Stereophile Staff

With the April issue of <I>Stereophile</I>, the "Recommended Components" list is again on its way to subscribers' audiophile homes around the world. But there has always been controversy surrounding the popular feature. George Reisch explores the problem in <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//thinkpieces/322/">"Recommended Components"&mdash;the St. Hubbins' Syndrome!</A>

The last time we asked the tube-or-transistor question was almost three years ago (see the results <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showvote.cgi?40">here</A&gt;). So, we're curious if reader opinion has shifted when it comes to tube versus solid state amplifier technology.

It's well known that women have better high-frequency hearing than men do, as well as a lower threshold of sensitivity. What's loud to most men is louder to most women.

If you've visited this website before, you'll notice that we're sporting a new look this week. You'll also find that, in addition to the new sheet metal and colors, there are also plenty of changes under the hood. The <I>Stereophile</I> site was originally launched on December 1, 1997. The old model lasted over three years, but three years is an eternity in Internet time, and we couldn't resist taking all of the comments readers have sent in over the months and sorting through them for fresh ideas.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.philips.com">Philips Electronics</A> and Marantz Japan jointly announced that Marantz Japan intends to buy the Marantz trademark, as well as the European and American sales organizations, from Philips. The companies say that the transaction is due to take effect in the coming months. In addition, Philips says it intends to sell shares equal to 1.5% of all shares held in Marantz Japan, effectively reducing its ownership percentage from 50.5% to 49%.

The word on Bel Canto's upsampling DAC was already out when I visited their room at the 2000 Consumer Electronics Show looking to get one of the first samples. But despite my protestations, all Bel Canto's Mike McCormick wanted to talk about was their company's new digital amp, the eVo 200.2. Sure, there's a future out there in which all sources will be digital and D/A conversion will occur in the speaker (or later?). But today, I see no practical advantage in a digital amplifier with only an analog input. It may be more efficient and it may be new technology, but the amplifier has got to stand on the same footing as any analog design and justify its existence by the way it sounds. The eVo did make a good case for itself at the demo, so I signed up to get one for review.

Keith Herron plopped himself down in my listening chair and smiled, clearly pleased with the sound of my system now that his M150 monoblock power amplifiers had been substituted for my <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/205/">Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 300</A>. He began to tell me why.