News

Michael Fremer writes, "I've never heard a pair of the Italian Sonus Faber speakers I didn't like. What I've never liked was the US price: too high. And then you have to put them on costly stands." In his review of the floorstanding Sonus Faber Concerto Grand Piano loudspeaker, Fremer grapples with the price/performance ratio of this $3500/pair speaker and answers the important audiophile question: Enough magic for the money?

Next, in his essay "Audio & Alternative Medicine," George Reisch points out why some of audio's stranger concepts can sound similar to claims for alternative medicine. He also observes that "a long, relaxing listening session can be good medicine, but I've never heard a doctor prescribe, 'Listen to your favorite recording three times and call me in the morning.' At least, not yet." We include the well-argued reader's response that inspired Reisch's next essay, "Pornography or Audio Journalism?," also Archived this week.