Digital source: dCS 972 DDC and Elgar DAC at 24/192, Forsell Air Reference CD transport, Accuphase DP-75V CD player.
Preamplifier: BAT VK-50SE/VK-P10.
Power amplifiers: Forsell Statement, Lamm ML1s.
Loudspeakers: JMlab Utopia.
Cables: Interconnect: Synergistic Research Designer's Reference Active Shielding, AudioQuest Amazon. Speaker: Synergistic Research Designer's Reference, XLO The Limited. Digital datalinks: XLO The Limited AES/EBU. AC cords: Synergistic Research Designer's Reference Master Couplers Squared.
Accessories: ASC Studio Traps…
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Sidebar 3: Associated Equipment
Manufacturer's Comment
Editor: We thank you for giving us the opportunity of making this pre-publication response and for giving us lengthy coverage of the Richard Gray's Power Company (RGPC). We are disappointed that Jonathan Scull was unable to achieve the results that others and we have enjoyed with the over 2000 units sold by over 75 dealers in the 13 months the RGPC has been on the market. These dealers encourage no-risk, in-place demonstrations to high-end audio and home-theater enthusiasts, professional recording studios, and musicians.
In a few rare exceptions where one's…
Letters in response appeared in the August and September 2000 issues of Stereophile
When the Charmin runs out
Editor: After reading Jonathan Scull's review of the Richard Gray's Power Company 400S AC line conditioner (June 2000, p.103), I am again reminded of the two things for which I utilize Stereophile. The first is the information gleaned from "Industry Update." The second is using Jonathan Scull's equipment reviews when the Charmin runs out.—Tom Hamer Memphis, TN, tomhamer@pop.mindspring.com
With three it's heaven!
Editor: My system consists of an Audio…
Silverton's life's work
Editor: This begins to resemble one's life's work. It's dear old Jonathan Scull again, as in President Reagan's quip, "There you go again."
In the June Stereophile Scull disparages a product which, in the opinion of a large number of impartial audiophiles, is remarkably effective. Your top-tier reviewer judges otherwise, which would be all right, I suppose, were he to occupy a less influential position in this little world of ours. As matters stand, the man's sarcasms and snipes might very well obliterate an innovation deserving of celebration and support…
Spoiled yuppie losers?
Editor: Just received the August issue of Stereophile and what do I read? A couple of crybabies taking one of your boys to task for a negative review. "Wah! I spent my money on this stuff, which means it has to be good. So you're wrong, Mr. Stereophile Editor Man. Wah!"
Typical spoiled yuppie losers.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the license of critique extends to the negative as well as the positive. It doesn't have to be pretty. It doesn't have to be diplomatic. And, because you drape yourselves in the flag of subjective review über alles, it doesn…
We also received the following letter, which was too long for publication in the print edition of Stereophile:
A scathing review?
Editor: I was disturbed by Jonathan Scull's scathing review of the Richard Gray's Power Company device in the June 2000 Stereophile. I reviewed this product for Widescreen Review and liked it a lot. I also recommended that readers of my own publication, the Audio Perfectionist Journal, try the Richard Gray's unit in their own systems. Mr. Scull came to very different conclusions and soundly condemned the RGPC as a rip off while comparing its sonic…
Michael Fremer wrote about Richard Gray's Power Company products in November 2004 (Vol.27 No.11):
Cables, power-line conditioners, and the like can have a profound effect on a system's sound, but they're the spices of a sound system, not the main course—as was proved during the months I spent with the Richard Gray's Power Products in and out of my reviewing system.
Richard Gray's Power Company offers three basic product lines: power-line conditioners, isolation transformers, and AC power cords. The company claims that its system, based on beefy inductors operating in parallel with…
"Most important." That was the phrase I used when I e-mailed the members of Stereophile's extended family of reviewers and writers to ask for suggestions when I began to compile this list. I didn't want to be more specific because I wanted to cast the net as wide as possible. But there are many factors that make an audio component "important": design innovation, sound quality, sales figures, influence on other designers, influence on the evolving market, influence on system synergy.
When I received everyone's suggestions—thanks, guys, I'm in your debt big-time—I reduced the number of…
[90]: The Advent Loudspeaker
Stereophile review: Spring 1971 (Vol.2 No.12). The late Henry Kloss had the Midas touch: whatever his fancy alighted on turned into sonic gold. In the case of the Advent Loudspeaker, he designed America's first true high-end dynamic sealed-box loudspeaker. And given that everyone was convinced that good speakers needed to use three drive-units, Henry made do with two. He designed the Advent armed with microphone, voltmeter, oscilloscope, and signal generator, but without—the entire generation of speaker engineers who graduated since the early 1980s will be…
Stereophile review: Spring 1971 (Vol.2 No.12). The late Henry Kloss had the Midas touch: whatever his fancy alighted on turned into sonic gold. In the case of the Advent Loudspeaker, he designed America's first true high-end dynamic sealed-box loudspeaker. And given that everyone was convinced that good speakers needed to use three drive-units, Henry made do with two. He designed the Advent armed with microphone, voltmeter, oscilloscope, and signal generator, but without—the entire generation of speaker engineers who graduated since the early 1980s will be…
[76]: Hafler DH-200 power amplifier
Stereophile review: November 1983 (Vol.6 No.5). With this high-powered kit, David Hafler attempted to do for solid-state amplifiers what he'd already done for tubed designs with the Dynaco Stereo 70. He almost succeeded—the DH-200 proved an excellent platform for almost unlimited tweaking (called "Poogeing" by cognoscenti). Still in production 20 years later from Smart Devices, who have added a small-signal tube!
Stereophile review: November 1983 (Vol.6 No.5). With this high-powered kit, David Hafler attempted to do for solid-state amplifiers what he'd already done for tubed designs with the Dynaco Stereo 70. He almost succeeded—the DH-200 proved an excellent platform for almost unlimited tweaking (called "Poogeing" by cognoscenti). Still in production 20 years later from Smart Devices, who have added a small-signal tube!
[75]: Spica TC50 loudspeaker
First Stereophile review: February 1984 (Vol.7 No.2; also Vol.9 No.5, Vol.11 No.1, Vol.12 No.10, Vol.14 No…