On Sale Now: The Recommended Component’s Collector’s Edition

After two full weeks away from the office—Hurricane Sandy followed us from Puerto Rico to New Jersey—it was especially nice to get back in here and be greeted by the Stereophile Recommended Components Collector’s Edition.

Isn’t it beautiful?

For me, every one of its 180 pages represents blinding pain and seemingly endless suffering. But, for you, dear reader, we hope the Recommended Components Collector’s Edition will represent nothing but pure pleasure and joy.

The book includes the last 10 years of our popular “Recommended Components” feature, each entry complete with a capsule review, specified by the product’s duration on our list, and categorized by component and original class rating. For instance, the mighty Denon DL-103 moving-coil phono cartridge ($229.99) is rated Class C and has been on the list since October 1975. Art Dudley called it “a superb cartridge and a remarkable buy.”

We list well over 300 analog playback products, over 200 digital playback products, over 400 amplification products, over 300 loudspeakers and subwoofers, as well as headphones, cables, room acoustics treatments, surround-sound components, and miscellaneous accessories. That’s an enormous range of audio components—some new, some old, and some as old as me.

Who cares about discontinued products? You do! We regularly hear from readers who wish the Bombastic A-123 that we recommended heartily two years ago had never fallen off our list. Well, here you go, vintage-audio fans, history buffs, hoarders, completists, sentimental audiophiles: This one’s for you.

I, for one, love the historical awesomeness of the Recommended Component’s Collector’s Edition. There’s a lot of wisdom, time, and experience in these 180 pages. Say you’re a fan of Wilson Audio loudspeakers. It’s sort of fun to look go back 10 years and see how the MAXX fared on our list, how it grew in price (from $38,900/pair to $48,900/pair to a whopping $69,500/pair).

The Recommended Components Collector’s Edition also includes excellent essays, by Art Dudley, Wes Phillips, and Kal Rubinson, on how to select and purchase audio gear. Honestly, we’re very proud of the Recommended Components Collector’s Edition. We think it’s an awesome reference and a lot of fun, and we hope it finds a special place in the homes of all audiophiles.

The Recommended Components Collector’s Edition costs $6.99, but I still think it’s worth at least $15.50. It’s on newsstands now—just in time for the holiday season (hint, hint)—and can also be purchased from our secure online store. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we suffered making it.

COMMENTS
Ariel Bitran's picture

hallelujah!

praise jah!

hell yes!

tmsorosk's picture

Does this replace the Buyers Guide this year?

John Atkinson's picture

tmsorosk wrote:
Does this replace the Buyers Guide this year?

Yes. Our plan is to migrate the Buyer's Guide into an on-line resource.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile

ninjagosg's picture

available as a download?

Ariel Bitran's picture
Ciceroslim's picture

Can you direct us toward a newstand in Manhattan that's carrying it?

Ariel Bitran's picture

(nt)

bmilwee's picture

Will Stereophile subscribers get this in the mail as part of their subscrition?  Or is it just available for purchase?

John Atkinson's picture

Quote:
Will Stereophile subscribers get this in the mail as part of their subscrition?  Or is it just available for purchase?

It is a separate publication. Its production is too expensive for it to be included free with the subscription to the monthly magazine, I am afraid.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile

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