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Earlier this year, Kalman Rubinson spent some time with the Rotel">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/608/">Rotel RB 1080 power amplifier. "What could be easier to review than a power amplifier? No features or functions aside from inputs, outputs, and a power switch," remarks KR. But as Rubinson finds, it's the details that count.
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Jonathan Scull gets intimate with the HeadRoom">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/614/">HeadRoom BlockHead headphone amplifier stating, "I listen to headphones for hours at a stretch while writing my reviews. The equipment I listen to spoils me to death, and I need a headphone rig to match." Has J-10 found the ultimate headphone amp? We'll see.
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John Atkinson has found himself swept away by the expensive speakers from Wilson Audio Specialties, so he set forth to put the company's new, modestly-priced Sophia">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/619/">Sophia loudspeaker to the test. JA writes, "The Sophia is all new, from its handcrafted enclosure to its custom-built drive-units."
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Taking the measure of the Chord">http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/624/">Chord Electronics DAC64 D/A processor, John Atkinson finds nice things can come in strange packages. "Such is the pace of development in digital technology these days that it is hard not to become convinced that digital playback is a solved problem." But, as JA discovers, not all solutions are identical.
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We start our survey of small speakers with Robert J. Reina's review of the Paradigm">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Paradigm Reference Studio/20 loudspeaker. "Impressive right out of the box" is how Reina charaterizes the two-way design, which gets an in-depth review and also a May 2002 followup from Robert Deutsch.
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Chip Stern heads this week's list with an evaluation of the NAD">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/633/">NAD C370 integrated amplifier from the January 2002 issue. With the units priced to sell, at $699, CS wants to know if the C370 can satisfy audiophiles as well as budget-conscious shoppers.
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John Atkinson gets his hands on "the very strange-looking" MBL">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/643/">MBL 111B loudspeaker to determine how "upper-frequency drive-units resembling an array of orange segments" could possibly sound. As JA discovers, thinking different can sometimes be a plus.
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"I wouldn't characterize my life as 'a search for bigger and better toys,' but I am intrigued by interesting things—like the Impact">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/648/">Impact Airfoil 5.2 loudspeaker system," says Brian Damkroger as he steels himself for another review. BD goes in search of an answer to the Airfoil dilemma: "big toy, new toy, neat toy, better toy?"
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In his review of the Conrad-Johnson">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/653/">Conrad-Johnson Premier Twelve monoblock amplifier, Michael Fremer notes, "Conrad-Johnson is one of audio's 'marquee' companies, and charges accordingly." MF uncovers what you really get for your $7000, aside from 140Wpc and a top-shelf name.
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For his review of the Nagra">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/658/">Nagra VPA monoblock power amplifier, Jonathan Scull lived a life of danger, noting that readers should "Respect the VPA as the hot-running, high-voltage device it is and It Will Provide. Cold-nosed pets and curious little fingers have no business around these Swiss Guards of quality sound engineering."