News

The December Issue's Here

Stereophile Staff  |  Nov 12, 2018

We know, we know, it's only November 12. But it's one heck of an issue, featuring our Products of 2018, and it's hitting newsstands, tablets, and mailbox now! The versatile Ovation PA 8.2 preamplifier from German company AVM is featured on the December cover and this issue's line-up of reviews has a European flavor: as well as the AVM, we audition Elac's Adante AF-61 speaker and EMT's HSD 006 phono cartridge (Germany); the ATC CDA2 CD player, Harbeth P3ESR minimonitor, and Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 bookshelf speaker (UK); Ortofon SPU Wood pickup head (Denmark); and Aqua Formula xHD DAC (Italy).

But we haven't forgotten our home country: there are reviews of VPI's new Avenger Reference turntable, with its Fat Boy tonearm, and Cary's SLI-100 integrated amplifier.

Jon Iverson kicks the issue off, arguing that he doesn't want audio components to editorialize, even if doing so makes recordings sound better; inside, Jim Austin points out that the epithet "snake oil" is not always appropriate, given that real snake oil was an effective medication; while Art Dudley concludes the issue with a review of a new reissue of Jacqueline du Pré's wonderful performance of the Elgar Cello Concerto.

COMMENTS
rschryer's picture
Submitted by rschryer on November 12, 2018 - 12:13pm

...also has the best Letters section I can recall reading, of any publication.

rt66indierock's picture
Submitted by rt66indierock on November 12, 2018 - 3:42pm

“Sometimes claims are so biased and blatantly untrue that it’s like some mischievous gremlin is purposely planting lies and half-truths to deceive and confuse.”

This is how they talk about snake oil in the personal financial planning world. It fits the high end audio world well.

From Climbing the Retirement Mountain Chapter Five The Truth about Annuities

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on November 12, 2018 - 8:12pm

All the following jobs are quite similar .........

Some kind of a job in high-end audio ........
Used car sales ..........
Politician ...........
Lobbyist .....................
Opinion journalist .............

All these jobs are interchangeable .......... If a person is not successful in one job, then that person can change to another job in the same list :-) ...........

rschryer's picture
Submitted by rschryer on November 13, 2018 - 6:17am

Who's next, the Queen of England? You're a boss, Ken.

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