72761 0 ZZOh L60A [`LhL Z6111/14 ZHISO MORE.., SPEAKERS, RESEARCH ACOUSTIC RECEIVER, LUXMAN PLAYER, CD SONY REPORTS: TEST REDUCTION NOISE S DOLBY EQUIPMENT STEREO CAR NEW ROAD: THE FOR READY FIDELITY HIGH INCORPORATING Review® Stereo Believeit or not, com- pact disc for the car has been around awhile. There are even a chosen few who could actually afford to buyone. Well, now car CD is really here. Because Pioneer has advanced the technology so far and createda line of players so extensive thatnow it's possible for anyone to afford the clarity of digital CD sound. It begins with our new single- play CD systems. You'll love the high power as price. But try that puts multi -play CD, AM -FM tuner not to overlook the detachable and cassette all atyour fingertips faceplate. An innovative security with a remarkable wireless remote. feature we recently developed There's much more, ofcourse. for added convenience. And to And while we'reon the sub- find out, ject of convenience, Pioneer's call us 6 -disc multi -play changers let at 1-800-421-1404. We'll sendyou a you enjoy hours of uninterrupted free copy of ournew brochure. As music while you drive. well as direct you to a Pioneer dealer near you, who will be glad to showyou Plus they can be easily added to our complete line of car CD systems. your car without replacing your After all, he's been waiting for this existing audio system. moment just as long as you have. For those who want it all,we also offer an incredible 3-source system (y)PIONEER' CIRCLE NO. 31 ON READER SERVICE CARD ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF CAR CD. FIVE YEARS AFTER IT WAS INTRODUCED. Wdre Han A Rare One of "America's Ten Best Designs' among all products produced in the U S A in 19881 Fortune Magazine "Superb sound and virtual invisibility" At least S100* for "Side by side with speakers costing three to your old speakers, five times as much, the AM -5 consistently regardless of produced the more exciting and listenable sound..." condition, when you Stereo Review Julian Hirsch trade up to the revolutionary Bose" Acoustimass:5 Direct/Reflecting 'speaker system. A technological breakthrough exclusively from Bose! Patented Acoustimass speaker technology is the key to large speaker performance from a package so small, you can hold one in the palm of your hand. Bose Acoustimass-SE5 styling alternative. System cor sists of two cube arrays and an easily corcealable Acoustimass bass module. Bonus Offers! Free! Limited Edition CD! Mail a copy of your receipt to the address below when you buy a Bose Acoustimass-5 system. Bose 101®speakers 1/2 -price when you buy a Bose Acoustimass-5 system and any surrourd sound receiver! (Bose 101 quantities limited.; For details, and the name of a participating dealer, call DOSEBetter sound through research. 1-800-444-BOSE. Call between 9AM and 9 PM. Monday though Fnday 9AM through 5 PM. Saturday and Suaday EST 'Amount determined by dealer .Offer vald Monday. April 16 through Wednesday. May 16. '990 at participating deales. Lest one trade per purchase Olter apples to the Bose Acouskmass-5/565 Direct/Reflectin0 speaker systems only. CD requests must be removed by Bose by June 30.1990 Copyrtght 1990 Bose Corporation. Dept CD. The Mounts in. Framingham. MA 01701-S168 Covered by patent rights issued and or pending Stereo Review Incorporating High Fidelity® BULLETIN 5 TECHNICAL TALK 34 LETTERS 10 POPULAR MUSIC 91 NEW PRODUCTS 13 CLASSICAL MUSIC 105 SIGNALS 30 THE. HIGH END 120 AUDIO Q8cA 32 EQUIPMENT THE. BASICS: RIBBON OF RUST 23 The ins and outs of tape recording by Ian G. Masters HIRSCH-HOUCK LABS EQUIPMEN'I' TEST REPORTS 39 Sony CDP-X55ES Compact Disc Player, page 39 ADC Soundshaper 3025 Speaker System, page 44 PAGE 80 Luxman R-114 Receiver, page 48 Acoustic Research Spirit 162 Speaker System, page 58 WHAT'S NEW IN CAR STEREO 66 Today's equipment provides better sound and more flexibility than ever by David Simon SYSTEMS 72 Toyota's hi-fi option for the 1990 Celica and a custom installation in a Jeep Cherokee by Michael Smolen DOLBY S 77 A new standard for cassette recording? by Craig Stark MUSIC THE. ALARM 80 PAGE 77 "If there's a story worth telling, audiences are prepared to listen" by Rick G. Karr BES'I' RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH 85 Joan Jett, Schubert's Ninth, J. J. Cale, and Bach's Mass in B Minor BEETHOVEN IN BERLIN 110 Bernstein and Barenboim lead performances to celebrate the collapse of the Wall by Eric Salzman Corer Detail from a 1966 Mustang restored by Mustang Ranch. San Jose. Calilbrnia; owned ht' Norman Kenneally. For a fuller view, see pages 66-67. Design by Sue Llewellyn, photo by Bill Ashe Studio. COPYRIGI IT C) 1990 BY DI AM A N IDS COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved. Stereo Review, May 1990, Volume 55,Numlxr 5. ireic Review (ISSN 0039-1220) is published monthly by Diamandis Communications Inc. at 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019: teleph (212) 767-6000. Also publishers or Car Stereo Review. Stereo Buyers' Guide, Compact Disc Buyers' Guide, and Video Buyers' Guide. One-year subscripli llll ratefor the U d Sums and its ixisia ss' $13.94: Canada. $18.94: all other countries, $21.94, cash orders only, payable in U.S. currency. Second-class postage paid at NewYork. NY 10001. and at additional mailing °Hill,. Printed in the U.S.A. Authorised as second-class mail by the Post Office Department. Ottawa. Canada. andher payment of postage in cash. POST- MASTER SUBS( ni Prim' Si-RI'/CE: Please send change -o laddress forms and all subscriptum correspimdencv toStereo Review, P.O. Born 55627, BOulder, CO 80322-5627. Please allow at least eight weeks for the change of address to become effective. Include both your old and your newaddress, enclosing, if possible, an address label from a recent issue. If you have a subscription problem, write to the above address or call (800) 876-9011.PERM/SS/DNS: Material in this publication Inc., may not reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission should be directed to: The Editor. Sttreo Review, Diamandis Communications 1633 Broadway. New York, NY 10019. EDITORIAL com-RmurioNs must be accompanied by return postage and willbe handled with reasonable care, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for return or sale') of unsolicited art, photos. or manuscripts. Vol_ 55 No. 5 STEREO REVIEW MAY1990 3 TOYOTA AU DIO Nowyou can experience two flawless performances at thesametime. If the completely your budget-offer you the same redesigned 1990 Toyota high standard of automotive audio Celica blows you away, quality. Also most models are you'll love what the available with compact disc remarkable "System 10" decks. And there's no audio* does for you. This arguing about the breakthrough system convenience and establishes Toyota's lead- warranty security ership position in car audio. of an original -equip- The unique "System 10" has a ment system that's premium AM/FM digital radio, auto- ergonomically and acoustically reverse cassette and compact disc player. designed for your car or truck. Plus it features such audiophile treats So test drive the exciting "System10" as a hefty 220 watts maximum power and a or any one of Toyota's other quality audio total of ten ideally positioned, component -style systems today and get an idea of just how speakers with incredibly dynamic bi-amplified high Toyota performance levelscan go. sound. And it leaves Call 1 -800 -GO TOYOTA for more informa- competitive, premium- tion and the location of your nearest dealer. priced, original -equip- Get More From Life ...Buckle Up! ment systems in the *Available as a factory option on Celica GE GTS, and dust with its superior Dynamic ten -speaker layout. All-Trac Turbo. volume levels, extended frequencies, smooth response and minimum distortion. Actually, like this top -of -the -line system, TOYOTA all Toyota audio systems-no matter what "I love what you do for me:' ©1989 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. BULLETIN by Rebecca Day and single -circuit surround -sound the second album from Boy Meets William Livingstone technology later this year. SRS Girl, which gave us the song technology is currently available Waiting for a Star to Fall.... DAT TO CONGRESS in certain Sony XBR Tv's.... Bose British conductor Roger The Digital Audio Tape Recorder has designed a music system that Norrington has accepted the post Act of 1990 was introduced in is standard equipment on the of music director for the Congress at the end of February 1990 Infiniti Q45 four -door sedan Orchestra of St. Luke's in New by representatives including and M30 sports coupe. Both York. Angel plans to record him Henry Waxman (D -Calif.), Al Swift packages include a cassette with St. Luke's. (D -Wash.), Jim Cooper (D -Tenn.), receiver with DNR and Dolby B Don Ritter (R -Pa.), and Joe noise reduction and two pairs of AFFORDABLE CAR CD Barton (R -Tex.). The bill proposes speakers with built-in digital After years at the exclusive end that all DAT recorders sold in the switching amplifiers.... Technics of car stereo showrooms, CD U.S. be equipped with the Serial has incorporated Multi -Stage tuners and receivers have broken Copy Management System, which Noise Shaping (MASH) the $500 barrier and are starting allows users to make one digital technology into its new high -end, to move into the mainstream copy of a CD, but not a digital copy two-piece SL-Z1000/SH-X1000 CD price range in both fixed -mount of the copy.