The darTZeel NHB-108 power amplifier garnered effusive praise from <I>Stereophile</I>'s John Marks in his <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/932/index.html">Septemb… 2003 Fifth Element</A> column, including the comment "the sweetest-sounding solid-state power amplifier I have ever heard." There was only one problem: the amp was hard to find in the US.
For audiophiles who love multichannel music, the center-channel speaker is a problem second only, perhaps, to that of bass management. In many ways, the rerouting of bass to a subwoofer or to the front left and right main speakers is dictated by room acoustics or the bass limitations of the other speakers. On the other hand, most of us had no real need for a discrete center-channel to fill in the middles of our traditional stereo systems. In fact, one of the glories of really good stereo is the simulation of a convincing central image, such that there's a seamless soundstage from beyond one speaker, across the room, to beyond the other speaker.
I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Jeff Rowland's products. Going back to the Model 7 monoblock power amplifier and the Model 5 stereo amplifier of nearly 20 years ago, Rowland's designs always sounded essentially musical to me, and quite forgiving and non-fatiguing.
We've all got our pet peeves, and one of mine is stiff, unwieldy audio cables that simply refuse to bend to my will—or to bend at all. Instructions like "carefully bend to final configuration, ensuring that no bend is sharper than a 36" radius" make my blood boil. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Audience's willowy Au24 cable and wonderfully flexible powerChord positively warmed my heart when I encountered them at the 2002 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
For me, the iconic Adcom power amplifier was the GFA-555. As an aspiring audiophile, I was deeply impressed with <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/678">Tony Cordesman's review</A> in <I>Stereophile</I> in 1985 (Vol.8 No.4). That did it! After years of kit-building and doing it myself, the '555 was the first factory-built amp that I wanted and could afford. Over the years, I changed speakers several times, and even added a fully regulated power supply to the '555, but it never balked. At the end of its tenure at my house, it had been demoted to my third-string backup; today it's making someone else tap his toes.
Reader Colin Stewart is curious about the filing habits of audiophiles. He wants to know if you keep your SACD and DVD-Audio discs sorted separately from your CDs, or do you mix them all together?
The <A HREF="http://www.homeentertainment-expo.com">Home Entertainment Show</A> (HE2004), the largest and most comprehensive showcase of consumer electronics and imaging products in America, returns to New York City May 20–23, 2004 at the Hilton New York Hotel—the site of two popular HE Shows held in 2001 and 2002. Over 15,000 attendees are expected to visit the NY Hilton, optimized for the ultimate user experience. Unlike typical trade shows, HE2004 provides visitors with the opportunity of seeing and hearing the finest products in upscale hotel rooms, creating the best-sounding environments for demonstrating high-performance gear.
Financially, the winter months have been all over the map. Some electronics companies have reported <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/030804retailing/">upswings</A> in revenue, but others are experiencing a decrease.
From the March 2004 issue, Michael Fremer goes a couple rounds with the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/304theta">Theta Digital Enterprise monoblock power amplifier</A>, exclaiming, "Monoblock power amplifiers seem to be moving in and out of my listening room faster than green-onion salsa from Chi-Chi's." So how does the Theta stand up to the competition? MF lays it out.
Launched with a bang last April, <A HREF="http://apple.com">Apple Computer</A>'s iTunes Music Store has steadily gained popularity with music fans, but it won't reach its projected goal of selling 100 million songs online within its first year.