Manufacturer's Comment
Editor: Dreams really do come true!
I think reviews of essentially unaffordable gear is a service and a pleasure. I have little sympathy when a reader writes in to complain about too many reviews of $10,000 amplifiers, and not enough for normal-real-world $1000 amps. What's so real-world about $1000 amps! We read Stereophile for pleasure, like a Sunday Travel Section with an article about the glories of Nepal. We don't have to go to Nepal in order for the article, and the entire Travel Section, to have been a pleasure, and useful information.
It is…
While change follows Stateside change for Naim Audio, enthusiasts for the venerable British brand on this side of the pond recently got a bit of good news: Chris West, the tech-savvy Englishman who managed Naim Audio North America for over 20 years, is back in the business of servicing Naim gear.
Chicago resident West is part of a venture called AV Options, whose commercial objectives include fixing and refurbishing classic preamps and power amps from Naim Audio's "legacy" era (1977–2002). (Warranty servicing of new Naim products, as well as for-fee servicing of all other Naim gear, will…
Already flooded with contenders offering innumerable models in various shapes, sizes, and colors, the headphone market grows even larger today with the launch of SOL Republic, a “music lifestyle company” dedicated to “delivering innovation in sound, style, and durability.” Four SOL Republic models will initially be offered: Amps ($59.99) and Amps HD ($99.99) in-ear models, and Tracks ($99.99) and Tracks HD ($149.99) on-ear models.
The company, whose initials stand for “Soundtrack of Life,” is led by three music lovers with impressive backgrounds in business development and marketing:…
Oneohtrix Point Never is young electronic composer Daniel Lopatin. His critically acclaimed Returnal shook my listening room walls, clattered around in my mind, and stirred my soul. While more lighthearted recent collaborations with Joel Ford (first under the guise of “Games” and later simply as “Ford and Lopatin”) haven’t reached the same emotional depths, news of Lopatin’s upcoming album, Replica, is intriguing.
The press release states that Replica is “an electronic song-cycle based around lo-fi audio, procured from television advertisement compilations…. Lopatin’s commitment to his […
Forum member “jgrossman” wants to know what’s stopping more people from getting into hi-fi. Is it the high cost of audio components, the hobby’s steep learning curve, the lack of hi-fi dealers, or something else?
Anton argues that audiophiles are the problem. “I have seen the enemy of high end audio,” he writes, “and it is us.”
What do you think? Talk about it in the Forum.
"I don't like Mondays!" sang Bob Geldof some years back, and I'm beginning to hate Mondays too. No, not for the obvious reason. You see, Monday is "hate-mail" day. Every day I get letters from Stereophile's readers. But for some reason known only to the mavens (or should that be Clavens?) of the US Postal Service, the ones pointing out my stupidity, dishonesty, and sheer incompetence as a human being arrive on Mondays.
For example: "Bits are bits, and it is therefore dishonest for Stereophile's writers to continue to insist that they can hear any differences between CD players or…
Front-panel controls are rudimentary, consisting of Open, Play, Stop, Pause, Next, and Prev, but this is because the unit is intended to be mainly used with the supplied 209 full-function remote control. This handsome flat black unit, with a clearly laid-out array of buttons, also operates the 208 CD player/preamplifier and 206B CD player. The 209's Display button cycles the 602 through modes in which it displays Track and Index number; Track number plus elapsed time for the entire disc; Track number plus elapsed time for the current track; Track number plus remaining time for the entire…
In fact, this increase in low-bass authority is something I have noticed with each real improvement in digital replay. It has also been independently noted by other critics that lowering the jitter in a digital data stream results in subjectively improved bass resolution. Why this should be I have no idea, given that the most obvious measurable effects of increased jitter levels can be seen in the treble region.
Comparisons
Okay, given that I enjoyed the sound of the 602 in absolute terms, how did it compare with other respected transports?
My first comparison was with the…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: CD transport with full remote control of functions via supplied 209 handset. S/PDIF data outputs: 2 optical (via Toslink connectors), 1 coaxial (via RCA socket). Meridian 600/6000 in/out communications: via 2 optical (Toslink) or 1 DIN socket.
Dimensions: 12.8" (325mm) W by 3.9" (100mm) H by 12.6" (320mm) D. Weight: 14 lbs (6.4kg).
Serial number of unit tested: 100141.
Price: $2750, including handset (1991); no longer available (2011). Approximate number of dealers: 50.
Manufacturer: Boothroyd/Stuart Ltd., Huntingdon, Cambs. PE18 7EJ,…
Cycles can be seen in the fortunes of companies. Likewise cycles can be seen in the performance of companies' products. A particular range will appear to have got it just right, whatever "it" is. The designer may have hit a winning streak and thus steal a lead over the competition. C-J set a new state-of-the-art preamp standard in the late '80s with their Premier Seven, and some of that expertise and experience are beginning to pay off in the shape of new high-performance preamplifiers at realistic prices. Moreover, the pressure was on to develop better power amplifiers to match. Two…
