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In late October, I managed to squeeze a lightning trip East into my schedule. One purpose of my trip was to attend a press reception in Manhattan's refurbished, cathedral-like Grand Central…

I couldn't resist the late-night TV pitch of Peter Noone ("Herman" of Herman's Hermits) for this 10-CD collection of hit singles from 1964 to 1970. The set focuses on one-hit wonders from Motown and the British Invasion, presumably because those artists who remain stars today would be unlikely to license their recordings to such an offering. But there isn't a single tune here…

This is a two-CD distillation of Dion DiMucci's 1960s stint with Columbia Records, a period in which the early rock'n'roll superstar's career was largely sidelined by the tides of musical fashion, as well as the effects of his longstanding heroin addiction. The 35 tracks include a few token early-'60s hits and a pair of worthy if incongruous tracks from the '90s…

In most fields of scientific endeavor, advancing the state of the art is the primary goal of researchers and academics. From computer science to medicine to astronomy, technological frontiers are continually being pushed forward—and with astounding results. We can now "walk" through a building that exists…

The original release of Dick Hyman Plays Fats Waller was the world's first—and, to my knowledge, still only—direct-to-digital CD (footnote 1). Available at a premium price in a deluxe numbered edition limited to 25,000 copies, it has become one of Reference Recordings' most popular releases, and is expected to…

Construction is also of very high quality, even for a $400 device. Tiffany jacks are used selectively for two pairs of inputs and one pair of output jacks. The unit uses Lorlin selector…

The Mod Squad's standard Line Drive, the one that's become the passive control preamplifier, costs a mere $500; Steve McCormack is the first to admit that it is a value-oriented design. His ultimate goal, however, was to construct a passive control system that would be sonically identical to plugging a source component directly into the power amplifier. The Deluxe AGT version represents Steve's best shot yet at that goal: a slam-dunk of a shot in which nothing has been spared to wring that nth…

The fundamental listening tests involving The Mod Squad Line Drive were carried out in a system consisting of the VTL 100W Compact monoblock amplifiers driving Celestion SL700 loudspeakers, though I also used the combination for all the loudspeakers that I tested for this and the next issue of Stereophile. In addition, the pair of Thiel CS1.2s reviewed by Larry Archibald in this issue spent a considerable amount of time in my system.

Line-level source components included my stock Revox A77 for master tape replay, CD players from The Mod Squad and…

The only measurements relevant to the Line Drive are the crosstalk between channels and its input and output impedances, which will affect compatibility with source components and interconnect cables. The input impedance on all inputs is a lowish 8200 ohms, which could lead to a lightweight bass with high–output-impedance, capacitor-coupled tube preamplifiers. The Line Drive's output impedance will depend on the volume control setting; the resistance of the conductive-plastic track between the wiper and ground and the wiper and the signal input will be in parallel…

Description: passive control unit with five line-level inputs, two tape loops, and two main outputs. Input impedance: 8200 ohms. Output impedance: variable according to volume-control position, reaches a maximum of approximately 2100 ohms not including impedance of selected source. Channel separation: 86dB (20Hz), 83dB (1kHz), 72dB (20kHz).
Dimensions: 16.5" W by 10.75" D by 2.5" H. Estimated weight: 3 lbs.
Price: $400 (1987), $500 (1989), $900 (1989, Deluxe version); no longer available (2009). Approximate number of dealers: 115.
Manufacturer: The…