Big Top Hi-fi, or: Hi-fi Takes Manhattan
I was flipping through the current issue of <i>Rolling Stone</i> (RS 1068/1069, with a mustachioed Brad Pitt on the cover) and stopped at their "Rock & Roll Gift Guide."
LATEST ADDITIONS
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The ARChive Record Sale
Though it seemed to have been fairly well-scavenged by the time we arrived on Saturday afternoon, the ARChive of Contemporary Music's <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/926_new_stock/">Winter Record and CD Sale</a> held many great treasures.
Musical Fidelity 750K Supercharger monoblock power amplifier
Musical Fidelity's "Supercharger" concept is simple, which is perhaps why no one had thought of it before: If you love the sound of your low-powered amplifier but your speakers are insensitive, or you just need more loudness, you insert the high-power Supercharger amplifier between your low-powered amp and speakers. The Supercharger loads the small amplifier with an easy-to-drive 50 ohms, and, in theory, has so little sonic signature itself that it passes on the sonic signature of the small amp unchanged, but louder.
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Thiel CS3.7 loudspeaker
One might argue that Thiel Audio's 3-series loudspeakers are the audio equivalents of BMW's 3-series sports cars: relatively affordable, but 100% about performance. Thiel has made bigger, more expensive loudspeakers than the 3s, as well as smaller, less expensive models—but the iconic Thiels are the 3s.
What is your pick for the most important audio development this year, be it a technology, trend, or component?
It's been a tumultuous year for many around the world, but the audiophile keeps listening to music and searching for better sound. What is your pick for the most important audio development this year, be it a technology, trend, or component?
Furor Arises Over Counterfeit Oyaide AC Plugs
In the early morning hours of December 11, Joseph Cohen of the <A HREF="http://www.lotusgroupusa.com">Lotus Group</A>, the exclusive distributor of Oyaide products in North America, sent out a "Lotus Group News Flash!" The e-mail, dated December 10, declared:
The Time is Now!
One night last week, a bout of channel surfing brought me to the Grammy nomination concert. Not the Grammys mind you, that’s in February, but a televised special to announce the nominations. And only the nominations of the celebrity—driven stuff like Best New Artist which is when LL Cool J, who was hosting, walked across the front of the auditorium and ask the Jonas Brothers how it felt to be nominated. As the bile rose in my throat I changed the channel. I found it to be very strange that this was proceeded by a showing of the venerable 1964 stop motion animation special, <I>Rudolph, The Red—Nosed Reindeer</I> which is narrated by Burl Ives and contains a couple of indelible toon icons in the prospector Yukon Cornelius and a Yeti called a “bumble.”
Naim Offers High-Resolution Digital Content
Naim Audio's Naim Classics label has begun releasing recordings in Dual Pack format that contains both a Red-Book CD and 24-bit/88.2kHz audio DVD for $24.95. The exclusive US distributor of Naim's high resolution titles will be <A HREF="http://www.premieremusic.net">www.premieremusic.net</A>.
Morale Will Continue Until The Beatings Improve
If home-gallows prices keep coming down, people won't go to public executions anymore. The home brothel has reduced the amount of cash American men spend each year on banging strangers. And thanks to the home sweatshop, the CEOs of all the major clothing manufacturers have been forced to take pay cuts. (I mean, come on: It was either that or something totally unimaginable, like shipping American jobs overseas, or cutting healthcare benefits for the rank and file.)
Recording of December 2008: Threshold of Night
<B>TARIK O'REGAN: <I>Threshold of Night</I></B><BR>
<I>Had I Not Seen the Sun</I>, <I>The Ecstasies Above</I>, <I>Threshold of Night</I>, <I>Tal Vez Tenemos Tiempo</I>, <I>Care Charminge Sleepe</I>, <I>Triptych</I>, <I>I Had No Time to Hate</I><BR>
Conspirare Company of Voices, Company of Strings; Craig Hella Johnson, conductor<BR>
Harmonia Mundi HMU 807490 (SACD/CD). 2008. Robina G. Young, prod.; John Newton, eng. DDD. TT: 59:31<BR>
Performance *****<BR>
Sonics *****