IR's 180-gram pressings are manufactured at RTI in Camarillo, CA. Original album art is restored by Tom Vadakan, who currently works on the…
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There's a new audiophile-quality vinyl reissue endeavor on the scene: Intervention Records (IR). Dedicated to reissuing recordings that are "entirely new to the vinyl reissue market, particularly titles that never saw a vinyl release at all or only saw very limited release," Intervention Records' titles are sourced from the best available sources, primarily analog master tapes, and are mastered in the analog domain by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.
This receiver includes a rather respectable little tuner, almost comparable to the Dyna FM-5 in performance, a 15Wpc power amplifier of passable quality, and a preamplifier section that in some ways gives some of the costliest preamps a run for their money.
If you don't live in a difficult receiving area or are trying to receive long-distance FM, the tuner should satisfy any perfectionist. It is far superior to the FM transmission quality in most US cities anyway. The power amplifier is better than any we have previously found driving the dinky little speakers in most compact systems, but…
Until about nine months ago, in the fall of 1970, FM radio station WFLN, Philadelphia, was just another one of that dying breed: the classical FM station. Like its counterparts in the few remaining classical-radio cities, it provides the major part of the high-fidelity listener's radio diet, and also like most similar classical stations, its fidelity was nothing to brag about.
This was not because of indifference or lack of funds for better equipment, but because WFLN had been following one of radio's traditions which happen to be detrimental to audio quality. They were "reaching."
…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Solid-state receiver. One pair each of inputs for Tape, Phono, Aux. Switchable tuner muting. Tape monitor. Headphone output. Speaker switches. Mono A+B. Selector, volume/loudness (switchable), balance, bass, treble, AC, one switched AC outlet, DC power supply outlet for Advent microphone preamplifier. Maximum output power: 15Wpc.
Dimensions: 15.75" (400mm) W by 3.5" (89mm) H by 10.5" D (267mm), overall.
Serial number of review sample: JO 04437.
Price: $265 (1977); no longer availab;e (2015).
Manufacturer: Advent Corp., Cambridge, MA…
GamuT’s impressive-sounding RS7 tower graces the cover, while inside the issue, the full reviews feature Vinnie Rossi’s unique LIO integrated amplifier, AudioQuest’s intriguing JitterBug, B&W’s affordable 683 S2 speaker, and the high-performance Acoustic Signature Triple X turntable. We take a second look at Wilson Benesch's high-performance minimonitor; assemble three high-performance desktop systems at three price levels; offer three cost-free tips for getting the best from your system; and interview iconic English singer/songwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson. And there’s more—much more…
While the AT-OC9 bears the Audio-Technica logo, you won't find a sample of this moving-coil cartridge at your friendly Audio-Technica dealership. The US distributor of Audio-Technica products has apparently decided that their market does not include high-end cartridges. A quick perusal of the latest Audio directory issue (October 1988) lists the most expensive AT cartridge at $295, with no moving-coils in sight. When I first heard of the AT-OC9, the only reasonably accessible source, short of Japan, was Audio-Technica in the UK. A quick phone call and follow-up letter resulted in a review…
The availability of the Pacific Microsonics High Definition Compatible Digital (HDCD®) PMD100 decoder chip, manufactured by San Jose's VLSI Technology, has brought about a minor revolution in Compact Disc playback. It brings sonic improvements in imaging, soundstaging, and resolution of detail. In the past six months, Stereophile has published a number of reports on the HDCD decoder's operation, what HDCD recordings are available, and the improvements brought by the HDCD chip to specific digital audio processors (footnote 1). High-end manufacturers are incorporating the $40 HDCD chip in their…
Sidebar 1: Associated Equipment
This included the Well-Tempered Arm, VPI HW-19 turntable (this time sans the mat I have used in previous tests), Klyne SK-5a preamp, PS Audio 200cx power amp, and B&W 801F Matrix loudspeakers on 11" Sound Anchor stands. (The production version of these stands is about 4" shorter. I'll have more on this subject at a later date.) Interconnects were Monster M-1000, speaker wire Monster M-1 (mono-wired).
The Well-Tempered Arm was chosen for this review because it is known to be well suited to a wide variety of pickups. VTA was adjusted as required—…
Sidebar 1: System
For this review, I compared the Adcom GFA-700 with the EAD DSP-1000 and the Audio Alchemy DDE v3.0 HDCD decoder fed through its I2S bus by a DTI 2.0 digital jitter reduction unit. Both standard and HDCD-encoded CDs were played on a Krell turntable. For an overall collection of superbly recorded HDCD-encoded music, I used the HDCD Sampler Volume 2 (Reference RR-90CD), which includes classical, jazz, and a selection of three musical samples recorded with and without HDCD for comparison. A single 75 ohm digital-specific Silver Starlight coaxial cable was run from the…
Sidebar 2: Measurements:
Measurements were made with the spot frequency bands on the new CBS STR-330 test disc, backed up by the older CBS STR-100. The latter generally showed a greater high-end rise than the former in the frequency-response readings, and the results presented in the reviews are those given by the more recent recording. Test-record results provide useful information, but they are not an absolute. Test records from different sources invariably give slightly different results. STR-100 was used to assess crosstalk, and trackability was measured at 300Hz using the Audio-…