The February 2011 issue of Stereophile is now on newsstands. You want it, you need it, you love it. A quick look at what’s inside:
In “As We See It,” John Atkinson welcomes our readers to the new and improved Stereophile.com, and applauds the many outstanding hi-fi dealers across the nation who help spread the passion for high-quality recorded music.
In “Letters,” I get ripped to shreds over my horrible taste in everything and my general lack of worth. The author of the letter (name withheld, unsurprisingly) had a clear case of the “No Pussy Blues.” He should take Grinderman 2 and call me in the morning.
In “Industry Update,” Paul Messenger reports from the Home Entertainment Show in Manchester, England, while Jason Victor Serinus brings us the hottest news from San Francisco’s Burning Amp Festival.
In “Sam’s Space,” Sam Tellig takes us to Soissons, one of the oldest cities in France, and shares his enthusiasm for Triangle’s limited-edition 30th Anniversaire Comète loudspeaker.
In “Analog Corner,” Mikey Fremer reports from last November’s Audio Engineering Society Convention in San Francisco, and tells us all about the slick-looking Thorens TD 309 Tri-Balance turntable with the Audio-Technica AT 95B and Nagaoka MP-500 phono cartridges.
In “Listening,” Art Dudley brings us “Lovability, Part 1,” a love story dedicated to the rare Garrard 301 turntable.
In “The Entry Level,” I disassemble my old hi-fi, piece together a much more affordable replacement, and enjoy an exquisite program of music, including Archie Shepp and Horace Parlan’s Trouble In Mind, Bruckner’s String Quintet, Four Tet’s There Is Love in You, Mark McGuire’s Living With Yourself, and January’s “Recording of the Month,” the Sun City Girls’ Funeral Mariachi.
In “Fifth Element,” John Marks falls for the Vivid B-1 loudspeaker and praises Polyphonic Dialogues, a new disc of music from the 2L label, featuring work by Dmitri Shostakovich and Rodion Shchedrin performed by pianist Joachim Kwetzinsky.
In “Book Reviews,” David Lander discusses Robin D.G. Kelley’s outstanding new look at Thelonious Monk, The Life and Times of an American Original.
In “Records to Die For,” our great annual music feature, each of our editors pick two special pieces of music and explain why those albums are important. Because forum member Jazzfan is so witty, forum member Jazzfan thinks the feature should be called "Records to Die From." Haw. (We’re not really talking about death here. It’s just a figure of speech. You know: an expression.)
Meanwhile, the February issue also contains high-quality, in-depth reviews of several worthy products: Art Dudley listens to the latest Wilson Audio Sophia loudspeaker; Jon Iverson monkeys around with the latest HRT Music Streamer; Wes Phillips shakes his booty (and his Brooklyn apartment) with the mighty Luxman B-1000f monoblock power amplifier; Brian Damkroger is mightily impressed by Ron Sutherland’s new 20/20 phono preamplifier; Bob Reina revisits the Epos M5 loudspeaker and compares it with the company’s new M5i; I pay close attention to the Simaudio Moon i3.3’s phono section; and, finally, John Atkinson reevaluates the highly regarded NuForce CDP-8 CD player.
February’s “Recording of the Month” is the latest release from Barry Diament’s Soundkeeper Recordings, Equinox, by Markus Schwartz & Lakou Brooklyn.
In “Manufacturers’ Comments,” we hear from Thorens, Wharfedale, Sutherland Engineering, Epos, and Simaudio.
In “Audio Mart,” we have ads for Viagra and Vermont Teddy Bear. (Ooh la la.)
In “Aural Robert,” Robert Baird comes to terms with his unquenchable thirst for more and more and more physical media.
And in music, as in life, as in hi-fi, we are unduly blessed.
In “As We See It,” John Atkinson welcomes our readers to the new and improved Stereophile.com, and applauds the many outstanding hi-fi dealers across the nation who help spread the passion for high-quality recorded music.
In “Letters,” I get ripped to shreds over my horrible taste in everything and my general lack of worth. The author of the letter (name withheld, unsurprisingly) had a clear case of the “No Pussy Blues.” He should take Grinderman 2 and call me in the morning.
