search

Tokyo Solo
Keith Jarrett, piano
ECM DVD 5501 (DVD). 2006. Kaname Kawachi, dir.; Martin Pearson, eng. 16:9. Dolby Digital Stereo & 5.1, DTS 5.1. TT: 110:48

The Carnegie Hall Concert
Keith Jarrett, piano
ECM 1989/90 (2 CDs). 2006. Keith Jarrett, Manfred Eicher, prods.; Martin Pearson, eng. DDD. TT: 110:23

With last year's Radiance, Keith Jarrett returned to the epic solo-piano improvisations for which he's been famous for 33 years. But with a difference—instead of continuous improvisations lasting…

Twice each year, however, in Stereophile's April and October issues, the battle on the newsstands is…

Readers always pose that question to Stereophile, and it doesn't matter what we think affordable means—to a large percentage of our readers (or at least of our letter-writers), we don't get it.

So when a Forums participant put the question to John Atkinson last winter our fearless leader responded along the lines of "Like what?"

"Like the $39 Sonic Impact power amplifier. It's surprisingly good—and not just for the money."

Well, $39 is affordable by any definition, and John's response was immediate. "I ordered one. I'll…

That was good. Now how about some Manu Katché...?

But enough with this music stuff—what about the sound? Forcing myself back into my analytic mode, and despite being impressed that my…

Description: Stereo power amplifier using TriPath TA2024 module with class-D output stage and volume control. Maximum output power (0.1% THD+N): 11W into 4 ohms (7.4dBW), 6W into 8 ohms (7.8dBW). Dynamic range: 98dB. No other specifications listed.
Dimensions: 7.5" (192mm) H by 3.25" (83mm) W by 7.5" (192mm) D. Weight: 2 lbs (0.9kg).
Serial Number Unit Reviewed: AIV050B049765.
Price: $159. Approximate number of dealers: sold direct. Warranty: 1 year parts & labor.
Manufacturer: Sonic Impact Technologies, 2555 State Street, San Diego, CA 92101.…

Digital Source: Ayre C5-xe universal player, Musical Fidelity X-RayV3 CD player.
Preamplifier: Conrad-Johnson CT-5.
Power Amplifiers: Portal Paladin, Channel Island Audio D100 (both monoblocks).
Loudspeakers: Canton Vento Reference 1 DC, Dynaudio Special Twenty-Five, Dynaudio Focus 140, Linn Tukan.
Cables: Interconnect: Audience Au24, Kimber PBJ, Shunyata Research Aries, Stereovox Colibri. Speaker: Kimber 8TC, Shunyata Research Lyra, Stereovox Firebird. AC: Shunyata Research Anaconda & Orion.
Accessories: Monolithic Audio Perpetual Power…

I preconditioned the Sonic Impact Super T amplifier with both channels running at one-third maximum output power for an hour into 8 ohms, but, as expected with an amplifier with a high-efficiency switching output stage, the chassis was as cold at the end of that period as it had been at the start. The THD+noise percentage was 0.0911% at the start and 0.0916% at the end; ie, no significant change. The maximum voltage gain into 8 ohms was a little lower than usual, at 25.1dB, and the amplifier inverted signal polarity.

The input impedance depended both on…

The purveyors of line conditioners, power regenerators, isolation transformers, and the like have been bombarding us with that message for years now, and it seems to have taken hold. Though the message comes larded with multiple helpings of…

Deep sound
Your New York–based Stereophile flight crew was invited to hear a pair of Emitter II Exclusives in action at Lyric HiFi recently, driving the four-tower Nola Grand Reference loudspeaker system. In-store demos are notoriously tricky, unpredictable, and often unsatisfactory, but usually the experienced listener can come away with at least a general sense of a product's quality. Lyric's combo of Nolas and Emitter II Exclusives was bass-heavy, and produced…