Stephen Mejias

The KEF Blade

Stephen Mejias May 22, 2009 First Published: May 22, 2009

At last year's http://blog.stereophile.com/ces2008/010908future/ ">Consumer Electronics Show and http://blog.stereophile.com/fsi2008/040408muon/ ">Festival Son & Image, British loudspeaker manufacturer KEF caught a lot of eyes and ears with their shimmering, $140,000/pair Muon. Now the company has unveiled the Blade, an artful, sleek, stealthy looking thing, poised to draw similar attention.

Stephen Mejias

Rhapsody Remastered and Revitalized

Stephen Mejias May 22, 2009 First Published: May 22, 2009

Did you know that we recently remastered our Rhapsody? The album is a tribute to George Gershwin, conducted by pianist Hyperion Knight, and it's good, good fun on the hi-fi.

Stephen Mejias

Marantz KI Pearls

Stephen Mejias May 20, 2009 First Published: May 20, 2009

I love the styling of the latest Marantz gear&#151strong and masculine without being overblown or audacious. Though the late '80s through early '90s saw Marantz move away from their high end roots, the last decade has been a return to form. Under the ownership of D&M Holdings, the respected audio company seems to be embracing their cherished past. In May 2008, Michael Fremer was extremely impressed by their SM-11S1">http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/508mar11s1/index.html">SM-11S1 Reference power amplifier. He wrote:

Stephen Mejias

Desire, Passion, Hunger (Duh)

Stephen Mejias May 20, 2009 First Published: May 20, 2009

Fans of Shindo's gorgeous green and gold tube amplifiers will be excited to know that the Japanese manufacturer has just introduced (or re-introduced, I'm not sure) a new (or re-new, as the case may be) integrated amplifier.

Stephen Mejias

Marc Ribot at Le Poisson Rouge

Stephen Mejias May 19, 2009 First Published: May 19, 2009

For a long time, I wasn't sure if I would go to the show. Finally, on the day of the show, I decided I would go. I made the right decision. Marc Ribot, celebrating his 55th birthday at Le">http://lepoissonrouge.com/">Le Poisson Rouge, was something to remember. Little did I know he had played every night of the week, performing old and new material with several different bands at various venues throughout New York City.

Stephen Mejias

Safe Sex of the Highest Order

Stephen Mejias May 18, 2009 First Published: May 18, 2009

And later in the">http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/things_are_so_bad/">the night, I listened to Archie Shepp's Three For A Quarter, One For A Dime, which I understand is the darker, angrier, wilder side of a performance held at San Francisco's old Both/And Club on February 19, 1966.

Stephen Mejias

Things Are So Bad

Stephen Mejias May 18, 2009 First Published: May 18, 2009

And earlier in the">http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/safe_sex_of_the_highest_order… night, I listened to an old Yazoo title: St. Louis Blues (1929-1935): The Depression, which has some amazing, moving cuts from Henry Townsend, Charley Jordan, Georgia Boyd, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Hi Henry Brown. Such pure, raw sounds are timeless, and are perhaps especially meaningful today.

Stephen Mejias

Dark Night of the Soul

Stephen Mejias May 14, 2009 First Published: May 14, 2009

Pain: I guess it's a matter of sensation

Stephen Mejias

Now on Newsstands: Stereophile, Vol.32 No.6

Stephen Mejias May 14, 2009 First Published: May 14, 2009

The June 2009 issue of Stereophile is now on newsstands. At first, I was against the green border and font for the front cover, favoring a">http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/in_shades_of_orange/">a red and orange motif instead, but I now think the green treatment looks excellent. It is appropriate for spring, and the Klipsch Palladium P-39F loudspeaker seems to leap right from the page. Like a (really freaking) gigantic squirrel leaping from the branch of a blossoming tree.

Stephen Mejias

In Shades of Orange

Stephen Mejias May 14, 2009 First Published: May 14, 2009

This was my initial choice of cover motif for our June 2009 issue. We were concerned that these colors, however, would appear too similar to those used for our">http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/now_on_newsstands_stereophile… May issue. One goal in designing a cover is to make it look as different as possible from the cover preceding it. So that buyers don't get confused, or something, I guess. While I understand the point, I must say that the Klipsch Palladium P-39F loudspeaker looks nothing like the">http://www.stereophile.com/turntables/sme_model_2012_turntable_312s_ton… SME 20/12 turntable.