<B>MADELEINE PEYROUX: <I>Careless Love</I></B><BR>
Madeleine Peyroux, vocals, acoustic guitar; Lee Thornburg, trumpet; Dean Parks, guitars; Larry Goldings, piano; David Piltch, bass; Jay Bellerose, drums; Scott Amendola, brushes.<BR>
Rounder 11661 3192-2 (CD). 2004. Larry Klein, prod.; Helik Hadar, eng.; Ricky Chao, Nicolas Fournier, asst. engs. AAD. TT: 42:56<BR>
Performance <B>****</B><BR>
Sonics <B>****</B>

In August, I <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">reviewed</…; McIntosh's MC501 monoblock power amplifier. In terms of what I'd thought was possible from Mac, this was a revelation. Once memories and lurking preconceptions had been set aside and the amps installed in my system, the MC501 easily established itself as among the finest overall performers I have ever reviewed.

In August, I <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">reviewed</…; McIntosh's MC501 monoblock power amplifier. In terms of what I'd thought was possible from Mac, this was a revelation. Once memories and lurking preconceptions had been set aside and the amps installed in my system, the MC501 easily established itself as among the finest overall performers I have ever reviewed.

In August, I <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">reviewed</…; McIntosh's MC501 monoblock power amplifier. In terms of what I'd thought was possible from Mac, this was a revelation. Once memories and lurking preconceptions had been set aside and the amps installed in my system, the MC501 easily established itself as among the finest overall performers I have ever reviewed.

In August, I <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">reviewed</…; McIntosh's MC501 monoblock power amplifier. In terms of what I'd thought was possible from Mac, this was a revelation. Once memories and lurking preconceptions had been set aside and the amps installed in my system, the MC501 easily established itself as among the finest overall performers I have ever reviewed.

In August, I <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">reviewed</…; McIntosh's MC501 monoblock power amplifier. In terms of what I'd thought was possible from Mac, this was a revelation. Once memories and lurking preconceptions had been set aside and the amps installed in my system, the MC501 easily established itself as among the finest overall performers I have ever reviewed.

One of the highlights of recent Consumer Electronics and Home Entertainment shows has been the demonstrations of sound quality put on by Australian amplifier manufacturer Halcro with Wilson Audio loudspeakers. At my first exposure to one of these demos&mdash;described in my April 2002 "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/557">As We See It</A>"&mdash;enormous dynamic range was coupled with a grain-free presentation and almost holographic stereo imaging to produce a breathtaking sweep of sound. Paul Bolin reviewed Halcro's <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/683">dm58 monoblock</A> in October 2002, and that amplifier was subsequently voted this magazine's "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/features/724/index2.html">Amplification Component of 2002</A>" by our reviewers.

One of the highlights of recent Consumer Electronics and Home Entertainment shows has been the demonstrations of sound quality put on by Australian amplifier manufacturer Halcro with Wilson Audio loudspeakers. At my first exposure to one of these demos&mdash;described in my April 2002 "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/557">As We See It</A>"&mdash;enormous dynamic range was coupled with a grain-free presentation and almost holographic stereo imaging to produce a breathtaking sweep of sound. Paul Bolin reviewed Halcro's <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/683">dm58 monoblock</A> in October 2002, and that amplifier was subsequently voted this magazine's "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/features/724/index2.html">Amplification Component of 2002</A>" by our reviewers.