LATEST ADDITIONS

Changes of Everything

Larry Archibald, J. Gordon Holt Jan 02, 1995

As of February, 1982, the ownership of this publication passed to other hands. In total despair about its precarious finances, JGH accepted with alacrity an offer by Larry Archibald (an occasional contributor in recent years) to purchase the magazine. This has now come to pass, and it is because of the resulting infusion of money that you are holding this issue in your hot little hands now instead of three months from now (and that is probably being a little optimistic about the way things were).

Reference Features

The Analog Compact Disc

Robert Harley Dec 25, 1994

Nothing quite new is perfect. —Marcus Tullius Cicero, Brutus

Recording of the Month

Recordings of December 1994: Wagner: Siegfried & Götterdämmerung

Richard Lehnert Dec 15, 1994

WAGNER: Siegfried Teldec 4509-94193-2 (4 CDs only). TT: 4:00:09 WAGNER: Götterdämmerung Teldec 4509-94194-2 (4 CDs only). TT: 4:27:03 Siegfried Jerusalem, Siegfried; Anne Evans, Brünnhilde; John Tomlinson, Wanderer; Günter von Kannen, Alberich; Graham Clark, Mime; Philip Kang, Fafner, Hagen; Bodo Brinkmann, Gunther; Waltraud Meier, Waltraute; Birgitta Svendén, Erda, First Norn; Eva-Maria Bundschuh, Gutrune; Hilde Leidland, Forest Bird, Woglinde; others; 1991 Bayreuth Festival Orchestra & Chorus, Daniel Barenboim Both: John Mordler, prod.; Gernot R. Westhäuser, eng. DDD.

Features Music and Recording Features

The Great Record-Club CD Conspiracy?

Bob Katz Dec 07, 1994

For a while, I've been hearing rumors that the record-club editions of popular compact discs differ from the original versions produced by the record companies. I've met listeners who claim their club versions are compressed in dynamics, and some have reduced bass. Perhaps the clubs, in their infinite wisdom, think the typical member has a lower-class stereo system (in fact, the opposite may be true). Maybe these lower classes could benefit from some judicious dynamic compression, equalization, and digital remastering.

Recording of the Month

Recording of November 1994: J.S. Bach: Suites for Solo Cello

Les Berkley, Various Nov 22, 1994

J.S. BACH: Suites for Solo Cello Nathaniel Rosen, cello John Marks Records JMR 6/7 (2 CDs only). Doris Stevenson, prod.; Jerry Bruck, eng. DDD. TT: 2:16:43

Features Music and Recording Features

The Silverman Concert

John Atkinson Nov 19, 1994

"What's that noise?" Bob Harley and I looked at each other in puzzlement. We thought we'd debugged the heck out of the recording setup, but there, audible in the headphones above the sound of Robert Silverman softly stroking the piano keys in the second Scherzo of Schumann's "Concerto Without Orchestra" sonata, was an intermittent crackling sound. It was almost as if the God of Vinyl was making sure there would be sufficient surface noise on our live recording to endow it with the Official Seal of Audiophile Approval. Bob tiptoed out of the vestry where we'd set up our temporary control room and peeked through a window into the church, where a rapt audience was sitting as appropriately quiet as church mice.

Reference Features

Balance: Benefit or Bluff?

Martin Colloms Nov 15, 1994

If you read much promotional literature for recently introduced high-quality equipment, you'll notice a common theme emerging: balanced connection. Balanced inputs and outputs are becoming a must for any audio equipment that has any claim to quality. The word itself has promotional value, suggesting moral superiority over the long-established "unbalanced" connection (for the purpose of this discussion, I will call this "normal"). What's my problem with this? Simply this: The High End could be paying dangerous, costly lip service to the received wisdom that balanced operation is the goal for an audio system.

Recording of the Month

Recording of October 1994: Officium

Les Berkley Oct 29, 1994

HILLIARD ENSEMBLE/JAN GARBAREK: Officium Medieval & Renaissance Chant & Polyphony by Morales, Perotin, Dufay, de La Rue, Anon. The Hilliard Ensemble, vocals; Jan Garbarek, soprano & tenor saxes ECM New Series 78118-21525-2 (CD only). Manfred Eicher, prod.; Peter Laenger, eng. DDD. TT: 77:41

Interviews

A Wee Dram of Scotch: Linn Products' Ivor Tiefenbrun

John Atkinson Oct 25, 1994

More than 20 years ago, when the turntable was considered a perfectly neutral component in the playback chain, Ivor Tiefenbrun single-handedly demonstrated to the world that the turntable was not only an important part of a hi-fi system, but perhaps the most important part. That radical idea was the basis for the legendary Linn Sondek LP12 turntable, the product that launched Linn, and which is still in production 22 years later.

As We See It

Future Shock, High-End Style

Thomas J. Norton Oct 18, 1994

The future is rarely what anyone expects it to be. I still remember reading, as a child, predictions in Popular Science that everyone would have a personal helicopter by 1980. It never happened, though it sure seemed like a reasonable projection of events. Events, however, have their own agenda.