Compact Disc:
West of Oz; A. McBroom & L. Mayorga; Sheffield CD-15
Jazz at the Pawn Shop; Various; Proprius CDP 7778/9
Night Train; O. Peterson Trio; Verve 821 724-2
Windham Hill Live; Various; Windham Hill WD-1026
Drum Record; Various; Sheffield CD-14
Track Record; Various; Sheffield CD-20
Court and Spark; Joni Mitchell; Asylum 1001-2
Remain in Light; Talking Heads; Sire 6095-2
Mister Heartbreak; Laurie Anderson; Warner 25077-2
Sampler 2; Various; Telarc CD-80102
Chants D'Auvergne; Kiri Te Kanawa; London…
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Sidebar 1: MGC-1 Evaluation Material
Sidebar 2: MGC-1 Specifications
Description: Mirror-image system incorporating separate direct-sound and ambience speakers in each of two cabinets. Comes with electronic control and amplification unit. Driver array, direct sound portion: two 8" acoustic-suspension subwoofers in separate sub-enclosures, two 4" acoustic-suspension midrange drivers in separate sub-enclosures, and a dual dome drive unit with a 11/2" upper midrange dome and a ¾" tweeter dome. Driver array, ambience portion: one 6" woofer, one 1" dome tweeter. Crossover frequencies: 220, 1100, and 5300Hz using phase-aligned…
Components listed here have been formally reviewed in Stereophile and have been found to be among the best available in each of four or five quality classes. Whether a component is listed in Class A or Class E, we highly recommend its purchase.
Each listing-in alphabetical order within classes-is followed by a brief description of the product's sonic characteristics and a code indicating the Stereophile Volume and Issue in which that product's report appeared. Thus the May 2015 issue is indicated as "Vol.38 No.5."
Some products listed have not yet been reported on; these are…
Sidebar: How to Use the Listings
The classes each cover a wide range of performance. Carefully read our descriptions here, the original reviews, and (heaven forbid) reviews in other magazines to put together a short list of components to choose from. Evaluate your room, your source material and front-end(s), your speakers, and your tastes. With luck, you may come up with a selection to audition at your favorite dealer(s). "Recommended Components" will not tell you what to buy any more than Consumer Reports would presume to tell you whom to marry!
Class A: Best attainable sound…
Turntables
Editor's Note: We strongly recommend those interested in LP playback visit our sister website, www.AnalogPlanet.com, which is edited by Michael Fremer.
A+
Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn: $200,000 with tonearm and stand ★
"Part New Jersey diner, part Wurlitzer jukebox," the 160-lb Caliburn is the brainchild of Mark Doehmann, whose clever, purposeful design is based on rigorous scientific methodology using finite-element analysis computer programs. While the only serious competition for the Caliburn is the Rockport System III Sirius, MF decided, "The Caliburn…
SACD, DVD-A, & CD Players & Transports & Media Players
Editor's Note: SACD and DVD-A player ratings are based on how they sound with their respective hi-rez media, not CD.
A+
Antipodes DX Reference music server: $6500–$7500
See JA's review in this issue.
Bryston BDP-2: $2995
Essentially a beefed-up BDP-1 (reviewed by LG in Vol.34 No.6), the BDP-2 replaces the original's 0.5GHz processor with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N450 and upgrades its single-amp linear power supply with a larger toroidal transformer specced to provide 10 amps of peak current.…
Digital Processors
Editor's Note: The sound of any particular CD transport/digital processor combination will be dependent on the datalink used-see "Bits is Bits?" by Christopher Dunn and Malcolm Omar Hawksford, Stereophile, March 1996, Vol. 19 No.3 (WWW). Unless mentioned, processors are limited to 32/44.1/48kHz sample rates. To be included in Class A+, a digital processor must be capable of handling DSD or 24/96 LPCM data.
We strongly recommend those interested in using a computer as a true high-end digital audio source visit our sister website www.AudioStream.com, which is…
Music Surround-Sound Components (other than speakers and disc players)
A
Bryston SP-3: $9895 ★
The SP-3 combines a true analog preamp and a full-featured multichannel digital audio processor in a beautifully built, relatively compact (17" W by 5.75" H by 14.25" D) case. It uses Bryston's high-quality 24-bit/192kHz DACs and offers a full suite of connections, including: eight HDMI inputs, two HDMI outputs, a 7.1 set of analog inputs and two 7.1 sets of outputs, four S/PDIF inputs, two AES/EBU inputs, and USB, RS-232, and Ethernet jacks. The sound from the SP-3's analog stereo…
Preamplifiers
Editor's Note: Apart from the CAT, Promitheus, Shindo, and Placette, all the Class A preamplifiers offer balanced inputs and outputs. And unless noted, the preamplifiers listed do not have phono stages.
A
Audio Research Reference 5SE: $13,000
The Ref 5 SE is a tubed, remote-controlled line preamp with six sets of balanced and unbalanced inputs, three sets of balanced and unbalanced outputs, and a unity-gain Processor input. It uses 6550C and 6H30P tubes for power-supply regulation, and four 6H30P dual-triodes in the analog stage. Improvements over…
Power Amplifiers
Editor's Note: Because of the disparity between typical tube and solid-state "sounds," we have split Class A for separate power amplifiers into two subclasses. Nevertheless, even within each subclass, Class A amplifiers differ sufficiently in character that each will shine in an appropriate system. Careful auditioning with your own loudspeakers is therefore essential. Except where stated, output powers are not the specified powers but rather those we measured into an 8 ohm resistive load. All amplifiers are stereo models, except where designated.
A (…