LATEST ADDITIONS

Genesis Technologies Genesis III loudspeaker

Robert Harley May 21, 2013

The loudspeaker designer's art has changed radically over the past 20 years. Although the goals are largely the same, today's designer employs tools and techniques unimaginable two decades ago. Computer modeling, powerful and affordable FFT machines, and sophisticated new driver technologies are just a few of the advantages enjoyed by the modern designer. The high-tech result is a vastly better loudspeakereven inexpensive products today are significantly better than those of even five years ago, never mind 20.

The new Genesis III loudspeaker shows just how sophisticated the designer's art has become. The Genesis III is as far removed from the cones-in-boxes loudspeakers of yesterday as a Ford Taurus is from a Pinto. Combining a radically different cabinet with unusual custom drive-units, the Genesis III is a paradigm of how high technology has transformed loudspeaker design.

Ariel Bitran

Live: Anamanaguchi, Bitchin' Bajas, and Angel Olsen

Ariel Bitran May 21, 2013

Despite a recurring and subtly bothersome perirectal abscess, I was committed to making this a good weekend. My life had been devoid of concerts and bars due to my renewed vow to frugality, but an endless stream of incredible live music in NYC this weekend could not and would not be ignored.

Sweepstakes

Focal XS Book Music System Sweepstakes

Jon Iverson May 21, 2013

According to the company: "Whatever your musical taste, uncover all the power and emotion your music, movie and gaming collection has to offer with Focal’s elegant and compact desktop 2.0 active loudspeaker system. Based on 33-years of acoustic research and over a dozen patents, Focal has created the ideal powered desktop loudspeaker system that will delight your senses while delivering years of dependable service. Hear exactly what you’ve been missing; experience just how good desktop music can sound."

[This Sweepstakes is now closed.]

Stephen Mejias

A Bright and Exciting Future

Stephen Mejias May 20, 2013

Beautiful listening in Munich. Photo: Michael Lavorgna

We have to ask ourselves: Can all hi-fi shows be as efficiently run, popular, successful, and downright fun as the Munich High End Show? Is it possible to cultivate, here in the United States, that combination of heartfelt enthusiasm, relaxed atmosphere, and healthy balance of substance and style?

Stand Loudspeaker Reviews

Velodyne DF-661 loudspeaker

John Atkinson May 17, 2013

Silicon Valleybased Velodyne was founded in 1983 to develop a range of subwoofers that used servo-control to reduce non-linear distortion to vanishingly small levels. They succeeded in this goal to the extent that Velodyne is now perhaps the best-known subwoofer company in the US, currently employing 65 people. At the 1994 Winter CES, Velodyne launched the subject of this review: the DF-661 ($1800$2600/pair), their first full-range loudspeaker (the "DF" stands for "Distortion-Free").

The three-way DF-661 was designed from the ground up to continue the Velodyne tradition of ultra-low distortion. "We had developed the technology and resources to attack distortion elsewhere in the audio chain," wrote company President David Hall, "and started with the premise that, by definition...distortion in loudspeakers is wrong." (His italics.) "We went to the laboratory for a solution, with the living room as the ultimate goal." Velodyne calls this attention to technological detail "The Silicon Valley approach to sound."

Sweepstakes

Tony Wins Some Schiit

Ariel Bitran May 16, 2013

Tony Tueni of Charlotte, North Carolina is the happy winner of our Schiit Bifrost USB and Modi DACs Sweepstakes. Tony's current system includes a Rega Planar 3 turntable, Onix integrated amplifier, Soliloquy 5.3 loudspeakers, Oppo CD player, and Squeezebox Touch. He can now add the Schiit BiFrost and Modi DACs to the list.

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

2013 Munich High End Show: HiFiMAN RE-400 and RE-600

Tyll Hertsens May 16, 2013

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

You know what's funny about this job? You travel half way around the world and then talk to people you know well. Fang is one of those people. I'm thinking I should go to China one of these days and talk to him again.

Anyway, HiFiMAN had a couple of cool dynamic IEMs that were a good listen. Check it out.

Ed. Note: I've posted my show impressions for Stereophile, you can read them here.

Ariel Bitran

Passion of the Hi-Fi: Part VI - Resolution

Ariel Bitran May 15, 2013

JA guffawed, “It sounds like you need a tweeter-ectomy.”

“I hope that’s all I need.” After buying a replacement tweeter for my Usher S-520s, I asked Stan Tracht, US representative for Usher, a pair of questions.

“Will I need to solder anything?”

“No soldering needed,” Stan advised.

“Do I need to buy a second tweeter to ensure the speakers match?”

Stand Loudspeaker Reviews Budget Component Reviews

Boston Acoustics A40 loudspeaker

Sam Tellig, Alvin Gold May 14, 2013

The Boston Acoustics A40 loudspeaker ($150/pair) has become "legendary" (ie, it's stayed around for a while), probably because a pair of them images as well as Rogers LS3/5As. Unfortunately, it is no match for the LS3/5A in terms of smooth midrange response. Of course, at $150/pair, it shouldn't be.

I was originally going to do a review comparing the Spectrum 108A ($200/pair) and the Boston Acoustics A40. On first listen, I was mightily impressed by the A40. But after Stereophile's Larry Archibald schlepped me out a pair of the 108As, I didn't much want to listen to the A40s.

Stand Loudspeaker Reviews J. Gordon Holt Budget Component Reviews Historical

Altec Lansing 301 loudspeaker

J. Gordon Holt May 14, 2013

One of the oldest names in US audio, Altec Lansing was building speakers for theaters and recording studios long before the introduction of the microgroove LP in 1948 (which date many see as marking the inception of high fidelity). Started in 1931 under the name All-Technical Services ~Corp., the firm later purchased another audio firm called Lansing Engineering, and merged the names. Altec's Model 604, one of the first true coaxial speakers, was adopted for home use by many early hi-fi buffs and, several permutations later, is still widely used for monitoring in disc-cutting rooms.