Recommended Components

2015 Recommended Components Recording Equipment

Recording Equipment

A

Sound Devices Model 722 portable audio recorder: $2775 ✩
JM raved: "The coolest, most desirable piece of audio hardware I have encountered in a dog's age." The Model 722 is designed as a rugged, high-performance, foolproof, battery-powered portable stereo recorder for electronic newsgathering and video- and film-sound recording. However, with its line-level XLR analog inputs, onboard A/D converters, 40GB hard drive, and headphone amp, the 722 can also serve as a personal stereo. Offers 24-bit recording at up to a 192kHz sample rate. "The apotheosis of the iPod," said JM. "iTunes be damned." JA notes that the 722's "pre-roll" feature—it starts recording five seconds before you press "Record"—saved his bacon on a live session. (Vol.29 No.10 WWW)

COMMENTS
dalethorn's picture
Submitted by dalethorn on March 21, 2015 - 1:38pm

Interesting that Digital Processors and Signal Processors are separate categories, given that I encounter the term 'DSP' (Digital Signal Processor) so often. Maybe it's a hardware-software thing.

corrective_unconscious's picture
Submitted by corrective_unco... on March 22, 2015 - 9:01am

The digital processors are DACs or things to route digital sound somewhere. There is some overlap if there's a CD player with inputs to its DAC, and some overlap with preamp/DACs, some of which of those might have some additional, secondary digital EQ functions.

The signal processors are mostly about varieties of digital EQ, with again a few hybrid products having some secondary functions.

The separation seems clear enough to me. It is the whole universe of modern audio which seems complex, i.e., the products themselves.

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on March 22, 2015 - 3:07pm
dalethorn wrote:
Interesting that Digital Processors and Signal Processors are separate categories, given that I encounter the term 'DSP' (Digital Signal Processor) so often.

The Digital Processors category is almost exclusively digital/analog converters. The Signal Processors category is reserved for things that do something to the signal and includes analog-domain processors, such as the BSG Q0L.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

dalethorn's picture
Submitted by dalethorn on March 22, 2015 - 3:52pm

I'm going to profess a bit of ignorance here, so .... one of the places where DSP or some variant shows up in my world is related to music players such as built into the Pono device, or in computer software such as Foobar2000 etc. The great thing about EQ included in these players (or as plug-in software) is that the digital data gets EQ'd before it hits the DAC, so that whatever DAC or amp is used, the EQ remains constant in playback. Ignoring any negative impact on the EQ due to which peripherals are used, I've always assumed that EQ pre-applied to the digital data as described will reduce the resolution of the playback. If that's true, are there common analog EQ solutions that would provide better sound?

tdixon's picture
Submitted by tdixon on March 23, 2015 - 12:55pm

Does this mean there are no plans for an app being released like there were in previous years?

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on March 24, 2015 - 7:14am
tdixon wrote:
Does this mean there are no plans for an app being released like there were in previous years?

Unfortunately, that's correct. No plans. However, this website reprint replaces the standalone free app.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Dushyant's picture
Submitted by Dushyant on March 25, 2015 - 4:39pm

From your comments prefacing the Recommended Loudspeakers 2015, I understand that category A (Full Range) has LF extension down to 20Hz. What about B (Full Range) and C (Full Range)? Do they also need to have LF extension down to 20Hz? If not, what is the LF extension for inclusion? For the restricted LF I assume that LF extension is to 40Hz for all categories. Clarification will be helpful and appreciated.

Thanks
Dushyant

leesure's picture
Submitted by leesure on March 26, 2015 - 8:48am

Despite there being 25 Class A preamps, there are only 2 Class B preamplifiers (both from the same company) and NO class C Preamps? There are 18 Class A Power Amps and Zero Class C or D Power Amps? I thought, "Perhaps there are just no products that fit those categories any more. No more Adcom's. No more B&K's." But then I looked around and found that there ARE musically satisfying budget electronics.

So I am left to wonder...do they no longer submit their products for review or is Stereophile no longer interested in reviewing them?

I began reading Stereophile in my 20's when there was no way I could even consider a $10,000 amplifier. I aspired to a system like that, but also loved reading about gear that I could stretch to afford. I loved building a musically satisfying SYSTEM for well under $10,000. Had I only been able to read about the gear that was so far out of reach, I would likely have dropped the hobby altogether. Without the bridge, I would never have been able to get across to the ultimate destination. That bridge is being taken away from the next generation of Audiophiles.

I think that's a real shame.

Christopher Mankiewicz's picture
Submitted by Christopher Man... on September 3, 2016 - 5:30pm

Kal, Please let me know. Thanks, Chris

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