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Publisher's note: The following article, from the early days of Compact Disc, is presented with no claim for absoluteness. (In fact, just as we go to press in the spring of 1986, we received a manuscript from Philip Greenspun, Product Review Editor of Computer Music Journal (Cambridge, MA), who had precisely the opposite result when comparing CD to analog versions of the same recording, though it was unclear that his test procedures were as thorough as in the tests by these authors, footnote 1.) The tests described are neither single- nor double-blind, and the author's decision to forego…
The Music
We chose four selections that would allow us to examine different aspects of sound reproduction, and obtained identical material in three forms: Nakamichi cassettes recorded on TDK metal tape using Dolby-C and made from a composite master tape (footnote 4); original Sheffield direct-to-disc vinyl records; and compact discs produced from the same composite master tape used for the Nakamichi cassettes (footnote 5). We cleaned the records with a VPI-16 record cleaning machine, and immediately treated them with LAST record preservative. We also used Stylast on the cartridge during…
We chose four selections that would allow us to examine different aspects of sound reproduction, and obtained identical material in three forms: Nakamichi cassettes recorded on TDK metal tape using Dolby-C and made from a composite master tape (footnote 4); original Sheffield direct-to-disc vinyl records; and compact discs produced from the same composite master tape used for the Nakamichi cassettes (footnote 5). We cleaned the records with a VPI-16 record cleaning machine, and immediately treated them with LAST record preservative. We also used Stylast on the cartridge during…
Amanda McBroom, "Gossamer": This selection's direct-to-disc recording session used a digital recorder as a safety backup. This was the only selection in our comparisons that was truly digital from recording to playback media. We included it in an attempt to quantitatively compare differences between CDs made from original analog or digital master tapes with their D-to-D counterparts. The CD version of "Gossamer" definitely contained more high-frequency information and overall clarity than the record. The piano accompaniment, in particular, sounded more "alive." The CD also conveyed more…
Given its engrossing, frequently radiant score, unflinching look at its timely subject matter, and superb cast of singing actors, Pentatone's live hi-rez recording of the premiere of Mason Bates and Mark Campbell's opera, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, fully deserves the Grammy recently bestowed upon it by the Recording Academy.
I auditioned the recording after first enthusiastically reviewing the 2017 Santa Fe Opera world premiere, then cheered the differently cast 2019 Seattle Opera production (whose second cast is completing its run as this review appears on-line). I have no question…
Our 180-page April issue is hitting newsstands, mailboxes, and tablets this week and, as always with Stereophile's April issues, it includes the revised and updated edition of our "Recommended Components" feature—capsule reviews of the best-sounding gear available. (The listing this year is longer than ever, so many of the categories will actually be included when the listing is posted to the site this week.)
And featured on the April issue's cover is Klipsch's RP-600M speaker, which features a horn-loaded tweeter. Read Herb Reichert's report to see how he felt about this little gem. Art…
David Crosby: Here If You Listen
BMG 538431461 (LP), 538429532 (CD), none (FLAC 24/48). 2018. David Crosby, Michael League, prods.; Fab Dupont, prod., eng., mix; Josh Welshman, eng.; Greg Calbi, mastering. ADD/DDD. TT: 45:08
Performance ****
Sonics *****
BMG 538431461 (LP), 538429532 (CD), none (FLAC 24/48). 2018. David Crosby, Michael League, prods.; Fab Dupont, prod., eng., mix; Josh Welshman, eng.; Greg Calbi, mastering. ADD/DDD. TT: 45:08
Performance ****
Sonics *****
In 1967, the year the Byrds would fire him, David Crosby sits in a room—a small space, from the sound of it—with a cheap microphone and a recorder of dubious merit. He's improvising some jazzy, open-tuned acoustic guitar strumming, adding nonlexical vocables on top. He then files away the resulting tape—clearly ahead of its…
The dichotomy between what is measured and what is heard has resurfaced in recent months. Jon Iverson discussed it in his "As We See It" in our December 2018 issue, and I followed up on the subject in my January 2019 "As We See It." These further thoughts were triggered by an e-mail exchange I had last December with Stereophile's longtime copyeditor, Richard Lehnert.
In a note attached to his edit of Kal Rubinson's review of the Revel F228Be loudspeaker in our February issue (p.87), Richard had written: "Unless you're sitting in, say, one of the first five rows at a classical concert,…
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 2018 issue is indicated as "Vol.41 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
A+
VPI Classic Direct turntable: $30,000 including tonearm ★
A brand-new, US-made direct-drive turntable—in the 21st Century? Believe it. For VPI's Classic Direct, designer Harry Weisfeld selected a $4000 (his cost) Thin Gap motor, servo-controlled by a custom-designed active-feedback loop, which he combined with an 18-lb platter machined from a single billet of aluminum. The platter and drive system (combined weight: 27 lb) are snugged into an aluminum-and-MDF plinth measuring 23.5" wide by 17.5" deep. To this, Weisfeld has mated a version of his tried-and-true…