Stereophile Staff

DVD-Audio is getting a boost from several directions.

From the August issue, Robert Deutsch gives the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/901/">Audio Research VS110 power amplifier and SP16L line preamplifier</A> the full treatment. RD reveals how he finds products to review, and more importantly, what he found appealing in the ARC amp and preamp.

The marque may be gone, but <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/897/">Proceed's PAV audio/video preamplifier</A> is not forgotten. In 1994, Thomas J. Norton examined the breakthrough the PAV represented, stating, "It was inevitable that traditional high-end audio manufacturers would begin producing equipment for the fast-growing home-theater market."

In his review of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//analogsourcereviews/888/">Clearaudio Champion 2 turntable and Unify tonearm with Benz Micro L2 phono cartridge</A>, Paul Bolin notes, "Turntables are intrinsically cool. Maybe it's that I am of the pre-CD generation, for which the acquisition of one's first <I>really good</I> turntable marked an audiophile's coming of age." Bolin explains why the Clearaudio is a <I>really good</I> player.

Listening room not up to snuff? Kalman Rubinson fires up the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//accessoryreviews/883/">Rives Audio PARC 3-Band Parametric Equalizer</A> to see whether it can tame a wild acoustic beast. KR reports that at "low frequencies, electronic EQ can be implemented without introducing significant distortion or noise in the midrange, where the ear is most sensitive."

Brian Damkroger ponders the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/878/">Class&#233; Omega monoblock power amplifier</A>. "The Class&#233; Omega is expensive, costing $25,000/pair," notes BD. But he also finds the amp a "drop-dead-gorgeous, massive, industrial-art chunk of aluminum and steel set off with a subtle mix of curves, contours, finishes, and textures." And then there is that Class&#233; sound.

Beginning in November 1996, Sam Tellig, Muse Kastanovich, and John Atkinson took turns with the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/873/">Musical Fidelity X-10D line-level preamplifier</A>. "I'll reveal the true identity of X-10D in a moment," Tellig writes. "But I'll say straight off that for those of you with such CD players as the Marantz CD 63, RadioShack Optimus CD-3400, <I>etc</I>, this may be the most cost-effective CD upgrade ever to come down the pike."