Herb Reichert

Herb Senior raised me to be a wrench twirler. A problem solver. A mechanic. Not an intellectual. Or an artist. Following his example, I've devoted my life to measuring, cutting, and fastening. To putting things together.

I am grateful MoFi sent me Quad's flagship Platina Integrated ($5495) because by the time I got it wired up and running on three inputs, I could tell how its basic character reflected the aesthetic values championed by Quad founder Peter Walker.

I believe that every question has only one right answer. And that most of us are pretty challenged when it comes to knowing what it is. I know I am. To redeem myself, I've devoted my life to thinking up dumb questions.

It only took 40 years, but I think digital can now compete one-on-one with analog for exciting, satisfying sonics and user satisfaction. It took a long time to happen, but I think it was worth the wait.

I was walking with my neighbor, guide, old friend, and fabled "blue saloon" limo driver Beau Ranheim when I heard a shout from afar. It was Todd Garfinkle of M•A Recordings. "Hey Herb! Are you ready to go to Japan?"

Last year, I reported on Stax's glamorous new SR-007S electrostatic earspeakers ($2390) in conjunction with the Stax SRM-700S driver amplifier. This report was extra fun because I was just finishing up a long romantic affair with a loaner pair of vintage Stax SR-Omegas about which, in his 1995 Stereophile review, Tom Norton declared: "If you want the truth, however—at least as honestly as I've heard it in any headphones—you want the Stax SR-Omegas."

When auditioning a new audio component, I invariably start with some ideas about what I should listen for, based on my preconceptions about the pitfalls and propensities of products in its category. For example, with digital, I'm listening for sound that's awake and unprocessed. With every component, I start by hoping I can spot their colorations and assess their level of importance.