sub- I used an Onkyo CD player driving thesionally clipped. (The Crown amp has very woofers are required with this system! If Bryston 0.4B preamp, coupled with bal-useful LED level and overload indicators.) you are prepared to part with about $3,500, anced Straight Wire cables to the CrownThe bass drum at 1:08, 1:10, and 1:31 on the Convergence would be a very good Macro Reference power amplifier. Straighttrack 1 of Winds of War and Peace by the choice. D. B. Keele, Jr. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 66 The world's great musicthe new has "V" never series sounded thanhybrid when betterpower played amplifiers through raiseClassic an Audio series: Research amplifier - until now. Because D.E.C.noisetopology.The "V" and circuit amplifiers inputimprove and -:o advanced -output,employdynamic ato coaxial fullycontrasts reduce balanced capacitors extraneous A patented circuit also With threeand V140new"your models monoblocks favorite - the V35 - the and "V" V70 series stereo, allows youWith greater powers of resolution, focus and dynamic expression than ever before.music to a harmonious new pitch. :node,intol:elpsophisticatedmidband andreduce while out frequencies. distortionofthe theirnew V70 circuitsnormal and through At V140 startupeasetriode the models the criticaloperatingand "V" alsoshutdown,. amplifiers have sounds as wonderfulto match as thethis next, excitingthe within levelpower new itsof level range.respectivepower of So youperformance you actually don't haveneed. to to Each sacrifice model sonic quality or spend more than you need tc. amplifiers:henmusicMusicfan cooling you isin more thereally are to key aLhelpthan deserve ofabout. extendsonic"V" isn'tto wallpaper tubehear for life.everyone.what in theyour "Nrseries But life, if 7540 Green Circlle Drive / Minneto HIGH D,EF NITIQW Enter Na. 2 on Reade, ServiceMinnesota Card 55343-4424 / Phone: 612-939-0600 FAX: 612 - 39-0604 zine. Just below are the preset scan button EQUIPMENTPROFILE and a dual-purpose switch for tuning and CD display modes. The knob below con- trols volume but also becomes, with suc- ALPINE 7980 cessive presses, the control for treble, bass, balance, fader, and back to volume. The CAR CD CHANGER control also reverts to volume mode if not AND TUNER touched for 5 S. The "Up/Down" rocker

When you change CDs, The black "3D Shuttle" magazinewhich stops only at the strong stations the three -disc jutting out from the front of thestored in memory. An automatic memory 3D Shuttle 7980 holds three CDs: Alpine hasfeature automatically stores the six stron- magazine managed to cram a full -featured,gest stations on any band as presets. A extends three -disc changer and a full set ofmode called Direct Access Preset (D.A.P.) slowly from AM/FM tuner controls into a headstores both AM and FM stations together, the 7980's unit that fits a standard DIN dashboardso you can receive both without needing to loading slot. cutout. (The tuner circuitry, however, is inpress the band selector. A total of 24 station a half -DIN black box that gets tucked outfrequencies can be preset, six each for FM1, of sight.) FM2, D.A.P., and AM. There are also

ox MONO - / ALPINE 3))30 snutue CHANGER TUNE F.'SCANT _ _ *I

-11./11 -HR/F POWER 040.1 UP IP wr OEOrt n o o o _71 O. SEEK PUSH ON MODE 1440 r TUNER /COMPACT DISC CHANGER 7980

The CD section employs a digital filterswitches for forced mono reception and lo- further to the right is used for controlling with eight -times oversampling as well as a cal/distant seek sensitivity. radio tuning, CD track selection, and CD dual D/A converter system. Alpine's 20 -bit A feature called Source Tone Memorytrack scanning. hybrid interpolative D/A converter, whichautomatically memorizes settings of the When the multifunction knob is in use, bass and treble tone controls separately forthe display beneath the CD slot shows its CD and tuner. The unit is equipped withcurrent function and setting. Otherwise, it ALPINE HAS CRAMMED front and rear preamp outputs and a fader. shows the radio band, frequency, tuning A THREE -CD CHANGER A separate analog electronics box housesmode, and preset number or the CD mode tuner and analog signal circuits, isolatingand track number or elapsed time. AND A GOOD TUNER INTO them from the CD servo and digital circuits The six buttons to the right of the display AN IN -DASH UNIT. for optimum noise -free performance. An are used in the tuner mode for preset audio interrupt lead is available for those station selection or, in CD mode, to control who have a cellular phone in their vehicles. such functions as random play ("M.I.X."), they call I-DAC, combines one -bit technol- Finally, the entire chassis is mounted in a"Repeat" of a track or disc, "Scan," pro- ogy for excellent low-level linearity with a quick -release bracket so that it can be re- gram erasure ("Clear"), and programming multibit converter for high dynamic range, moved from the vehicle to prevent theft. ("P.T.M."). The three buttons at the far low distortion, and low noise. The section's right are the "DAP" band selector, "Tuner" features include six -selection program-Control Layout (which selects the other bands and switches ming, random and repeat play, and scan- A button for disc selection and local/dis- from CD to radio), and "Disc" (which ning of the first 10 S of each track. tant sensitivity is at the upper left of the starts or pauses CD play). As for the tuner section, its most unusualfront panel. Adjacent to it are the buttons A remote control the size of a thick feature is probably Intelligent Preset Scan,for "Mono" and for ejecting the CD maga- credit card, supplied with the 7980, handles AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 68 such major control functions as volume, inches) when changing discs, and a full 14components in the output signal. Residual radio band selection, and 20 -dB muting cm (over 51/2 inches) is required for easy in-19 -kHz pilot carrier was suppressed by (available only from the remote) and also sertion and removal of the magazine. Inter-about 60 dB relative to maximum audio selects tuner or CD mode, tuner presets, ference could occur between the CD maga-modulation level, but the difference -signal and CD tracks. This remote's slim configu- zine and some cars' stick shifts. sidebands surrounding the 38 -kHz subcar- ration mandates the use of a lithium disc rier reached levels of -20 dB, with only 42 - battery (CR2025 or equivalent) similar toTuner Measurements dB suppression of the subcarrier itself. (Of the batteries that run the calendar clocks in Figure 1 shows the frequency response ofcourse, only your dog will be able to hear camcorders. the Alpine 7980 in the FM tuner mode.these tones; in home equipment they're When installing the 7980, it's important Response is down some 1.3 dB at 15 kHz.suppressed so they won't interfere with to allow space in front of the unit. The Figure 2 shows the mono and stereo quiet-tape recording using Dolby NR.) Other FM magazine projects 8 cm (a bit over 31/8 ing characteristics of the FM tuner section.performance measurements yielded an al-

Mono 50 -dB quieting requires a AISSITEOE WO VERSUS FFEOUENCI IN,I.FM 711E9 SECTION ALPINE 79130 +2 SPECS signal input of only about 15 dBf. Ap 0 By the time signal strength is suffi- ..J CD Player Section -2 cient to switch the tuner into the cc 20 100 lk 10k 20k Frequency Response: 5 Hz to 20 stereo mode, signal-to-noise ratio FREQUENCY- Hz kHz, +0, -1 dB. reaches over 60 dB. Maximum S/N Fig. 1-FM frequency THD: 0.006% at 1 kHz. with strong signals is 70.3 dB for response. Dynamic Range: 95 dB. mono reception and 67.5 dB for 08107114 LHARACTERISTICS FM TUNER SECTION. ALPINE 7900 0 S/N: 95 dB, A -weighted. AP stereo. rAUDIO OUTPUT Channel Separation: 85 dB. Figure 3 shows harmonic distor- D/A Converter: 20 -bit Hybrid I- tion plus noise versus modulating -20 DAC. frequency. At 1 kHz, THD + N Oversampling Rate: Eight times. measures 0.21% for mono and -40 0.38% for stereo. At 100 Hz, STEREO NOISE -60 Tuner Section THD + N is 0.082% for mono and FM Usable Mono Sensitivity: 16.3 MONO NOISE 0.4% for stereo, while at 6 kHz, it 0 20 40 60 80 dBf. measures just over 0.4% for both SIGNALINPUT-dBf Mono 50 -dB Quieting Sensitivity: mono and stereo modes. Figure 4 15.2 dBf. Fig. 2-FM quieting shows how THD + N varies with characteristics. Alternate -Channel Selectivity: 80 input signal level. From this plot, I OISTORTION NOISE VEPSUS FREOUBCY; FM TIRO SECTION ALPINE 7990 dB. determined that mono usable sen- 3 AP Mono S/N: 65 dB. sitivity, 13.0 dBf, is actually better Channel Separation: 35 dB. than Alpine's claim. Notice that STEREO Capture Ratio: 2.0 dB. although stereo THD + N tends to AM Usable Sensitivity: 22.5 µV. rise for signal levels below 60 dBf, MONO the mono/stereo switching thresh- 0I General Specifications old is reached at some point be- Bass Control Range: ± 15 dB at 30 tween 30 and 40 dBf. Below this Hz. level, THD + N in the stereo mode 0.01 Treble Control Range: ± 12 dB at 10 50 100 lk 10k 20k issubstantially the same as for FREQUENCY - Hz kHz. mono, since the circuitry is then Fig. 3-FM THD + N Output Voltage (Into 10 Kilohms): operating in mono despite the vs. frequency. 500 mV. presence of a stereo modulating Power Requirement: 14.4 V d.c. (11 signal from my generator. THO NOISE VS. SIPIAL LEVEL, FM TUNER SEC 1010 ALPINE 7980 to 16 V allowable). 3 Rp Channel separation (not shown) Dimensions: Main chassis, 7 in. W was far better than suggested by X 2 in. H X 6 in. D (17.8 cm X STEREO the manufacturer's conservative 5.1 cm X 15.3 cm); tuner chassis, specification, measuring 53 dB at 1 7 in. W X 1 in. H X 6 in. D (17.8 kHz and 40.5 dB at 100 Hz. Only cm X 2.5 cm X 15.3 cm). MONO above about 4.5 kHz did itfall 0I Price: $880. 0 20 40 60 80 below the rated 35 dB, falling to Company Address: 19145 Gramercy SIGNALINPUT - dBf 27.6 dB at 10 kHz. As is true of Place, Torrance, Cal. 90501. nearly all car FM tuners, little was Fig. 4-FM THD + N For literature, circle No. 92 done to suppress stereo subcarrier vs. signcil level. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 69 ternate-channel selectivity of 83 dB and acontrol at about 10 dB below its maximum signals in the range from 0 to -90 dB, the capture ratio of 2.0 dB. setting. If this was not done, the 7980's Alpine's deviation at the lowest signal level The AM tuner section's frequency re-voltage amplification stages (following approaches +4 dB. With dithered signals sponse, though not entirely conforming to conversion) went into overload. I can ap- from -70 to -100 dB, deviation again the NRSC standards, is far better than that preciate the fact that the CD player section amounts to about +4 dB at -90 dB, increas- of most car AM tuners and, for that matter, can produce afar higher output level ing substantially for signals below that lev- of most home tuners and receivers. AM(more than 20.0 V) than either the AM or el. The fade -to -noise test results (Fig. 10) response (Fig. 5) extends to around 4.2 confirm the 7980's low-level linearity and kHz before reaching an attenuation of 6 also reveal that the EIA dynamic range of dB. Usable sensitivity measured 22 µ,V, just THE ALPINE'S CD this player was approximately 103 dB. The about as specified. more stringent EIAJ dynamic range was SECTION WAS NOT 93.8 dB. Frequency accuracy of the player CDMeasurements FAZED BY UNKEMPT section was extremely good; I found the Figure 6 shows the frequency response of NORTHEASTERN ROADS. error to be an insignificant 0.0002%. the CD player section, with tone controls at Finally, I measured the ability of the CD their flat settings. Response is down 0.3 dB player section to correct for disc defects at 20 Hz and at 20 kHz is up about 0.2 dB FM tuner section, but it seems to me that such as scratches, missing data, or opaque for the left channel and 0.25 dB for the the designers should have made it possible surfaces caused by dust or dirt. The player right. for the preamp voltage stages to handle CD successfully corrected or interpolated for Figure 7 shows how THD + N varies as a output signals at any setting of the volume missing data 1.5 mm in length. After inter- function of frequency for signals recorded control. mittently muting a few times, the system at maximum level. Over most of the audio The tendency of the preamp stages to was even able to interpolate for missing frequency range, THD + N is between overload was also evident when I plotted data 2.4 mm long, a larger gap than a great 0.025% and 0.03%. To maintain this low THD + N (referred to 0 -dB recorded level) many home CD players can handle. Fur- level of distortion, however, it was neces- versus signal level (not shown). Although thermore, the Alpine is very resistant to sary to operate the 7980 with its volumeTHD + N remained very low (around -90 external vibration and shock-extremely dB) at levels below -20 dB, with 0 - important for a car CD player.

AMPLITUDE WED VERSUS FREQUENCYCHOI AM TUIER SECTION ALPINE 7980 dB signals it rose to nearly -70 dB There would be little point in my ad- (around 0.03%), even with volume dressing the 7980's sound quality and ease 1111111111111111111111111111111111i2 reduced somewhat below its maxi- of use from my test bench or even from my MIL111111111111 mum. Had I increased volume to reference listening room. Only a "test MI01111 M111111111111111111111M maximum, the output would have drive" can properly reveal the merits (or 111111111111111111111111 111111111111111111111 11111111M been severely clipped. A spectrum demerits) of any car audio system. So, I 20 100 lk 10k 20k analysis of harmonics generated by leave it to Technical Editor Ivan Berger to FREQUENCY -H a maximally recorded 1 -kHz signal detail his experiences of putting this tuner/ Fig. 5-AM frequency (again, with volume setting low- CD changer through its paces. From my response. ered somewhat) revealed that the own point of view, I have to commend primary harmonic component was Alpine for coming up with a DIN -sized ANPLITUDF1030VS FREDUENLY1121. CO PLAYER SECTION. ALPDE 7993 +1 at 2 kHz (the second harmonic of unit that can handle three CDs at a time. AP the recorded signal), with higher While disc changing takes longer than it order harmonics of lesser ampli- does with separate in -the -trunk CD chang- 0 tude evident. ers, it's a small price to pay for the conve- The A -weighted S/N was an im- nience of having three hours or more of 1 pressively high 96.5 dB-unusually 10 100 lk 10k 20k continuous music available from an in - good for a car CD player. FREQUENCY - Hz dash head unit. Leonard Feldman Fig.6-CDfrequency Separation at1 kHz measures response. 86.5 dB for the left -to -right cross-Behind the Wheel talk and 84 dB for crosstalk from The 7980's 3D Shuttle system combines

750 NOISE 111VS FREQUENCY DUI AT 0 OS LEVEL; CO SECTION,ALPINE 7980 right to left (Fig. 8). As you can see, the main virtue of an in -dash player-the 01 separation decreases substantiallyability to pop in any disc you like without at higher frequencies but at 10 kHz running around to the trunk-with the 0.01 is still a more than adequate 68 dBchanger's virtue of easy, automatic shifts 20 100 1k 10k 20k for the left -to -right direction andfrom disc to disc. And if three discs seems FREQUENCY - Hz 66 dB from right to left. like a small capacity compared to the five to Fig. 7-CDsectionTHD + N Figure 9 shows deviation from18 discs trunk -mounted changers can hold, vs. frequency. perfect linearity. For unditheredyou can always buy more magazines and AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 70 PURE PERFECTION

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* Patent applied for 89 Doug Brown Way Holliston Mass. 01746 Enter No. 7 on Reader SenAce Card pop them in as needed. If I keep this Alpineremove from the magazine. Unless thethese days, though I'm glad Alpine made it in my dash (and I'm actively considering it7980 is mounted unusually high in thea knob instead of a rocker. This arrange- as my next reference unit), I'll get somedash, the magazine's overhang obscures the ment saves space, but it's hard to know extra magazines and label them with bigtops of the display's "Mono" and "DAP"without looking exactly which function code letters ("J" for jazz, and so on) so Iindicators, though you can still see theiryou're actuating once you get past volume. can quickly match the musical genre tobottom edges. And putting the magazine in It would be helpful to have beeps signal my mood. upside down disables the radio as well aswhen you go to a new function (or return Some aspects of the changer take a bit ofthe changer for some reason, but only untilautomatically to volume) and when you getting used to. Seeing the magazine oozeyou take the magazine out or reinsert itreach the center points of the bass, treble, out of the unit while the disc is changed is aproperly. balance, and fader adjustments. On the bit surprising at first. The cycle takes about other hand, thanks to the 7980's Source 20 S: "Slower than a trunk -mounted Tone Memory, which automatically saves changer," admitted an Alpine engineer THE 7980, WHILE NOT tone settings separately for each source, who has a 7980 in his car, "but a lot quicker QUITE THE UNIT OF you don't need to use these controls often. than changing discs by hand." And during MY DREAMS, MAY BE Night illumination was good, and the dial the eject cycle, the magazine must come was reasonably easy to read by day. out twice, once to re -ingest the disc that MY NEXT REFERENCE. On the road, the CD section was unfazed was last played and a second time to pop it- by typically unkempt Northeastern roads. self out; instinctively grabbing the changer Overall, the ergonomics are rather good.The difference in clarity between CD and magazine when you're ejecting it just stopsPressing any button will turn the unit on,tape was unmistakable and welcome. There the process and forces you to run through so you only need the small "Power" switchwas none of the harshness of some early car the whole eject cycle again. Patience! Theto turn it off. As the 7980 turns on, theCD units, yet there was still a faintly over- magazine won't fall out. volume ramps up to the last setting, so youbearing quality to the sound that I couldn't The biggest drawbacks of the changerhave a few seconds to turn it down again ifquite put my finger on. I found it helped to aren't big at all. The middle disc is hard tosomeone left it blasting. The controls are allroll off the treble just a hair and (though it

SEPARATION S. FREQUENCY. CO PLAYER SE TIOK ALPINE 7900 placed conveniently and, for themade the sound boomy when the car stood - 60 most part, logically. Some, but notstill) to boost the bass a little. Thanks to wm Ap >7 -70 all, buttons perform similar func-Source Tone Memory, I could do this with- a - -I w-J>w -80 R TO L tions for both radio and CD. Theout altering the FM response. With these cc TO rocker switch just to the left of the -90 tone settings, the response was less flat than 20 100 lk 10k 20k display, for instance,is used toshown in the lab measurements but proba- FREQUENCY - Hz move both up and down the radiobly still flatter than I get from tape. Fig. 8-Separation, dial and up and down through the On FM, performance was just about CD section. current disc's tracks-but the but-perfect. I heard touches of picket -fencing

DEVIATION FROM PERFECT LINEARITY. CO SEC ION ALPI/E 7980 ton for scanning a CD is not theon only the most distant stations, and

Ap one used for scanning tuner pre-sensitivity seemed to be just about equal to +8 DITHERED sets. The controls are nicely differ-that of my reference Soundstream. The entiated by feel (though I'd havelatter might squeeze out about a half -mile +4 liked a slightly less smooth finishadvantage on a fading station, but the Al- UNDITHERED on the "Up/Down" rocker). As 0 pine's easy -to -reach "Mono" button can be -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 usual, Alpine has illuminated itsused to eke out even more range. In fact, RECORDED LEVEL - dB station preset buttons and has putthis "Mono" button was far more effective Fig. 9-Deviation from them in a convenient, 3 X 2 arraythan most in cutting interference; this sur- linearity. instead of one long line. (The dis-prised me, once I'd seen Fig. 2 and realized play's preset number indicators arethat this tuner collapses to mono at higher FACE -TO -NOISE TEST. CO PLAYER SECTION. ALPINE 7980 set up in a matching matrix.) And,signal levels than most tuners do. Ap as usual for Alpine, the functions Reception on AM was reasonably good. 1111111 the buttons perform in CD modeIt wasn't static -free, but its frequency re- ("Mix,""Repeat,""Scan,"sponse was audibly flatter than the lacklus- "Clear," and "P.T.M") are printedter norm. 11111111111 -111111M 1111iim in thin white letters, making them The Alpine's automatic memory system easy to read by day but hard topicks up and memorizes the six strongest -4 - 120 -100 -80 -60 make out once the buttons arelocal stations, as claimed. (Some other illuminated. RECORDED LEVEL - d8 units' automatic memory systems just pick The all -in -one control is a near -up the first strong stations they find, which Fig. 10-Fade-to-noise test. universal feature on car stereoscan be an advantage if you prefer listening AUDIO/FEBRUARY1993 72 OUR AUDIO COPONENTS FEEDBHAVE THE UNCANNY ABILITY TORODUCE INCREDIBLE

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"It offers more than just a touch of high -end sound at a very affordable price. 99 HCA-80011 AMPLIFIER, STEREOPHILE, OCTOBER 1990, U.S.A.

One thing is coming through loud and clear. A by making high -end audio components at affordable consensus that our audio components are a prices. resounding success. To learn more about our complete family of audio And it's no accident. Because we take a uniquely products, give us a call. And discover for yourself why pure approach to music reproduction. You see, we put we're generating so much positive feedback. our money into elegant audio engineering and acoustic design. Not into fancy decorations that don't add any sonic value. On the surface, this may not seem like such a big PARASOUND deal. But, as you can see, we've built quite a reputation Affordable audio for the critical listener.

Parasound Products, Inc. 950 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 1-800-822-8802; 415-397-7100; Fax: 415-397-0144 In Canada, distributed by: Absolute Sound Imports, 7651 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC; 604-264-0414 to the college and public radio stations at the bottom of the dial.) While the system CAW can be used on the D.A.P. band, which can store both AM and FM stations, it only CONVERIER memorized FM frequencies when I used it. Unlike some other auto -preset systems, the 7980's does not store your original station settings for later recall. However, with four six -memory bands to use, you should be able to find one not already taken up by local stations. The Intelligent Preset Scan worked very well. On FM, it scans both bands of presets but only stops at the stations that are coming in strongly at the moment. This let me set oneFMband to New York stations, another to stations in Connecticut, and to scan in either location without stopping at AllJERROLD, OAK, HAMLIN, ZENITH, SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA, PIONEERand all spe- frequencies where the signal had long since cialized cable equipment available for shipment within 24 hours. 60 Day Guarantee. been replaced by noise. QUANTITY DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE. MC/VISA or C.O.D. telephone orders accepted. The six -button remote control is handy Send self-addressed stamped envelope (60C postage) for FREE CATALOG for use by back-seat passengers. This was 1 INFORMATION/ORDERS not one of the select few remotes having P.O. Box 5000 enough beam coverage and power to work MIDWEST Suite 311K ELECTROIIICSInc. Carpentersville, 1-800 when attached to a steering wheel for easy Illinois 60110 648-3030 operation by the driver; that's a pity, as its Note: Decoders and Descramblers must not be used without authorization by your local cable operator. NO ILLINOIS ORDERS ACCEPTED wafer-thin body would not get in the way. The pull-out chassis was a little bit hard- er than most to lock back in. I would have preferred a removable front panel soI You can afford a NordicTrack. wouldn't have to cart the entire unit around when I parked. It was not possible Why settle for anything less? to put the separate tuner chassis in my dash There are good reasons why the NordicTrack® for this temporary installation, so it had to cross-country ski exerciser is known as sit exposed on the side of the console; for "The World's Best Aerobic Exerciser®." security, I draped a map or newspaper over While lesser cross-country ski exercisers it each time I parked. provide an awkward "shuffling" motion, the NordicTrack cross-country ski exer- Even though my CD library is far larger ciser uses a patented flywheel and one- and better organized than my library of way clutch mechanism that no other ski cassettes, I've long resisted replacing my machine can match. Soundstream radio/cassette unit with a CD It's the affordable way to player. It was just too difficult to find a CD meet your fitness goals. player that could match the Soundstream's NordicTrack works all the major muscle groups, burning more calories and providing a better great combination of tuner performance, cardiovascular workout than exercise bikes, treadmills human engineering, features, and sweet and stairsteppers. It's gentle on your knees, joints and back and it's easy to use. Over a million people already and clear sound. The 7980, while not quite know that exercise just doesn't get any better than a the unit of my dreams, has me reconsider- NordicTrack. At these prices you can own a NordicTrack. ing. Its tuner is just about a match for my 1NordicTrack Excel" only $49995! reference unit's. Its features and ergonom- NordicTrackSequoia" only $39995! ics are good. And its CD sound, while not NordicTrack Challenger" only $29995! as good as the best home units I've heard, is Models priced from$299" to $1,299" 2 still better than I've yet heard from cassette. Now if my installers at Stratford Sound can NorchC-Fsf, find a way to mount both chassis where I For a FREE Video want them, the 7980 just might make me and Brochure Call1-800-328-5888Ext.118B3 switch at last. Ivan Berger or write:NordicTrack. Dept. 118B3, 104 Peavey Road, Chaska, MN 55318 NordicTrack reserves the right to change prices and specifications without prior notice. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 © 1993 NordicTrack, Inc., A CML Company All rights reserved. 74 Enter No. 16 on Reader Service Card . a wonderful loudspeaker that has no competition at its *rice point."

III.G.D., BOUND FOR SOUND

Focus

ACCEPTING SPEAKER TRADE-INS ON MAJOR BRANDS lYCJACk.) distributed by Reel to Real Designs$021 Sangamon Ave. Springfield, IL 62702 RSPCANIER JVS1FMS dealer and export inquiries irwted 1.800-283-464L Fax: 1-217-744-7269 SINCE 1983 Enter 1§Io 21 on Reader Service Card watts can be used to power the sub - AURICLE woofer alone. In an alternative home theater setup, the amplifier can channel 30 watts to the subwoofer ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGY and 30 watts to each of two satellite SYSTEM 150 HT speakers. Another alternative would involve directing power to the often SURROUND SPEAKERS omitted but critical center -channel speaker. The 152 PBM has two switchable crossover points: 80 or 120 Hz (24 dB/octave low-pass, 12 dB/octave high-pass). In my listen- ing tests,I found that the 80 -Hz setting was preferable when the 152 PBM was used with the rest of this system. The 120 -Hz setting delivered a boomy, Johnny -one -note bass that might appeal to rock 'n' roll fans, but seemed out of place with the source material I used. The 153 C magnetically shielded center -channel speaker ($139) has two 31/2 -inch woofers that flank a1/2 - inch dome tweeter. These drivers are closely spaced, avoiding a seldom discussed flaw of center speakers: A comb -filtering effect caused by the use of widely spaced multiple driv- ers. This effect often makes dialog shift or lose its precise positioning. With the 153 C, however, dialog lmost from the moment I their existing stereo setup, includes aremained precisely where it should unpacked this complete pair of surround speakers and a cen-be in all my listening tests. This 8 - home -theater speaker sys- ter channel; System 150 S ($699)ohm speaker can handle up to 110 tem, I realized that Atlantic adds the subwoofer to this. And thewatts of power and, like the other Technology's objective in System 150 HT, reviewed here, is anspeakers in this system, has a rela- Acreating it was total flexibili- $849 setup that includes all thesetively high sensitivity of 89 dB. This ty. The speakers in the system-a components. means that the system won't soak up pair of Model 151 LR two-way front The Model 152 PBM powereda lot of power from external amplifi- speakers, a Model 153 C center - bass module (available separately forers or from an A/V receiver. There- channel speaker, a pair of Model 154 $499) includes an 8 -inch polypro-fore, you will be able to use an entry- SR surround speakers, and a Model pylene long -throw woofer with a -3level audio/video receiver of limited 152 PBM amplified subwoofer-are dB point of 80 Hz, a crossover, andwattage per channel without sacri- all available separately and in vari- an amplifier. Atlantic Technologyficing the dynamics demanded of a ous combinations designed for spe- calls it a "power -directed" amp, be-home theater system. cific needs. System 150 A ($599) is a cause you can setit to deliver 70 Atlantic refers to the 154 SR sur- basic three-piece satellite/subwoofer watts to a single speaker or 30 wattsround speakers ($149 per pair) as system intended for stereo use. Sys- each to three separate speakers. Ac-"spatially enhanced," because their tem 150 C -SR ($249), designed for cordingly, this module can be usedtwo 31/2 -inch long -throw drivers those who want to add surround to as the foundation for a powered (rated at 120 Hz to 12 kHz) are an- three-piece speaker system or forgled 105° away from each other in a Company Address: 343 Vander- providing the channels of surroundcabinet designed to avoid diffraction bilt Ave., Norwood, Mass. amplification missing from a lowerdespite the unusual driver configu- 02062. priced Pro -Logic receiver. With itsration. Also, the two drivers are For literature, circle No. 93 built-in amplifiers operating inwired with opposite polarities. The bridged mode, for example, all 70purpose of all this is to match the AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 76 SUBWOOFERS

Road Thunder Pro is available only wlere reel car audio is sold.For the name of the MTX dealer nearest you or fcr mareinformation, write us at M -X, 555 West Lamm Road, Freeport, IL 61032. Or call815-232-2000 diffuse sound that theater listeners get from degraded. Response of these satellite speak- kyo TX-SV909PRO, since it had been a the multiple surround speakers located be-ers is unusually broad, extending down towinner in a recent survey I conducted for hind and above them. Sure enough, the re-80 Hz (the point at which the powered Audio of seven A/V receivers (December sult is surround sound having good ambi-subwoofer can take over) and up to 20 1992). As it turned out, I could have done ence without specific localization. kHz, with a tolerance of only ± 3 dB. All ofwith a much less powerful unit. (The On- The Model 151 LR satellite speakers the separately driven speakers in this sys- kyo can deliver 110 watts of continuous ($149 per pair) are designed for use as thetem have a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, power to the front main speakers and 30 main front speakers of a home theaterwhile the driver in the powered subwooferwatts per channel to the rear/surround system or as stereo satellites. Like the center has a 4 -ohm nominal impedance. units.) Of several possible hookups, I chose speaker, they are magnetically shielded: If I wanted to use all the elements of thisto drive the front satellite and the surround they are placed adjacent to (or even atop) a system in my listening tests and needed aspeakers directly from the receiver. The direct -view TV set, the drivers' magnets good audio/video receiver equipped with a will not cause colors of the TV picture to be Dolby Pro -Logic decoder. I chose the On- THE SYSTEM 150'S B&K PRO -10 SONATA & EX -442 SONATA FLEXIBILITY OWES A LOT TO THE VERSATILE JUST AMPLIFIER IN ITS THE MUSIC SUBWOOFER MODULE. Onkyo's line -level center -channel output was connected to one of the inputs of the subwoofer module, and the center -channel speaker was powered by the amplifiers in the subwoofer-as was the subwoofer it- self. Thanks to the high efficiency of all the speaker modules, I never had to turn up the volume control on the receiver beyond about the11o'clock setting. The sub - woofer's amplifiers have their own volume, bass, and treble controls, all of which are active when the subwoofer is used in the powered mode, as was the case in my installation. One of the advantages of this particular configuration is that for program material demanding extra bass (such as the "The SONATA FAMILY UNITED-When used together, the PRO - sound of thunder, planes flying overhead, 10 and EX -442 Sonata worked like a pair of world -class figure skaters: and the like), the receiver's bass control can each complemented the other to benefit the overall performance. They really worked well in tandem. be left at its mid -position. This way, there's On recordings of acoustic music, these components had the ability less possibility of overloading the receiver if to differentiate clearly between an instrument's direct sound and the its output power is low. Any bass enhance- accompanying envelope of reflected and reverberant sound. In ment needed can be obtained by turning many cases, this gave me a clearer sense of what the recording acoustic was like.Just the music." up the bass control on the subwoofer mod- Bob Bottman Sensible Sound, Summer 1992 ule, which can add as much as 8 dB of Sonata PRO -10 Pre -Amplifier Sonata EX -442 Dual Mono Amplifier boostat 50 Hz. If treble enhancement is MC/MM Capability 75 Amps Peak to Peak needed for the center channel, the range is Gold Plated RCA Jacks Separate Power Supplies ± 12 dB at 10 kHz. Wide Bandwidth for Each Channel The first movie I watched withthis sys- Line Drive Output Premium Connectors All Discrete Circuitry DC Coupled Circuitry tem was a LaserDisc of The Loves of Emma Bardac (Sony Classical SLV 46 370), which features dual pianists Katia and Marielle BC)B&K COMPONENTS, LTD. Labeque in a series of musical fantasies 1971 Abbott Road Buffalo, New York 14218-3241 USA about the lives and music of Claude Debus- NY:716-822-8488 FAX: 716-822-8306 1-800-543-5252 Continued on page 84 AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 Enter No. 3 on Reader Service Card 78 SONY ARE YOU READY FOR THE LATEST IN PERSONAL MUSIC TECHNOLOGY?

It's the MiniDisc. The first digital, recordable, instantly accessible, virtually unshockable personal music format.

To tell you more about it, Audio and Stereo Review have joined with Sony and leading audio dealers to conduct a series of informative seminars. Len Feldman, Senior Editor of Audio,. will review the fundamentals of this technology. He will also demonstrate some of the new MiniDisc concepts, using special tests developed by Stereo Review editor Ken Pohlmann.

To learn more about this free seminar, simply contact I-609-655-7860 for the exact time and location. And soon you'll be able to experience MiniDisc for yourself.

LIST OF DATES: Boston February 6 3 Hartford February a 4 44Ato New York February Miami February 4 Detroit March '9P e4 7. Chicago March

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AUDIO Stereo Review

'992 Sony Corporation of America All rights reserved. Sony :s a trademark of Sony. comes with a built-in, one -bit D/A AURICLE converter (the circuit that came out second in Linn's tests to the one used in the Numerik) for $3,395- LINN KARIK and with a $500 credit applicable to CD TRANSPORT the purchase of a Numerik. You can therefore buy the Karik to use as a AND NUMERIK stand-alone CD player, upgrade by adding the Numerik later, and spend D/A CONVERTER no more than if you had purchased the Numerik and the older Karik. (The Karik I tested didnot have the built-in D/A section but is otherwise identical to the new version.) The $5,790 price tag puts the Linn sys- tem in the upper echelon of CD systems, and it is definitely a high - end product with distinctive styling, technology, and sound. The Linn Karik and Numerik are far more compact than most recent American high -end CD transports and D/A converters. Both units are the size of large books, measuring about 12% inches wide x 12% inch- es deep X 35/16 inches high. The two units' total weight is about 23.4 pounds, and they stack convenient- ly. Both have minimal controls on their front panels, although this ap- parent simplicity is misleading. The Karik has a cover over its front -panel controls and an excel- s many audiophiles know, Linn was also one of the first firmslent remote that can command an Linn, based in Glasgow, to criticize the sound of early CDentire Linn system of electronics. Scotland, is one of the pio- players. At a time when CD's flat fre- The display shows disc number and neering firms in high -end quency response, low distortion, andthe user's choice of either elapsed or audio. In an era when few excellent signal-to-noise ratio ledremaining time for the current track Aaudiophiles paid attention many listeners to ignore what wasor the entire disc. to the differences between turnta- often hard or irritating sound, Linn The back panel has an unusual bles, Linn provided convincing launched a virtual crusade in defensemix of output connections. These demonstrations that turntables did of what they found to be superiorinclude a Toslink (EIAJ CP340) fi- indeed sound different, and that the sound from analog records. It alsober-optic jack, a 75 -ohm electrical differences mattered. The company made a commitment that it wouldoutput with BNC connectors, and pioneered in treating the turntable, not market a CD player until it hadan RCA sync input jack for connec- tonearm, and cartridge as a front- developed one that it felt could com-tion to the Numerik. (Linn says that end system, and for many audio- pete with analog sound. the optical jack handles data at a rate philes, Linnis synonymous with Now, roughly a decade after theof 20 megabits per second, as op- phono. birth of CD, Linn is marketing suchposed to the more usual transfer rate a system. It consists of the Karik CDof 6 megabits/S in Toslink connec- Company Address: do Audio- transport and the Numerik D/Ations, but recommends the use of phile Systems, 8709 Castle converter, and sells for $5,790, in-the electrical connection.) There is Park Dr., Indianapolis, Ind. cluding remote control. Originally,also a diagnostic output connector 46256. the price was split evenly betweenthat allows Linn dealers to use Linn For literature, circle No. 94 the Karik and Numerik, at $2,895software to do quick computer each. Now, however, the Karikchecks of performance. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 80 DYNAMIC BALANCE. WITHOUT IT BRIDGES FALL DOWN AND SPEAKERS FALL SHORT. In 1940 the Tacoma Narrows Bridge shook itself to death. As a 42 mile -an -hour wind blew across the bridge, the steel, macadam and concrete began to resonate uncon- trollably, and turned this 2,800 foot centerspan into instant jello. This notion, that materials produce an amplified resonance when in motion, has been explored in everything from skyscrapers to the spaceshuttle. Two years ago, we at Polk decided to look at it in speakers. Working in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, we made discoveries that led us to undertake the most ambitious engineering and speaker design development program in our history. For the first time we could actually see how energy moved through every part of a speaker. And using sophisticated instruments, and good old trial and error, we found out how to perfectly "marry" materials in motion to lessen their individual resonances, thereby eliminating distortion and heightening musical purity. The new S and LS Series represents this triumph of Dynamic Balance.' We can safely boast they're built like no speakers on the / market today. And the proof is in the listening.You'll see and hear how far our new lines of Dynamically Balanced speakers have outdistanced the competitiol. It's a distance they won't be able to bridge. THE NEW S & LS SERIES FROM THE SPEAKER SPECIALISTS OF Polk I lw Speaker Specialkt, 5601 Metro Drive Baltimore, MD 21215

For your nearest Polk Audio Dealer, call 1-800-992-2520. In Canada coin -416-847-8888.

Enter No. 20 on Reader Service Card Linn takes an unusual approach to get- 48 -kHz signal. There are two stereo pairs of as low noise and flat frequency response, ting the Karik's master oscillator or clock analog output jacks with a 75 -ohm imped- such flaws as problems in handling low- signal. The transport does include a con- ance and a rated output of 2.1 V. level passages, loss of harmonic detail, poor ventional master oscillator to set the unit's While Linn may have analog origins, its musicality of the upper octaves, unrealistic clock, but it is optimized for clock signals D/A converter uses cutting -edge digital de- dynamics, and nonmusical bass. from a voltage -controlled oscillator in the vices and circuitry. The Numerik has Burr - The Linn Karik and Numerik do, how- Numerik, delivered by the sync jack. This Brown DF 1700 digital filters with eight - ever, provide a level of sound quality that is allows the Karik to get its clock signal from times oversampling, 25 -bit internal word very competitive with other top -echelon, a master oscillator near the D/A converters length, and an output word length of 20 high -end digital systems. Low-level resolu- in the Numerik. Linn feels this minimizes bits. The converter chip is the Burr -Brown tion is excellent and very realistic. Some the jitter found in some other systems of PCM63P, which is capable of excellent low- other units call the ear's attention to an separate transport and D/A units while level linearity. A fifth -order Bessel output artificial highlighting of sonic detail rather keeping the separate units' benefit of great- filter is used, and passive de -emphasis is than to the flow and emotional impact of ly improved control over r.f. interference switched by J-FETs. While the unit uses a the music. The Karik and Numerik get very from the digital circuitry. good detail out of even the softest or most Unlike many high -end CD decks, the LINN HAS KEPT ITS complex passages of the latest 20 -bit CDs, Karik does not use a transport mechanism but they do so in ways that involve the purchased from an outside company. Linn COMMITMENT NOT TO listener in the music. has designed and made its own four -motor MAKE A CD PLAYER The bass is tight and detailed, not full or mechanism, the MEKK 001. Using a top UNTIL IT COULD MATCH high powered. With a good jazz or classical clamp, it is one of the quickest and most CD, you will hear all the bass, but you will precise -loading CD transport mechanisms ANALOG QUALITY. never hear the Karik and Numerik add bass I have ever encountered. It was completely to a relatively bass -light recording like Jazz reliable during weeks of testing. I never had single p.c. board for the signal circuitry, a at the Pawnshop (from Proprius). The tran- a disc jam, fail to load, or skip. great deal of attention is paid to grounding sition from bass to lower midrange is very The laser pickup is a Japanese -made and to controlling r.f. good in terms of detail, with perhaps just a three -beam type, mounted on a sled rather In spite of the Numerik's small size, it touch of leanness. than a swing arm. The unit has a sophisti- has a comparatively sophisticated power The upper midrange and treble are con- cated and carefully regulated power supply. supply with a large toroidal transformer sistent with the sound of the lower octaves, Linn makes a point of the fact that it can be and filter capacitors. It has dual full -wave and the Karik/Numerik combination pro- rapidly serviced at a dealer and that the bridge rectifiers, and the analog and digital vides an overall response thatis very entire transport mechanism can be re- power is supplied by separate transformer smooth and musical. You do not get the placed in 30 minutes. The laser can be re- windings. Trim pots allow precise adjust- level of detail and dynamic energy you get placed in only 15 minutes, and its life is rat- ment of the reference voltages to the D/A in the Mark Levinson No. 30 or the Theta ed at 5,000 hours. converters, and each rail for each stage is From the front, the Linn Numerik looks buffered with an emitter follower. like just another black box. There is an off/ The inside of the Numerik shows that on switch and a pilot light, and that's it. very careful attention has been given to in- Once again, however, appearances are de- ternal layout and design and parts quality. ceiving. The Numerik has two coaxial BNC The Karik and Numerik are built like con- inputs. The first input is automatically se- sumer products, not semi-professional lected if it is receiving a signal; otherwise, equipment, but construction appeared to selection defaults to the second input. Abe rugged and parts quality was excellent. BNC-to-RCA adaptor will allow the use of During the last year, high -end CD sys- DAT recorders or other digital sources. tems have evolved to the point where lis- Each of the BNC coaxial inputs has a teners no longer experience the kind of sync output to allow the clock signal from breakthroughs in sound quality heard in the Numerik to be fed to the Karik or anytransports and converters of the first, sec- other unit designed to accept it. (Though ond, or third CD generations. The best new Digital Balanced DS Pro, but you will ge, the Karik has an optical output that can beproducts still make very real sonic im- very much the kind of smoothness you used with other D/A converters, the Nu- provements, but the days when demanding would hear in a live musical performance. merik has no optical input.) There are also audiophiles were feverishly searching for This difference is hard to describe, but it indicator lights on the back panel to allow the next "great" combination of transport means that the Linn system may appear to you to check whether the Numerik is in sync and D/A converter that would deliver the sacrifice some information on naturally re- to the Karik, whether a digital signal is locked full promise of CD are long over. You no corded CDs, such as most Dorian record- in, and whether you are receiving a 44.1- orlonger need accept, with such CD benefits ings. At the same time, it enhances the mu- AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 82 souivo FOB

'Os

Bryston's

3B NRB

Amplifier

connectors allow unbalanced or balanced operation at the flick of a rear mounted switch. A ground lift switch sepa-

Bryston'snew 3B NRB amplifier is a companion piece to rates system ground from audio ground to reduce annoy- the 4B NRB and 7B NRB, with a similarly optimized ing ground loops and system hum. Finally, switchable interface between power supply and signal circuitry, and monaural operation is available if higher power require- the same ultra -linear amplification as its larger counter- ments become necessary.Althoughthe description of parts. Its 120 watts per channel is a popular size for a wide circuit innovations can indicate the research and commit- range of music systems requiring the highest quality source ment we bring to the design of the finest audio products, of power.The3B NRB uses Bryston's proprietary Quad - only in the listening does the result of that dedication Complementary output section, which improves linearity become clear. Bryston's 3B to a new standard of accuracy, while virtually eliminating NRB is capable of doing aggressive higher harmonic distortion products. From justice to the most refined input to output, all the circuitry in the NRB series of amps sound system, with the subtlest details of the musical fab- has been optimized for the most musical amplification pos- ric revealed in their original form.Weinvite you to sible, with dual power supplies to provide precise and experience the musical accuracy, long term reliability and focused imaging.New, three -colour LEDs glow green for excellent value the Bryston 3B NRB represents. power -on, yellow for transient clipping, and red to indicate longer -term overload or any other departure from linearity, including shorted outputs, or strong out -of -band informa- 57 Westmore Dr., Rexdale, Ontario, Canada M9V 3Y6 tion, like RF or DC. Gold plated RCA and XLR input Tel: (416) 746-1800 Fax: (416) 746-0308

Brystonvermont, RFD#4 Berlin, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 Tel: (802) 223-6159 Fax: (802) 229-2210 Enter No. 4 on Reader Service Card sicality of most of today's overly bright and Continued from page 78 close-miked CDs. In fact, if the sound ofsy, Gabriel Faure, and Georges Bizet. strings, solo piano and guitar, and the Sounds were relatively quiet in this some- AUDIO upper brass in some CD players botherswhat surrealistic telefilm, but the added THE EQUIPMENT AUTHORITY you, the Linn Karik and Numerik may welt impact of ambience, especially in the con- SUBSCRIBER SERVICE be your ideal units. cert scenes, tended to involve me in the I was also struck by the ability of the music to a degree that I could never experi- Karik and Numerik to place the listener in ence with an ordinary two -speaker stereo what seemed to be a realistic listening posi- system. The surround speakers, when tion. These units produce an overall sound properly adjusted relative to the main satel- whose timbre, imaging, soundstage, andlites and the subwoofer, did, as promised, offer wide dispersion so that I could not pinpoint their location. That is as it should OVERALL RESPONSE IS be. The center -channel speaker kept what Place SMOOTH AND MUSICAL, little dialog and narration this film con- label tained securely positioned on screen. here WITH PLENTY OF DETAIL BUT NO HARSHNESS. The serene scenes of this feature offered little opportunity for the subwoofer to dis- play its capabilities, soI switched to a dynamics bring you very close to the expe- LaserDisc of the film Mad Max: Beyond rience of sitting slightly to the rear of center Thunderdome (Warner Home Video in an older or relatively soft concert hall. 11519LV). The thunderous background The Karik and Numerik have a slight ten- music and special sound effects in this sci-fi dency to narrow the image and apparent flick were reproduced flawlessly by the At- MOVING? Please giveus 8 soundstage and to place the apparent cen- lantic Technology speakers, with sounds weeks advance notice. Attach ter of the performance slightly behind the around me seeming to add to the size of my label with your old address, and speakers. This works very well with smaller 32 -inch TV screen. (I've noticed this effect write in newaddress below. musical groups, but it may not be ideal if before when viewing blockbuster films on a RENEWING? Check box you want the feeling of sitting in the firstTV augmented by a properly configured below and attach label with cor- six rows near the orchestra or want a wide, surround system.) Through much of this rections marked, if any. dynamic soundstage. At the same time,film there was an underlying rumbling there was none of the roll -off or almostsound that enhanced the tension and ex- SUBSCRIBING? Check deliberate softening of detail that I havecitement of the plot. box and fill in coupon. For gift sub- heard from several mid -priced units having scriptions attach a separate sheet. Finally, I capped off my viewing and lis- tube output stages. tening experience by playing a LaserDisc of Send Audio for 1 year at$24.00 In saying this, I should stress that these excerpts from such blockbuster films as judgments involve matters of nuance. The New subscription Renewal Top Gun and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Karik and Numerik are not euphonic like Payment enclosed Bill me Home. Had I not been aware of the small some high -end CD players and D/A con- size of the modules in this system, I would Canadian orders add $8 per year. verters that are obviously designed to re- Foreign orders add $8 per year. have been ready to swear that I was listen- produce the circuit designer's view of what ing to speakers having far larger cabinets music should sound like rather than whatand drivers. The seamless integration by a NAME is on the recording. Further, no apparentsingle manufacturer of all the speakers re- attempt has been made to make the Karikquired for a home theater has paid off in ADDRESS and Numerik sound like a Linn phonosys- terms of overall audio imaging and in sur- tem. What Linn has done is keep the prom- round sound effects. This 150 system cer- CITY ise it made when it validly criticized thetainly puts to rest the notion that a good initial sound of CD. The Karik and Nu- home theater installation has to cost STATE merik are obviously the product of both $20,000, $30,000, or more. Here, for under high technology and a great deal of listen- a thousand dollars, is a six -module system ZIP ing, and they have an outstanding ability to that provides all of the speakers required deliver the music. It is this ability to involve for a superb home theater setup (though 1(303) 447-9330 you in the music that I regard as their most not Dolby Pro -Logic) and also reduces the outstanding feature, and the one I suggest expenditure that would be needed for extra AUDIO you listen for when you audition these amplifier channels beyond the normal ste- P.O. Box 52548 units. Anthony H. Cordesman reo pair. BOULDER, CO80322 Leonard Feldman AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 84 Experience FULL SPECTRUM SOUND! Spira-Shield'' Outer Conductors (Match Electrical Characteristics of toner Conductors) Outer Poly -Flex'"' Jacket Mylar® Foil Outer Wrap

Reticulated Shield" Poly -Flex'" Tuoe Dielectric Barrier Outer Conductors Reticulated Air -Cell" Dielectric Copper/Mylar® Foil (Provides Near Air Dielectric Barrier) (for Ultimate RFI Rejection) Virgin Teflon® Insulation for Eac Nitrogen Cell Feam" Dielectric / Individual Conductor

Tubular Geometry'', Vacuum Drawn, Oxygen Free. High Conductivity Copper Inner Conductors (Artus"Interconrnect Cables Add a Higk Purity Silver Plating

Nitrogen Cell Foam" Monofilament (IMaintains Inner Conductor Spacing and Minimizes Electromagnetically Induced Distortions) ARTUS

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Enter No. 10 on Reader Service Card CLASSICAL R E C O R DINGS

KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN MICHAELS REISE

Stockhausen crosses every un- you are swamped with data, digest- crossable line and in doing so, cryp- ible and otherwise. ludly,manages to produce a kind of P.S. So what does the music forbidding persona, enough to dis- sound like? Not so bad, if you don't courage some (and fascinate others). mind some factual obscurities. The One says, "Oh yes, Stockhausen," CD has no coding whatsoever for and takes a long breath. the various "stations" or cities When the chaste white CD jewel around the world on the theoretical box fell from the package, I did just journey, so you are lost at once. The that: A single blue cross with circles track indicator never moves from on the cover and an all black -and - No.1, nor does the sound really white interior. Designed by Stock- pause. The opening is 15 seconds of hausen, of course. Liner notes by silence; just as I was about to check Karlheinz Stockhausen. There are my equipment, the music began three Stockhausens in the group ofwith a barnyard full of huge grunt- performers: The lead character, Mi- ing pigs, oinky and basso. Okay- chael,isthe trumpeter Marcus good sonics! Then Michael appears Karlheinz Stockhausen: Stockhausen: Simon Stockhausen with a few notes of high trumpet and plays a synthesizer, and there is Karl- Michaels Reise a wah-wah miaow. Cute. Long -held heinz Stockhausen himself. No, not (Michael's Journey) tones, extended by endless reverb, as conductor: He is the soundman, Solo Version follow the trumpet. The sound gets ECM NEW SERIES 437 188-2, "sound projection." more complex and more interesting, CD; 49:04 I tell you all this merely to estab- I admit. There are all sorts of flut- lish a Stockhausen atmosphere. The ters, tweaks, shivers, grunts, mostly arlheinz Stockhausen is fa- digital mixdown for the CD was out of the "live" instruments, not miliar to most of us as a done in Oslo by that well-known au- electronic. Don't worry about the longtime and remarkably dio engineer Karlheinz Stockhausen. meaning, just listen. Through the radical, as well as illustrious, The recording director, by the way, colorful din you occasionally hear a German avant-garde com- was Karlheinz Stockhausen. You get distant, very angry voice, a German 111poser. His massive output the drift. lady apparently hissing out curses. more often than not involves com- All the performers, from basset Marcus S., the hero Michael, has plex works within works within still horn to synthesizer, are required to the makings of a jazz horn in him. other works, often "in progress," ad prance around the stage in costume Did Papa write the jazz, or did Mi- infinitum. This "Journey Around the while playing the music by memory. chael just improvise it? World," with cities named en route, Wait'll you hear what they have to So the piece rises to an enormous- is described as the second act of an play. This applies even to the "quasi- ly complex climax of colorful opera, Thursday (are there operasconcert" touring version recorded sounds, then very slowly fades down for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday?), here. to a quiet ending after 40:00. Appar- which in turn comes from a larger Somehow, accounts of Stockhau- ently we have been around the mega -work, Light, which for allI sen's works always seem to come to world. Who would ever guess? know may last forever. this! Before you even begin to listen, Edward Tatnall Canby AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 86 24 Karat Gold Series! The Ultimate Sound Quality CD:BandPAU, 6ZS-1(130 Meon f'The A RINEY Run & Wings: titlemostonalbCons :he:in, track, popula-dered map,Bana Band to establishing Onsolo be 0,7the MoCartney's Beatle. TheRun Run reallyhim It features plus as greatestput the Jet, Paul the ancBluetird, many Let m)re. Me Roil It, Helen Wheels CREDENCE CLEARWATER Cosmo'sREVIVAL:ThisCD: GZS-1031landmark Factory album releasec in 1970 was 10)11ItDoible-Sidedtheir Through best Stop selling. The Singles. Rain,Grapevine. It yieldedLip It Around feEtures Trarelin' 3 lop The tenI Band, Heardbend. BakRumBOB Door Through SEGERand TheLong Jungle, &As I Can Look,h' See TheOut light.Ply NightMightTheThisCD:GZS-1028 SilverMoves multiMoves was -million Bullet originally sel Band: ing released albuii infeatures 1976. the Ma:nstreet,Nererstandardfamous Forgets. Night andfavorites The Mary Moves Fin suchLou. Down plus as seve-11 Roc?Below. And of the Roll now RecordedCC:T' 6ZS-10Q9 when Paul was still a Beatle, this !! fl.144ARTNEY: McCartney historicandsuchtoalbum *1 Teddy ason was Magold the Thy. releasedhe charts.release. I'm this Amazed, Featuringalbumearly in will Ever::1970 classic make andNight tracks shot

Nor:hridgeDistributed Californiaby DCC Compact 91324 Classics, Inc. (818) 993-8822 K.IX11111:11 against the society of lies in whichboth marked "Largo." Kancheli re-Giya Kancheli his people have lived (and continuefers to "dynamic stasis," where thesees himself as to live in many ways). music seems to be standing still, yetacomposer of Kancheli's longtime desire to pro-is moving. sacred music- test the evils that have always existed The influences of Dmitri Shosta-serving truth, takes the musical form of extremekovich and of Orthodox churchgood, and dynamic contrasts. He says suchsinging are heard here. Bell -likehonesty against loud and soft contrasts are alsosounds frequently appear. Thethe society of Giya Kancheli: found in the scores of Beethoven,quite -quotable Kancheli states thatlies in which his Symphonies Nos. 4 and5 Schubert, and others, but they arehe thinks you have to equally lovepeople have Georgian National Orchestra, seldom performed that way. Thetradition and despise it. Jansug Kakhidze lived. ELEKTRA NONESUCH 79290-2, opening of his Fourth Symphony, These are undoubtedly impor- CD; 51:42 for example, is guaranteed to get anytant, very moving, and sonically bril- audience's full attention. The Fifthliant modern symphonies that Although recorded by Melodiya(dedicated to Kancheli's parents)shouldn't have cooled their heels in in Georgia in 1978, the appearanceopens with an innocent -sounding,Melodiva's vaults for 15 or so years, of these works now is surely due toplodding little harpsichord melodybut now we have them to appreciate. the major changes in Russia andthat is shortly crushed by the high -The aralog tapes are free of the Georgia. Giya Kancheli sees himselfdecibel iron boot of a brassy orches-excessive artificial reverb most Sovi- as a composer of sacred music-tral onslaught. Very slow tempos areet orchestral recordings of this peri- serving truth, good, and honestyanother attribute of these works-od exhil)it. John Sunier

Composers from which is now undisguised in its horror due Composers from to new titles and the addition of sections Theresienstadt, 1941-1945 TheresienstadM I 41, more graphically reflecting the composer's Pavel Haas: Four Songs to Texts life. Some of the eight movements are opti- of Chinese Poetry mistic, such as Youth and Family -Home, Karel Berman: Four Songs for Bass but Factory -Germany has the machine feel- and Piano; Suite for Piano Solo, Pave! Haas. Karel Bernal; 1939-1945 ing of Mosolov's Iron Foundry, and Corpse Karel Berman, bass; Alfred Hold ek, Factory and Typhus are two of the most piano; Premysl Charvcit, piano shocking subjects for piano pieces in the CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS 3191, history of music. The suite ends in a major CD; 48:20 Composers from Theresienstadt key with the movement New Life. Hans Krasa: Quartet; Tanz; 1941,915 The Hans Krasa CD is even more of a Three Songs for Baritone, testament to the courage of these musicians Clarinet, Viola, and Cello; Theme because of the scintillating humor that per- with Variations for String Quartet vades this Czech composer's music. He La Roche Quartet; Klemens Slocwiozek, Hans Krasa baritone; Ivar Berix, clarinet admired contemporary French composers CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS 3792, as well as Stravinsky, Bartok, Janacek, and CD; 42:52 the Schoenberg school. Koussevitzky even Unlike most of the other composers,conducted one of his symphonies in 1926 These are two more of the planned sixKarel Berman survived the camp he hadin Boston. The string quartet piece on this volumes of Composers from Theresienstadt, entered at 23 years of age, and he even lived disc shows some of these influences, yet is 1941-1945. This series is dedicated to the to make this 1985 recording of both hisfresh -sounding and full of irony and hu- unique creative spirit of composers incar- song cycle and one by his former camp- mor. The Three Songs use texts by Arthur cerated in the Nazi concentration camp mate Pavel Haas. (Berman retired in 1991 Rimbaud, as Krasa broke away from his during the Holocaust. Theresienstadt was a as professor at the Prague Academy offormer German literary ties. Tanz (Dance) deception to mask the existence of the gas Music.) Both cycles are sung in Czech. is a joyous piece for string trio, its brevity chambers with a so-called "Paradise Ghet- Haas' setting of Chinese poems expresses illustrating another of Krasa's laudable to" for the Jews, where many of Europe's in subtle fashion the mood of the inhabit- characteristics. most gifted musicians, artists, and writers ants at the concerts-while bypassing the The Krasa disc is an all -digital produc- made up an active cultural community. Nazi censorship of their cultural activities. tion, unlike the Haas/Berman 1985 session, (The first of the CDs presented music by Since Theresienstadt, Berman madebut all Channel Classics releases boast the Gideon Klein and Viktor Ullmann.) changes in his Suite for Piano, 1939-1945,highest sonic standards. John Sunier AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 88 NOW DIGITAL SOUND FITS IN A CASSETTE BOX.

INTRODUCING DCC. THE DIGITAL COMPACT CASSETTE.

Presenting the Digital Compact Cassette, a What's more, you'll be able to enjoy DCC cassettes at etrie:ITAI breakthrough in both digital and cassette home or on the go.Look for portable DCC players at technology.Brought to you by Philips, the same peo- your local retailer soon. ple who invented the compact disc. The incredible sound quality of digital audio combined Pre-recorded DCC cassettes give you precise, crystal with the unsurpassed convenience of a clear reproduction of every kind of music with zero cassette. That's what DCC stands for. That's because the tape inside is all noise and zero hiss. All of these artists and hundreds more are now avail- digital. Outside, DCC cassettes are sleek, streamlined able on DCC: Bon Jovi Boyz II Men Jose Carreras and come complete with their own lyric booklet. Cathy Dennis Placido Domingo Extreme

Shirley Horn I Musici Herbert von Karajan In addition, DCC decks are specially designed to play ana- Yevgeny Kissin Bob Marley Luciano Pavarotti log tapes as well as digital.That means you can keep the

Lionel Richie Shakespear's Sister U2 cassettes you have now, and keep listening to them.So Suzanne Vega Vanessa Williams whether it's a favorite old tape from years ago, or your favorite new DCC cassette, you can have it both ways. Your music will never be the same.

DCC. HOW TO HEAR THE FUTURE WITHOUT GIVING UP THE PAST. A variety of unusual items-auto brake eration scion of a German tuba -manufac- drums, washtubs, coffee cans, and flower turing family. pots-are incorporated as instruments into As with many other similar -instrument the standard percussion orchestra, but groups, the listener often is amazed by not both concertos are attractive and often only the pitch ranges possible but also the lyrical works. The influence of world music tremendous variety of music that can be can be heard in the single -line violin melo- successfully performed. It includes tran- dy accompanied by rhythmic percussion, scriptions of Mozart, Bach, and Gabrieli as in East Indian music. In the tone - plus several originals. Enrique Crespo re- Lou Harrison: Concerto for Violin colorful organ concerto, Harrison bridged and Percussion Orchestra; Concerto the organ's sustaining tone to the per- for Organ with Percussion Orchestra Eudice Shapiro, violin; David Craighead,cussion's unspecific pitches by adding an organ; Los Angeles Percussion Ensemble, intermediate group of fixed -pitch instru- William Kraft ments including piano, vibes, celeste, and CRYSTAL RECORDS CD850 chimes made from large gas cylinders. John Sunier While studying with innovative compos- er/teacher Henry Cowell, Lou Harrison be- Tuba! A Six -Tuba Musical Romp came intrigued with unusual musical Gerhard Meinl's Tuba Sextet sounds. Unlike fellow student John Cage, ANGEL CDC 7 54729 2 versed the tubas' normal part in a Bruckner Harrison pursued this interest in his many symphony, as his Bruckner Etude tries to works while retaining traditional structure This many-tuba-ed splendor is a smoothaccommodate the whole orchestra's sound and tonality. Because of this approach, heblend of top virtuosi on their ungainlyin the six tubas. The program ends with was snubbed by the academic world ofinstruments in a wonderfully varied pro-what you'd probably expect from tubas- serial music, but this also opens a renewedgram that is captured in terrific sonics. Thetwo traditional Bavarian polkas. accessibility to his music today. producer was Gerhard Meinl, fourth -gen- John Sunier

Telemann: Six Quartets for Flute, Most late baroque music was easi-Although Oboe, Bass, and Basso Continuo; ly interchangeable, with expert mi-Telemann Quartet in D Minor from nor modifications, as between a hostcomposed with Tafelmusik II of different instruments of the mo-great expertise, European Baroque Soloists ment. That, too, works very nicelyhe also had an DENON 81757 9613-2, CD; 59:03 for this present-day ensemble, whicheye for sheer, just happens to feature a pleasantpolished Telemann: Suite in B Minor for contrast of solo sounds from flute,entertainment. Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, and Basso oboe, violin, viola da gamba, oboe Continuo; Concerto for Flute, d'amore, and continuo with harpsi- Oboe d'Amore, and Basso chord plus the big violone, alterna- Continuo; tive to the double bass or bass viol. Six Canonic Sonatas for Flute It'sall lovely music, colorful and and Oboe, Op. 5 European Baroque Soloists expressive if not ultra-profound- DENON 81757 9614-2, CD; 43:57 what more do you want? Including a preposterous solo bit for the violone, If you are into the baroque sound, dancing like an elephant. Even the as many of us (still) are in spite of sional expertise, but not with Bach'stwo-part canons have the same ge- Mozart, which do you choose, Vival- penetration into the depths andnial, big, expressive impact: They are di or Telemann? These were the two heights of human emotion. Instead,technical masterpieces, but they leading titans of the early 18th cen- both had a wary eye for sheer, pol-don't sound it at all (as Johann Se- tury, both far better known than old ished entertainment. That is why webastian's always do!). Bach and, one must add, much like them today in recorded form; The Telemann sound, then,is more prolific. Enormous quantities the "entertainment" includes idealricher than Vivaldi, if less sturdy. of music! And both composers' sonics for the recorded medium,This music is certainly something to works just as competently written as which indeed is why baroque hastry if the thought appeals. Bach's too, with immense profes- been so popular. Edward Tatnall Canby

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 90 IL 111601111._ *Me 141111101.1110011111011000,

THE BEST OF 4 4

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INCLUDES: Kiss Him Goodbye Up The Ladder To The Roof The Lion Sleeps Tonight Happy Together Poison Ivy Drift Away U Bop Til You Drop That Kind Of Man ....and many more I U

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U Sixteen of the most requested and recognizable tracks from the U Canadian quartet that introduced the world to "rockapella." Pa Spanning the group's first four albums, this hour-long collection features both their hits and the romantic ballads that have marked their electric live shows. Available wherever music is sold. w To - * 4111WIIP ROCK-POP R E C O R DINGS

NEIL YOUNG HARVEST MOON BOB DYLAN GOOD AS I BEEN TO YOU

Harvest Moon Good As I Been to You, Dylan revisits Jones," "Canadee-I-O," and "Arthur Neil Young the solo guitar and harmonica, play- McBride," his voice is disarmingly REPRISE 9 45057-2, CD; 51:59 ing as he did on his very first album tender and moving. Sound: B, Performance: A- just over 30 years ago. As always, Young is a bit thornier. Good As I Been to You Dylan's new one is a lark, an al- Harvest Moon reunites him with The Bob Dylan bum of one -takes of traditional folk Stray Gators, who played with him COLUMBIA CK 53200, CD; 55:32 songs, ballads, and blues. The big- on Harvest and sporadically since. Sound: B, Performance: B+ gest surprise is how good a guitarist As is the rule on Young's country - omehow, coincidentally, Neil Bob is, especially on blues like "Step flavored albums, lyrics predominate Young and Bob Dylan have It Up and Go" and "Sittin' on Top over guitar riffs, tight songwriting come full circle at the same of the World." His singing is anoth- over extended soloing. Vocal har- time. On Harvest Moon, er pleasant surprise, as he actually monies by Linda Ronstadt, James Young returns to the person- hews closely to the melodies-some- Taylor, Nicolette Larson, Astrid Snel and vocabulary of Har- thing he has been loath to do, partic- Young, Ben Keith, and Larry Cragg vest, his biggest success and arguably ularly in recent live performances. in varying combinations play pivotal his definitive statement, while on On richly detailed ballads like "Jim roles throughout. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 92 OPIGINRL MASTER RE

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.10 I 4% , The album's opener, "Unknown something Vince Gill or Patty Love-sounds of a rain forest converge in Legend," sets the tone and pace in a less could make into a big countrythis moving song about greed and portrait of a small-town waitresshit. "War of Man" is the album'snature in opposition. Its 10 minutes who's had her good times and nowanti -war preacher, an eloquent onefloat by effortlessly. has two kids to show for them. Thewith another familiar melody, this While the Dylan recording song's leisurely tempo, sparse in-time recalling both "Heart of Gold"couldn't be more basic, Harvest strumentation, and Ronstadt/Keithand "Words." Moon's mixes are simple and subtle, harmonies mark it as vintage Young. "Dreamin' Man" is where Youngfailing only with the grand string "From Hank to Hendrix" is a plea toconfronts the toll of Harvest Moon'sarrangement on "Such a Woman." a love that's on the road to "divorce introspection, recognizing it as validWhat makes both of these albums so California style." It is desperate, a bit and necessary. It's a kind of "clear-valuable, however,isthe grace confused, and lonesome. "You and ing of the decks" for the album's fi-brought to bear by the artists. Each Me" is also sad, its melody a close nale, "Natural Beauty." This lastin different ways is trying to make cousin to that of "Old Man," withsong is part concert performance,peace in public, with his own histo- Neil and Nicolette backed only by part studio recording, seamlessly in- ry.Fittingly, each seems to reach Young's acoustic guitar. "Harvest terwoven. Larson's haunting harmo-some sort of personal rapproche- Moon" isgentle and cheerier-nies, Kenny Buttrey's striking per-ment that we as listeners and fans thankfully so at this point. It's ancussion, Spooner Oldham's eerieshould feel lucky to witness. invitation to a soft, slow dance,marimbas and pipe organ, and Michael Tearson

mousehole word. Of course, a scar-Cope turns severely inward on theIt's time you city of hits, a gap or two between al-fascinating Jehovahkill. Attacking themet Julian and bums, infrequent tours, indulgentauthority of Christian doctrine andrediscovered trips ("Out of My Mind on Dope &imagery, he points specifically to thehow it feels to Speed" goes an old song), and nuttycross, a shape he means to reclaimbe provoked by musical/personal behavior ("out offor all mankind in "Akhenaten":rock. his tree" echo some observers, as"This is the lesson I've learned/I'm reported by his liner -note biogra-not afraid of the cross/And now pher) all have a way of limiting one'swhenever the sun shines/I stretch acclaim to a cult. But if you're con-my arms way out." Ah but bless cerned by the prospect of Elvis Cos-him, he still can mock himself later tello crooning in front of a stringon: "She walks up to me, makes the quartet, it's time you met Julian andsign of the cross/She says, 'Julian H. rediscovered how it feels to be pro-Cope, you're a real dead loss.' " voked by rock. After the album's forbidding first In fact, with the CD release of 21/2part, which culminates in the primal hours of new and retrospective ma-therapy of "Know (Cut My Friend terial, there's never been a betterDown)" ("Please, get my ass back to Floored Genius: time for Copious submersion. Wadethe egg"), Cope travels through The Best of in with Floored Genius, a brilliantwarped tunes ("Slow Rider," "Fa - and chronology of 20 tracks. The rangeFa -Fa -Fine"), drum machines along 1979-91 of pop-infectious ("Sunspots"),the dancefloor ("Poet Is Priest ..."), Julian Cope/The Teardrop Explodes artful (""), and fullyand a glorious rock cry ("Fear Loves ISLAND 314-512 788-2, CD; 78:07 hard ("World Shut Your Mouth")-This Place"). This leads to "The Sound: A-, Presentation: A will drop your jaw before you'reTower," Cope's epic of being born finallyleft awash in ",""in a prehistoric time, beside a sa- Jehovahkill the guitar extravaganza from Peggy Julian Cope cred shrine," where he becomes "an ISLAND 314-514 052-2, CD; 70:18Suicide. accepted elder of a female tribe" Sound: A, Performance: A- That 1991 album, named forbefore succumbing to the "war of Cope's vision of Mother Earth, was athe genders." Paranoid whispers, Who isJulian Cope? You maypanoramic view of the world and itsdistant howls, seductive bass lines, well ask. Despite making a splash 14troubles. Now, in a profound lamentrough acoustic/electric climaxes- years ago with The Teardrop Ex-over the loss of Mother as an ele-refreshing audacity-this isJulian plodes and subsequently releasingmental influence and the loss ofCope. Which is where we came in. eight solo albums, Cope remains awoman as a balance for the male self, Ken Richardson

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Deep Blues ney is a high-tech equivalent of the Various Artists field trips made by record compa- ATLANTIC 7 82450-2 nies in the late '20s to record local CD; 73:51 heroes. The Deep Blues CD is the Sound: B+, Performance: B+ soundtrack to the filmed chronicle uccessful musicians always of Palmer's trip. seem to find unique ways to You can easily take issue with honor their inspirations.If Palmer's key theory: The real blues you're Dave Stewart, formerly can only be found when musicians Give Me Time of the pop group Eurythmics, perform for their friends and neigh- Magic Sam Syou launch a record label bors. He's right, though, when he DELMARK DD -654 (Anxious) with a CD and a movie claims that live performances are a that strive to capture the blues of breed apart from studio work. Given Time ran out for bluesman Magic the Mississippi Delta. the right setting, the flow of energySam on December 1, 1969, when he Stewart wisely enlisted the aid of between artist and audience can be-was felled by a heart attack at the age writer/musicologist Robert Palmer, come a communal experience hardof 32. His influence far exceeds his who showed his love of the music in to find outside church. small recorded output. Everyone his insightful book Deep Blues. The album is balanced between from Son Seals to Robert Cray owes Stewart gave Palmer use of a 24 - live solo acoustic and band perfor-him a debt. The classic West Side track analog mobile studio, Stewart's mances. The music is not that differ-Soul (Delmark DD -615) is the best own state-of-the-art studio for mix- ent from that heard in blues clubsintroduction to his powerhouse ing, a generous budget, and a quest: around the country. Radio and rec-guitar. Find the "real" blues. Palmer's jour- ords have linked all bluesmen since Give Me Time was casually re- AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 96 corded by a friend in Sam's living room in January 1968, as the relaxed performer ADINDEX entertained friends and family with his electric guitar. The recording qualityis mediocre, background noises interrupt sporadically, and the material is familiar,

but Sam's sheer artistry is overwhelming. Firm (ReaderService No.) Page Maybe he just never knew how to give less Adcom (1) 51 than his best. His distinctive, soaring vocals are as warm and strong as ever, while his A partiallist of participants includes Audio Research (2) 67 intensity rivals that of such gifted street - Benny Golson, Clifford Jordan, Paquito AudioQuest 61, 63 corner performers as Ted Hawkins. These D'Rivera, Jackie McLean, Antonio Hart, B & K (3) 78 haunting sides explain once again why he'll and George Mraz. Bobby McFerrin was BMG 9 & 10 always be a legend among blues fans. only an audience member, but when the Roy Greenberg mike was handed to him during "Oo Pa Pa Boston Acoustics 8 gtuttee Da," he brilliantly continued Diz's clown- Brystonvermont (4) 83 ing scat vocal. Pianist Danio Perez is a Cambridge Soundworks (5, 6) ...22, 23 standout through allfive major tracks, Celestion (7) 71 which include "Billie's Bounce," "Orni- thology," and "Anthropology." Diz may Columbia House 15, 19 & 20

not emphasize the stratospheric notes of Counterpoint (8) 1 his youth, but he still swings madly, com- DCC Compact Classics 87 municating as much joyous glee as ever. Denon (9) 43 John Sunier Original Versions Esoteric Audio (10) 85 of the Music Inspiring Hafler (11) Cover III Jelly's Last Jam & Other Morton Classics Jack Daniels 53 Jelly Roll Morton KEF (12) 12 & 13 BLUEBIRD/RCA 66103-2 Levinson 3 Due to the popularity of the Broadway Martin -Logan Cover II musical Jelly's Last Jam, Morton's music is McIntosh (13) 7 suddenly mainstream stuff. Yet unlike the Short Fuse Blues Midwest Electronics 74 original cast album, this collection of 18 Dave Hole Mobile Fidelity (14) 93 classic songs lets us hear the breakthroughs ALLIGATOR ALCD 4807 in jazz composition that Morton spear- Mondial (15) Cover IV headed some 70 years ago. When Chicago's Alligator Records signs MTX 77 The tracks date from 1926 through 1930its first foreign act, you can bet it's some- Nordic Track (16) 74 and are drawn from the Orrin Keepnews- body special. Dave Hole never got the mes- Oldsmobile/Cutlass Supreme (17) 17 produced three -CD Bluebird boxed set ofsage in his native Australia that slide guitar two years ago, using the NoNoise processblues -rock has gone out of fashion. So on Paradigm (18) 47 to freshen up the sonics. For those not jazzcut after cut he chooses raw energy over Parasound 73 historians, the single CD is preferable since subtlety, and swings for the rafters with Pioneer (19) 49 it omits the multiple takes of the boxed set. flamboyant licks that stop just short of Polk (20) 81 John Sunier overkill. Hole's frenzied electric slideis caught in a time warp somewhere between Polygram Records 89 To Bird with Love the original Allman Brothers and early Reel to Real (21) 75 Dizzy Gillespie Rory Gallagher. If at times he seems more Rotel (22) 45 TELARC CD -83316 intent on creating a joyous racket than Sony 55-58, 65, 79 delivering a song, take it as a nod to the For Dizzy's 75th birthday celebration, spirit of Hound Dog Taylor. Short Fuse Sound City (23) 95 Telarc recorded the maestro at New York's Blues is pure Dave Hole and band without Theta 52 Blue Note, accompanied by some of the compromise. The album was originally Warner Music Enterprises 29 & 30 many players whom he has nurtured and produced for and released on his own label. Windham Hill 91 influenced, as he payed tribute to Charlie Hole is a contender. Miss this one at your Parker and their co -invention: Be -bop. own risk. Roy Greenberg Yamaha 5 AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 97 DEALERSHOWCASE ARIZONA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA

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The music lasts a lifetime, The Police: Outlandos Fine Young Cannibals: D'Amour (A&M) 24159 The Raw & The Remit Kitaro: Dream but these savings won't last forever! For a limited (MCA) 53904 (Geffen) 53944 time, choose 4 free CDs or cassettes from this ad, Boomerang/Sdtik Chris Isaak. 53395 Heart Shaped World buy just 1 more at half price (50% -off regular Club (Reprise) 73735 FREE COMPACT prices-currently $14.98 and up for CDs, $8.98 and Aerosmith: Permanent Start with DISCS NOW up for cassettes) within a year, and then get 3 more Vacation (Geffen) 43960 pay only shipping and handling wit Free! Shipping and handling charges are added to all Guy!: Guy!...The Future membership shipments. The BMG Compact Disc Club is unlike (MCA) 14875 Buy only 1 at half price within a year other clubs which make you buy 6 CDs, or 8 cassettes Cathy Dennis: Into The Pat Benatar: Best Shots at full priceto complete your commitment. (Chrysalis) 44319 Samantha Fox: Greatest Skyline :Polydor) 00115 more CDs FREE 10 -Day Trial! Along with your 4 introductory Hits (Jive) 00159 Jelly's Last Jam/ The Bonnie Rain Then get 3 of your choice, FREE selections, you'll receive a "Welcome Package" with Sergio Mendes: Original Cast Recording Collection shipping and handling charges are added Brasileiro :Mercury On Broadway) (Warner Bros )00569 complete details of the Club. Enjoy your introductory (Elektra) 53869 00112 Jackson Browne: selections for 10 days. If you are not completely satis- Pavarotti Songbook Amy Grant: The Running On Empty Enjoy 8 CDs for the price of 1/2 fied, you may return them without any further obliga- (London) 25275 Collection (A&M) 44643 (Elektra) 11056 tion. Send no money now: we'll bill you later. John Cougar Dwight Voakam: Simon & Garfunkel: The Club Music Mailings Concert In Central Park Mellencamp: Scarecrow It There Was A Way About every three weeks (19 times a year), you'll re- (Rival 44512 (Warner Brow. 44006 Nothing more to buy...EVER! 64310 ceive our exclusive Club catalog which contains hundreds of selections from which to choose. - OFFER EXPIRESFEB:28th:NOT TO BE REPEATED IN 1993! SEMI MEN =IN Each issue highlights a Featured Selection from your preferred music category. If you'd like the Fea- BMG Compact Disc Club / P.O. Box 91412 / Indianapolis, IN 46209-9758 tured Selection, do nothing and it will be sent to you INSTANT automatically. If you prefer an alternate selection, or Please accept my membership in the BMG Compact Disc Club and send my four CDs as I have none at all, simply return the Notification Card, en- indicated here under the terms of this offer.I need buy just one more CD at half price during the closed with each issue of your magazine, by the date next year. After that,I can choose 3 more CDs FREE! Shipping and handling charges are added 50% OFF specified on the card. to all shipments. That's 8 for the price of 1/2, with nothing more to buy... ever! BONUS DISCOUNTS! You have at least 10 days to return the Notification For members who choose CDs. Card. If you do not want the Featured Selection, and RUSH ME THESE 4 CDs do not have 10 days, you may return the Featured The BMG Music OR CASSETTES NOW (indicate by number) Selection at our expense. Services Difference Stay a member as long as you like. After purchasing I am most interested in the music category checked here, but I am always free to choose from any (check gps wily) your half-price selection, you may cancel your mem- You earn INSTANT bership at any time simply by writing to us. If you re- 50% -OFF BONUS 1 [1 LIGHT SOUNDS 2 0 COUNTRY 3 l:7 HARD ROCK 4 D POP/SOFT ROCK main a member, you'll enjoy additional savings on DISCOUNTS every time Dionne Warwick Clint Black Foreigner Elton John Frank Sinatra Vince Gill ZZ Top Wilson Phillips CDs or cassettes with our special sales and bonus you buy a CD at regular discounts. Club prices. Just buy one, 5 E CLASSICAL (2) 6EJ-JAll 7 0 HEAVY METAL Save with Instant Bonus Discounts. Members who and take another at half Luciano Pavarotti Pat Metheny Megadeth Itzhak Perlman David Sanborn Slaughter choose CDs are entitled to instant sales or discounts price. With other clubs, with every additional CD you buy. These instant Bo- you must first buy 6 or O Mr. nus Discounts begin with your very first full -price CD more at full price and 0 Mrs purchase. Also, the longer you remain a member, the become a "Preferred First Name Initial Last Name (PLEASE PRINTi 0 Ms. better the sales get. Other clubs make you buy 6 or Member" before you can Address Apt. more at full price before you "earn" savings like this. get savings like this. Cassettes also available. Simply check the "cas- City State Zip settes" box on the postage -paid reply card if you pre- fer to receive your selections on cassettes.

I PREFER CASSETTESu) Telephone, please ( ) If the reply card is missing, please write to: (You may choose cassettes with Area Code CBD6T CP BMG Music Services, P.O. Box 91001, Indianapolis, IN 46291 the same 10 -day, no -obligation Signature Selections marked with an * are not available on cassette. privilege. Full membership Selections marked with aare "Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics. - Have you bought anything else by mail in the last E 6 months E year E never details will follow.) CD 500 BMG Music Services 6550E. 30th St.. Indianapolis IN 46219-1194. TRADEMARKS (I)Members who choose Cassettes will be serviced by the BMG Music Service. Current Music Service members are not eligible. USED IN THE ADVERTISEMENT ARE THE PROPERTY OF VARIOUS (2/ Members who choose CLASSICAL as their listening interest will be serviced by the BMG Classical Music Service. COMPACT TRADEMARK OWNERS. C.: 1992 BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. 111111111,41 Photocopies of this coupon are acceptable. Dog and horn are trademarks ot We reserve the right to request any additional information or reject any application. Limited to new members, only one membership per General Electric Company. USA family. Local taxes, if any, will be added. Alternative offer available in Alaska and Hawaii. Offer not available in Puerto Rico, APO or FPO.MCLUBE The BMG Logo is a trademark of BMG Music. DEALERSHOWCASE ILLINOIS MAINE MASSACHUSETTS Reel to Real Designs The Best Values In Hi End Hi-Fi. Authorized Dealer: Acurus ... AMC ... Aragon ... Audible CODA Illusions Audioquest ... Audio Research audio studio 0 Counterpoint Bryston ... Compact Discs ... Creek ... Authorized sales and service for: Cary CWD Denon Grado ;am° .. AR, Audible Illusions, Audioquest, Sumo Lexicon ... Livewire Magneplarter B&K, Beyerdynamic, Cardas, Magnum Dynalab ... Mark Levinson ... Soundcraftsmen Counterpoint, Dual, Hafler, KEF, Mission ... NAD ... Near ... Prometheans KLH, Klyne, Maplenoll, Marantz, Thorens PSB ... Pulsar ... Revolver ... Rotel ... Mirage, Mission, Monster Cable, Parasound SME Sota Stax ... Stewart ... Morel, NAD, Nakamichi, Ortofon, Fosgate Sumiko ..Sumo ... Symdex Thoren Proton, QUAD, Renaissance Audio, Simply Physics VPI ... And Much More! Revox, Sennheiser, SME, Shure, Sumiko Stax, Straight Wire, Thorens, Velodyne, VPI, and many more. Quicksilver 303 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02115 Room Tunes Hi Fi EXCIIANV (617) 267-1001 New FOCUS Speaker FAX (617) 277-2415 800-283-4644 FORESIDE MALL ROUTE ONE (all for literature FALMOUTH, ME 04105 414 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02146 Visit our SPEAKER FACTORY SHOWROOM (617) 277-0111 at 3021 Sangamon Ave., Springfield, IL 62702 (207) 781-2326 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ACCEPTED

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Dynaco Mark Vls $1599; Fisher 70A $100; Forte 10 $669 Hafler XL280 $449; Heathkit W4AM $199, W5AM $199; WANTED Analogue Productions Kinergetics KBA75 $1795; Krell KSA150 $3499, KSA250 IVICINTOSH/DYNACO Mobile Fidelity - Wilson $4900, KST100 $1995, MDA500 $9999; Leak Stereo 50 WANTED: MCINTOSH, MARANTZ, DYNACO, ALTEC, Reference Recording - Chesky $699; Levinson 23 $3583; Marantz 8 $999; McIntosh Sheffield Lab- Harmonia Mundi JENSEN, FISHER, CITATION, JBL, ELECTROVOICE, CEL- Proprius- RCA Living Stereo - Klavier MC2100 $599; MC2105 $899, MC2155 $2379, MC2300 LO, LEVINSON, AUDIO RESEARCH, CONRAD JOHN- Mercury Living Presence - plus many more $1799, MC240 $1499, MC250 $499, MC2505 $599, MC30 SON, WESTERN ELECTRIC, TUBE/SOLID STATE. in and out of print recordings! $999, MC75 $3000; PS Audio 250D Delta $1200; Quad 303 (713)728-4343. FAX: (713)723-1301. 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The 1 $699, Lambda Pro 2 $799, Lambda Pro 3 $1199, SR5NB Stereo Trading Outlet, 320 Old York Road, $299, SRD7 Pro $209. Integrated Amps: AMC Valve Music ABARGAIN: STAX SIGN/LAMBDA $1,395; SIGN/SRM1-1 CVT3030 $899; Fisher KX200 $299; McIntosh MA230 $599, $859, P3tO/LAMBDA(#1) $459, SIGN/LAMBDA SRD/7 Jenkintown, PA 19046. MA5100 $350; Sherwood S5000 $125, S5500 II $149; $599; GRACE F9ERUBY $199; F9E $125; FR1MK3F $169 ALL UNUSED (212) 966-1355. AUDIO BY VAN ALSTINE HAS ALL NEW MODELS! Yamaha CA1000 $199. Line Conditioners: Counterpoint Announcing our stunning new FET-VALVE, OMEGA TWO, PAC15 $425, PAC5 $295; Tripp-Lite IS400 $115, LCA1800a SAN FRANCISCO AREA - IRRESISTABLY priced audi- $249, LC2400 $399, LCR2400 $459. Preamps: Audio Re- and TRANSCENDENCE THREE DESIGNS. Our brand new ophile components/accessories. Shipped/delivered. World's big amplifier chassis features ultra -efficient extruded heat - search SP3A1 $649; B&K CS115 $298, MC101 $798; Cary best! 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(608) 284-0001. where audiophiles DEMO SALE AT ARIEL...THE SPECIALIST IN COST EF- call audiophiles FECTIVE HIGH -END: B&K, NEAR, Musical Design/ ACT AUDIO gives good sound! for great selection, Concepts, Straightwire & Many More. Authorized Dealer. A professionally designed listening room costs less than Carmel, ON. Visa/MC. (317) 846-9766, 5-10PM. some CD's. Send SASE for details. ACT AUDIO, 619 Moon great services and Clinton Rd.. Coraopolis, PA 15108. AAA-LOW PRICES-HIGH END EQUIPMENT!!! great prices! A/D S! B&K CARVER CHICAGO STANDS DCM ATTN: QUAD OWNERS! FAC- DENON - FRIED GRADO M&K NAKAMICHI ONKYO TORY AUTHORIZED REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS PS AUDIO SNELL SUM IKO THORENS VELODYNE ARE PERFORMED BY QS&D. WE HAVE ORIGINAL RE- Sound Advice without the Price VPI, and others. AUDIO ELITE, Menasha, WI. PLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE ALONG WITH RECON- 914-666-0550 414-725-4431 SAVE $$$ DITIONED QUAD EQUIPMENT. IF YOU NEED ASSIS- unuo 24 -HR. FAX 914-666-0544 TANCE PLEASE CONTACT OS&D AT 33 MCWHIRT LOOP RACK AND CHASSIS BOXES for construction of electronic Monday -Friday projects. Low cost; stocked for quick delivery. Call for free #108, FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA 22406. PHONE: LET Inc. 10am-7prn ET 703-372-3711, FAX: 703-372-3713. MCNISA. catalog. SESCOM, INC. 1-800-634-3457. ** P.O.Box 673 Bedford Hills. NY 10507-0673 ** AUDIO UNLIMITED in Colorado offers Acoustic Energy, HI Fl CLASSICS CLEARANCE SALE. Mirror Image .2D Acrotec, AirTight, Audio Meca by Pierre Lurne, Audio Note, w/phono $1475. YBA 2HC $1475. Krell 32 D/A $1475, w/ATT Benz -Micro, Bitwise, Chario, CODA, Dynavector, Ensemble, $1675. Krell Stealth $1000. ALTIS REF D/A $1275. CLASSE Golden Dragon, Ikeda, JM Labs, Lazarus, Magnum SELL FOR CASH OR TRADE AUDIO & VIDEO EQUIP- DRG pre $1475. SPECTRAL DM100 $1475. BEARD P100 Dynalab, Musical Design, ORACLE, Muse, Roksan, Room - MENT. AUTHORIZED: DE NON, HARMAN KARDON, MAR- Tube Amp $875, SPENDOR PRELUDE 2.2 $675. SNELL A2 tunes, SOTA, Tice, Unity Audio, Wheaton Triplanar, & more... ANTZ, ROTEL, SUMO, ACURUS, ARCAM, ROGERS, CE- $575, C.J. Synthesis 310-$975, 260-$775, 210-$550. Call John Barnes at (303) 698-0138 or Fax (303) 922-0522. LESTION, ENERGY, SIGNET, ETC. STEREO CLASSICS, CROSBY STRADS $775. Motif MC7 $1075. USED COM- 2341 West Yale Ave., Englewood, CO 80110. VISA and MC 75 CHURCH ST., NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ 08901. (908) PONENTS BOUGHT, SOLD AND TRADED. CALL FOR accepted. 220-1144, FAX: (908) 220-1284. INVENTORY LIST (718) 318-9618 or FAX (718) 318-9623. For Advertising Information Call 1-800-445-6066, 9am-5pm EST FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE AUDIO SOLUTIONS is Atlanta's Hi -End DEALER DEMO SALE. Acoustat 3300's & SPW-1 $2200. ADS 1590's $1795. DCM Time Window 3 $795. Fosgate 12" WE DISCOUNT! source for Audio Research, McCormack, Sub $275. JBL 4430 Biradial's $1850. Klipsch Cornerhorns $1400. M&K S100's $575. Near 50 -M's $795. Spica Angelus THEY DON'T! Theta, Vandersteen, CODA, Wire World, WIDE SELECTION LOW PRICES FAST SERVICE* $700. Thiel 3.6 $2500. New Audio Alchemy DDE 1.0 $259. FULL WARRANTY KNOWLEDGEABLE CONSULTANTS. Acurus, Snell, Music Metre, Classe, Musi- Mitsubishi LT 5V Turntable $199. Audio Source SS1 Sur- CALL US! SOUND SHOP (206) 692-8201. cal Design, Kimber Kable, B&K, Magnum round Proc. $90. New Parasound Closeout: TOO 260 Tuner Dynalab, Rotel, & VPI. 4880 Lawrenceville $150. (217) 544-5252. AUDIO BEST: LA, ORANGE, SAN BERNADINO, CALI- FORNIA. HOT COMPONENTS: NEAR 50ML, COUNTER- EXPERIENCED, FRIENDLY ADVICE! FREE SHIPPING! Highway. (404) 381-0778. POINT, HAFLER, PS ULTRALINK; AUDIBLE ILLUSIONS; MIRAGE, PS, CWD, CARY, KINERGETICS, KEF, PHILIPS, FOR TWENTY YEARS WE HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE AUDIOQUEST, FRIED, MONSTER, QUAD, SPICA, POWERWEDGE, ACOUSTAT; SPICA; VMPS; MAGNUM; FOR ALL OF YOUR BLANK AUDIO/VIDEO TAPES AND STRAIGHTWIRE, MORE!! READ BROTHERS, 593 FOSGATE; B&K, TARALAB, MUSIC REFERENCE, ACCESSORIES, EVEN REEL-TO-REEL TAPES FOR STU- KING, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 29403. SOUNDLAB, CELESTION, MONSTER, STRAIGHTWIRE, MUSICAL CONCEPTS, (909) 861-5413, APPOINTMENT. DIOS, AT DISCOUNTED PRICES. CATALOG AVAILABLE. (803)723-7276. SOUNDD INVESTMENT CORPORATION, 3586 PIERCE DRIVE, CHAMBLEE, GA 30341. (800) 659 -TAPE (X8273). ADCOM, B&K, HAFLER and CD MODS IN GA (404) 458-1679. FAX: (404) 458-0276. Since 1979, our reengineering has set the highest stan- S.B.H10 en-TcApindises dards for performance and value! Inexpensive modifica- 1618 53rd St. Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 Mon. -Fn. 8-7, Sun. 9-6 STEVE'S AUDIO ADVICE tions to "all-out"-Toroids, huge filter caps, Dual -Mono Offering year end specials! Purchase any component by conversions, outboard supplies. MC-3T(Tef Ion " ) (800) 451-5851 NYC (718) 438-1027 0111 e91+ February 1st from our complete line of top Audio and Video phono/line preamp board for Adcom, B&K and Hafler- DETECTORS ) HOME STEREOS equipment and receive 2 pairs of Silver Interconnect abso- simply stunning! NEW! PA -1 driver boards for HAFLER EIZZE (1,) IMECEIVERS CASSIE( DECKS lutely FREE!! Refer to our ad in Dealer Showcase under HI- amps -incredible! SuperConnect IV interconnect - 990 171 IIIMRII 159 101 /4 9968 111 FI FARM for equipment listing. Call TOLL FREE Nationwide the best or money back! We modify PHILIPS, ROTEL, II 10/ 11 179 101 107.. 39 966511/ 731 11107 11 341 11111 307 11 1-800-752-4018. MAGNAVOX, MARANTZ and PIONEER CDs. X-mas 96651391 731 11 702 N 111 110 SD 11 specials! Call for mailer today! MUSICAL CONCEPTS, 9568 151 11 107 N 89 (31 70 1/ 9561 179 CD PLAYERS MAD 1111 367 11 936311 Ill110(1 1832 BORMAN COURT, SUITE ONE, ST. LOUIS, MO 139 116705 9 AUDIO CABLES & MORE 1(9111 111 POR TABLES 63146. (314) 275-4925. IN 241 , IN Widen. (0 181 19 DON'T PAY EXORBITANT PRICES FOR TOP QUALITY. ILI 441 IN DI 70 719 10 5000 119 59 WE HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN WIRE MANUFAC- MINI COMPONENT 34701 19 441 1:'511 931 5101 1 TURING AND HAVE SIMULATED THE HIGH PRICED ;;: 0'9;6 :9 ;.10 931 110 21 100D 7 1 59 5060 '13999 BRANDS. HIGH PRICED EQUIVALENTS AS LOW AS .35/ 7390115 119 9(137 Ig 880 FT. WE DEMYSTIFY WIRE TECHNOLOGY, SEND FOR MOMS= EXPLANATION LITERATURE WHICH ALSO INCLUDES (5pt0furn 7 Si 171944 311:14; MOIGO) 149 CAR STEREOS MO ROD ALL OUR AUDIO PRODUCTS PRICE LIST OR CALL OUR Immo= MPIONNEEri) PIONEER - LITERATURE REQUEST # (800) 321-2108, 24 HRS/DAY. (DI 4040 729 1111111100 379 RECEIVERS (00118000 139 1111 117 249 93 015 1St FAX (609) 428-1832. L A T INTERNATIONAL, DEPT A, 9519013 719 (DX 655 294 K01116700 739 1111 1/5700 moron 509 317 PROVINCETOWN RD., CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034. (DX 0300 791 779 971I14013 479 708 0510 KEKEHN 098798xca 719 no 3113 304 789 (00 5511 394069 KIN 320001 In DI 501 330 (08 1130011 REMOVE DN 7/0101 169 97145131 (DX 5180 3999 KEN 6969 171 111 401 119 SINGERS VOCAIA: "The Musical Design D -I40 81( 18 69 119 SASSED DECKS 116077 Unlimited Backgrounds" deserves classic status!" 11 11150 319 (11111701 339 From Standard Records G CD's with the 014357 711 TIMM 111 "It doesn't sound like an (111501 219 Thompson Vocal Eliminator'. Call for Free 015750 74 99 MD' III114 S9 0 4(9 091011 345 Catalog & Demo Record. amplifier, it just sounds 015150 (9 03X180 374 (19811 009 015550 14 DIN /60 311 Phone: (404)4824189 Est 52 like music!" "A true (1113011 254 0171 30 1199 299 Singer'sSupply,Dept AU -1 classic." Isn't it time (191011 109 1102f0 769 7985 Hightower Trail (795011 171 you auditioned the 0111330 &DIE:HA:007 Lithonia, GA30058 moult 110 1)-140? 11115 50 24 Hour Demo/Into Request 11191 11117 70 1949 415110 339 Line (404)482.2485 Est 52 (011 (101011 1(9 Singer's Sups*. We Have &nye**. siFor Singers WIEMZEME 111 X11' r5'0 139 CD PLAYERS (1)11 11 KE 37(92 111 10732 331 046.,(002 11 MUSICAL DESIGN 1011101 714 11461440650119 S (011133 1832 Borman Ct. Suite 1, St. Louis. M063146 (314) 275-7162 711 1011101 99 116.1(1347 $99 & $199 SPECIALS!! HUN- 19 (001115 319 1011701 19 0,692o (OM 99 3014 233 (01100 701 100101 99 DREDS OF BLOW-OUT SPECIALS! CALL US!! Na- 10g6+414 11111101 71 MooFe00143 4699 Mi49110(1. 95 kamichi CD Player OMS-1A $99! JBL 2800 $199pr.! Luxman ATTENTION AUDIOPHILES! See October '92 Audio, 103601 (he9mm(041 21 130E0 4716100(0 371 ID DI 45 CD-DZ-92 $99! DENON DRA-435 RECEIVER $199! AR -04 Pages 343 & 347. Unbiased, Expert Advice. Best Trades! 79 5390(0 111 3170(0 149 90 101 11 Intra-amp $99! NAD 5060 CD PLAYER $199! plus many Used/Demo List. AUDIO CLASSICS ENTERPRISES. Visa/ '11'157*(A117 39 5470(0 NI 1631 70 34 L0910 MAYERS 60.150149 39701( 351 3770 I( 339 (103101 355 more specials! CALL US! (206) 692-8201. MC/Disc. (405) 842-3033. Nepal 50179 09 9773 N4 1771 211 MANI 411 (IX 111 519 9731 179 DOI 161 ((00101 491 (0(04 19 1170 119 9471 111 (100301 019 (11710 11(1111(1 3n iv 1/03 IN L1000 DI (100701 711 m Alm a/MIA* mom wan Mmem/d MLis 101 ML1 91111 19M1 poi. mlI vamAirmf MMog14,00 Mmon Am/ 10 VIZI 6*0/9":0/"Ar' 015 401 ImAm r/r vm 440011/ 14/ to...4091 AL. 141pw'm'y

AA/STEREO TECH. LOW PRICES/FAST DELIVERY! DENON, NAD, KEF, B&W, ADCOM, CARVER, NAKAMICHI, BOSTON, HAFLER, VPI, ADS, M&K, ROCK SOLID, ONKYO, B&K, DCM, SNELL, FRIED, VELODYNE, POLK, SPICA, COUNTERPOINT, AND MORE! FULL WARRANTY!! MOST ITEMS IN STOCK!! 414-836-2942 CALL US!!

TARA LABS SPACE & TIME CABLE BLOWOUT! SAVINGS UP TO 60% ON SOME OF THE BEST INTERCONNECT AND SPEAKER CABLES AVAILABLE! DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UPGRADE YOUR SYSTEM AT TRE- MENDOUS SAVINGS. SAVE ON QUANTUM II, QUANTUM III, QUANTUM REFERENCE, TEMPORAL CONTINUUM, PANDORA, ORIGINAL, ASTRAL BLUE AND MORE. MANY DIFFERENT LENGTHS. OVER 300 PAIRS OF NEW AND DEMO CABLES AVAILABLE. FULL MANUFACTURES WARRANTY. CALL NOW FOR COMPLETE PRICE LIST. HCM AUDIO. (800) 222-3465, (916) 345-1341. DESIGN & INSTALL YOUR OWN CUSTOM AN or MULTIROOM SYSTEM with our informative cataloge of installation supplies. Complete Systems, Parts, Text, Diagrams, & Full Technical Support. - Cataloge $3.00. R. Gladwin, P.O. Box, 221666, Carmel, CA. 93922 or Call: 510-655-6653.

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 102 FOR SALE LOUDSPEAKERS LOUDSPEAKERS

Cable TV Descramblers, Converters, Accessories. Name BEST SELECTION 8 GUARANTY. 50 SPEAKERKITS for SPEAKER RECONING ; Refoaming Kits: Crossover Brands. Lowest prices. Best service. Call CABLE READY HOMES, SURROUND SOUND, CARS, PROS & SUB - Kits, & Mods By "Van Evers": Grills Made To Specs; COMPANY, (800) 234-1006 for FREE 16 -page color catalog. WOOFERS. JBL, DYNAUDIO, POLYDAX, MOREL, SEAS. Diaphragms. Mids & Tweets; New Speaker Test Lab ELECTROVOICE & VIFA. NEW & USED ELECTRONICS; Using L.E.A.P.-L.M.S. THE SPEAKER EXCHANGE, 1242 AUDIO DEN Authorized Sales and Service. ADCOM, AWARD -WINNING CROSSOVERS, ANALYZERS. 64p. E. Hillstorough Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33604. (813) ARAGON, ARCAM, B&K, CAL, CELESTION, CODA, CATALOG, $2. GOLD SOUND, 4285 S. BROADWAY, EN- 237-480C. CONRAD-JOHNSON, KLIPSCH, MAGNEPAN, MI- GLEVVOOD, CO 80110 RAGE, MIT, MONSTER CABLE, NAD, NAKAMICHI, ADCOM, ADS, AUDIO RESEARCH, BANG & CUSTOM ELECTRONIC CROSSOVERS, 6 to 36 dB/Oct. NEAR, PARADIGM, ROGERS, SONOGRAPHE, Also Snell, Magnepan versions. DB SYSTEMS, POB 460. OLUFSEN, B&W, CARVER, CELESTION, SONUS FABER, SOTA, STAX, THETA DIGITAL, VE- RINDGE, NH 03461. (603) 899-5121. LODYNE, YAMAHA. AUDIO DEN, 2021 Smith Haven DENON, FOSGATE, HARMAN/KARDON, IN- Plaza, Lake Grove, NY 11755. (516)360-1990. A 8 S SPEAKERS imports the world's finest speaker FINITY, JBL, KEF, KLIPSCH, LEXICON, MI- components, crossovers, & kits: Dynaudio, Scan Speak. RAGE, NAKAMICHI, ONKYO, POLK, REVOX, ADCOM, ADS, AUDIO RESEARCH, BANG & Ceratec, Focal, Morel, MB Electronics, Peerless, Polydax. SEAS, LPG, Eton & Versa-Tronics. We also ship VMPS TRIAD., VELODYNE, YAMAHA, AND MORE. OLUFSEN, B&W, CARVER, CELESTION, systems & kits. Free literature. 3170 23rd Street, San Fran- MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTIES. LIVE DENON, FOSGATE, HARMAN/KARDON, IN- cisco, CA 94110. (415) 641-4573; Fax (415)648-5306. ASSISTANCE WEEKDAYS. AUTOMATED FINITY, JBL, KEF, KLIPSCH, LEXICON, MI- GRILL CLOTH- VERY HIGH GRADE. PRICING 24 HOURS. AMERISOUND SALES, RAGE, NAKAMICHI, ONKYO, POLK, REVOX, ACOUSTICALLY TRANSPARENT KNIT GRILL CLOTH. INC. (904) 262-4000. TRIAD, VELODYNE, YAMAHA, AND MORE. AVAILABLE IN SIX COLORS. 1 YD. X 60" -$8.99. MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTIES. LIVE SPEAK ERWORLD 1-800-359-0366. BOSE, JBL REFOAMING QUALI- ASSISTANCE WEEKDAYS. AUTOMATED VMPS factory assembled speakers. All models, low TY SERVICE ON ALL BRANDS SINCE 1977. CALL ABOUTOUR BOSE 901 UPGRADE/MOD., REFOAMING, PRICING 24 HOURS. AMERISOUND SALES, prices, shipped direct to you. Free price sheet. Arthur Mor- gan, 886 East Charing Cross CR., Lake Mary, FL 32746. REPLACEMENT PARTS. FAST SERVICE. SPEAKER - INC. (904) 262-4000. WORLD. 813-544-3511. 800-359-0366. MC -VISA -AMEX. LOUDSPEAKER COMPONENTS -KITS. Dynaudio, Morel, SMALL AD = SMALLER PRICES. 20-50% OFF. Altec Eclipse, Focal, Peerless, Eton. Ws, more! Crossover parts -- AR Aragon B & Os B & W Carver (Incl/Loudspeakers) WE REPAIR SPEAKERS! Call for Dual Forte Hafler Krell KEF Meridian Onkyo design books also. Catalog $2. Meniscus, 257528th St., SW, FREE ESTIMATES. SPEAKER CLINIC. (404) 933-0101. UNIT 2. Wyoming, MI 49509. (616) 534-9121. Parasound Philips Rotel & MORE. Warranty. SoundBox Atlanta, Georgia. (305) 262-4766. PROFESSIONAL FOAM REPLACEMENT!!! GUARAN- TRANSMISSION LINE bass loading, a superb metal dome DYNACO S170 UPGRADES: Gold EL34 Sockets, 1215 TEED WORK. FIVE YEAR WARRANTY, FAST TURN- tweeter and more! The Reference 1.5, $1495.00/pr. Microfarad on -board solid state B+, triode output, more. AROUND. ALL BRANDS - ALL SIZES. ADVENT A SPE- PATTERSON Audio Systems, (313) 981-7220 DoReTech Audio Services, Box 6054, South Hackensack, CIALTY. NEVISONICS, 2305-A BARDSTOWN RD., NJ 07606-4354. Phone/Fax: (201) 843-0488. LOUISVILLE, KY 40205. (502) 451-CONE(2663). M -F 12-6 DYNAUDIO SPEAKER KITS EST. BEST $1,500 LOUDSPEAKERS!!! B&W Discover the SUPERIOR SOUND QUALITY of 1993 DYNAUDIO SPEAKER KITS. Catalog $2.00 (Refunded). ALON BANG & OLUFSEN ADCOM MI- ADVANCED AKUSTIC 7627 Woodside Stockton Cali- RAGE POLK PROAC DENON MCCOR- CO IT YOURSELF fornia 95207. (209) 477-5045. MICK VMPS CROWN KEF CELESTION SPEAKER REPAIRS Foam speaser surround CROSSOVER NETWORKS, PASSIVE. CUSTOM, STAN- SONIC FRONTIERS HARMAN'KARDON replacementsfrom SAT will ova you AMNIA II DARD, WHOLESALE PRICES. FREE BROCHURE, DE- CARVER NAKAMICHI TRIAD PARA- ileAst. All tins. including SIGN ASSISTANCE. DEALERS WELCOME. FERGITRON AR. ADVENT, BOSE. JBL. ELECTRONICS, BOX 674, LEVITTOWN, NY 11756. (516) SOUND EMINENT TECHNOLOGY & MORE. Surrounds.adhesive. 735-2019. instructions527 95 pair, HONESTY.... MANUFACTURER'S WAR- Do IIyourself with SAT LOUDSPEAKER CABINETS - Large selection of high - STEPP AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES I-800-7471992 RANTIES! TECH ELECTRONICS. (904) PO BOX 1088 FLAT ROCK. AC 28731 VISA/ MC quality Cabinets ready to finish in Oak, Walnut and solid color 376-8080. laminates. Grenier Cabinets, 5901 Jennings Road, Horse- heads, NY 14845. (607) 594-3838. ACTIVE ELECTRONIC CROSSOVERS SPEAKER COMPONENTS MODEL 120 CABINET & NEW 120-R "RACK AND PANEL" DESIGNS CROSSOVER COMPONENTS Made to order in Butterworth bi-amp, tri-amp,or quad -amp configurations DAVIS FAST CAPACITORS with optional level controls, subsonic Ar-u .sacs Metallieed Polypropylene (Non -Polarized) filters, or summers. Filters, regulated Values from 1.0 mfd to 200 mfd. power supplies, equalizers, are also IVJAUDIO Voltage Rating: 250 VDC / 150 VAC available. SOLEN INDUCTORS New catalog and price sheet. Free! -H Perfect Lay Hexagonal Winding Air Cored WEITIN Values from .10 mH to 30 mH, eemoute,Eng. Lab. Wire Sizes from #20 AWG to #10 AWG kh:113 28 Jefferson BI., Culver City, CA 90230 HEPTA-LITZ INDUCTORS PHONE (310) 397-9668 Severs Strands Litz -Wire Constructions Values from .10 mH to 30 mH Wire sizes from #16 AWG to #12 AWG DEALER COST CLOSEOUT!! All B&W/Rotel product at SOLEN CROSSOVERS cost. Also, Dahlquist M903, M905, M907, -M909, DQ12, and ))) The Cube loudspeakers for sale at dealer cost. Order Line: Custom Computer Design n ore! Passim Crossover for Professional, Hi-Fi and (800) 438-6040, Info: (704) 889-9223. c, -.k Car Power up to 1000 Watt. MCINTOSH Bought -Sold -Traded -Repaired. FREE Cata- CROSSOVER, SPEAKER PARTS logue. See our ad at the beginning of the classifieds. AUDIO 'Gold Speaker Terminals, Gold Banana Plugs CLASSICS, POB 176MB, Walton, NY 13856 607-865-7200. Gold Binding Posts, Crossover Terminals, 8AM-5PM EST Mon. -Fri. Power Resistors, Mylar Capacitors, Plastic Grill Fasteners, Nylon Ty -Wraps LOUDSPEAKERS 4e Grill Cloth, Car Speaker Grills, Misc. Parts. ACI: Quality speakers, factory direct. "...a pair of speak- ers of this quality for less than $750 is surely one of today's scan -speak best bargains." Julian Hirsch, Stereo Review, Sept. 1992. SOLEN INC. COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN FOR Free catalog 1-800-346-9183. 4470 Thibault Ave. ENCLOSURE AND CROSSOVER (seas) St -Hubert, OC J3Y 7T9 AVAILABLE TO CUSTOMER Canada Tel.: (514) 656-2759 Product specifications and prices CONCRETE SPEAKERS Serious available upon request. yet inexpensive design, not another book shelf clone! Kit or Fax: (514) 443-4949 assembled. JK Audio, 2701 N. 45th Road, Sandwich, IL 60548. (815) 786-2929. Visa/MC. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 103 LOUDSPEAKERS LOUDSPEAKERS

Because Icon speakers are only available directly from our factory, LOWEST The Critics you'll save hundreds of dollars by avoiding the usual dealer markup! SUBWOOFER The Lumen 2 -way monitor - $795 per pair. Had Their The Joule 2 -way floor -standing speaker - $1295 per pair. DISTORTION 30 -Day, The Parsec 3 -way floor -standing speaker - $1795 per pair. "You'll fall in love with this speaker's clear sound. Ifeel that it can No -Risk, compete with several prestigious loudspeakers costing many times it's price." - Bruce Bartlett, High Performance Review , Summer 1991 In -Home "Close your eyes and you'd think you were listening to electrostatic speakers...I was constantly reminded of the Quad ESL -63, with its breathtaking transparency and impeccably true timbres...The Parsecs Audition. are speakers for symphonic music; to the Sibelius Second they brought a naturalism and presence simply unmatched by any other design under consideration."- Lawrence Johnson, CD Review, Nov. 1991 "The Lumen is the best under -$1000 speaker I have heard." Isn't It Time - Kenneth Duke, The Sensible Sound, No. 43, Summer 1991

"The Icon Lumen is the best for it's price." - Audio Art Magazine (S You Had "I think you will definitely fall in love with these American speakers!" rr) Yours? - Modern Audio, January 1992

00 0 also see the rave review of the Lumen in issue 81 (July/Aug. 1992) of the absolute sound magazine. ...and many more!

For your own copy of our free 12 -page color brochure rn and review reprints please call us toll -free at: 0 I fC: O NJ - Boo - 669 - 966z since 1989 Icon Acoustics, 13 Fortune Drive, Billerica, MA 01821 iT

_J to TC, F ROTTEN FOAM EDGES? SERVICES SIMPLY SPEAKERSdoes professional foam replace- INDEPENDENT AUDIO CONSULTANT: Don't be taken Adding thunder to your Audio/Video or highend ments any size/brand. 7 Year Warranty. We also sell stereo music system? The Larger VMPS Subwoofer advantage of by audio salesman, we can saw you time and foam surrounds for $22.95/pr. In -wall speakers. MG/ money. Guidance on all aspects, from purchase to inexpen- ($479ea kit. $599ea assem) generates less distor- VISA/DISCOVER: 1-800-767-4041 tion (0.4% THO/1W/22Hz-250Hz) at a lower sive room acoustic treatments. Visa/MC. 1-800-232-2191 cutoff frequency (3dB, 17Hz) and higher output (9-5 EST). levels (120d8 f /1rn) than any competitor regardless SPECIALIST, TUBE EQUIPMENT CUSTOMIZATION. Re- of price. pair Services. Vintage military tubes & parts available. Cus- TRUE SUBWOOFER tom and Vintage tube equipment for sale. Service estimates This 1501b. dual 15" and 12" true Subwoofer is one for audio equipment, old or new. BWS Consulting, 5609 N. of four low-cost, high quality lowbass modules de- With phenomenal 23rd Street, Arlington, VA 22205. (703) 536-3910. signed to satisfy every audiophile's requirements true deep bass forclean,extended first -octave response. Our extending below Audio Repairs and Restorations by Clif Ramsey, former Smaller Subwoofer ($259ea kit. $329ea assem) 20Hz with low Senior Service Technician at McIntosh. Tuner Modifica- and Dedicated Subwoofer ($349ea kit, $429ea distortion at a very tions by Richard Modafferi, independent consultant to Audio affordable price. Classics, inventor, and former Senior Engineer at McIntosh. assem) provide 28Hz bass (3dB) in compact 2ft' Over 70 years combined experience. AUDIO CLASSICS. enclosures. The Original VMPS Subwoofer ($349ea The HRSW1Os 8AM-5PM EST Mon. -Fri., POB 176SAR, Walton, NY 13856 kit. $429ea assem) breaks the 20Hz barrier in less will extend bass of 607-865-7200. than 5ft ' total volume. All woofers operate from the your stereo or optional Passive Crossover ($30 kit. $40assem) video system for and a Dual Voicecoil version ($20) of the Smaller that "air shaking all BLANK TAPES and Original woofers permits single sub operation around you" effect. HSU Research HRSWto with stereo satellites. Here's what the experts are saying:

'Truly awesome room shaking bass... *0, -3 dB 14.3 to 40Hz" al IN Au010 VIDEO. DAT-TAPE OVER ,00 OWE 1 Hon , E..00 Call or write for literature and test reports on all Don Keele, Audio 11/92 13 L VMPS systems. including the OSO 626 A/V Monitor Class K recommended components. ($269ea kit, $329ea assem), the "Best Buy" lever Stereophile, Vol. 15 No. 10, October 1992 "Most effective subwoofer we have tested ... Best Buy' II ($479ea kit. $649ea assem) and Tower II Special Julian Hirsch, Stereo Review 9/92 Edition ($738ea kit, $938ea assem), the all-out "Bass extension was truly remarkable" Super Tower III ($4700pr kit, $5600pr assem), and Robert Deutsch, Stereophile Vol. 15 No. 4, April 1992 the OSO Series of bookshelf speakers starting at "Delivered dean low bass at high levels ... work just splendidly' $159ea Kits are supplied with assembled cabinets David Moran, Speaker Builder 3192 'Some of the most impressive subwoofer systems rye heard"' 1%608. am Fn. el. Tamarac ne. M.O.& and all prices include free shipping in 48 states. Peter Mitchell, Stereophile Vol 14 No. 3, March 1991 Yoram Aileron. Send for complete information and critics' review reprints. 4,/ M4, }410n0,....Ca WOOLO90SM.ST DM MI PA 111110.131.1 VMPS AUDIO PRODUCTS CaM14011-11BADENOM. Owen he... My !tone Audio Write or call: 3429 Morningside Dr. El Sobrante, CA 94803 HSU RESEARCH (5101 222-4276Fax: (510) 232-3837 20013 Rainbow Way, Cerritos, CA 90701 1-800-554-0150 (Voice) 57 USED & NEW SUPER LOW NOISE, BLANK, 8" REEL 1-310-924-7550 (Voice/Fax) Hear VMPS at. The Listening Studio. Boston. Sounds Incredible, TO REELS. $300. 1200/1800 FEET. SONY SUPER & Brookfield. Ct. Hamisch Norton NYC NY, Dynamic Sound, ULTRA, MAXELL. (515) 472-2067. Washington DC. Hifi Farm. Beckley WV, Pace Audio. Decatur. sold factory direct with a 30 day trial - money back Ga. American Audio. Greenville SC. Tech Electronics. Gaines- guarantee. 5 year manufacturer's defect warranty. ville FL. Arthur Morgan. Lake Mary, FL. Sound Solutions. Car- CAR STEREO lisle PA, Sounds Deluxe. Clarendon Hills II. Audio Specialists. South Bend In,Audio Connection. Terre Haute In.Ruth Industries. St Louis Mo. Shadow Creek Ltd. Minneapolis Mn. "STEREO WORLD" is your discount sound source Audio by Gil Morrison, Detroit Mi. Concert Sound. San Antonio SERVICES with great deals on car and home,stereo: Panasonic, Tx. Stereoworks. Houston Tx. Lookout Electronics. Longview JVC, Sony, Pioneer, Sherwood, Hi-Fonics, Blaupunkt, Wa. Affordable Audio. Fresno. Ca. Exclusively Entertainment. MTX, Orion, Kenwood, Scosche EFX, Autotek, JBL-Car, ACCUPHASE AUTHORIZED PARTSAND Oceanside. Ca. Hal Broda, Escondido Ca. Christopher Hansen Clarion, Infinity and many others. We Carry alarms and Ltd. Beverly Hills Ca, Audio Haven. Upland Ca: Sounds Unique, SERVICE. We repair and supply parts for all ACCUPHA- San Jose Ca. Private Line Home Entertainment, Stockton Ca. SEand KENSONIC Amplifiers, Tuners, Compact Disc Play- a full line of installation kits. Please call or write for FREE Golden Ear. Chico Ca, !tone Audio, El Sobrante Ca The Sound ers, etc. Contact: ACCUTECH, 206 E. Star of India Lane, catalog. FREE UPS in 48 states. Visa/MC: COD Room. Vancouver BC Can Carson, CA 90746. TEL. (310) 324-7406, FAX (310) accepted. P.O. Box 596, Monroe, NY 10950 (914) 324-7422. Hours: 9am-4pm Pacific Time. 782-6044.

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 104 CD CABINETS WANTED TO BUY DIGITAL AUDIO

MARANTZ, MCINTOSH, HARTSFIELDS, W.E., PATRI- CIANS, TANNOY, KRELL, LEVINSON, ARC, ETC. Call LAST for absolutely highest collector prices on mint equip- ment. Act before market weakens. N.Y.S.I. (718) 377-7282, 2-6P.M., WEEKDAYS. MbA WANTED: WESTERN ELECTRIC, JBL, MARANTZ OLD EQUIPMENT. SUNLIGHT ENGINEERING COMPANY: 310-320-7020, 22130 SOUTH VERMONT AVENUE, #A, TORRANCE, CA 90502. HI-FI SUPPLIES-PAYS CASH FOR LEVINSON, ARC, C.J., DIGITAL KRELL, SPECTRAL, ROWLAND, THRESHOLD & OLD MARANTZ, MCINTOSH TUBE EQUIP. (212) 219-3352, 7 CC" DAYS 10AM-6PM (NY). COMPACT CASSE TTF Audio City Always Paying top for: Studer, Levinson, McIn- tosh, Marantz, CJ, ARC, Quad, Leak, Western Electric, *SONY MINIIZTRECORDER* STORADISC"- See why CD Review picked our Library Telefunken. Vintage Speaker systems, raw units by Tannoy, *TECHNICS PHILIPS DCC* Series as their "top choice". Fine -furniture quality in a variety WE., EV, JBL, Akec, Jensen. Audio tubes by Telefunken, *MARANTZ CD RECORDERS* of finishes and sizes. Call or write DAVIDSON-WHITEHALL, Genalax, etc. P.O. Box 802, Northridge, CA 91328-0802. Tel: *SONY MICRO DAT RECORDER* 555 Whitehall Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. 1-800-848-9811. 818-701-5633. David Yo. *DIGITAL AUDIO TAPE RECORDERS* CD PLAYERS TOP PAYING FOR MCINTOSH, MARANTZ TUBE AMP SMISold N iiI S RI P11113 10111143 I liANSI I IA: McIntosh Solid state, Western, JBL, Altec, Tannoy, EV, Any (oink DAT (D D(( HiniDisc Jensen, Speakers & Horn, EMT Turntable, Ortofon Arm, ,mm Data (arty*, fi Nag DAT Tape (2.0 fiiir 61 how available) MUSICAL CONCEPTS = CD MUSICALITY Temma--(516) 942-1212, (516) 496-2973. Authority fi Kok *ilia lot all Recorders "Since 1979, Musical Concepts has been about satisfy- WI DO HAIL ORM R WI 'I. I SHIP ANYWIII RI ! ing musicality and transparency-not fancy faceplates, AAAALWAYS PAYING TOP $$ FOR CLEAN, COLLECT- 1111.141SIKAII.ARKANDRK11.11911112.(.11.9.91911.11.ID-U nor unsupportable hyper -ENIGMA V, "The best CD ABLE McINTOSH TUBE AND SOLID STATE, MARANTZ %Wm -hider 9:00a -6:00,14 a Saivriays: 1:00 -4:00(1,14 %Ways value, outperforming $4000 transport/DACs", for only TUBE. WESTERN ELECTRIC, JBL-PARAGON, HART- $649, EPOCH V, "More natural and musical than any SFIELDS, ETC. & ALNICO PARTS. EV PATRICIANS, '1111ild. 1111'11[ transport/DAC combination-breakthrough openness GEORGIANS & MISC. PARTS. M. LEVINSON, KRELL, iiP 111J IOR (111-sA-1/41 Phoohu 310 828 648 and transparency!"-$995. All players use 384X over - ARC, SPECTRAL ETC. CALL ME LAST ONLY WHEN sampling! Try our CDT H "Stable Platter"-hear the YOU'RE READY TO SELL! JOHN: 1-800-628-0266. difference transports make($649)! We modify Rotel, COLLECTOR WILL TRAVEL, to pick-up: tube MARANTZ, Philips, Magnavox, Marantz, Pioneer. Call for mailer McIntosh, TANNOY Speakers, SEQUERRA Tuner, KRELL, today! MUSICAL CONCEPTS, 1832 Borman Court, etc. MONO/Stereo. (718) 387-7316. NEW YORK. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Suite One, St. Louis, MO 63146. (314) 275-4925. WANT-JBL Hartsfleid, EV Patrician, Singles OK, McIn- LET THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE your small business. tosh, Marantz & other tube equipment. Larry Dupon, 2638 W. Grants/loans to $500,000.00. Free recorded message: (707) RECORDS Albion, Chicago, IL 60645. (312) 338-1042, evenings. 448-0270. (KF1) LV/CD/RECORD COLLECTOR'S SUPPLIES. Jewel boxes, AUDIO VIDEO STORAGE record jackets, sleeves, storage boxes, 78 sleeves, dividers, much more! Free brochure: CABCO PRODUCTS, ROOM 663, POB 8212, COLUMBUS, OH 43201. (614) 267-8468. STANTON: 881MKIIS - $108PPD!, 500MKI178RPM - $38PPD! KAB: Brushes (Stylus - $3PPD, LP/45 -$11PPD, 78RPM - $17PPD), Gliding Platter + '"- "Nitty-Gritty Up- grade"- $15PPD. Nitty-Gritty: Purifier1&2 -$16PPD, Vac- Sweep(4) - $11PPD! DeoxIT: "Interconnect Restorer!" Solvent -free! - $22PPD. Free Catalog. Order today! CHK/ CD STO' A\GE+ MO: KAB Electro-Acoustics, P.O. Box 2922, Plainfield, N.J. 07062-0922. (908) 754-1479. 'Sorce Systems - Setting the Standards in HALF MILE VINYL. Affordable pre -owned LP's. Selected Aucio/Video Storage Systems w/care. Cleaned & graded. All catagories. Call f/information. SASE catalog/wants: Box 98, East Wareham, MA 02538. Sam 300 CD's in this Premium Solid Hardwood (508) 295-2508. Cabinet. AUDIOPHILE RECORDS Impeccably :rafted in your choice of Solid Oak, WORLD'S LARGEST SELECTION OF AUDIOPHILE LP'S Walnut, Teak or Cherry. AND CD'S! Mobile Fidelity, Sheffield, Reference, Chesky, Analogue Productions, Wilson, Klavier, Audioquest, Nau- Full!, adjustable Shelves store any combination of tilus, OPUS 3, TBM, Proprius, Harmonia Mundi...many more CD's, Videos and Cassettes - all in ONE cabinet. current, rare and out of print. Catalogue $3 in U.S./$5 else- where. INFORMATION: (913) 825-8609. FAX: (913) NonSlot desgn maximizes storage space, simplifies 825-0156. ORDERS: 1-800-525-1630. ACOUSTIC organizing & re -arranging your collection, SOUNDS, BOX 2043, SALINA, KANSAS 67402. accommodates single & multiple CD sets, allows AUDIOPHILE RECORD WAREHOUSE! Out -Of -Print Direct -To -Disc, Halfspeed, Quiex II & Import Pressings. for possible changes in the size of CD packaging. Great selection of In -Print Records & CD's. Quantity Dis- weiceerce-O counts! Call for Free Catalog. Elusive Disc, 5346 N. Guilford Adjustable Solid Brass Bookends keep Discs & Ave., Indianapolis. IN 46220. (317) 255-3446. Tapes upright and in place. MAIL ORDER Cabinets can be stacked, wall mounted or left free standing. THE BEST DISC, TAPE & COMPONENT STORAGE SYS- TEM IN AMERICA. Stackable, portable oak units hold all Optional Clear or Smoked Glass Doors are available. recording formats & AudioNideo components. FREE Mail- order Brochure (please mention Audio). Per Madsen Design: Completely enclosed back provides dust protection. (415) 928-4509. P.O. Box 330101, San Francisco, CA 94133. 11111111 Compact size: 391/2"H x 231/2"W x 71/2"D Shipped to you fully assembled. CUSTOM DESIGNS No. A30) (Shown in Solid Brown Oak)

KNOWLEDGEABLE SALESPEOPLE- For Prices and Free Full Color Liter- AUDIOPHILE / CONSUMER / HOME THEA- SORCe ature on our Complete Line of Audio/ TER PRODUCTS- CUSTOM DESIGN/ P.O. Box 747-A Nutley, NJ 07110 Video Storage Systems: Call Toll Free INSTALLATION- COMPETITIVE We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Checks and Money Orders. All 1-800432-8005 or FAX your name PRICING-CALL US NOW!!! (516) and address to 1.201-748-2592 997-5888. AUTHORIZED, BESTSELLER A/V. AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 105 MOVIES/FILMS/VIDEOS PARTS AND ACCESSORIES PUBLICATIONS

MOVIESOUND NEWSLETTER. The state of film audio tracks in theaters and at home. $8/year (4 -issues) Send $2 for two sample issues. P.O. Box 7304, Suite269A, No. WHY RENT?SPEAKER Hollywood, CA 91603. $AVE! $AVE! CATALOG Parts Express is a full -line Can't afford the loudspeaker distributor of electronic parts and accessories, geared toward of your dreams? the consumer electronics CABLE TV industry, and the technical We'll show you how to build it! From hobbyist. Stocking an extensive bookshelf to horns to electrostatics. line of speaker drivers and Classic kits and new designs. A rich mix DESCRAMBLERS accessories for home and car. of how-to and theory. From the world's Send for your FREE 148 page JERROLD OAK HAMLIN ZENITH catalog today. 1111) only magazine devoted to loudspeakers. PIONEER SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA Parts Express Only $45 for two yrs. (12 issues). 1yr. 340 East First Street for $25 (6). U.S. $ only. Canada, add READY -TO -SHIP! Dayton, Ohio 45402 1- $6/yr. for postage. Other countries $40 yr. $70 2 yrs. 6 MONTH WARRANTY! air mailed. sepak ermu ABSOLUTELY LOWEST IFIE LOL/kBPEAKEFIIQURNAL WHOLESALE /RETAIL PRICES! AUDIOPHILE GRADE BOX 494, Dept. A U3. Peterborough, NH 03458 MASTER CARD VISA PARTS AMEX C.O.D. For the last 4 years. SONIC FRONTIERS INC. has been offering audiophile hobbyists from around the world. the RETAIL MART FREE COLOR CATALOG ! highest quality electronic pads for their audio electronic projects. We have continued to expand our line of parts and components to satisfy the needs of our demanding 1 (800) 950-9145 clientele. We are pleased to feature the following lines: CAPACITORS: MIT MuMCop - Film /Foil or Metallized. World's best FILM CAPACITORS! WONDER CAP new Series "B", wonder wire Wads WANTED REL- CAP - film/ foil 13041a1Yrene, axial leads. Jr. VAMA - compact metallized and film/foil polypropylene, maid lead. SOLE/4 - metallized polypropylene. up to 200uf at 40OVOCI V I 1:111101131 SIEMENS - metallized polypropylene from 51pf to Oluf at 630VDC YOUR RESISTORS: OLD EQP'T 1470 OLD COUNTRY ROAD, SUITE 315 -AR VISHAY - urllong a proprietary BULK FOIL technology, these high PLAINVIEW, NY 11803 NO NY SALES precision rests -ton are the best available! We have a limited range of VIA series (axial lead. 0.5%) values in stock. Aisowe are pleased to Introduce the S102K series (radial Mod. 0.25%) resistors which are FOR available in any value up to 250K, a any quantity, in under 2 weeks! HOLCO -0.5%50pprn metal film resistors, non-magnetic constructIonWe stock a compreheneve range of values a 1/4. 1/2 If A TRADE-IN. PARTS AND ACCESSORIES and 1 watt ratings. Bob Heehan ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS:

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760 PACIFIC ROAD, UNIT 519, OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA LAL 6M5 TEL (416) 847-3245 FAX (416) 847-5471 (617) 547.2727 PUBLICATIONS 95 Vassar Street Audio Cambridge, MA 02139 DIGITAL AUDIO WHITE PAPER: 25 years experience. Like having your own audio consultant. Covers all aspects of including purchase, setup, and insider information. $9.95 ppd. Visa/MC. 1-800-232-2191 (9-5 EST). CC Bang&Olufsen...HOTBuys! Phone Mon.Frl 6 PM -10 THE SENSIBLE SOUND 800-554-9531 Hours Sal. 10-5 Sun -11-3 After 12 years of publishing we are still the on :y C606111.11), Audio Video I AUTHORIZED] Bong & Olulsen Dealer 2 audiophile magazine to help you spend less and gat 16 E. Crystal Lake Plaza Crystal Lake. IL. 60014 more. Our current issue (1(47) gets deeply in -.o Audio Video Loudspeakers (Pala reviews of power amps, CD players and loudspea<- 2500 $2288 MX5500 $2255 Beolab Reda 3 $3295 ers. We also take on the subjective/objective revievo 45002610 VX5000 1958 8000 2670 7000 4785 6000 1780 question from a reality viewpoint. The magazine f Dr We DiscountEntire 9500 RL Series 7000 890 those who view their system as something more than 2992 Line...LETSIALM a fashion statement. 6000 534 ...audible results with the finest NO MAIL ORDERI Beovox 4500 623 in connecting components Subscriptions: 520.00/yr. - $36.00/2 yrs. B 8 0 CERTIFIED STAFF CX100 396 All available back issues (over 30) - $49.00 IN -HOME CONSULTATION/INSTALL CX50 308 SOUND CONNECTIONS INTERNATIONAL, INC. RESERVE YOUR QUALITY DEMONSTRATION TIME TODAYI 203 Flagship Dr., Lutz, FL 33549 PH! (8131948-2707 1-800-292-5843

AUDIO/FEBRUARY 1993 106 "Jim Strickland's simple (less is more) design of the transnova makes it the most uncolored power amplifier I have heard. It doesn't add or take away Hailer from the music. For me this makes the transnova an ideal monitoring tool." TOM JUNG Amplifiers DMP RECOMS

"For the past ten years, I've used Hailer ampViers here at Capitol's ' Tower Don't Lie. Mastering". I'm more than pleased with r.e sound quality and dependability Join the family of top industry they provide. The many artists I've mastered, know they can rely on our professionals using Hafler to create monitors when they're powered by Hafler." today'smusic.Theexpertsall WALLY TRAL GOTT TOWER MASTERING CAPITOL RECORDS agree...Hafler is the most musical, no "Here at Conway we gimmicks, amplifier on the market. It have 21 Hailer amplifiers that don't lie._and both doesn't add or take away from the of my systems at home are built around Hailer components." music. Ourdetail,power and JOHN HUIST TECHNICAL DF ECTOR CONWA" RECORD KG STUDIOS transparency have become legendary; what more could you ask from the most dependable studio amp available. "...Once in a while a product You can now enjoy that "studio comes along that is an incomparable value. Hailer power amps Ft squarely reference audio quality" reproduced at into tnat category: pure abundant trsnsparent home on the New Hafler 9000 Series. power amplification no gimmicks, a::d no high price tag. If only all Audition these legendary products equipment decisions were so easy...." PAT SCFOLES at the Hafler dealer nearest you. For DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING ARDENT STUDIOS more information call 602-967-3565. might ask why I Hafler. The finest audio at any price. chose Hailer, when with the budgets I've had I could have spent thousands more on esoteric amplifiers. The answer is simple. I think fcr the money spent, these are the finest amplifiers obtair able. ...Hafler ar;plifiers... The Stardard..." Hafler PKTRICKWEBER A DIVISION OF ROCKFORD CORPORATION TEMPE, ARIZONA 85281 USA RECORD PLANT, MCA RECORDS, Enter No. 11 on Reader Service Card PATRICK WEBER ENGINEERING aragon18k preamplifier the value of music

An informed and rational consumer makes purchasing decisions based upon quality and value. Aragon's new 181< preamplifier was created for this person. The 181< was engineered for the person who understands that musical reality does not come from marketing hype, and sound quality is not determined by the number of switches on the front panel. The fully discrete Class A 181< is manufactured using parts engineered to military and med- ical tolerances. The IPS power supply is housed in a separa`e chassis for the quietest possible performance. The machined aluminum knobs opera -e with the utmost precision and feel. We invite you to compare the $995 181< with preamplifiers selling for three times the price, and discover what reviewers around the world have discovered...Aragon. Made in America and internationally acclaimed as the finest quality and value attainable. MONDIAL DESIGNS LIMITED 2 Elm St. Ardsley, NY 10502 914-693-3008 =ax 914-693-7199

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