Fine Tunes #42
"Hey, J-10!" John Atkinson called from the hallway outside my office. "I liked your October 'Fine Tunes'!"
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LATEST ADDITIONS
The Restorative Power of Music
It was an unusually fine day for a New York September. The W train crept from the subway tunnel into the sunlight of the Manhattan Bridge—"My God, the World Trade Center's on fire!" came the voice of the woman driving the train. I vividly remember what I did the rest of that day—the day the world terribly changed.
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What type of preamp do you use? Why?
Analog or digital, tube or solid-state, stereo or multi-channel, minimalist or full-featured? Reader Mark Gdovin wonders what type of preamp readers are using in their systems.
Added to the Archives This Week
For the tenth consecutive year, <I>Stereophile</I> writers and editors ferret out those components that have proved capable of giving musical pleasure beyond the formal review period and have wrapped them all up as <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//features/464/">The 2001 Products of the Year</A>. The envelope please.
Audiophile Delights
Audiophiles tend to be a fussy lot. But there are always a few sure-fire items that will put a smile on their faces without breaking the bank. We've got dozens of great ideas, guaranteed to suit every taste, available online (links are below) from our secure Web pages.
Single-Source Surround Sound?
Every <A HREF="http://www.cesweb.org">Consumer Electronics Show</A> features unusual prototypes from engineers throughout the world. Some are laboratory curiosities that never develop into viable products, but others have great potential.
Perreaux Redux
For any audio company to be successful, it needs to cover what my business school teachers used to call the "Four Ps": Product, Price, Promotion, and Place. In other words, success will follow if a company can slice up its resources to properly promote the right product at the right price and make it available in the right places.
Recordings of December 2001: Timeless & Poet
<B>HANK WILLIAMS: <I>Timeless</I></B><BR> Lost Highway 088 170 239-2 (CD). 2001. Luke Lewis, Mary Martin, Bonnie Garner, prods.; Bob Brockman, Michael Hopkins, Mark Johnson, others, engs.; Hank Williams (no relation), mastering. AAD. TT: 43:19<BR> Performance <B>****</B><BR> Sonics <B>*****</B>
Stereophile's Products of 2001
For the tenth consecutive year, Stereophile recognizes components that have proved capable of giving musical pleasure beyond the formal review period by naming its "Products of the Year."
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Manley Labs Steelhead phono preamplifier
The Manley Steelhead tube MM/MC phono preamplifier was first demonstrated at the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show. Nine months later, my long-promised review sample of Eveanna Manley's new baby was delivered. While Ms. Manley may have given birth to the audacious product, it was conceived by the company's chief hi-fi designer, Mitch Margolis.
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