It starts quietly enough, with a simple falling-fifth motif, but the first movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's neglected Piano Sonata 1 develops into a work of epic proportions nearly 40 minutes in length, with haunting melodies, massive dynamic contrasts, and lush, sensual harmonies.
Plenty of you clearly love vinyl, some favor digital discs, and others prefer using a NAS drive. But what, in terms of time used, is the most important source component in your system?
The value of music as a commodity, and as one of mankind's wonders, has never been in such flux. Retail record shops are dying, the former major labels are focused on making records for kids (the same kids they're suing), and the business overall remains wedded to an incredibly short view (get a hit or get out), but the music itself continues to trickle through to those who want it—and, yes, on some level would die without it.
It's been a tumultuous year for many around the world, but the audiophile keeps listening to music and searching for better sound. What is your pick for the most important audio development this year, be it a technology, trend, or component?
<I>Stereophile</I> is partnering with the <I>Festival Son & Image</I>, to be held in Montreal, Canada, Thursday April 3 through Sunday, April 6. The first day is for trade and press only—public admission starts on Friday at 11am. More than 120 brands will be demonstrated in rooms on 11 floors of the Sheraton Centre hotel in downtown Montreal, and the Show's keynote speech is being given by Monster Cable's Noel Lee at 10am on the trade day, Thursday April 3.
The Home Entertainment Show, promoted by <I>Stereophile</I>, <I>Ultimate AV</I>, and <I>Home Theater</I> magazines, successfully showed off the best in high-end audio and home theater to enthusiasts from 2001 through 2007. However, following its acquisition of the magazines in August 2007, Source Interlink Media decided not to promote the Home Entertainment Show in 2008. Instead, <I>Stereophile</I> is partnering with the Festival Son & Image, to be held in Montreal, Canada, Thursday April 3 through Sunday, April 6. (The first day is for trade and press only.)
It starts quietly enough, with a simple falling-fifth motif, but the first movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's neglected Piano Sonata 1 develops into a work of epic proportions nearly 40 minutes in length, with haunting melodies, massive dynamic contrasts, and lush, sensual harmonies.
<I>Stereophile</I>'s seventh CD of Minnesotan male choir Cantus, called with delightful originality <I>Cantus</I> (CTS1207) and recorded at 88.2kHz with 24-bit resolution, is now available from our <A HREF="http://ssl.blueearth.net/primedia/home.php">e-commerce page</A>, for $16.95 plus S&H.