As an audio journalist "servicing" the High End (ouch!), I surf the Web waves to see what's going on on the various audio newsgroups and bulletin boards. Sometimes the Net resembles the Concorde going down, the crash video'd by a passing French motorist: Ashen faces pressed against car windows driving slowly by to check out the carnage.

Having evaluated any number of integrated amplifiers in the past year or so, I've repeatedly been impressed by the ways in which designers build versatility and sonic distinction into their single-box designs. In matching those that sounded and measured the best&mdash;such as the tubed E.A.R. V20 (October 1999) and the solid-state <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/329/">Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver</A> (January 2001)&mdash;with appropriate speakers and source components, I was able to attain high-resolution musicality with a minimum of fuss. Crave high-end sound but require even less complexity? You could dispense with interconnects altogether by integrating a high-quality CD player into a remote-controlled receiver, as Linn has with the diminutive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Classik</A&gt; that I reviewed last November.

Having evaluated any number of integrated amplifiers in the past year or so, I've repeatedly been impressed by the ways in which designers build versatility and sonic distinction into their single-box designs. In matching those that sounded and measured the best&mdash;such as the tubed E.A.R. V20 (October 1999) and the solid-state <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/329/">Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver</A> (January 2001)&mdash;with appropriate speakers and source components, I was able to attain high-resolution musicality with a minimum of fuss. Crave high-end sound but require even less complexity? You could dispense with interconnects altogether by integrating a high-quality CD player into a remote-controlled receiver, as Linn has with the diminutive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Classik</A&gt; that I reviewed last November.

Having evaluated any number of integrated amplifiers in the past year or so, I've repeatedly been impressed by the ways in which designers build versatility and sonic distinction into their single-box designs. In matching those that sounded and measured the best&mdash;such as the tubed E.A.R. V20 (October 1999) and the solid-state <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/329/">Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver</A> (January 2001)&mdash;with appropriate speakers and source components, I was able to attain high-resolution musicality with a minimum of fuss. Crave high-end sound but require even less complexity? You could dispense with interconnects altogether by integrating a high-quality CD player into a remote-controlled receiver, as Linn has with the diminutive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Classik</A&gt; that I reviewed last November.

Having evaluated any number of integrated amplifiers in the past year or so, I've repeatedly been impressed by the ways in which designers build versatility and sonic distinction into their single-box designs. In matching those that sounded and measured the best&mdash;such as the tubed E.A.R. V20 (October 1999) and the solid-state <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/329/">Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver</A> (January 2001)&mdash;with appropriate speakers and source components, I was able to attain high-resolution musicality with a minimum of fuss. Crave high-end sound but require even less complexity? You could dispense with interconnects altogether by integrating a high-quality CD player into a remote-controlled receiver, as Linn has with the diminutive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Classik</A&gt; that I reviewed last November.

Having evaluated any number of integrated amplifiers in the past year or so, I've repeatedly been impressed by the ways in which designers build versatility and sonic distinction into their single-box designs. In matching those that sounded and measured the best&mdash;such as the tubed E.A.R. V20 (October 1999) and the solid-state <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/329/">Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver</A> (January 2001)&mdash;with appropriate speakers and source components, I was able to attain high-resolution musicality with a minimum of fuss. Crave high-end sound but require even less complexity? You could dispense with interconnects altogether by integrating a high-quality CD player into a remote-controlled receiver, as Linn has with the diminutive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Classik</A&gt; that I reviewed last November.

Having evaluated any number of integrated amplifiers in the past year or so, I've repeatedly been impressed by the ways in which designers build versatility and sonic distinction into their single-box designs. In matching those that sounded and measured the best&mdash;such as the tubed E.A.R. V20 (October 1999) and the solid-state <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/329/">Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver</A> (January 2001)&mdash;with appropriate speakers and source components, I was able to attain high-resolution musicality with a minimum of fuss. Crave high-end sound but require even less complexity? You could dispense with interconnects altogether by integrating a high-quality CD player into a remote-controlled receiver, as Linn has with the diminutive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Classik</A&gt; that I reviewed last November.

Having evaluated any number of integrated amplifiers in the past year or so, I've repeatedly been impressed by the ways in which designers build versatility and sonic distinction into their single-box designs. In matching those that sounded and measured the best&mdash;such as the tubed E.A.R. V20 (October 1999) and the solid-state <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/329/">Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver</A> (January 2001)&mdash;with appropriate speakers and source components, I was able to attain high-resolution musicality with a minimum of fuss. Crave high-end sound but require even less complexity? You could dispense with interconnects altogether by integrating a high-quality CD player into a remote-controlled receiver, as Linn has with the diminutive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Classik</A&gt; that I reviewed last November.

What's it take to compete on the bleeding edge of digital? Foresight, commitment of resources, and lots of money. Of course, it's <I>all</I> fundamentally about money, so we shouldn't be surprised that the audiophile's emotional needs aren't paid much respect by the large international manufacturing and marketing concerns stalking the earth today. Megaglom <I>vs</I> Cockroachacus. [<I>Sigh</I>] Where <I>are</I> those pesky miniature princess twins when you need 'em?

What's it take to compete on the bleeding edge of digital? Foresight, commitment of resources, and lots of money. Of course, it's <I>all</I> fundamentally about money, so we shouldn't be surprised that the audiophile's emotional needs aren't paid much respect by the large international manufacturing and marketing concerns stalking the earth today. Megaglom <I>vs</I> Cockroachacus. [<I>Sigh</I>] Where <I>are</I> those pesky miniature princess twins when you need 'em?