The Truth About American Beer
You can't handle the truth! Well, maybe the 3.2% variety.
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Rega Mira integrated amplifier
The Rega Couple interconnect ($150/1m pair) comes in a plastic pouch rather like a Ziploc veggie bag—just the pouch and a printed card. How much could the packaging cost? Ten cents?
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MBL 111 loudspeaker
The speaker review in the July 1996 issue of the German audio magazine Stereoplay didn't hold back the praise. "Absolut Spitzenklasse III Referenz" was their overall rating, which I guess translates to "You'd better hear this, buddy," in American English. So when MBL of America's Marc Lawrence called to find out if I wanted to review the subject of that review, the MBL 111, I didn't need to be asked twice.
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Bill Firebaugh: The Well-Tempered Innovator
Bill Firebaugh's first product, the outrageous-looking <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/tonearms/485well">Well-Tempered (tone) Arm</A>, established him as one of audio's most innovative designers. At the 1985 Winter CES, he showed a prototype companion product—the Well-Tempered Turntable—and was producing production units by January 1987. He discusses here the WTT's unusual design features. (Readers should note that, since we have not yet tested the new turntable, this interview is not to be interpreted as an endorsement of the product.)
Threshold SA-1 monoblock power amplifier
Eleven years ago, Threshold Corporation entered the high-end audio market with the first amplifier ever to use sliding bias (footnote 1) in its output stages. Some 10 years later, Threshold spawned another innovation: their so-called Stasis circuitry, which yielded the S-series amplifiers. The SA-1 and its lower-powered sister SA-2 are the latest from Threshold, and are the first Threshold amps to abandon sliding bias for straight class-A operation. Both use the Stasis circuit.
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What is your favorite new music release so far this year?
There may some old favorites that have been re-released, but when it comes to <I>new</I> music, what is your favorite new music release so far this year?
Tower Records Liquidated
Even after a two-day auction and federal bankruptcy court approval of a $134.3 million bid by the Great American Group, which has stated that it plans to liquidate the music retailer, it's not precisely clear what is in store for Tower Records.
Wisdom Audio Taps Mark Glazier for President
On October 4, <A HREF="http://www.wisdomaudio.com/">Wisdom Audio</A> announced the appointment of its new president, industry veteran Mark Glazier, to oversee the company's sales, customer development and support, marketing, distribution, and overall business development.
Channel Classics Goes Chinese With SACDs
Classical music specialist Channel Classics, headquartered in the Netherlands, has begun releasing the first DSD-native, hybrid multichannel SACDs recorded in China. Issued under the Channel of China imprint, the first two titles, <I>Ambush on All Sides</I> (CCS-SA-80106), featuring Zhang Hong Yan on solo pipa, and <I>Soliloquy at Cold Mountain Temple</I> (CCS-SA-80406), with the China National Symphony Orchestra under Li Xin Cao, have recently reached the US. A third SACD, featuring Yu Hong Mei on erhu (CCS-SA-80206), is scheduled to reach European shelves at the end of September and the US three or four months later.
Sonos 2.0 Dispenses with the PC
On September 14, Sonos, Inc., the company whose <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/mediaservers/1006sonos">well-designed wireless Controller</A> adorns the cover of our October issue, announced the release of its Sonos System Software 2.0. John Atkinson and I rode to the 11th floor of Manhattan's glitzy Trump International Hotel and Tower, overlooking Central Park's brilliant canopy of green trees, to meet with Sonos co-founder Thomas Cullen and CEO John MacFarlane for a brief demonstration.