NEW AUDIO PRODUCTS - World Radio History

Are Audio -component Specs Better Than Our Ears?

NEW AUDIO PRODUCTSReports from the Las VegasConsumer Electronics Show

EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTS Akai GX-77 Open -reel Tape Deck Denon DP -52F Turntable Jensen System 400 Speaker Picneer SX-8 AM/FM Stereo Receiver GEE Model 7 Preamplifier

DISC SPECIALSABBA Sister Sledge Dr. JohnRocka3iily Stars Johnny HodgesBucky Pinareli Akiyoshi/Tabackin

Ell'j kneling's Haydn SongsVa3lay NEumann's MahlerVirgil Thomsoi's PortraitsLeoS Janatekt Cunning Little Vixen

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Tide Fidelity Soundh tape that makes it possible.

major technological advances. (The kind youexpect from Sony.) First, ultra -fine magneticparticles that are significantly smaller thanany other conventional Type II tape particles.And a unique orientation process that alignsthe particles so they are pointed in the samedirection. (No mean feat when you considerthere are some 500,000,000,000magnetic particles in one millimeter of tape.)Andthird, a never -before -manufacturedbinder and process to assure a uniform, highdensity of particles.

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Of course, the real test of UCX-S isnot a question of numbers or percentages. Itcomes when you lean back, close your eyesand listen.You'll hear subtleties in the musicyou could only hear until now in theconcert hall. You'll hear every instrument inthe orchestra.You'll hear more than you'veever heard on a high -bias tape.You'll hearit on UCX-S, with Wide Fidelity Sound. SONY.

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Sony's UCX-S is a revolutionary newaudio cassette tape. A high -bias tape with awider dynamic range than any other tapeof its type. So wide, it actually expandsthe sound you can hear. (With minimaldistortion, hiss or print-through.)Thais whywe call it Wide Fidelity Sound.

With new UCX-S, you can recordthe very high notes - as well as the very low.Either way, you'll hear everything with aclarity you've never heard before on a high -bias tape. And you can also record at highervolume levels, so you can record and hearthe yen/ soft sounds you lost before inbackground noise.

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Stereo Review

BULLETINEdited by William Livingstone

THE FREEDOM TO TAPE may soon not befree. Legislation that was originallyintended only to protect the right ofindividuals to videotape copyrightedmaterials for private use has beenencumbered with two amendments thatwould tax the manufacturers of audioand video tape and tape equipment asa way of reimbursing copyright owners(not necessarily the performers) forrevenue lost to home taping. The costof this would be passed along to tapeconsumers. The legislation is stillin committee, so the form of the billto be voted on is still subject tochange. These amendments to theright -to -tape bill were sponsored bySenators Mathias (R-Md.), Baker(R -Tenn.), Baucus (D -Mont.), Byrd(D-W.Va.), Cranston (D -Calif.), Hart(D -Colo.), and Stevens (R -Alaska) andin the House of Representatives byCongressman Edwards (D -Calif.).

THE CONCORD STRING QUARTET is nowcelebrating its tenth anniversary, andfor the occasion commissioned works byJacob Druckman, Krzysztof Penderecki,and George Rochberg. The group, whichis quartet -in -residence at DartmouthCollege, has a close relationship withRochberg and has premiered a number ofhis compositions. These include hisQuartets Nos. 4, 5, and 6, known as"The Concord Quartets," just releasedon RCA ARL2-4198.

THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC played its10,000th concert on March 7. Conductedby music director Zubin Mehta, theorchestra played the Symphony No. 2 byGustav Mahler, who was music directorfrom 1909 to 1911. The orchestra iscelebrating the 100th anniversary ofthe birth of Leopold Stokowski byissuing a two -disc set of Philharmonicperformances conducted by Stokowski.Mono only, the set includes works byBach, Handel, Fella, Prokofiev, andVirgil Thomson as well as HermanHupfeld's When Yuba Plays the Rhumbaon the Tuba Down in Cuba. Price: $20postpaid from Radiothon V, New YorkPhilharmonic, Avery Fisher Hall,Lincoln Center, New York, N.Y. 10023.

"BRIDESHEAD REVISITED," an album ofmusic from the soundtrack of the TVseries seen on the Public BroadcastingService from January through March,has been released by Chrysalis Records.It is the company's first "classical"release and lists for $8.98. The musicwas composed by Geoffrey Burgon, whoprovided the soundtracks for the TVhit Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy andthe Monty Python movie Life of Brian.The popularity of Brideshead with theAmerican audience is attested to bythe fashionable appearance on thenation's campuses of Aloysius theteddy bear, a totemic figure in theEvelyn Waugh novel.

DOO-WOP LIVES. CBS Records has justlaunched a new label, Ambient SoundRecords, to document the streetcornervocal groups of the early rock era(roughly 1955-1963). Billed as "TheSound of Human America," albums fromAmbient Sound are recorded in studiosbut without overdubbing in an effortto duplicate the feel of the artists'classic singles. Up first: albums bythe Mystics, Randy and the Rainbows,the Harptones, the Capris, and theJive Five.

BUT HEAVY METAL RULES...at least atCyclops Records, the first independentlabel devoted exclusively to heavymetal rock. Cyclops' first release isan EP by a young American band calledGuardian. The band's oldest member isall of twenty-two, and, according tolabel president Robert Fish, it playswith "reckless abandon."

JAZZ ARTIST QUINCY JONES celebratedthe Grammy Awards given to his A&Malbum "The Dude" and to Lena Horne'sBroadway show album, which he produced,by donating $10,000 to his alma mater,the Berklee College of Music in Boston.The gift is to establish a scholarshipfund for needy and deserving students.Jones, who graduated from the BerkleeCollege in 1951, said, "Thirty yearsago I was fortunate enough to receivea scholarship to Berklee which enabledme to go on to a satisfying career."

May 1982

"This NewRadioShackReceiverPuts DigitalTechnologyAt YourFingertips"Isaac AsimovRenowned science andscience fiction author

Microprocessor control.Digital synthesis.Quartz -locked.These three terms describe RadioShack's exciting new high -powerstereo receiver. But if you're not intotech talk, Dr. Isaac Asimov puts it insimpler language.

"The Realistic® STA-2290 is com-puterized. A 'brain' on a tiny chipgives you fingertip access to everyFM and AM channel and even letsyou store twelve favorite stations inan electronic memory for instantpushbutton recall. This same chipcontrols the easy -to -read fluores-cent station -frequency display."

This state-of-the-art microproces-sor, actually a "computer on achip," is the brain of the STA-2290.Stores 12 stations in memory andassures precise tuning.

Computerized convenienceis only the beginning . . .

"You also get computer accu-racy! The tuner's digital synthesiscircuit uses a precision quartz crys-tal to lock it on -channel. You can'tmistune. Off -channel distortion anddrift become a thing of the past."

A versatile control centerfor your music system

Take command of up to two tapedecks, four speakers and twomagnetic -cartridge turntables. Pre -amp in/out jacks let you add anequalizer or other signal processor.Audiophile features include dual -range LED output meters, threetone controls and protectioncircuitry.

High -power performancefor wide dynamic rangeYou get 90 watts per channel, mini-mum rms into 8 ohms from 20 to20,000 Hz, at no more than 0.05%total harmonic distortion. With thatkind of power, your music will takeon a depth and range that give it a"live" quality.

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FORMERLY HI FIISTEREO REVIEW (ISSN 0039-1220)

MAY 1982 VOLUME 47 NUMBER 5

--(,11-e`EquipmentNEW PRODUCTS

Roundup of the latest audio equipment and accessories 13AUDIO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

INDAC, Phono-overload Specs, Full -gain Problem, Replacement Belts LARRY KLEIN 16CAR STEREO

Road Tests IVAN BERGER 22TAPE TALK

Tape Types; New Deck, New Sound?; Long Cables; JVC and Dolby CRAIG STARK 24TECHNICAL TALK

Measuring Preamplifier Characteristics JULIAN D. HIRSCH 26EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTS

Laboratory rest results on the Pioneer SX-8 AM/FM stereo receiver,Akai GX-77 open -reel tape deck, Jensen System 400 speaker,QED Model 7 preamplifier, and Denon DP -52F turntable JULIAN D. HIRSCH, CRAIG STARK 27

AUDIO SPECIFICATIONS AND HUMAN HEARINGJust how good are our ears? MARK F. DAVIS 48

NEW AUDIO PRODUCTS AT LAS VEGAS CESEven in a slow season for audio, there was much to catch the eye 53

Z -46-e cWuskBEST RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH 62

Haydn: Complete Songs 63 Jean Redpath: "Lowlands" 65Sister Sledge: "The Sisters" 64 Thomson: "A Portrait Album" 66Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 4 64 Dr. John: "Plays Mac Rebennack" 67

CLASSICAL MUSIC 68Bartok: Three Keyboard Interpreters 70 Liszt: Songs 74Janal-ek: The Cunning Little Vixen 72 Taneyev: Chamber Works 80

POPULAR MUSIC 82ABBA: "The Visitors" 84 Bucky Pizzarelli: "Love Songs" 98Rockabilly Stars in Two Volumes 86 Johnny Hodges 100Claudia Schmidt: "Midwestern Heart" 90 Akiyoshi/Tabackin Big Band 106

?e `RegularsBULLETIN WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE 1SPEAKING OF MUSIC WILLIAM ANDERSON 4LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 6GOING ON RECORD JAMES GOODFRIEND 44ADVERTISERS' INDEX 106

COVER: A standout at the Las Vegas show, Sony's portable digital -audio recording system (see page 13).Design by Borys Patchowsky; photo by Bruce Pendleton.

COPYRIGHT lB 1982 BY ZIFF-DAVIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. Allrights reserved. Stereo Review, May 1982, Volume 47, Number 5. Pub-lished monthly by Ziff -Davis Publishing Company. Editorial and ExecutiveOffices at One Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016; Telephone: 212725-3500. Richard P. Friese, President; Furman Hebb, Executive Vice Pres-ident; Selwyn Taubman, Treasurer; Bertram A. Abrams, Secretary. Alsopublishers of Backpacker, Boating, Car and Driver, Cycle, Flying, PopularElectronics, Popular Photography, Psychology Today, Skiing, Stereo Direc-tory, Tape Recording & Buying Guide, and Yachting. One-year subscrip-tion rate for the United States and its possessions, $9.98; Canada, 510.98. Allother countries, one-year subscription rate $14.98, cash orders only, payablein U.S. currency Second-class postage paid at New York, New York 10016

and at additional mailing offices. Authorized as second-class mail by the PostOffice Department, Ottawa, Canada. and for payment of postage in cash.POSTMASTER: Forms 3579 and address changes should be sent to StereoReview, Circulation Department, P.O. Box 2771, Boulder, Colorado 80302.SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: All subscription correspondence should beaddressed to Stereo Review, Circulation Department, P.O. Box 2771, Boul-der, Colorado 80302. Please allow at least eight weeks for change of address.Include old address as well as new-enclosing if possible an addresslabel from a recent issue. PERMISSIONS: Material in this publication maynot be reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permissionshould be directed to John Babcock. Rights and Permissions, Ziff -DavisPublishing Company, One Park Avenue, New York. New York 10016.

Speaking of music ...

CLOSE HARMONY

O\ or pure cussedness, it seems to me,could explain why an artist would

want to use his or her vocal cords to imitatea musical instrument-one thinks of, say,Cleo Laine or the Swingle Singers, amongothers. That the trick may be marvelouslydone is beside the point, for while thosevoices are valiantly trying to imitate someinstrument, most instrumentalists are para-doxically struggling, perhaps even more val-iantly, to coax their violins, trombones, sax-ophones, guitars, and, yes, even their pianosto produce a "singing" tone. That makessense to me, for though all these instru-ments have tonal beauties of their own, theyare at their best when they aspire to thecondition of the human voice, "The oldest,truest, most beautiful organ of music, theorigin to which alone [sic] our music owesits being...."

Richard Wagner could not have heard

the English vocal group known as theKing's Singers when he made that observa-tion, but I am sure he would agree that theyconstitute some kind of proof of it. TheKing's Singers (they take their name fromtheir origin at King's College, Cambridge),were in New York recently at the beginningof a U.S. tour that would take them fromBoston to L.A. and beyond, and I had thegood fortune to hear them in their first Car-negie Hall performance. Since critics owetheir readers an occasional measure of can-dor about their shortcomings, I will confessone of mine: a sometime chorister myself, Iam more likely than most to find rapture ina program of a cappella choral music, par-ticularly when the singing group presentingit turns out to be the very definition of"ensemble."

The King's Singers have been perfectingtheir art for fourteen years now, and they

have a vast repertoire to show for it. A gooddeal (seventeen albums in all) continues tobe available here on the MMG label, and acannily drawn cross section was presentedat the New York concert. It ranged from abrilliantly sung group of English renais-sance madrigals (see MMG 1105), througha heart -stopping performance of ThomasTallis' Lamentations of Jeremiah (MMG1107) that kept the capacity audience ca-thedral -silent for close to twenty minutes,and on to the pure delight of six Songs ofthe Auvergne-not, of course, in the Can-teloube arrangements Madeleine Grey usedto introduce these wonders to the world'sdiscophiles in the Thirties, but new onescommissioned from Goff Richards (theKing's Singers do a lot of commissioning).The second half of the program was titled"Arrangements in Close Harmony," and itwas back to the barber shop for a medley ofsongs with the word "lazy" in the title (theylent themselves beautifully to exquisitelyagonizing, long-drawn-out resolutions ofvery unlikely but highly satisfying harmon-ies), some pop tunes (among them a gentlespoof of a Beatles song), and, finally, whatturned out to be the unchallenged hit of thewhole evening: a mini -cantata of an ar-rangement of an old (1931) sweet songcalled Georgia on My Mind. It had the au-dience on its feet cheering for what musthave been minutes, and I do not at all doubtthat it would have had its composer, the lateHoagy Carmichael, as close to tears as Iwas.

Still on the subject of a cappella singing,I am delighted to note a new release fromthe Twin Cities' accomplished Dale War -land Singers ("Americana," 23-0980,Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis).A collection of newly arranged concert ver-sions of fourteen folk favorites (SimpleGifts, Amazing Grace, Shenandoah, etc.),it is distinguished for the remarkable quali-ty of its analog sound (engineered by ScottRibard for Sound 80).

Stereo ReviewPUBLISHERJ. SCOTT BRIGGSEDITOR IN CHIEFWILLIAM ANDERSONEXECUTIVE EDITORWILLIAM LIVINGSTONEMANAGING EDITORLOUISE GOOCH BOUNDASART DIRECTORBORYS PATCHOWSKY

TECHNICAL DIRECTORLARRY KLEINASSOCIATE TECHNICAL EDITORSDAVID RANADA, GORDON SELL

MUSIC EDITORJAMES GOODFRIENDPOPULAR MUSIC EDITORPAULETTE WEISSSPECIAL PROJECTS EDITORSTEVE SIMELS

ASSOCIATE EDITORDAVID STEINASSISTANT EDITOR, RESEARCHRICHARD SARBINEDITORIAL ASSISTANTBARBARA AIKEN

LONDON EDITORHENRY PLEASANTS

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSCHRIS ALBERTSON IRVING KOLODINIVAN BERGER PAUL KRESHIRV COHNNOEL COPPAGERICHARD FREEDPHYL GARLANDROBERT GREENEDAVID HALLJULIAN D. HIRSCHGEORGE JELLINEKIGOR KIPNIS

STODDARD LINCOLNMARK PEELLINCOLN PERRYPETER REILLYEBET ROBERTSCHARLES RODRIGUESERIC SALZMANCRAIG STARKJOEL VANCE

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERROBERT JOHN UR, SR.

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHERJEAN ANDERSON

Editorial and Executive Offices: 212 726.3500Ziff -Davis Publishing CompanyOne Park Avenue. New York, New York 10018National Advertising Manager: Richard J. HalpernEastern Advertising Representative: Charles L. P. Watson

Midwestern Office, The Pettis Group: 312 679-11004761 West Touhy Ave.. Lincolnwood. Illinois 60646Arnold S. Hoffman, David W. Palcek

Western Office: 213 387.21003480 Wilshire BoulevardLos Angeles, California 90010Western Advertising Manager. Marge Doherty -Wilhite

Japan: lwai Trading Co., Ltd.J. S. Yagi603 Ginza Sky Heights Building18,13. Ginza 7-ChomeChuo-Ku, Tokyo. Japan 104Telephone: (03) 586-0165, 545.3908

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EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS must be accompanied by re-turn postage and will be handled with reasonable care:however, publisher assumes no responsibility for the re-turn or safety of art work, photography, or manuscripts.

Member Audit Bureau of Circulations

riffZIFF-DAVIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

President: Richard P. FriesePresident, Consumer Magazine Division: Albert S. TrainsExecutive Vice President: Furman HebbSenior Vice Presidents: Phillip T. Heffernan,Sidney Holtz, Edward D. Muhlfold, Philip SineVice Presidents: Robert Bavier, Baird Davis,George MorrisseyTreasurer: Selwyn TaubmanSecretary: Bertram A. Abrams

4 STEREO REVIEW

SA -X. HIGH BIAS IS RICHER FOR IT.The greatest honor a cassette can reteive is to be held in higher esteem than th_ one now settingthe high bias standard. SA -X has already gone beyond SA in frequency response, sensitivity,and resolution. It was intended to. With its ultra refined dual layer of Su .e the-,

Laboratory Standard Mechanism, nothing less was possible. TDKbelieves sound reproduction should have no set barr er. No limit.For us, high bias was a limit to be surpassed. SA -X has won threeinternational audio awards to date. It will no doubt win others.But we take awards philosophically. They represent our continu-ing effort to create the machinefor your machine. In that, we TDK.could not be happier with SA -X.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Counterfeit Tape In his excellent article "Bargain Tape"in the March issue, Craig Stark comparedgenuine TDK cassettes to counterfeits, not-ing that consumers may distinguish the realTDK product by the "full lifetime warran-ty" visible through the back of the cello-phane wrapper. While this is true in theU.S., it does not apply to other market areaswhere the products must conform to differ-ent packaging laws. It is therefore not pos-sible to employ his guideline as a universalrule.

The surest method of guarding againstcounterfeits is to buy through reputablechannels of distribution, and any questionsthat might arise should be directed to theTDK representative or distributor for thatparticular region. I trust that this will clari-fy the situation for your substantial reader-ship outside the U.S.

ED HAVENSTDK Technical Services Manager

New York, N.Y.

Photo ReverseI have a question about the photograph

of the Teac X -1000R open -reel tape deckon page 10 in the March issue. Is this

(a) STEREO REVIEW'S unique version ofauto -reverse?

(b) the way Japanese tape decks look be-fore they clear U.S. Customs?

(c) just your way of finding out howmany people read "New Products"?

(d) all of the above?VIC FONSECA

Los Angeles, Calif.

Try (e): the way our printer decided at thelast moment the product should look.

Tape Tax With reference to "Taping and theLaw" in March, I think it is important thatthe notion of a tax on blank tape be consid-ered in light of the fact that it would imposea tax on a use that may not occur in allcases. I have been using small -format video

since 1968 when the first Sony units be-came widely available (I have received aNational Endowment for the Arts fellow-ship for my work in video). At no time haveI had the least desire to tape a program offthe air. If I missed a broadcast televisionprogram I just considered it a blessing.

It is a sad state of affairs when a machinethat can do anything from making homemovies of your kids to creating art for cableis thought of only as something with whichto make passive recordings of programmingthat is of questionable value. At any rate,the tax is not fair unless it can be provedthat a reel of blank tape is going to be usedto dub copyrighted material.

FRED KRUGHOFFNew York, N.Y.

Once video artist Krughoff has copyrightedhis art, he may become sensitive about itsbeing taped by others. For more on this,see this month's "Bulletin," page I.

Technics' Digital Deck The March test report on the TechnicsSV-P100 digital cassette recorder (what astrange model number for a "first of itskind") was interesting, but it lacked someinformation that I, for one, would like tohave had. For example: (I) What is the tapespeed? (2) How much recording time isavailable using a VHS videocassette? (3)Does it record in only one direction or two(two -track or four -track)?

DON E. MANNINGChicago, Ill.

Tape speed is the normal SP (standard -play) speed of a VHS cassette, which at themoment provides a maximum of two hoursof stereo recording on a standard T-120VHS videocassette. And since VHS cas-settes are not reversible, the two hours areavailable in one direction, continuously.

Frank Sinatra The March review of Frank Sinatra'slatest album, "She Shot Me Down," is of the

(Continued on page 8)

CIRCLE NO 15 ON READER SERVICE CARD STEREO REVIEW

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The sane Dynami: Servo Tracer system is incorporated onthe CP-52c, making it -le of the most effective playback systems everdove oped for warped and hard -to -trace records. Damping, anti -skating ator earn litt/locate are all applied through microprocessor -controlled non-con:acte ect-o-uc.; Its AC Servp motor employes the same drive principle and magneticspaei control found on Denons DP -100M

The DP -11F intrcduces Denon design technology to a new price catenary It features magneticspaei detection, a Flat -Twin Direct Drive motor and the same Microprocessor :ontrolled DynamicServa lacer -onearm sistem found at the very top of our line.

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When the sound that moves you.Jensen Sound Laborosones 1982

finest quality that popular -music criticismcan achieve. Henry Pleasants deserves hear-ty congratulations for his emphasis on thetechnical, relatively objective aspects of themusic and its performance. While critics ofclassical music stress these factors as a mat-ter of course, pop critics rarely do.

STEREO REVIEW has the best set of popcritics that I've read, yet I feel that HenryPleasants' triumph is becoming increasinglyrare. Although the unfortunate slide down-ward in the quality of STEREO REVIEW'Spopular -music coverage is only slight in thework of Joel Vance, Noel Coppage, and the.rest, it is quite apparent in the writing ofSteve Simels, who as recently as three yearsago was the best of them all. Now Mr.Simels apparently prefers to exercise hisconsiderable literary and social -commenta-ry talents at the expense of discussions ofpurely musical achievements. A recent ex-ample is his review of the Rolling Stones'"Tattoo You" (November 1981).

NATHAN BASIKBaltimore, Md.

The Editor replies: From the point of viewof an observer of unimpeachable genera-tional objectivity, it appears that contem-porary pop music, both for its purveyorsand its consumers, has always been moresociology than music-"rock as a way oflife" etc. Much of the energy that used togo into producing the stuff however, is nowdevoted to writing its history and relivingits headier moments through reissues. The"unfortunate slide downward" is but a re-flection of the current "state of the art"-the sand is running out of this dolly fast.

Billy Burnette Again There is nothing more annoying than a"nit-picker" who is wrong. In March "Let-ters" Allen Pasternak informed us that Bil-ly Burnette's album "Gimme You" is histhird, not his second, as had been stated byJoel Vance in his review. In fact, it is Bur-nette's fourth. Mr. Vance was acknowledg-ing only the previous Columbia release,since Burnette's two Polydor releases wereof little popular significance. These pre-ceded "Gimme You": "Billy Burnette"(Polydor PD -1-6187), "Between Friends"(Polydor PD -1-6242), and "Billy Burnette"(Columbia JC 36792).

SEAN MCGOWANRockaway Beach, N.Y.

Erratum George S. Kaufman was not RichardRodgers. Oscar Hammerstein was not Lor-enz Hart. STEREO REVIEW is not RollingStone-and has proved it by gathering onetoo many a Moss in the review of Frank Si-natra's "She Shot Me Down" in March.The words of It Never Entered My Mindwould be gladly claimed by many a lyricist,and it seems unfair of Henry Pleasants (oris it Donald Pleasance?) to grant their au-thorship arbitrarily to a man whose wordsnever entered a song. Reviews should cer-tainly come from the Hart, but they shoulddisplay a little more Pleasants of mind.

HENRY ARONSONBrooklyn, N.Y.

CIRCLE NO 39 ON READER SERVICE CARD8 STEREO REVIEW

...and thencame the SE -9.35 years ago, to satisfy listening

preferences, serious music lovershad to redesign their listening rooms.Remove the drapes. Add a rug here.Rearrange the upholstered sofa there.Get rid of that crystal chandelier!

Bass and treble tone controlscame later, and they helped-buton y a ittle. When you needed aboDst in that lowest bass region, youhad to accept boosted upper bassand mid -range tones as well-whether you needed them or not.

By 1958, the first equalizersappearec.They allowed you to alterspecific bands of tones to suit theneeds of :he listening room-and themusic program. With special mics, ap nk noise generator, and a real-time

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NMI

analyzer, you could electronicallyadjust your system to your listeningpreference. If -that is-you didn'tmind spending several thousanddollars and a half hour Ousting andreadjusting controls to enjoy a halfhour of listening.

Then came Sansui's remarkableSE -9 Compu-Equalizer. It takesthe guesswork and the f-ustrationout of equalization. At the touch of abutton, the SE -9's built-in pink noisegenerator feeds its signals frst to onespeaker, then the other. Soundspicked up by the SE -9's calibratedmicrophone are then analyzed by itsmicroprocessor. Sit back and watchin amazement, as the SE -9'smotorized system moves e

1,1101 0

.44. 044/0 :

16 fader controls (8 per channel) tocreate the curve that yields preciselyflat response at your preferred'listen-ing ocation.

Touch another button, and thecurve is memor zed for future, instantrecall. Move to another location-even another room - and the SE -9can create and store a new curve-up to four of them.

At last, after 35 years, a perfectequalization system without errors orfrustration. And. at a price that makesperfect equalization affordable for allserious music lovers.

See the SE -9 and Sansui's trulycomplete I ne ce high quality compo-nents and systems at your Sansui

- to to us for details.

SANSUI ELECTRONICS CORPORATIONLyndhurst, New Jersey 07071, Gardena, CA 90248

Sansui Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JapanCIRCLE NO 21 ON READER SERVICE CARD

_

Salt ui_

stkil2.5kAr

lokl-11

500

RN(a - -

12

10

6

4

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0

2

4

6

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12

ENE A' tir I. I. 111/111/AV IfiCIZ CPWAIN IL IL /BESTYLUS SW AO 11110l

IFEATILIRIFIG

IMINCIFICPIAIAIEVIE!ffThis revolutionary

new phonocartridge

is notjust an advance

indesign ...

it's a

quantumleapforward

resultingin superior

soundreproduction.

The V15 TypeV not only

re-createsthe

music ...it brings

back the

emotionof the performance!

It solvessuch

ever-present,record

playbackproblems

as"Superdisc"

hot signals,record

warp,

staticelectricity,

recordwear,

cartridge

misalignment,

and stylusbreakage.

The TypeV is totally

optimizedfor flawless

performanceat 1.0 gram

trackingforce.

Its

trackabilityin the critical

5 kHz-plusregion

isdoublethat of the nearest

competitor;and

its high frequencymechanical

resonanceis

well beyondthe audible

range.Allof this

is due to the incredibleBeryllium

MicrOwall

TechnologyShure

developedspecifically

for

this cartridge.A MASARrf

polishedstylus

tipcontributes

far less to recordwear than anyother

high

performancecartridge.

This impressivearray

of featurescombines

to give performancethat

goes far beyondwhat was -until now-

consideredthe best.

The performanceis so

improvedthat an entirely

new,landmark

systemof measurement

was developed:the

TotalTrackability

Index(TTI).

PLUS!With the V15 Type V you'll receive

a certificate

goodfor Shure's

newlydeveloped

TTR117Trackability

Test Record.Valued

at $15.00,this new

standard -

settingtest record

is yoursFREE!

Sendfor our

fact-filledbrochure

on this remarkable

newcartridge.Ask for AL694.

Noothercartridge,

at any price,

offersall these

benefits:

Incrediblyaccurate

high frequency

trackabilitydue to the revolutionary

new highstiffness,low mass

BerylliumMICROWALL/Be"

stylusshank.

ExclusiveDYNAMIC

STABILIZER

that functionslike a minioture

shock

absorberto eliminate

warp-related

problemssuch as

grooveskipping,

cartridge

signalwow.

Simultaneously

dischargessurface

staticelectricity.

Accurate,distortion

-free tracking-Air

a resultof the HYPERELLIPTICAL

stylustip.

in Reducedrecord

-wall friction,

stylusand record

wear with the first

MASARZ"polished

stylustip on a

consumercartridge.

UniqueSIDE-GUARD

stylus

protectionsystem

preventsaccidental

stylusdamage.

in Highestperformance

with lowestrecord

wear

due to optimizingfor 1.0 GRAM

TRACKINGFORCE.

Designedwith an ULTRA

-FLATFREQUENCY

RESPONSEresulting

;n natural,uncolored

sound.

LEVELINGALIGNMENT

STYLUS

includedto minimize

crosstalkand

maximizechannel

separation.

DUO-POINTALIGNMENT

GAUGE

includedto minimize

lateraltracking

error distortion.

A serialized,individual

COMPUTERPRINT-OUT

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CiRCLE NO. 30 ON READER SERVICE CARD

ShureBrothers inc., 222 Hartrey Ave., Evanston IL 609"

Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined

That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous toYour Health.

flew Products latest audio equipment and accessories

Sony's Small, Portable Digital-aJdio Adaptor

Pictured on this month's cover areSony's portable BetaPack SL -2000Beta -format VCR (top) and PCM-Flportable digital -audio adaptor (bottom).The small and lightweight PCM-F1(above) turns any NTSC-standard videorecorder (such as the SL -2000) into atwo -channel digital -audio recorder.

Making extensive use of large-scaleintegrated circuits, the PCM-F1 is saidto permit the advanced amateur or semi-professional to make digital recordingsat a fraction of the cost of professionalanalog equipment. Both the PCM-F1and the SL -2000 will run off house cur-rent, rechargeable battery packs (whichfit inside the units), or car/boat bat-teries ( I 2 volts).

The PCM-F1 performs fourteen -bitdigital encoding and decoding accordingto the requirements of the STC-007 dig-ital -audio standard (see "Audio News,"March 1980). The unit can also make

and play sixteen -bit recordings "forcompatibility with professional PCMrecordings."

Specifications include a sampling rateof 44.056 kHz, a dynamic range of atleast 86 dB (fourteen -bit) or 90 dB (six-teen -bit), and harmonic distortion of lessthan 0.01 per cent (fourteen -bit) or0.007 per cent (sixteen -bit). Frequencyresponse is 10 to 20,000 Hz ±0.5 dB atall recording levels. Wow -and -flutter isunmeasurable. Dimensions are 8'.2 x 31/8x 12 inches; weight is 834 pounds.

Other features include a multifunc-tion peak program meter, a battery -levelindicator, a VCR -tracking incicator,and mic/line input switching. The mi-crophone inputs are for low -impedancemikes with unbalanced phone plugs. AnAC -700 a.c. power adaptor is supplied;the rechargeable battery pack (NP -1) isoptional. Price: $1,900.

Circle 120 on reader service card

Cybernet's AM/FMDigital -synthesisReceiver

Cybernet's Kyocera R-651 AM/FMstereo receiver is rated at 65 watts per chan-nel into 8 -ohm loads with no more than0.015 per cent total harmonic distortionfrom 20 to 20,000 Hz. Intermodulation dis-tortion is given as 0.015 per cent at ratedoutput. A -weighted signal-to-noise ratios(S/N) are 82 dB for the phono input and

100 dB for the other functions. The ampli-fier section has been designed for low tran-sient-intermodulation distortion and useshigh-transconductance MOSFETs in theoutput stages to extend the power band-width to very high frequencies.

Distortion for the FM section is given as0.07 per cent at 1,000 Hz in mono and 0.1per cent in stereo. The stereo A -weightedS/N is 76 dB. The digital -synthesis tunerfeatures variable -capacitance preselectortuning in the front end and has seven AMand seven FM station presets. Other fea-tures of the receiver include LED peak -power level displays, an audio -mute switch,connections and switching for two tapedecks, five -step tuner signal -strength andstation -lock indicators, and a fluorescentstation -frequency display. Most of the con-trols are hidden behind a flip -down panel.Price: $740 Cybernet International, inc.,Dept. SR, Seven Powder Horn Drive, War-ren, N.J. 07060.


Adcom's 100 -WattPower Amplifier

Adcom's GFA-2 power amplifier features dual power supplies. Each channel hasan independent power transformer and as-sociated circuitry, including separate a.c.-line fuses. Protection circuits for the GFA-2are self -resetting, and their operation isshown by a front -panel LED. Peak -outputLEDs are provided for each channel. Fin-ished in black anodized aluminum, theGFA-2 is rack -mountable and has rackhandles.

Specifications include an output power of100 watts per channel into 8 -ohm loadswith no more than 0.02 per cent total har-monic distortion from 20 to 20,000 Hz. In-termodulation distortion measured by theSMPTE method is less than 0.008 per cent.Slew rate is given as 35 volts per microsec-ond, frequency response as 20 to 20,000 Hz±0.2 dB at 100 watts output. Weight is 29pounds. Price: $360.


Modular ComponentsPlug Together inSchneider System

The German -made Schneider DCS-8025 Direct Contact System consists of fourelectronic components that plug directlyinto one another, either side by side or ver-tically stacked, in any order without con-necting cables. Two speakers and a Dualturntable (not shown) are supplied. TheDCS-8025 AT AM/FM stereo tuner (top

(Continued overleaf)

MAY 1982 13

"One of the finest ofall high efficiencyspeakers is Polk'ssuperbly musical10A Monitor."The New York Times

"Polks are vastly superiorto the competitionrmusic*

Magazine

The Experts Agree! Polk speakerswill give you the highest quality soundand the most listening pleasure for yourmoney. They will deliver amazinglylife -like, boxless, three dimensionalsound with breathtaking clarity and .

detail in your listening room from yourhifi system.Polk speakers are affordablypriced from about $100 to $500each. Simply use the free reader serv-ice card to receive detailed information,copies of the expert's rave reviews andthe location nearest you for auditioningthe Incredible, Affordable Polks.Polk Audio. Inc. 1915 Annapolis Rd..Baltimore. MD. 21230

The award winning Polk Monitor 10is less than S300 each. Audiogramsays, "It's simply a steal"

polkThe Speaker Specialists

flew Productslatest audio equipment and accessories

in photo) has an FM frequency response of20 to 15,000 Hz. Sensitivity is given as 0.8microvolt (mono). Included are five FMpresets, a bar -graph signal -strength indica-tor, and switchable a.f.c. The DCS 8025 PApreamp (next down in the photo) has bassand treble controls, a microphone input,switchable infrasonic filter, and a loudnessswitch. The DCS 8025 SR cassette deck hasa three -motor transport controlled by light -touch pushbuttons. The metal -capable unithas Dolby -B and Telefunken High -Cornnoise -reduction circuitry. Wow -and -flutteris given as 0.12 per cent, frequency responseas 30 to 18,000 Hz with metal tape. TheDCS 8025 MA power amplifier (bottom)has a rated output power of 25 watts perchannel and a distortion rating of 0.05 percent at 1,000 Hz. It also includes connec-tions and switching for two pairs of speakersand a headphone set.

The supplied speakers are three-way sys-tems with rated impedances of 4 ohms.Their frequency response is given as 47 to18,000 Hz. The four electronic units eachmeasure about 2 x 11 x 10 inches. Thespeakers measure 93/4 x 161/4 x 71/4 inches.System price: $1,150.


Compact Two-wayMonitor SpeakerFrom Celestion

El The Celestion SL -6 loudspeaker was de-signed on the basis of the company's re-search into diaphragm distortion with its"Ultra -accurate Laser Topographic Re-sponse Analysis" system. The ULTRA sys-tem uses laser -Doppler interferometry anda computer to measure a speaker driver'sdiaphragm distortion at various frequen-

cies. According to Celestion, much distor-tion is caused by flexible coupling betweenparts of the diaphragm assembly.

The SL -6 uses a 11/4 -inch dome tweeterwhose coils are wound around the extendedrim of the dome so that coil and dome vi-brate as one, and its 61/2 -inch woofer has aone-piece diaphragm and center cap. This issaid to eliminate the need for a separatedust cap, which would tend to decouple son-ically from the other driven parts. The de-sign goal, according to Celestion, was toachieve "perfect -piston" driver action in theSL -6. The enclosure is 20 -mm -thick parti-cle board covered with wood veneer. Di-mensions are 141/2 x 77/8 x 91/2 inches andweight is 17 pounds. Power -handling capa-bility is 200 watts. Price per pair: $800.


El Stereo Sentry Manufacturing Companyhas a line of patch panels designed to solvecomplex audio -signal routing problems inlarge home sound systems. The line includesfive different Audiopatch models, each witha black -anodized front panel and multiplepatching capabilities. Depending on themodel chosen, the patching jacks are phono-type or I/4 -inch stereo phone jacks. TheModel 465 (shown) has normally closed cir-cuits that interconnect components withoutpatching. Patching is used for making tem-porary connection changes. Prices rangefrom $112.90 to $210.50 for the five modelsin the series. All come with solid wood cab-inets, although rack -mountable versions arealso available. Stereo Sentry Manufactur-ing Co., Dept. SR, 5420 Blodgett Avenue,Downers Grove, III. 60515.


NOTE: All product descriptions and specifi-cations quoted in these columns are basedon materials supplied by the manufacturers,who will respond directly to reader requestsfor further information.

Domestic inflation and fluctuations in thevalue of the dollar overseas affect the priceof merchandise imported into this country.Please be aware that prices quoted in thisissue are therefore subject to change.

CIRCLE NO 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD14 For more New Products see page 53

s the cassette of the future...but it's here rigit nos. The original aidonly heat resistar t cassette shell and tapethat withstands the Oren temperatues ofa car dashboard in tie sin. Testing provesthat ever TDK a Maxell cannot take thiskind of pun's -Inuit

Lor3r you' I capture a full argeof sour as yoie ve revel ieard it before.Tape 11 -et del vers rr aen licent reproduc-tion of sighs ar i lows, al Ong with at excep-tionally ow bacAgrau-vd noise level Supersensitive with 21 ex:reTEly high maximumrecordrg level capkti ity. That mear s yotecan record Loral at h gh- nput levels forgreater clanti. As a n- ater of fact, we rEc-ommer d it.

Eause o' cur cassette shell, Loran

tapeican star I up -it) beingacc dentally ef:pezra sci.r.E of ex-,Ess ve -eat in yourhone orin yc Jr car. t is incmd the finedq.Jal tape oda lable todai

loran alao has exc usiie featuresavailable of any otter cassEt-e Safety-3tS" (PE teat pending, p .merrt accide-'a

Eu: unlike other mssettes, yoican restore its erase and record capabil - ess mp y tytiming tie Tab screw a 1/2 tur-Cur Hub Loc- (patert rend re, securesthe t pE t) tt e hub in sJ&'' 3 .Nay that ttharder is is piled the tighter it's held.

Or 1 E 11 hese feat ire& t'S' no wonler_oran was SE acted as onacf the most n--ovz five core umer Electrcr ics products.... -:y the Co -SL Ter Elect on cs Show Des. -.-nend E Aylmer -mg Exhib

Every Loran tape comes with a till life-time warranty. Listen to Loran. The newgeneration of casse:-es is here righ: now.

The Design of Spectacular Sot nd

WHEN ALL OTHERS FAILLORAN CAARE SAFE AND SOUND SENSATIONAL.

k tjc s..3ttes t-;ted in car u e sun.-; FOIE no 20 CV F EAS if- SERVICE .F1D

EJWIT" is minUfactutietterJsive y3Ttc-anger- Entrt intent, 10-43 dark Street, Warren, Pa. 16365

Bob Carver'spenultimate

elAmplifier,the M-1.5.

Becausewhen it comesto music,too much

isnot enough.

350 watts minimumcontinuous

power perchannelinto 8 ohms, 20Hz to 20 kHz, with nomore than

0.1% MD.

And more! 750 wattsper channelDynamicHeadroom.

600 watts perchannellong -time -periodreserve

power to giveunclippedpunch

to eventhe broadesttransient.

And ifyou thinkthe M-1.5 isastonishing,

tune in nextmonth for Carver's answerto tall buildingsand ghostsin the ether.

Carver CorporatioPO. Box 664

n14304 N.E. 193rdPlaceWoodinville,

WA 9807;

In Canadadistributed

byEvolutionAudio,Ontario

Magnetic F d Power

Audio Q. and ILBy Larry

Klein

Technical Director Klein,moderating a conference

at the Winter CES, sharesa light moment with

Don Palmquist of Yamaha.

INDACn Where can I get more information%.11( about the INDAC loudspeaker testsystem used by Julian Hirsch for his testreports?

JOE BURKECambridge, Mass.

ARight here. Many readers, includingsome manufacturers, have written to

ask about the INDAC system, and appar-ently several loudspeaker manufacturersare now using it regularly in their own test-ing and development programs. First, it isnow called the IQS system, because that isthe name of the new company making andselling it: IQS, Inc., 5719 Corso di Napoli.Long Beach, Calif. 90803. You can writedirectly to IQS for detailed specifications,prices, and delivery information.

The IQS system consists of a digital -cir-cuit board that plugs into an Apple II com-puter plus special IQS programs supplied on51/4 -inch floppy discs. At this time the systemcan be used only with the Apple II, but ver-sions for other small computers are beingplanned. In operation, the system generatesa test pulse that is fed to the user's amplifierand loudspeaker. The reproduced pulse(heard as a "tick") is picked up by a micro-phone placed (usually) in a typical listeninglocation and fed back to the computer,where it is converted to digital format andstored in the computer's memory. In about2 seconds, the IQS system converts thereproduced pulse into the frequency re-sponse of the speaker and displays it on theApple's video screen. The resolution is asfine as 2 Hz at low frequencies, and thereadout scale can be either logarithmic orlinear.

The IQS system can also provide theequivalent of a frequency -response meas-urement in an anechoic chamber instead ofa live room if desired. It can display phaseshift, group delay, the difference betweentwo curves, and the waveform of theimpulse signal (as on a storage oscillo-scope). And it can be used just as easily toanalyze speech, a musical instrument, orany other kind of time -varying signal theuser can feed into the computer.

The speed and versatility of the IQS sys-tem result from its use of a computer pro-

gram developed during the past decade andknown to engineers as an "FFT" program.FFT stands for "Fast Fourier Transform,"a cross between a brilliant idea of theFrench mathematician Fourier and thework of the American mathematicians Coo-ley and Tukey. The FFT concept added to amodern microcomputer provides a laborato-ry -grade analytic instrument that makesold-fashioned pen -and -graph -paper meas-urement devices practically obsolete.

Phono-overload Specsam Panning to purchase one of two

- preamplifiers that have respective"MM phono overload" specifications of180 and 150 millivolts. Other, less expen-sive units have figures in excess of 250 and300 mV. What is the importance of phonooverload? Are the higher figures better?

DONALD CARROWVirginia Beach, Va.

ATo understand phono-overload specs,it is first necessary to understand

how a cartridge's output signal relates towhat is happening in the record groove. Theterm "groove velocity"-which has nothingto do with the rotational speed of therecord-refers to the velocity, in centimet-ers per second (cm/sec), of the undulationsof the signal -carrying groove walls. A phonocartridge's output voltage is usually speci-fied at the standard recorded groove -wallvelocity of 3.54 cm/sec, a typical "average"level. However, most records contain peaklevels up to ten times as high, and these pro-duce ten times the output voltage. Studiesof record grooves have shown velocities ashigh as 70 cm/sec occurring for very briefperiods. No cartridge we know of can tracksuch high levels, which would be heard, if atall, only as a burst of distortion, and inmany cases such signals are "wiped off" therecord on the first play.

The rated output voltage of a magneticphono cartridge (with a 3.54-cm/sec testcut) is typically between 2 and 6 millivolts.The sensitivity (gain) of a phono preampli-fier must therefore be high enough to delivera usable signal level to the following stagesfrom a low -output cartridge, but it is also


CIRCLE NO. 4 ON READER SERVICE CARD16 STEREO REVIEW

By Drew Kaplan, PresidentStick it to us. Rip us off. Here's a pro-

motion that's been vetoed by our vicepresident, our accountant and my wife.It's a promotion that's such a good dealfor you, (it really is) that it's virtuallyguaranteed to lose us money.

In fact, if we don't do at least 300%more business off this ad than we haveever done off any ad before, we will losea lot of money.

ARE WE CRAZY?Well, our VP, our accountant and my

wife certainly aren't crazy. They're alldead set against this whole idea. But,you don't get anywhere in this worldwithout taking chances, so here it goes.

First a word about credibility. Rightnow you're probably thinking that thisis some very slick copy, but it just isn'tbelievable. But is a calculator -watch for$5 any more believable? Read on.

COMPUTE WHILE YOU COMMUTEYou're in a restaurant. You get the bill.

To the amazement of those nearby, youtouch a few buttons on your wrist andtell the waiter you were overcharged.

You can compare the per quart cost ofpaint with the per gallon price whenyou're shopping. Or, here's a great idea.If you've ever heard a phone number onyour car radio you can enter the phonenumber on the calculator display.And, you'll do it all with style. The

calculator -watch is the newest fad that'ssweeping the nation. But remember, theother participants in this fad are payingup to $69 for their calculator -watches.

BUT WHAT ABOUT QUALITYThe calculator is easy to use with rais-

ed easy to push buttons. It has a full 8digit display with floating decimal. Youcan add, subtract, multiply and divide.You can even do chain equations.The watch is the latest accurate quartz

crystal type. Setting it is a delight. Youdon't have to hold a button and sit wait-ing for the numbers to change.Simply punch in the time on the calcu-

lator while you push set. It shows AM,PM, and has a built-in night light.

The sleek case and adjustable bandare made of the newest space age blackresin. It's lighter, cooler and more com-fortable than metal. And, it's very slim.

This finely crafted accurate quartz

CalculatorWatch

It may be a crazy scheme.But, you really can get this

LCD calculator -watch forjust $5 with one catch.

time -piece comes complete with a man-ufacturer's standard limited warranty.

THE CATCHFrankly we are losing -our shirts on the

calculator -watch, but we're looking foraudiophiles who use audio cassettes.

If you buy top name TDK and Maxellcassettes, you probably pay $3.50 to$4.50 each for a 90 minute cassette.

We want you to try DAK's new GoldLabel MLX ultra high energy normalbias cassettes. Not at $4.50 or even$3.50 each, but at a factory direct priceof just $2.49 for a 90 minute cassette.

We challenge you to compare our newGold Label MLX to Maxel' UDXL orTDK SA. If you can hear a difference,any difference at all in frequency res-ponse, tape hiss or distortion, not onlywill we return your money, but we'llgive you a free gift for your trouble.

So here's our proposition. To get the$5 calculator -watch, try just 10 DAKMLX90 minute cassettes complete withdeluxe index insert cards, boxes and aone year warranty at just $2.49 each.

WHY, YOU MAY BE ASKING?You're very valuable to us in the form

of future business. DAK has excitedover 140,000 of you valuable customerswith special bonuses. But, we've neverhad one like the calculator -watch.

We find most of you keep buying onceyou try our cassettes and our prices; andthat's a gamble worth taking.

The real gamble of this ad is that thecalculator -watch is so expensive thatthere's not much left to help us pay forthis ad and processing the orders. We'llhave to sell thousands more orders.

NOT A BAD CATCHDAK manufacturers a cassette with

great sound, and no problems.Up until recently we were hot on the

New DAK MLX 90s have a frequency re-sponse to 19,500hz. Over 4000hz better thanour old ML cassettes. ML was good. NewMLX is great.

heels of the frequency responses ofMaxell UDXL and TDK SA. We had agreat frequency response up to about14,530hz. And our cassettes were greatfor most recorders.Now our new Gold Label MLX is

second to none. We have a frequencyresponse to 19,500hz and we'll go headto head against any tape on the market.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALLHi Frequency protection! We've made

mostly industrial cassettes for highspeed duplication. We've developed aspecial jam proof cassette. It uses aspring tension liner within the cassettethat guides the tape as it winds.

We coat these liners with a chemicalcalled Molysulfide. As tape moves with-in the cassette, friction causes the buildup of static electricity. Static electricityis drastically reduced by the Molysulfideand so is its tendency to erase very highfrequencies. A very important consider-ation for often played tapes.TRY NEW DAK MLX90 CASSETTES

RISK FREETry these high energy cassettes and the

incredible $5 calculator -watch in yourown home risk free. If you aren't 100%satisfied for any reason, return only 9 ofthe cassettes and the calculator -watch inits original box within 30 days for acourteous refund. The 10th cassette is agift from DAK for your trouble.

To order your 10 Gold Label DAKMLX 90 minute cassettes and the calcu-lator watch for only $5 with your creditcard, call the DAK toll free number orsend your check for only $24.90 for thetapes, plus $5 for the calculator -watch,and $3 for postage and handling foreach group Order Number 9335. CA resplease add 6% sales tax.

Why not order an extra group of 10MLX 90 cassettes. We will add one freecassette to each additional group youbuy and of course you can get a calcula-tor -watch for $5 with each group.

stDAKINDUSTRIESINCORPORATED

Call TOLL -FREE (800) 423.2636n California Call (213) 984-155910845 Vanowen St , North Hollywood, CA 91605

CIRCLE NO 7 ON READER SERVICE CARD

WEAR A CONCERT.Discover the incredi pie accura7.7, of Sen- heiser HD 4Z Open -Aire' he adphoneBy combining exotc materials ..A.ith advanced electroacoustic technolo i. we yedone for personal I Etering what our woitlfarrrous studio microphones have Borefor professional record ng. In a rew ultra lightweight design surpassing even -heperformance of the HC 420s p-edecesscrs (Milli were also top -rated ant rave -reviewed) With imrcved transient ciaractertElics Smoother. more exnded re-sponse Clarity sur-)es.§"ng ever the most expen Jive speakers. And canfat sogrea-. the only thing you II feel is the must. SEIVIYHEISEEITry a pair of HC z2(8 (or our top-of-ne-line 430s) at your Sennheiser dealer ELECTRONIC CORPORA -30NHear what it's like twear a co-xert 1) West 3'th Street. New Yo -1- 41' 10013

(212) 239-019C

.t,

r

Manu'acluiing Plant Bissendort/Hannover. West Ger rrany C9 1980. Sennheiser Electronic C.o'poration (NY)CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD

If you have a great turntab e, a sensational amplifier,fine speakers and an inferior cartridge, your sound willbe as good as...the cartridge. That's enough reason to

install a world-renowned Ortofon cartridge with thepatented, variable magretic shunt (VMS) system. An

Ortofon VMS cartridge will assure that your entire musicsystem will attain its Lull potential.

4-4.000-

orrofonaccuracy in scund

122 Dupont Street, Plainview, Nev., York 11803

necessary that it not be overloaded by anycartridge likely to be connected to it. (Sincean amplifier's volume control follows thephono-preamplifier section, note that pream-plifier overload cannot be prevented byturning down the volume.) A phono inputcapable of handling 80 millivolts or so ofsignal at 1,000 Hz will probably serve nice-ly most of the time. Good designers, howev-er, provide an extra safety margin, andoverload ratings of 150 to 300 millivolts arenot uncommon. But keep in mind that oncean overload margin is high enough, no fur-ther audible improvement can be expectedfrom an even higher figure.

Full -gain Problemwas experimenting with my new inte-

e grated amplifier recently, and Ifound that when the selector is set to phonoand the gain is turned full up (with norecord playing) a very noticeable distortionresults. It is present in lesser degrees untilthe volume knob is set below twelveo'clock. Is this normal?

DANNY ARNOLDDenver, Colo.

AFirst of all, what reader Arnold ishearing is noise, not distortion, and

what he is hearing is probably normal. Agood practical test of the noise performanceof an amplifier is to play a record at a nor-mal loud level and then, without touchingthe amplifier knobs, raise the tone arm withits cueing control. With even the finestequipment, you'll hear some noise (hiss,mostly) if you press your ear to the grillecloth over the tweeters. But if no noise isheard at your normal listening location,then I would say that everything is okay.

Replacement BeltsQDo you have any idea where I could buy a replacement drive belt for my

,1,1 Gray turntable?HENRY NELSON

Commack, N.Y.

AAnyone seeking a replacement for arubber or fabric belt, idler, or drive

wheel on an old (or recent) record player ortape recorder will probably find it listed inthe comprehensive seventy -page referencecatalog published by Projector -RecorderBelt Corp. (Dept. SR, 200 Clay Street, P.O.Box 176, Whitewater, Wis. 53190). Thecatalog costs $1 (refunded with the firstorder); be sure to ask for a copy of the sepa-rate belt cross-reference guide.

For olde-tyme audiophiles like myself,the catalog is a tour down memory lane. I

found listings for Fairchild, Gray, Rek-O-Kut, Sherwood, and Stromberg-Carlsonturntables as well as Pentron and Magne-cord tape recorders. And even if your cher-ished audio heirloom doesn't show upamong the pages of fine -print listings, all isnot lost. The PRB Corporation offers toexamine your old belt-if sent along withbrand, model, and function information-and either supply a replacement from stockor make one up. Prices range from a low of47c to a high of $12 (for a Stromberg-Carl-son belt).

CIRCLE NO 2. ON READER SERVICE CARD STEREO REVIEW

Revisedand updated'.

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A test lab in a record jacketEmploying the most advanced recording. mastering, and pressing

techniques. the Stereo Review SRT14-A is produced to strict laboratorystandards. Engraved in its grooves are a series of precisely recordedtest tones, frequency sweeps. and pink noise signals that enableyou to accurately analyze and check your stereo system for

II Frequency response II Wow and flutter.MI Stereo separation Optimum speaker placement. Cartridge tracking ability. Cartridge Tracking Force &III Channel balance Anti -skating. Hum and noise. including Musical Instrument Tuning.

turntable rumble Standards. and more. much more.And you can do it all without any instruments...by ear alone.Step-by-step instructions

Included with SRT14-A is detailed instruction manual. completewith charts. tables. and diagrams. This takes you step by stepthrough the testing process It explains the significance of each test.It tells you what to listen for It clearly describes any abberations insystem response. And it details corrective procedures.

For professionals tooThe usefulness of the SRT14-A is not confined to the nontechnical

listener. Included on the record are a series of tests that call for theuse of sophisticated measuring instruments, such as oscilloscopes.chart recorders. and distortion analyzers. These tests permit the ad-vanced audiophile and professional to make precise measurements oftransient response. recorded signal velocity. anti -skating compensa-tion. IM distortion. and a host of other performance characteristics.

SRT14-A record contentsCARTRIDGE TRACKING, HIGH FREQUENCY. Consists of a two-tone signal (16.000 and 16.300 Hz) that repeatedly swoops to ahigh level and returns to a fixed low level. The level and quality ofthe audible 300 -Hz "difference lone" indicates pickup quality andmistracking.FREQUENCY RESPONSE, 20 kHz to 25 Hz. Uses one-third octavebands of pink noise. centered on twenty-nine frequencies over theaudio spectrum, compared with reference tones at three levels.SEPARATION, LEFT -TO -RIGHT. Uses test tones consisting of one-third octave bands of pink noise recorded in the left channel withreference tones in the right. to check leakage from left to nght.SEPARATION, RIGHT -TO -LEFT. Same as Test 3, with channelsreversed.CARTRIDGE TRACKING, LOW FREQUENCY. Uses a single300 -Hz tone that repeatedly swoops to a high level, producing buzzytones if the cartridge is misadlusted or inferiorCHANNEL BALANCE. Two random -phase noise signals. one ineach channel, produce sounds heard separately to allow accuratesetting of channel balance

CARTRIDGE AND SPEAKER PHASING. A low -frequency signalalternates in and out of phase in the two channels to allow properphasing of cartridge and speakersLOW -FREQUENCY NOISE. A very -low-level orchestral passage.followed by a section of quiet groove.- allows analysis of low -frequency noiseTURNTABLE FLUTTER. A passage of piano music is recorded threetimes with increasing amounts of flutter The degree to which therecord player's flutter "masks- the test passages indicates theseverity of turntable flJtter.FREQUENCY -RESPONSE SWEEP, 500 Hz, TO 20,000 Hz, LEFTCHANNEL. A steady tone rises from 500 Hz to 20 kHz. allowingevaluation of system electrical response by instrumentFREQUENCY -RESPONSE SWEEP, 500 Hz TO 20,000 Hz, RIGHTCHANNEL. Same as Test 10 but in right channel.TONE -BURST. The test signa is sixteen cycles on. same period off,sweeping from 500 Hz to 20 KHz. allowing evaluation of transientresponse of phono cartridgesINTERMODULATION DISTORTION. A phono cartridge's inter -modulation distortion can be measured directly using a standard IMmeter designed to analyze an SMPTE signalANTI -SKATING ADJUSTMENT. A specially designed signal allowsadjustment of anti skating force for best reproduction of high-levelpassages1000 -Hz REFERENCE TONES. Four tones with recorded velocitiesthat increase by 3 -dB steps can be used to determine (by the corn-parisor method) the recorded signal velocity on a disc recording.FLUTTER AND SPEED ACCURACY. A 3.150 -Hz tone recorded wit))great accuracy of speed provides the standard signal for use with aflutter meter or frequency counter.STEREO SPREAD. A series cf drum beats recorded out of doorsprovides a guide to optimum speaker placement for a subjectivelysatisfy ng stereo effect.STANDARD "A." The standard 440 -Hz tone is recorded with veryhigh p-ecision for tuning instruments and for checking turntablespeed.

CHROMATIC OCTAVE. The tones of the "equal -tempered" octavefrom 440 Hz to 880 Hz are recorded with accuracy better than 0.1per centGUITAR TUNING TONES. The six notes of standard guitar tuningare recorded with accuracy better than 0 1 per cent

The final stepStart getting the most out of your stereo system. Make the SRT14-Ayour next record purciase. Just complete the coupon and mail italong with your remittance today'

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Please send SRT14-A Stereo Test Records at $9.95 each.($11.95 outside U S.A.)

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So even after a Maxell recording is 500 plays old, you'llswear it's not a play over five. IT'S WORTH IT


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ROAD

ASSUMING you have the choice, the timeto start checking out your new car ster-

eo is before you say goodbye to your old one.So take notes on all the operating areaswhere your current car system either workswell or doesn't measure up. This informa-tion can help you evaluate any stereo you'rethinking about buying.

To know as much about a car -stereo unityou're about to buy as you will learn onceyou've got it installed, you would have totake it for a long test drive-and few if anydealers are set up to let you do that. Still,you sometimes do find a dealer willing andable to demonstrate one or two systems onthe road, but it's hard to understand suchdemos without some standard of compari-son. (We'll leave checks you can make inthe store or from spec sheets for anothercolumn.)

I have my own stereo "test track" in andaround New York City. My first test is astretch of choppy road along the HudsonRiver waterfront: some tape transports getthe hiccups going over the potholes andcobblestones. Most recent high -qualitydecks pass this test with flying colors,though, so either car -stereo tape transportsor New York's streets have improved in thepast few years (I'll bet on the stereos).

When I get downtown, I switch to FMand cruise in the East Thirties, between theEmpire State Building and the Queens -Midtown Tunnel. My first car FM set over-loaded like crazy there, cross -modulatingtill some stations popped up at severalpoints on the dial. Most stereos still havesome trouble, with some stations "puffing"in and out, sounding like outdoor broadcastswith no microphone windscreens.

Try both the AM and the FM bands-some tuners have trouble on one but not theother. Give extra points for models that canhandle such strong -signal areas withoutmaking you hit the local/distant switch (orare able to make do without such a switch).But don't penalize those that do make youuse the switch-that's what it's for.

If you can, check distant reception too.Again, it helps to have a certified troublespot. Mine is a place about 65 miles fromNew York where my old car FM radiowould richochet back and forth annoyingly

TESTS

between reasonable monophonic receptionand distorted, noisy stereo. I recently droveby with my present stereo and found it nev-er got unlistenable.

With digital tuning, you can run anothertest, checking reception at every FM chan-nel on the dial. (With analog tuning, it'smuch harder; only digital units tell youwhen you've hit each frequency whetherthere's a station on it or not.) I make a testchart listing all the frequencies and markhow good a signal I get on each. A sensitiveradio should receive all the stations in yourarea clearly, and a selective one won't pickup distorted versions of strong signals on thechannels flanking the true frequency. Noradio, however, is absolutely perfect.

Remember also that there are more vari-ables in radio tests than in the radios them-selves-for instance, the antenna, atmos-pheric conditions, and precise location.

When I was a kid in Connecticut, our carradio (a 1954 model, AM only) used to pickup WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, allwinter but not in summer, and WQXR inNew York couldn't be picked up from theparking space in front of my father's storebut came in perfectly if I nosed the carthree feet forward into the crosswalk!

THOUGH the tests I've described will helpyou most in comparing car stereos beforeyou buy them, you probably won't get achance to make them until after you'vebought a system. Too late, then? Makethem anyway. If your new stereo doesn'toutperform your old, there may be some-thing wrong with it or its installation. Thetime to complain about that is right afteryou get it, and your complaint will get mostaction if you can state precisely how theperformance falls down. 0

22 STEREO REVIEW

Here's how wekiss the hiss goodbye.

BASF Chrome.The world's quietest tape.With BASF Chrome, you hear only what youwant to hear-because we "kissed the hissgoodbye."

In fact, among all high bias tapes on themarket today, only PRO II combines theworld's lowest background noise with out-standing sensitivity in the critical high fre-

quency range for superior dynamic range(signal-to-noise ratio).

PRO II is unlike any othertape because it's

made like noother tape.

While ordi-nary high

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Maga15,000X

Per-fectlyshapedand uni-formly sizedparticles of purechromium dioxideprovide a magneticmedium like no othertape in the world.

made frommodified particles of ferric oxide, onlyPRO II is made of pure chromium dioxide.These perfectly shaped and uniformly sizedparticles provide a magnetic medium that'struly superior-so superior that PRO II waschosen by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab for theirOriginal Master Recording"' High FidelityCassettes-the finest prerecorded cassettesin the world.

And like all BASF tapes, PRO II comesencased in our new ultra -precision cassetteshell that provides perfectalignment, smooth, cA

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tape movement, and consistent high fidelityreproduction.

So when you want 70 hear cll of the musicand none of the tape turn on to BASF Chrome.It's the onetape batkissed thehiss good-bye.

PRO II-a tape so superior, a cassette soreliable, that it was the one chosen by

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab for their OriginalMaster Recording'"' High Fidelity Cassettes.

For the best recordings you'll ever make

BASFAudio/Video Tapes


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Tape Talk

Tape Typesrrn new to the recording field. Can

Vg you explain the differences betweenthe various tape types (I, II, III, IV) I seeadvertised?

KURT HIRSHINGEREncino, Calif.

AThe existence of four different basictape types engenders the kind of con-

sumer confusion that Philips (the inventorof the cassette format) long sought, in vain,to preclude. However ... here's a brief run-down on their characteristics.

( I ) What are called "Type I" cassettesuse a ferric oxide (or a slightly modifiedversion of one) as their magnetic materialand are designed to be played back on tapedecks with nominal equalization timeconstants of 120 and 3,150 microseconds.These cassettes constitute the greatest partof the market, can be used with any licensedcassette deck (mono or stereo, componentor portable), and are made by most manu-facturers in quality gradations rangingfrom superb to wretched.

(2) The Type I tapes initially introducedwere inadequate for high-fidelity use. Theyhad too much hiss and were incapable ofadequate high -frequency response. To cir-cumvent these limitations, DuPont intro-duced chromium -dioxide cassettes morethan a decade ago, and since then othercompanies have introduced various Cr0,-equivalent tapes that are collectivelygrouped today as "Type II." What theyshare is the need for a higher recording -biaslevel than Type I tapes, plus the need for adifferent playback equalization (70 and3,150 microseconds) so as to boost the highfrequencies (and tape hiss) about 4.5 dBless than the conventional ferric -oxideequalization does. Type II (Cr02 or equiva-lent) cassettes will always enjoy a theoreti-cal advantage in terms of tape hiss overType I formulations, but the practicaladvantage has been reduced very signifi-cantly by improvements in Type I tapes.

(3) "Type Ill" formulations are "fer-richrome" cassettes, which are made bydepositing a relatively thick layer of regularferric oxide on the tape base, then a ratherthin layer of chromium dioxide (or itsequivalent). The idea here is that the very

high audio frequencies-which tend to berecorded very close to the coating surface-are best served by chrome, but the middleand low frequencies are better recorded onferric oxide. The original plan was for suchdual -layer tapes to be recorded using biasand equalization suitable for ferric tape,then played back with the 70 -microsecond(chrome) equalization. Unfortunately,standardization and production difficultiesplagued the ferrichrome or Type III tapealmost from its inception, though it hasbeen found to work well in car stereos. Play-ing back a tape with 70 -microsecond equal-ization on a car deck that is equipped onlywith the standard 120 -microsecond equal-ization boosts the high frequencies about4.5 dB. This is equivalent to turning up thetreble control, which compensates, at leastin part, for the deficiencies in high -frequen-cy response heard in most cars.

(4) Type IV cassettes, like Type II,introduced a new magnetic material.Known as "metal particle," "pure metal,"or just "metal," Type IV cassettes aredesigned to use 70 -microsecond equaliza-tion but require a much higher bias andhave a much higher treble capacity. Wheth-er you need this increased capacity dependson your recording requirements. It would besilly to spend the additional money for aType IV tape to dub a conventional FMbroadcast whose high -frequency content isall too obviously limited, but it might wellbe worth it to preserve a direct -cut or digi-tally mastered LP.

New Deck, New Sound?n I.. thinking about replacing my old

a cassette deck, but I'm concernedthat tapes I've recorded on it may sounddifferent on a new unit. Could I lose thehighs or encounter new distortion?

PHILIP KOWITZColumbia Heights, Minn.

A The reason that playback -adjustmentprocedures are standardized around

the 70- and 120 -microsecond equalizationcurves is precisely to avoid the problemyou're worried about. Assuming that yourold deck was properly set up at the factory,tapes recorded on it should sound identical..

CIRCLE NO. 11 ON READER SERVICE CARD 24 STEREO REVIEW

on any properly adjusted machine, exceptthat you may possibly get more high -endresponse with a new deck because of itsimproved heads. If you get less treble itindicates that one of the two decks is out ofazimuth alignment, a condition that a ser-vice technician should be able to correcteasily.

Long Cablesneed to interconnect a receiverltape-

%. deck system on one floor of myhome to another set upstairs. This willrequire about 70 feet of cable each for thetwo "in" and the two "out" channels.Should I use regular shielded cable or foil -enclosed cable? Does it make any differ-ence if the wire gauge is #20 or #22?

MARK F. GOLDFINEBrooklyn, N.Y.

AWhat you need to worry about is notthe difference between conventional

and foil -shielded cables, much less the wiregauge; your concern should be with therated impedance at the jacks to which youpropose to attach those 70 -foot cables. Withmost home hi-fi equipment, you'll wipe outthe high -frequency response. That is whyprofessionals who must use long cable runsspecify costly equipment with very low out-put impedance-and, generally, use "bal-anced -line" cable, which minimizes humpickup in a long run. If you are really seri-ous about your proposed hookup, you mayrequire an engineering consultant to get itright. He'll probably recommend the use ofseparate buffer amplifiers.

JVC and Dolbyhave a number of tapes recorded

g using JVC's Super ANRS. Can Icopy them successfully using a deck thathas Dolby -B and Dolby -C?

MEYER SHERMANPark Forest, Ill.

AThe "regular" JVC ANRS (Automat-ic Noise Reduction System) is play-

back -compatible with Dolby -B. Both workon low-level high frequencies and are suffi-ciently similar that you're unlikely to haveany problems if you treat tapes processedwith these systems interchangeably.

The JVC "Super ANRS" is a very dif-ferent animal, however, and it is nothinglike either Dolby -B or Dolby -C. The "Su-per" part works on high-level high frequen-cies, lowering their level before recording(to prevent tape saturation) and restoring iton playback. This does not have an exactcounterpart in the Dolby system.

My advice, then, is to borrow a JVC deckwith Super ANRS and play the tape(s) tobe duplicated on this machine while record-ing the copies on your own Dolby -equippeddeck. 0

Because the number of questionswe receive each month is greaterthan we can reply to individually,only those letters selected for use inthis column can be answered. Sorry!

MAY 1982

Power has :ts price. Unfortunately, with many receivers, youusually end up paying for a lot of power you may not necessarilyneed in order to get the compu:erized features you want.

At Kenwocd, we don't think that's playing fair.Which is why every one cf our new Hi -Speed`"' receivers

offers a host of very intelligent engineering advances.Like Direct Coupled. Hi -Speed amplifier circuitry for

absolutely brilliant musical clarity, down to 0Hz.And microprocessor controlled Quartz PLL Synthesizer

tuning to give you perfect, drift -free FM recepzion.We've even included the convenience of our computerized

AutoScan tuning. And instant, automatic computer -memorytuning of 6 AM and 6 of your favorite FM stations.

But best of all, we didn't restrict all this in:elligence to just ournew KR -850 H: -Speed receive7.

You can also find it on our new KR -830.And our new KR -820.And even our new Slimline KR -90.Examine all the possibilities at your Kenwood dealer. With

all the choices we offer. you'll find the computerized receiverthat's exactly yoar type.

At your type cf price.

KENWOOCYThe audio company that listens.

P.O Box 6213, Carson, CA 90749

Technical TalkBy Julian D. Hirsch

Measuring Preamplifier Characteristics

IN January I discussed how Hirsch -HouckI Labs measures power -amplifier per-formance in accordance with the IHF in-dustry standard (now known as EIA Stand-ard RS -490, November 1981), and I nowpropose to address myself to the subject ofpreamplifiers. Basically, preamplifiers aretested very much as power amplifiers are,but there are a number of significant differ-ences resulting from their very differentoperating conditions.

There are seven primary specificationsthat must be disclosed when a preamplifieris rated by the IHF standard. In addition,there are twenty-one secondary disclosures(the same ones used for power amplifiers)listed for use at the discretion of the manu-facturer and where applicable (obviously,some of these apply only to a power ampli-fier or to a preamplifier but not to both).

The primary disclosures for a preamp arefrequency response, maximum voltage out-put, total harmonic distortion, sensitivity,A -weighted signal-to-noise ratio, maximuminput signal, and input impedance. In gen-eral they are separately specified and meas-ured for each available signal input (phono,aux, etc.).

Instead of the usual power -amplifier loadof 8 ohms, the standard test load for apreamp is 10,000 ohms in parallel with a1 ,000-picofarad capacitance. This simu-lates the "worst -case" situation of a poweramplifier with a very low input impedance(10,000 ohms) being driven through a longshielded cable. Unless specified, all tests aremade using standard gain conditions, thepreamplifier gain controls being set for 0.5 -

volt output with a high-level input of 0.5volt, a moving -magnet phono input of 5 mil-livolts, or a moving -coil phono input of 500microvolts. The inputs are to be loaded with1,000 -ohm resistors (10 ohms in the case ofa moving -coil phono input) to simulate theload impedance of the cartridge.

The frequency response of the preampli-fier is measured with all tone controls andfilters at their indicated "flat" settings, andthe output is referenced to the 1,000 -Hzlevel (in other words, the variation in re-sponse is to be expressed as a ±x deviationfrom the output at 1,000 Hz). In the case ofan equalized input (such as the RIAAphono preamp) the preferred procedure(which we use) is to apply the test signalthrough a pre -equalization network thatsimulates the output of an ideal signalsource (in this case, a perfect phono car-tridge playing a constant -velocity test rec-ord). A correctly equalized phono pream-plifier will deliver a uniform output fromsuch an input signal, and any errors must beexpressed as deviations from the I,000 -Hzreference output.

The maximum signal -output voltage ismeasured at the point of I per cent distor-tion, which in practice corresponds to theclipping level. Although the standard re-quires that maximum output be measuredat the frequency extremes as well as at1,000 Hz, we use only the middle frequencysince the difference is negligible in modernpreamplifiers.

Total harmonic distortion is the next pri-mary specification. Standard gain settingsare used for this test, but the output level is

12 dB higher (2 volts). The THD rating isthe maximum distortion measured over therated bandwidth of the preamplifier at thisoutput. Note that it is independent of themanufacturer's rated output, which may bemore or less than 2 volts. The distortionmeasurement through an equalized input(such as phono) should be made using apre -equalizing network.

SENSITIVITY is a measure of the maximumgain of the preamplifier, and it is made withall level controls set at maximum. It is the1,000 -Hz input -signal level required at eachinput for a reference output of 0.5 volt. TheA -weighted signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) ismeasured at reference gain, with a standardA -weighting filter placed between thepreamplifier output and the measuring me-ter. This filter attenuates both low and highfrequencies in the noise to reflect their rela-tive audibility levels. For measurement, theinputs terminate in standard resistances.

The maximum input signal is measuredfor each input by successively reducing theamplifier gain and increasing the input leveluntil the output waveform shows clipping(at a level well below its maximum capabil-ities). In the case of the phono input, theoverload level is measured at 20 and 20,000Hz as well as at 1,000 Hz. Because of thenearly 20 -dB difference in gain between ei-ther frequency extreme and the center fre-quency, it is necessary to adjust the meas-ured overload limits at the band edges totheir equivalent values at 1,000 Hz (bymultiplying the 20 -Hz figure by 9.23 anddividing the 20,000 -Hz figure by 9.55).

Tested This MonthPioneer SX-8 AM/FM Stereo Receiver Akai GX-77 Open -reel Tape Deck

Jensen System 400 Speaker QED Model 7 PreamplifierDenon DP -52F Turntable

26 STEREO REVIEW

The final primary disclosure is the inputimpedance. Although this is usually speci-fied for each input, we measure it only atthe standard phono input (moving -magnet)since this is the only place where a moder-ate impedance change can have an audibleeffect on system sound. A 1,000 -Hz signalis connected to the phono input through anadjustable precision resistance, and the out-put of the preamplifier is displayed on aspectrum analyzer (to exclude hum andnoise that could affect the measurement).The series resistor is increased until the out-put falls to half its original value. That re-sistance is equal to the input impedance ofthe preamplifier at 1,000 Hz. The input ca-pacitance is measured separately, and inour reports the phono-input impedance isstated in the form "47,000 ohms in parallelwith 100 picofarads."

Most of the secondary disclosures eitherdo not apply to preamplifiers or are rarelyspecified by manufacturers. We limit our-

selves to measuring the filter and tone -con-trol frequency -response curves, using bothmaximum and intermediate settings of theknobs to determine how they affect re-sponse. We also make a non-standard testof the phono input, measuring the frequen-cy response in the usual way through a re-sistive source and then again through theseries inductance of several typical phonocartridges. This reveals any possible inter-action between the preamplifier's internalfeedback network and the cartridge induc-tance, which in worst cases can modify thefrequency response at high frequencies by 5dB or more.

Such factors as crosstalk, differences ingain or frequency response between chan-nels, and the like are almost never signifi-cant in today's preamplifiers, and we do notmeasure them in detail although they areincluded in the standard as optional disclo-sures. As with power amplifiers, we normal-ly measure only the left channel, spot

checking the right channel to verify that itis essentially identical to the left. In the caseof integrated amplifiers, we test the two sec-tions separately to the extent that it is pos-sible; ctherwise the appropriate tests forpower and preamplifier sections are madeusing a high-level input.

THIS constitutes only the bare outlines ofthe test procedures we use. A full amplifiertest in accordance with the standard is ob-viously very time consuming, and we havehad to extract from it only the parts we con-sider most useful. In addition, only a frac-tion of the test data we produce appears inthe published reports. However, the readercan be assured that "no news is good news,"since any significant departure from themanufacturer's ratings or what we considerto be proper performance will be pointedout in cur appraisal. The "strength" of ourcomment is usually in direct proportion tothe audible significance of the problem.

Equipment Test ReportsBy Julian D. Hirsch By Craig Stark

Hirsch -Houck Laboratories Storksonic Studio

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Pioneer SX-8 RM / FM Stereo Receiver

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Pioneer SX-8 AM/FM Stereo Receiver Power Rating: 100 watts per channel Size: 161/2 x 16 x 6 inches Weight: 28 pounds Price: $800

THEnew Pioneer SX-8 AM/FM stereo

receiver heads that company's receiverline. It is completely microprocessor con-trolled, with a power -amplifier section ratedto deliver 100 watts per channel to 8 -ohm

loads from 20 to 20,000 Hz with no morethan 0.005 per cent total harmonic distor-tion. The styling of the SX-8 matches thatof the other current Pioneer audio compo-nents, with pale -gold, satin -finish panelsflanking a dark -brown center section inwhich are contained a number of displaysthat completely define the unit's operatingconditions.

The receiver's most unusual externalcharacteristic is its total lack of knobs.

Everything is controlled by flat rectangularbuttons of different size and shape. Theseoperate voltage -controlled amplifiers andsolid-state switches to adjust gain, frequen-cy response, and signal routing through theamplifier circuits.

The SX-8 has all the usual receiver func-tions, including bass and treble tone con-trols, loudness compensation, audio muting,a low-cut (infrasonic) filter, and switchingfor two pairs of speakers. The phono-

11

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MAY 1982 27

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preamplifier gain and input impedance canbe switched to accommodate moving -mag-net (MM) or moving -coil (MC) cartridges.The controls are operated by holding in thespecified button until the desired conditionis reached. The final setting is retained(even with the power off) by the receiver'smemories, and the SX-8 returns to its pre-viously set operating condition each time itis turned on.

The actual setting of each control isshown clearly by luminescent numericaldisplays in the center panel section. For ex-ample, a two -digit readout with numeralsfrom 0 to 31 shows the volume setting.When power is applied, the numerals blinkfor several seconds before the audio outputsare connected so that one can see the pre-vious setting and change it if necessary be-fore any sound is heard. The actual volumechange is continuous and very smooth. Thenumbers take the place of tl- numericalcalibrations sometimes locateu around acontrol knob, although they are far morereadable.

Another window with two single -digitreadouts joined by a line pattern shows thetone -control settings. A "0" indicates a flatresponse, and when both controls are flatthe digits are joined by a horizontal line.Each control has a calibrated adjustmentrange of plus or minus seven digits, and anychange from flat is accompanied by an upor down "jog" in the line between the num-bers to show either a boost or cut of re-sponse. Like the volume, the tone -controlcircuits respond smoothly and almost im-perceptibly, depending on the discrete digitsto show the equivalent settings of nonexis-tent knobs.

Unique as this control system is, it is fur-ther enhanced by dual memories for themajor variable controls, permitting the stor-age of two volume and two tone -control set-tings for instant recall (tone -control re-sponses can be returned to flat at any timeby pressing a button between the "up" 'and"down" control buttons). The volume mem-ories also store the status of the loudnesscompensation and muting buttons as well asthe volume setting. The muting button re-duces volume smoothly by about 25 dB asecond or so after the button is pressed andrestores it equally smoothly at a secondtouch.

The digital -synthesis tuner section of the

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SX-8 is in many respects similar to otherdigital tuners we have tested. It is tuned by"up" and "down" buttons, with the fre-quency displayed by four large digits on thecenter panel (this is also the readout of adigital clock when the receiver is off orwhen any input other than the tuner is se-lected). There are eight memory buttons,each of which can store one AM and oneFM frequency in the memory for instant re-call. A sliding plastic strip, inserted fromthe left edge of the panel, holds the frequen-cies of the memorized stations so that theycan be seen through small windows abovethe memory buttons. This eliminates theguesswork that is associated with the morecommon unmarked preset buttons.

The tuner has the usual tuning and scan-ning modes, selectable by small buttons atthe bottom of the panel. It can be set to ad-vance one channel in either direction, de-pending on which button is pressed, to scanto the next station it encounters and stopthere, or to scan to each station, stop for 5seconds, and resume scanning unlessstopped by touching another button. Thetuning increments are 100 kHz for FM andeither 9 or 10 kHz for AM (selectable by aswitch in the rear of the receiver). The inputsource is selected by a vertical row of largebuttons at the right of the display panel. Inaddition to the FM and AM tuner inputs,there are MONO. AIL/VIDEO (high level),

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Across the bottom of the display panelare two sets of LED power -output indica-tors. Occupying much of the rest of the cen-ter panel is a signal -flow diagram whosesymbols are illuminated to show the variouscontrol settings. It includes a three -LEDsignal -strength indicator and two arrowsthat show the direction of any balance -con-trol movement from center (both are litwhen it is centered, and it can be centeredinstantly by pressing in both the balancebuttons together). The letters A and B underthe tone and volume displays indicate whichmemory has been selected for each particu-lar function.

The rear panel includes preamplifier-out-put/main-amplifier-input jacks with jump-er links, three a.c. outlets (one switched),and an Am STEREO output jack for use witha yet -to -be -developed stereo -AM adaptor(the FCC has just decided to let the marketdetermine which system it will be). The Pi-oneer SX-8 has a metal cabinet thatmatches the color of the front panel.

Laboratory Measurements. Since thepower and distortion ratings of the PioneerSX-8 are specified only for its power -ampli-fier section, we first measured that part sep-


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28 STEREO REVIEW

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"Don't believe him, sir! This one here is the world's best -sounding speaker!"

arately (after preconditioning) by driving itthrough the main -amplifier inputs in therear of the receiver. Then we repeated thosemeasurements through the preamplifier in-puts in the normal manner and also mademeasurements of the preamplifier sectionalone through the PRE OUT jacks.

Through the power amplifier alone, the1,000 -Hz distortion was virtually unmeas-urable (it was typically 0.0002 to 0.0003per cent) for all power outputs from I to100 watts. It was only 0.00063 per cent at120 watts -just at the clipping level into 8 -ohm loads. A power -amplifier input of 84millivolts (mV) produced a reference out-put of I watt. The slew factor was 2.5, andthe amplifier rise time was about 2 micro-seconds. It was stable with simulated reac-tive loudspeaker loads.

At the rated 100 watts output and at alllower power levels, the distortion rose onlyslightly at low frequencies to about 0.003per cent at 30 Hz. (It was not possible tomake accurate distortion measurements at30 and 20 Hz because the distortion compo-nents could not be isolated from power -linefrequencies at those minuscule levels.) Thedistortion rose at high frequencies to a max-imum of 0.008 per cent at 20,000 Hz andfull power, falling to 0.0045 per cent at-10 dB (10 watts).

Measured through the preamplifier sec-tion, the distortion readings were muchhigher than through the power amplifieralone. The distortion also depended to a de-gree on the volume -control settings, indicat-ing some nonlinearity in the low-level, volt-age -controlled circuits of the preamplifier.

We measured the distortion and clippinglevel at the preamplifier output, driving astandard IHF load of 10,000 ohms in paral-lel with 1,000 picofarads, at different fre-quencies and with various volume settings.At the IHF reference -gain setting (0.5 -voltoutput for 0.5 -volt input at a high-leveljack) the distortion was low -less than 0.05per cent from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a 0.7 -voltoutput. However, at a I -volt output the dis-tortion increased sharply at about 5,000 or6,000 Hz, rising to about I per cent at10,000 Hz and 4.5 per cent at 20,000 Hz.

Waveform distortion clearly indicated theonset of slew limiting.

At 1,000 Hz, the distortion increasedsmoothly from less than 0.01 per cent at0.15 volt and below to 0.7 per cent at 1 voltand about 1 per cent at 1.2 volts. We meas-ured the preamplifier section's voltage out-put at clipping at frequencies of I, 10, and20 kHz as a function of volume -control set-ting. The IHF reference -gain setting corre-sponded to a reading of 18 on the front-panel numerical display. At that point theclipping output was 1 to 1.1 volts for fre-quencies under 10,000 Hz. The level atwhich clipping occured increased to 1.7 to 2volts at maximum gain (a reading of 31 onthe panel). However, reducing the volumeto a reading of 15 (which is -11.5 dB re-ferred to standard gain) reduced the avail-able output before clipping to 0.63 volt at1,000 and 10,000 Hz and to 0.45 volt at20,000 Hz. Since the power -amplifier section requires 0.85 volt for its rated output of100 watts, it is evident that it cannot bedriven to that level, even at middle frequen-cies, when the volume is set below about 17.At 20,000 Hz a volume setting of at least 20is needed for full output without distortion.

The distortion of the complete amplifierrose from 0.01 per cent at I watt to 0.07 percent at 100 watts and 0.08 per cent at 120watts using 8 -ohm loads at 1,000 Hz. Whenwe drove 4 -ohm loads, the amplifier per-formance was not very different, with thedistortion readings ranging from 0.01 percent at I watt to 0.1 per cent at 130 watts(the output clipped at 132 watts). Even 2 -ohm loads did not degrade the amplifierperformance significantly. The 2 -ohm clip-ping -power output changed during ourtests, possibly due to the extreme heating ofthe amplifier when delivering high powerinto low -impedance loads (though it wasnever shut down by its thermal protectionsystem or damaged in any way). Immedi-ately after the normal preconditioning peri-od, the 2 -ohm output clipped at about 120watts, but after extended operation themaximum power fell to about 72 to 75watts. This is still much more than manyhigher -rated amplifiers can deliver to such

a low load impedance. The 2 -ohm distortionwas 0.014 per cent at 10 watts and 0.215per cent at 75 watts.

The 8 -ohm clipping headroom of the Pio-neer SX-8 was 0.72 dB. The short-termpower available during dynamic -power andheadroom tests was essentially identical tothe steady-state clipping output -120 watts(0.72 dB) into 8 ohms, 134 watts into 4ohms, and 130 watts into 2 ohms. The risetime through the preamplifier measured 4microseconds, and the slew factor variedfrom 2.5 at maximum gain to 0.75 at theIHF standard gain setting (0.5 -volt inputgiving 1 watt output).

At full power output and with the preampin the circuit, distortion measured between0.08 and 0.1 per cent from 20 to 5,000 Hz,increasing to 0.36 per cent at 20,000 Hz. Atlower power levels the curve was similar,but with lower readings (typically 0.06 percent at half power and 0.03 per cent at one -tenth rated power). The IHF intermodula-tion distortion (IM) was measured withequal -amplitude inputs of 19- and 20 -kHzsignals whose combined peak value wasequal to that of a single -frequency 100 -wattsignal. The third -order IM (18 kHz) was-72 dB and the second -order component at1,000 Hz was -78 dB, both referred to 100watts.

The tone -control frequency -responsecurves were conventional, with a maximumcontrol range of about ± 12 dB. The "15 -Hz" filter reduced the output by about 0.5dB at 40 Hz and 2.5 dB at 20 Hz. TheRIAA phono equalization was unusuallyaccurate, deviating less than 0.5 dB fromthe ideal response in the 20- to 20,000 -Hzrange. When measured through the induc-tance of a phono cartridge, the phono re-sponse decreased very slightly and gradual-ly to -1 dB at 10,000 Hz and -1.3 dB at20,000 Hz relative to the 1,000 -Hz refer-ence level.

The FM -tuner section of the SX-8 had amono IHF usable sensitivity of 11.6 dBf(2.1 microvolts, or µV). The stereo -switch-ing threshold was 31.2 dBf (20 µV). The50 -dB quieting sensitivity was 15 dBf (3.1µV) in mono and 37 dBf (39 µV) in stereo.The respective noise readings at 65 dBf(1,000 µV) input were -75 and -69.5 dB,and the distortion was 0.077 and 0.165 percent in mono and stereo, respectively. TheIM distortion (using 14- and 15 -kHz testfrequencies whose peak level correspondedto 100 per cent modulation of the signalgenerator) was -74 dB (below 100 per centmodulation) for the second -order compo-nent at 1,000 Hz and -55 dB for the third -order distortion at 13,000 Hz (relative to100 per cent modulation at that frequency).In stereo, the distortion readings were -68and -55 dB, but there were also a numberof additional beat frequencies in the outputat levels between -60 and -80 dB (typicalbehavior for an FM tuner).

The stereo -FM frequency response wasalmost perfectly flat, within ±0.1 dB from30 to 15,000 Hz. The channel separationwas also unusually uniform, between 40 and45 dB over virtually the entire audio range.The capture ratio was 1.5 dB, and AM re-jection was 54 dB at a 45-dBf (100-µV) in-put. The image rejection was a good 86 dB,alternate -channel selectivity was a reason -

30 STEREO REVIEW

ably good 67 dB, and adjacent -channel se-lectivity was 3 dB. The muting and stereothresholds were identical at 31.2 dBf (20µV), and the I9 -kHz pilot carrier leakagein the audio outputs was a low -70 dB.Tuner hum was -68 dB. The only meas-urement made of the AM -tuner section wasits frequency response, which was down 6dB at 100 and 2,400 Hz.

Comment. Our tests show that the Pio-neer SX-8 has an excellent power amplifier(using their "Non -Switching" circuit) cou-pled with a much less distinguished pream-plifier section and a good FM -tuner sectionthat is on a par with those of other top-quality receivers.

The distortion readings we obtainedthrough the preamplifier section, and themanner in which they depended on volumesetting, suggest some design limitations, asevidenced by the unit's inability to deliver aI -volt output at high frequencies with IHFstandard gain settings without severe wave-

form distortion. Fortunately, the preampli-fier can drive its own power amplifier to fulloutput without difficulty up to perhaps8,000 Hz, and at outputs only a decibel orso below rated output its distortion remainsnegligible even at the highest frequencies.

While the numerical results of our overalldistortion measurements were not too im-pressive, it must be understood that theywere not reflected in the sound of the ampli-fier in the slightest. With the distortionreading exceeding 0.1 per cent only at highpower levels and very high frequencies, it isdifficult to imagine that anyone could heartheir effects under home -listening condi-tions. In short, we never heard anything butfirst-rate sound from the SX-8.

Any judgment on the SX-8 must takeinto account its unique control features. It ishandsomely styled, and it makes a most at-tractive combination with, for example, oneof Pioneer's matching cassette decks. Atfirst glance, the array of controls and dis-plays may seem overwhelming. Neverthe-

less, it is so easy to use, so free of human -engineering flaws and so utterly smooth inevery operation that we speedily came toappreciate its advantages and even to feelthat this is the proper way for such a highlycomplex unit to operate.

Admittedly, it takes a bit of practice tobecome familiar with everything this receiv-er can do and to use it to full effectiveness.Once one becomes accustomed to pressinginstead of turning to produce a result,everything happens naturally. Although thecontrol memories will be retained for up toa week with the receiver unplugged, theclock has no such back-up. It is hard 'othink of a more versatile or elegant receiverpresently available at anywhere near theprice of this one. The Pioneer SX-8 is a fineunit, worthy of its place at the top of thenew Pioneer line of microprocessor -con-trolled components, and a reasonable valuefor the money. -Julian D. Hirsch

Circle 140 on reader serPice card

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Akai GX-77 Open -reel Tape Deck

Akai GX-77 Open -reel Tape Deck Size: 17'/4 x 91/2 x 9 inches Weight: 37'/2 pounds Price: $795

H E Akai GX-77 is an open -reel deck de -I signed to use both conventional and thenew EE (Extra Efficiency) chrome -typetapes, and it is the first of these units I have

had an opportunity to test. A two -speed(71/2 and 33/4 inches per second), 7 -inch -reelmachine, the GX-77 is capable of bidirec-tional recording and playback. The basicadvantage of the new EE tapes (currentlyavailable from TDK, Maxell, and BASF) isthat, when used with recorders designed forthem, performance previously attainableonly at 71/2 ips can be achieved at 33/4 ips.

The formulation thus makes it possible toprovide an uninterrupted 90 -minute playingtime (twice that of a C-90 cassette) with astandard 1,800 -foot 7 -inch reel and, fur-ther, an increase in the potential signal-to-noise ratio. The EE tapes, however, requireincreased bias and departure from thestandard playback equalization. A switch


MAY 1982 31

LINEARTM

The linear tracking tonearm is without question theideal way to recover infix -Illation from a disc. It can vir-tually reduce I lorizontal tracking error to /cm, eliminatecrossmodulation and significantly minimiie stylus andrecord wear.

But until now there hasn't been a linear trackingturntable whose overall performance truly measuredup to the technology of linear tracking itself.

Pioneer's new PL-L8(X) has changed all of that.

THE LINEAR INDUCTION MOTORELIMINATES MECHANICAL CONTACT

Unlike other linear tracking tonearms thatare driven by vibration -producing rollers, wormscrews or pulleys, the PL-L800's tonearm isdriven by Pioneer's exclusive linear inductionmotor. Through a process known as electro-magnetic repulsion, a magnetic field is set upthat gently propels the tonearm, allowing it totrack perfectly with no mechanical linkagesto degrade performance.

THE POLYMER GRAPHITE'TONEARM DAMPENS VIBRATIONS.

To minimize any tonearm resonancecaused by acoustic vibrations, the PL-L800's tonearm has been constructedwith an exclusive dampening materialcalled Polymer Graphite The onlything we want you to hear through ourtonearm is music.

Our Coaxial Suspension System,on the other hand, will absorb vibra-tions that occur when someone walks ordances too hard in a room, or acciden- THE PIONEtally drops the dustcover. Because insidethe cabinet is a free-floating suspension UNEAFt TRACK!system which isolates the tonearm, platter

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\\ and motor from the rest of tie turntable; vibrations thatreach the cabinet are absorbed by the spring -coupled in -l= sulators before they can harm the reprocuction process.

THE STABLE HANGING ROTOR DESIGNREDUCFS WOW AND FLUTTER.

The most advancoc. turntable 'titer motorwasn't advanced e -lough for the PL -L800. So wecame up with a new direct drive system called theStabk: Hanging Rotor. The problem with thedesign of conventiowl motors is that the "ulcrumis at the base of the molor, making it impossiblefor the platter motor's center gravity to coincidewith the fulcrum. And that r,:sults in a wobblingof the platter, {sown as wow and flutter.

The Stable Hanging Rotor systemneducx:s the muse or this wow and nutter.Because the fulcrum lies immediately belowthe platter, it coincides wish the platter'scenter of gravity.

And as if all this weren't enough, thePL -L800 also is equipped with Piover'sexclusive moving -coil cartridge. It has suchunusually hist- output that even a receiveror amp lot equipped to handle mostmoving -coil cartridges can be used withthe PL-L8C4.

If you find it hard to believe that aturntable could be as remarkable as thePL-L800.we suggest you visit your near-est Pioneer dealer and see and hearthe PL -L1:100, along with our entireline of new :urntables, for yourself.

No other linear tracking turntabledeserves your attention more.

Pan er

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CIRClE NO. 40 ON READER SERVICE :ARD

on the GX-77 selects the proper parametersfor either conventional or EE formulations,and a control permits a ±30 per cent biasvariation to compensate for brand -to -brandtape differences. No internal audio genera-tor is provided to facilitate bias adjustment,though the owner's manual suggests recom-mended settings for a number of differenttape brands and types.

The dual -capstan transport of the GX-77uses a servo -controlled d.c. drive motor andtwo d.c. reel motors. There are six tapeheads-erase, record, and playback foreach direction. The transport pushbuttonsoperate logic -controlled solenoids that pre-vent tape damage from rapid mode switch-ing and permit instantaneous directionchange during recording or playback at nor-mal speeds.

Tape threading is a simple, straight-lineprocedure from supply to take-up reels, andthe head cover is hinged to facilitate editingand routine cleaning and demagnetizing. Aseparate roller that glides up and down in aslot approximately 5 inches long is usedboth to draw the tape into the head nest andto control a digital counter that reads di-rectly in minutes and seconds. During thethreading operation the two spring -loadedtension arms are automatically retracted.

Separate left- and right -channel record-ing controls are supplemented by a MASTERrecord knob that affects both channels si-multaneously. Record and playback levelsare displayed on a sixteen -segment peak -reading fluorescent indicator that is cali-brated from -20 to +8 dB. An OUTPUTcontrol adjusts the level at both the front -panel headphone jack and at the regularrear -panel output jacks. Additional front -panel switches are provided for a CUE/RE-VIEW function, operation from an externaltimer, and speed, as well as for selection ofeither one -direction, auto -reverse for a sin-gle cycle, or continuous repeat -play modes.The automatic -reverse functions require theaddition of a short length of metal -foil sens-ing tape to the tape backing at the point(s)where reversal is desired.

The rear panel of the GX-77 has theusual input/output jacks plus provision for

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a remote -control accessory. A separateAkai MM -77 mixer (or equivalent) is re-quired for recording with microphones.

Laboratory Measurements. The AkaiGX-77 unit 1 received for testing did notinclude the usual manufacturer's check-outdata, nor were specific tapes indicated ashaving been used in the factory setup. Ex-perimenting with various formulations, 1

achieved the best performance (by a narrowmargin) with TDK SA in the EE positionand with 3M Master XS in the regularmode, though essentially the same resultscould be achieved with a variety of alterna-tive formulations from Maxell, BASF, andAmpex.

Playback response was tested using MRLtest tapes for the standard (NAB/IEC)playback equalizations at 71/2 and 33/4 ips,as shown in the graph. EE tapes use differ-ent time constants for the two speeds (35and 50 microseconds instead of 50 and 90Asec), and there are, as yet, no standardplayback test tapes available for thisformat. Using standard test tapes andmathematically calculating the responsevariations to be expected with the newformat indicated that the playback of theGX-77 in its EE position would fall within afew tenths of a decibel of the curves shown_

"To fill the remaining time we bring you Verdi'sAida, two 3343 LP records played at 78 rpm."

The bass rise in the playback curves is not acharacteristic of the recorder but resultsfrom using a full -track test tape on a quar-ter -track deck.

On an overall record -playback basis theadvantages of EE -type tape are most ob.'vious at the 31/4-ips speed when recording ata relatively high level (0 dB), as the curvesin the graph indicate. In a way it is compa-rable to the difference between a metal -par-ticle cassette and a good ferric or Cr02-typecassette. The difference between 71/2 and33/4 ips is not entirely wiped out, but formost practical recording purposes it is re-duced to insignificance. The curves in thegraph are for the forward direction, butthose made in the reverse direction did notdiffer by more than ±0.5 dB.

Third -harmonic distortion from a 1,000 -Hz tone at an indicated 0 -dB input levelmeasured only 0.2 per cent at the 71/2-ipsspeed with the 3M tape and only 0.15 percent with the EE TDK SA. At 33/4 ips therespective figures (averaging the forward -and reverse -direction measurements as be-fore) were 0.3 per cent for both tapes. Theoverload margin was generous for both theregular ferric and the EE formulations atboth speeds, averaging between 7.5 and 10dB with either tape before producing 3 percent third -harmonic distortion. At 71/2 ips,the signal-to-noise ratio, referred to the 3per cent distortion point, measured 63 dBwith the TDK SA and 62 dB with 3M Mas-ter XS unweighted, rising to 68 dB and 66.8dB with IEC A -weighting. At the 33/4-ipsspeed the S/N figures were 60.6 and 60.1dB (unweighted) and 64.7 and 64.1 dB (A -weighted) for the TDK and 3M tapes,respectively.

Averaging both directions, overall record -playback wow and flutter at 71/2 ips meas-ured only 0.032 per cent on the convention-al wrms basis and 0.048 when employingthe stricter DIN peak -weighted standard.At 33/4 ips the comparable figures were 0.04and 0.07 per cent, respectively. Fast -for-ward and rewind times for a 1,200 -foot reelaveraged 72 seconds, and an input signal of64 mV was required to produce a 0 -dB indi-cation. The output at this level was 0.755volt.

Comment. The Akai GX-77 is certainlyeasy to operate, though some of its controlknobs seem slightly small. It was capable ofmaking truly excellent copies of audiophile

34 STEREO REVIEW

discs at the 71/2-ips speed, and at 33/4 ipsonly the most demanding material showedany sign of high -frequency rolloff. The spe-cific virtues of the EE format are still, tosome degree, to be determined, for while

high -end response and signal-to-noise ratioare definitely improved at 32/4 ips, modula-tion noise (flutter and program -responsivehiss) could still be detected by very criticallistening. Nonetheless, for the home user in-

terested in open -reel capabilities I can rec-ommend serious consideration of the AkaiGX-77. -Craig Stark

Circle 141 on reader set -rice card

Jensen System 40) Speaker

Jensen System 400 Speaker Size: 26'/4 x 13 x 101/4 inches Weight: 31 pounds Price: $230

THE Jensen System 400 is a three-wayspeaker system consisting of a 10 -inch

acoustic -suspension woofer, a 31/2 -inch high -compliance midrange cone driver, and a 1 -

inch soft -dome tweeter. The midrange andhigh -frequency speakers are acousticallyisolated from the woofer within the enclo-sure. The crossover frequencies are 1,500and 4,200 Hz, and the nominal system im-pedance is 8 ohms.

The System 400 has an acousticallytransparent "minimum -diffraction grille"designed to minimize the interference ef-fects often caused by the edges of a framedgrille or by the speaker s baffle board. Thegrille is made of an open -weave brown clothstretched on a molded fame that is largelyopen around its edges as well as in front ofthe speakers. A level -control knob (behindthe grille) provides a ccntinuously variablecombined middle- and high -frequency ad-justment calibrated from 0 to -10 dB with

a fully "off- setting. The spring -loaded con-nectors (which accept the st-ipped ends ofthe wire leads) are recessed into the rear ofthe cabinet, which is finished in walnut -grain vinyl veneer.

Laboratory Measurements. The roomresponse of the Jensen System 400 speakerswith their level controls set to() (maximumhighs) was -elatively uniforr. from about500 to 5,000 Hz, showing cnly the minorpeaks and dips that are normal in a live -room measurement of this type. Above5,000 Hz, the average cmput droppedabout 5 dB and then fell off at about 10 dBper octave between 10,000 and 20,000 Hz.The response curves from the left and rightspeakers (on axis and about 30 degrees offaxis, respectively) diverged only moderatelyabove 7,000 Hz, showing the typical hori-zontal dispersion pattern of a 1 -inch dometweeter.

The bass response was measured with themicrophone close to the woofer cone. Thewoofer output was very uniform from 100 to1,000 Hz, with only about ± I dB of varia-tion over that important part of the audio

band. The low -frequency output reached itsmaximum at 60 Hz, where it was about 5dB greater than the upper portion of thewoofer s operating range, and it fell at 12dB per octave below 60 Hz.

When the two sets of curves were spliced,the composite frequency response was with-in ±3 dB from 80 to 6,000 Hz. Includingthe effects of the bass rise and the lowerplateau of the tweeter's output above 5,000Hz, the overall frequency response was ±5dB from 40 to 18,000 Hz.

We also measured the quasi-anechoic on -axis response of the System 400 using our1QS (INDAC) FFT computer program. Itdiffered from the room -response measure-ment significantly. At a 1 -meter distance,the output variation was no more than ±2dB from 300 to 11,000 Hz (on axis), risingto a plateau of about 5 dB in the 12,000- to7,000 -Hz range. We obtained our flattest

overall response in this test by setting theMID/HIGH level control to -8 dB, resultingin a 3 -dB variation from 180 to 18,000Hz. (Note that those limits are those of themeasurement system, not necessarily thoseof the speaker.) (Continued overleaf)

MAY 1982 35

The apparent anomaly of a peaked high -frequency characteristic in the IQS FFTanechoic measurement and a depressedoutput in the same frequency range in theaveraged room -response measurement is

not actually inconsistent with the speaker'sperformance. The tweeter's dispersion, al-though reasonable for its size, neverthelessrestricts its total acoustic -power output inthe 2r solid angle facing the speaker. Lis-tened to and measured on axis, the speakeractually does have an accentuated output inthe upper octave, but its total power outputinto the room falls with increasing frequen-cy since at off -axis angles the tweeter out-put is down compared to its axial output.

The woofer distortion with a 1 -watt sig-nal input was extremely low, varying be-tween 0.1 per cent at 100 Hz and 0.4 percent at 60 Hz. Even at 40 Hz, the speaker'seffective lower frequency limit, the distor-tion was a mere 1.6 per cent. A power in-crease to 10 watts had only a moderate ef-fect on the distortion, which remained be-tween 0.25 and I per cent from 100 to 60Hz and reached a maximum of 10 per centat 30 Hz.

The system sensitivity was 89 dB, asrated. The impedance minimum was 6.5ohms at 20 Hz and from 100 to 150 Hz; itwas between 7 and 20 ohms over the rest ofthe audio range.

Comment. The Jensen System 400, asmight be expected from its measured per-formance, was a very smooth, uncolored -sounding speaker. Normally, on musicalmaterial without significant bass, it gave noindication of its excellent bass potential, butwhen the program called for it, the bottom -end performance was equal to the task.

MANUFACTURER'S RATING H -H LABS MEASUREMENT

Frequency response: 45-20,000 Hz ± 3 dB 40-18,000 Hz ± 5 dB

Dispersion angle (for -6 -dB output): 150degrees at 5,000 Hz, 94 degrees at 10,000 Hz

Not measured

Recommended power for amplifier: 10 wattsminimum, 90 watts maximum continuous, 180watts peak

Okay

Sound -pressure level: 89 dB at 1 meter with1 -watt input

Confirmed

Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 5 ohms minimum Confirmed (6.5 ohmsminimum)

Using different measurement method

In our listening room (the same one usedfor the measurements) the frequency bal-ance of the speaker seemed best with itsMID/HIGH control turned down about 6 dB,although the optimum position would nodoubt be different in other rooms. With thecontrol set for maximum high -frequencyoutput, there was a slight but audible crisp-ness to the sound.

As we have noted on several occasions,the $200 class of loudspeakers is an ex-tremely competitive one in which is to befound the highest ratio of sound perform-ance per dollar. The Jensen System 400falls squarely in this category. Frankly, wewould have difficulty choosing between thisspeaker and several other fine similarlypriced units we have tested in the past. TheSystem 400's performance is truly excellentin each part of the audio range as well aswhen taken as a whole. This speaker is,above all, balanced, which means that it islikely to give satisfying performance in a

wide variety of listening environments.It is worth mentioning that the high sen-

sitivity (efficiency) of the System 400 andthe fact that its impedance never falls lowenough to present problems to any amplifiercontribute in no small measure to making itsuitable for any home music system. It doesnot need a lot of power to play loud, yet itwill handle just about anything one mightsupply to it without distress or damage. Al-though we usually prefer that the level bal-ancing of a multi -way speaker system bedone in its design and not left to the possiblyinept hand of the user, the action of theMID/HIGH control on this speaker is bothbeneficial and highly unlikely to degrade itssound in any way. All in all, the experienceof testing and living with the System 400convinced us that it is a fine product, welldesigned and executed, honestly rated, andreasonably priced. -Julian D. Hirsch


QED Model 7 Preamplifier Size: 19 x 3 x 91/2 inches Weight: 111/2 pounds Price: $415 (East coast); $399 (West

coast)

HE Model 7 preamplifier from QuestarT Electronic Design (QED) is a compactand versatile control center with functionsthat go well beyond the usual preamplifierroles of gain, input selection, and equaliza-

tion. Its tone controls have completely pas-sive circuits followed by an "op -amp" gainstage. The phono-preamplifier section hasdirect -input coupling from the cartridge.There are two pairs of moving -magnet(MM) phono inputs, each with a leverswitch that selects an input capacitance of100, 200, or 300 picofarads in parallel witha fixed resistance of 49,000 ohms. A fourthposition changes the gain and input resist-ance for a moving -coil (MC) cartridge.

To help minimize hum pickup, QED re-moved the power transformer from thepreamplifier, leaving only the rectifiers andfilter capacitors within the chassis of theModel 7. The transformer is a small plug-inunit, similar to the a.c. adapters for calcula-tors and other low -power devices, and theremoval of a.c.-line connections from itschassis prevents the Model 7 from havingbuilt-in a.c. convenience outlets. All signal


36 STEREO REVIEW

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switching is done close to the jacks in therear of the unit by means of remote me-chanical couplers connected to the front -panel knobs.

The "Bi-FET" output stage of the Model7 is claimed to combine a very high signal -output capability with low noise. In addi-tion to its two phono inputs, the Model 7 hastwo high-level audio inputs (TUNER and VID-EO). The large SOURCE knob at the left ofthe panel is matched by a similar LEVELknob at the right side. A three -position leverswitch is marked OFF, ON, and MUTE (thelatter reduces the preamp output by 20 dB).A red LED above the switch blinks on andoff in the MUTE mode. A phone jack is lo-cated next to the LEVEL knob.

A three -position vertically oriented leverswitch (REc) channels either phono, tuner,or video sources to the tape-recording out-put jacks, making it possible to record fromone source while listening to another. In itscenter (REc) position the DUB switch sup-plies a signal to both sets of tape -outputjacks. In the 1-2 and 2-1 positions the tapedecks are connected for dubbing from thefirst to the second (the selected REC pro-gram goes to the input of the first numberedtape deck at all times). The monitor switchconnects the source to the preamplifier cir-cuits in its s position, replacing it with theoutput of either tape deck in the TI and T2positions.

The Model 7 has a signal -enhancing fea-ture controlled by a three -position switchlabeled E.E. (Environmental Enhancement).Switching from the OFF to the ENH positionintroduces a fixed amount of phase -invertedcross -coupling between the two channels.When the speakers are located relativelyclose together, this tends to spread the ap-

parent image width, giving a broader soundstage in a small listening room. The manu-facturer suggests using the tone controls tomodify this effect to suit personal taste.Switching to the sum position retains theenhancement feature but blends the lowfrequencies into a mono signal below a fre-quency determined by the CROSSOVERswitch in the rear of the preamplifier. Thisminimizes rumble or warp signals thatcould, in some cases, use up much of theexcursion range of small woofer cones. Tothe extent that the bass -program energy isin phase in both channels, the blending willnot cause an equivalent reduction in bassresponse.

The remaining front -panel control isloudness, with an OFF position and two ac-tive settings marked LI and L2: LI gives amore or less conventional loudness compen-sation using a modified version of theFletcher -Munson equal -loudness contoursas the basis for its action, and L2 uses thesame basic contours but adds a fixed boostof about 6 dB in the upper bass (about 100Hz) without increasing the output below 20Hz. This mode of operation is suggested forsmall speakers, which can thus be made togive the effect of a strong bass without over-driving their cones.

Not all the features of the QED Model 7appear on its front panel. The rear panelcontains the usual jacks for the signalsources and tape recorders. The MAIN OUT-PUT jacks are shorted out when the front -panel power switch is set to OFF (this doesnot remove the power from the preamplifiercircuits, which QED recommends be left oncontinuously by keeping the plug-in trans-former in a "live" socket). By grounding theoutput jacks, the switch silences the follow -

"I'm afraid someone is pulling your leg, my son. We've neverhad an 'annual blessing of the cassette decks' at St. Anthony's."

ing power amplifier as effectively as thoughthe preamplifier had been turned off. Nextto the MAIN OUTPUT jacks is a TIM FILTERswitch whose settings are marked 10 V/µs,100 V/µs, and 200 V/µs. These refer to therated slew rate of the power amplifier inuse, and when the switch is set to a value nohigher than the power -amplifier slew capa-bilities there is no likelihood of transient in-termodulation (TIM) distortion.

Also on the rear panel are two sets of out-puts marked BI -AMP OUTPUT (LO-FREQ andHI-FREQ). The Model 7 contains electronic -crossover circuits for driving two power am-plifiers in systems using biamplified speak-ers. The crossover frequency is set by an ad-jacent switch at 120, 240, or 400 Hz. Thesame settings apply to the summed mode ofsignal enhancement mentioned earlier. Al-though the HI-FREQ output is in full stereo,with the low frequencies attenuated, the LO-FREQ outputs are driven with a summed(mono) program at frequencies below theselected crossover. However, the left andright outputs for the low -frequency portionof the system are driven 180 degrees out ofphase so that a stereo amplifier driven fromthem will produce a "bridged" mono outputacross its two "hot" speaker terminals withroughly four times the power capability ofthe same amplifier in its normal stereomode.

The QED Model 7 is finished in black ex-cept for the silver control -panel insert,which has contrasting black knobs. Thepanel is slotted for rack mounting.

Laboratory Measurements. The sensitiv-ity of the QED Model 7 at maximum gain,for a reference output of 0.5 volt, was 53millivolts (mV) at the high-level inputs andI mV for the phono (MM) input. The A -weighted output noise was below our meas-urement limit of 100 microvolts, corre-sponding to better than -74 dB referred to0.5 volt. The phono (MM) input overloadedat 107 mV at 1,000 Hz and at equivalentlevels of 140 to 150 mV at 20 and 20,000Hz. The output waveform clipped at 6 voltswhen we drove a standard IHF load of10,000 ohms in parallel with 1,000 picofar-ads. The 1,000 -Hz harmonic distortion wasa constant 0.003 per cent up to 6 volts out-put. We also measured the distortion from20 to 20,000 Hz at outputs of 0.5, 2, and 5volts. At the 5 -volt level, the distortion didnot exceed 0.01 per cent from about 50 to5,000 Hz, increasing to 0.025 per cent at20,000 Hz and 0.05 per cent at 20 Hz. Atlower outputs the distortion was even less.

The phono-input impedance was meas-ured as 48,000 ohms shunted by a capaci-tance of 75, 180, or 275 picofarads depend-ing on the switch setting. The MC inputhad a 100 -ohm terminating resistance. TheRIAA phono equalization was very accu-rate, within ±0.3 dB from 30 to 20,000 Hzand -1 dB at 20 Hz. There was absolutelyno detectable change in response when itwas measured through the inductance oftypical phono cartridges. On our test sam-ple, the TIM FILTER switch had its 10- and100-V/µs positions interchanged. Nev-ertheless, the -3 -dB upper response fre-quency was 100, 75, and 50 kHz, respec-tively, and rise time was 3, 4, and 6µs as the


38 STEREO REVIEW

Il

III 011101111111111MMIIIIN

Only one tape deck combines the incredible realism of dbxwith the precise sound of direct drive. Technics RS-M270X.

Dynamo_ range has long been the quest of audio puristsbecause it represents a major difference between live andrepindur_ed sound. Ard perhaps nothing says dynamicrange better than du

Rctational stability is something else audio puristshave longed fcr in a tape ransport system, and virtuallyla:lung says that better than Technics direct drive.After all the majority of the top radio stations that useturr tab.es rely on Technics direct drive.

Listen to the RS-M270X. You'll hear the expansiveiistinction between loud and soft tones. In fact, a

recoriing made or tne RS-M270X wig sound 50 percentmore dynamic than the sa-re recordirg made on aconventional deck.

Of course, dbx also doubles as a noise reductionsystem. Yet, unlike conventional Fystems, dbx reduces noiseat all frequencies, ict just the high ones. And withthe FS-M270X, yoJ can even decoae dbx Encoded Discs.

The RS-M270X also features solenoid controls,SX sendist heads and flucrescent VU meters.

Listen to Tecfin cs RS -A.1270 X. You'll agree you've neverheard so much dynamic range, so precisely.OmdbaxrkIss registered trade-

mark

TechnicsThe science of sound

CIRCLE NO 36 ON READER SERVICE CARO

TIM switch was moved down to 200 Vhis.The tone controls had good characteris-

tics with virtually no effect on the midrangeresponse (300 to 800 Hz) even at extremecontrol settings. The loudness compensationboosted both low and high frequencies, andthere was some low -frequency boost whenthe loudness compensation was switched ineven at a maximum level setting. The L2 set-ting boosted the response by 6 dB at 100Hz, with some boost being apparent be-tween 400 and 40 Hz. The sound seemed abit heavy to our taste, possibly because wehad no speakers on hand that could benefitfrom it. As far as we could tell, the responseat 20 Hz and below was not affected.

The biamp crossover curves had 12 -dB -per -octave slopes, with the Lo output about

6 dB higher than the HI output. This impliesthe need for an input -level control at thebass amplifier. When we summed the Loand HI signals resistively, the transition be-tween the two levels took place smoothly,with the approximate midpoints of thechange being at 230, 500, and 1,000 Hz forcrossover frequencies of 120, 240, and 400Hz. In the enhance mode, each channel wascross -coupled in reverse phase to the oppo-site one at a -8 -dB level. In the sum mode,the phase reversal between channels wasfully effective above 2,000 Hz, with 90 de-grees of phase shift at 200 Hz and 0 degreesat 40 Hz.

Comment. The QED Model 7 clearly re-flects the audio philosophy of its designers,

much of which is expressed in the informa-tive instruction manual.

Overall, there can be no doubt that theQED Model 7 is a very competent pream-plifier with some unconventional features.We were especially impressed by its ruler -flat phono response and total absence of in-teraction with cartridge inductance (to saynothing of its ability to match the capacitiveload requirements of just about any car-tridge). The provision for a bridged ampli-fier connection is a good idea and is typicalof the way in which the designers of thisamplifier have built into it a host of novelfeatures, at least some of which will appealto any audiophile. -Julian D. Hirsch


Denon DP -52F Turntable Size: 18 x 16,4 x 5';B inches Weight: 20 pounds Price: $525

"THE Denon DP -52F turntable has a two -I speed (331/3- and 45 -rpm) quartz -lockdirect -drive a.c. motor driving a cast alloyplatter weighing (with its rubber mat)about 3 pounds. Recorded around an innercircumference of the platter are some 1,000magnetic pulses that are sensed by a smallmagnetic pickup head to provide speed -con-trol feedback information to the servo sys-tem. The DP -52F is mounted on a hand-somely finished high -gloss wood -grain basetogether with a "Dynamic Servo Tracer"tone arm. The entire base is supported onfour softly sprung adjustable feet; the unit

is equipped with a hinged, clear -plastic dustcover.

The upper surface of the rubber turntablemat is illuminated by a LED in a cylindernext to the arm base. The turntable and mathave three pairs of holes spaced 120 degreesapart at radii of approximately 21/2 and 43/4inches. Below the platter are two photocellsthat sense the light passing through eitheror both sets of holes. If no record is on theturntable, light passes through both sets ofholes and the arm does not move from itsrest (the platter shuts off in a couple of sec-onds). A 12 -inch record covers all the holes,signaling the microprocessor in the controlsystem to start the turntable at 331/3 rpmand index the arm for a 12 -inch record. A7 -inch record covers only the inner group ofholes, causing the motor to turn at 45 rpm

and the arm to index to a 7 -inch diameter.Nonstandard records such as 7 -inch 331/3 -rpm, 10 -inch of any speed, or 12 -inch 45 -rpm can be played with manual speed se-lection and modification of the tone -armindexing.

The Dynamic Servo Tracer tone arm op-erates in a balanced condition (by means ofa threaded counterweight adjustment at itsrear). The downward force is applied elec-tronically Jy a built-in torque servo con-trolled by a small dial next to the arm base.The force calibrations cover from 0 to 3grams at 0.1 -gram intervals. The motion ofthe arm is controlled in both vertical andhorizontal planes by its servo system, with afixed percentage of the vertical force beingapplied horizontally by the horizontaltorque motor. This automatically supplies

40 STEREO REVIEW

the correct antiskating compensation forany tracking -force setting.

A second control dial, calibrated over thesame range as the stylus-force/antiskatingdial, is marked Q -DAMPING. It controls thedamping of the arm resonance in bothplanes through its servomotors. The arm it-self is a straight low -mass tube with a plug-in cartridge shell. The effect of the electron-ic damping is to place the arm/cartridgeresonance close to the ideal frequency of 10Hz and to damp its amplitude.

The operating controls of the Denon DP -52F are soft -contact rectangular pushbut-tons on the sloping upper front panel out-side the area protected by the plastic cover.Power is applied by the left -most button,near which are individual manual speed -se-lection buttons (not needed in normal oper-ation). A touch on START places the platterin motion at a speed determined by the rec-ord size (speed can be changed manually af-ter starting). The arm moves to the appro-priate diameter and descends to the recordsurface. The arm lifts after play, the motorstops almost instantly (it has electronicbraking), and the arm returns to its rest.The STOP button produces the same effectwhenever it is pressed, and the REPEAT but-ton causes a record to be repeated until thebutton is pressed a second time. The LIFTERbutton raises and lowers the tone arm onalternate operations with a smooth yet rap-id motion.

The DP -52F also has an electronic sys-tem, operated by the PLAY and STOP but-tons, that gives full control over the armmovement even while the cover is down.Pressing the START button while the pickupis on the record raises it and causes the armto move slowly toward the center of the rec-ord. When the button is released, the armstops and descends to the record. Similarly,a light pressure on the STOP button lifts thearm and causes it to move outward with thesame stop -and -descend sequence when thebutton is released. When using STOP in thismanner, care is needed not to press it toohard, since that will immediately stop theturntable and return the arm to its rest. Af-ter a little practice, one learns how muchpressure is permissible for arm indexing.

Denon's Model DP -51F is identical to theDP -52F except that it has a vinyl wood -grain base and lacks the tone -arm lateral -movement feature; its price is $425.

Laboratory Measurements. We installeda Shure M97HE cartridge in the plug-inshell of the DP -52F for our tests. Althoughno installation instructions were suppliedwith our review sample (one of the first toenter this country), a trial -and -error proc-ess showed that a 38 -mm distance from thestylus to the end of the arm tube gave thelowest tracking error, less than 0.4 degreeper inch for radii of 2.5 to 6 inches. Theapplied stylus force was exactly equal to thedial calibration up to 1.5 grams and typi-cally within 10 per cent of it above thatforce.

The effective arm and cartridge mass(the cartridge weighs 6.4 grams) was only14 grams with the power off (no damping orservo action to control the arm resonance).Switching on the power dramatically re-duced the apparent effective mass to a mere

".. . You'd like to know if a speaker is playing music in the forestand there's no one there to hear it, is there any sound coming

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7 grams, since the bulk of the work neededto move the arm system was now done bythe servomotors instead of by the recordgroove via the stylus tip. The difference inresonance amplitude between the poweredand unpowered states was also most impres-sive: it was difficult to find the tone -armresonance when the Dynamic Servo Tracerwas functioning.

The low -frequency resonance of theM97HE stylus and the total effective armmass was at about 9 Hz. The Q -DAMPINGdial had to be set to zero for this measure-ment, since it damped the resonance so ef-fectively when set to the tracking force thatwe could not identify its frequency. The an-tiskating compensation was correct, usingthe criterion of equal distortion in bothchannels when playing discs recorded at avery high velocity. The arm lift operatedrapidly and precisely, with no detectablelateral shift during its up/down cycle. Thecapacitance to ground of the arm and signalwiring was 80 to 90 picofarads per channel,with a very low interchannel capacitance of1 picofarad.

The non-adjustable turntable speeds wereexact, and the unweighted rumble was a low-40 dB, improving to -61 dB with ARLLaudibility weighting. The rumble spectrumcovered the range from 5 to 35 Hz with nosignificant peaks within it. The flutter was0.05 per cent weighted rms and ± 0.07 percent weighted peak, with the flutter spec-trum limited to the 3- to 8 -Hz range. Theauto cycle times were 7.5 seconds for STARTand 9.5 seconds for STOP (from the end of arecord). The isolation of the record playerfrom base -conducted vibration was excel-

lent, with responses only at 20 and 40 Hzand between 150 and 250 Hz.

Comment. The DP -52F is about as auto-matic and foolproof a player as most userscould desire. Although a rare translucentrecord might be able to fool its photoelectricsensing system, with ordinary recordseverything worked perfectly, and it was im-possible to make the player do anythingthat could result in pickup damage.

The arm -positioning control also workedwell and was very easy to use, except thatwhen the speed had to be changed manuallyafter initiating the operation (as for a 7 -inch 331/3 -rpm record) even a light touch onSTOP would sometimes shut off the player.

We played our collection of warped rec-ords to check the effectiveness of the Dy-namic Servo Tracer tone arm. It was soonevident that this arm could track any recordthat we had ever been able to play with anyother arm of any type (including tangen-tial) at the minimum force of which theShure cartridge was capable (0.75 gram).Other than with a grotesquely warped rec-ord that must have been stored on a hot ra-diator, the DP -52F simply did not recognizethe existence of record warps as an impedi-ment to tracking.

Overall, the Denon DP -52F is one of themost thoroughly engineered record playerswe have used. Though quite conventional inits externals, it is an exceptionally refinedand handsome product with an utter ease ofoperation that makes it a delight to use.

-Julian D. Hirsch


MAY 1982 41

TIE FIRST LINE OF DECKSTO EQUAL THE

RANGE OF HUMAN HEAMG.

It's been known fornearly a century thatthe range of humanhearing extends from20 to 20,000Hz. Andfor at least the last 15years, every stereocomponent has had tomeet that standard inorder to be consideredhigh fidelity.

Yet until now, only ahandful of the most expen-sive cassette decks-oftencosting more than the restof your system-have beenable to accurately reproducethe entire frequency range.

Now Harman Kardon in-troduces the CD Series ofcassette decks.

Every deck in the linematches or exceeds the fre-quency range of human hear-ing to an accuracy of ±3 dB.*From the deepest bass rever-berations at 20Hz, to thehighest shimmering over-tones at 20,000Hz.

And every deck achievesthis with any tape formula-tion, not just costly metaltape.

Perhaps most impor-tant of all, the entire line ispriced like ordinary decks,from $299 to $749.** A

a.)

20 30 100 1KF requency (Hz)

CD101 RECORD/PLAYBACKFREQUENCY RESPONSEWITH LOW NOISE TAPE

10K

Even our least expensive model covers the entire audiblespectrum, from the deepest bass at 20Hz to the highest overtones at20 000Hz (Shaded area represents accuracy to ±3 dB.)

Which means that anyonewho is serious about stereosystems can now afford acassette deck with true highfidelity performance.Trade up to our leastexpensive deck.

The CD101 costs only$299.* * Yet its frequencyresponse is so faithful to theoriginal music that manypeople will undoubtedlytrade -up from their present$400 and $500 decks. TheCD101 also gives you featureslike solenoid transport, biasfine trim, and auto repeat.

As you go up the line, youcan add Dolby C,t Dolby HXProfessionalt and three headsfor performance that easilyrivals tape systems costingthousands more.

20K

harman kardonSK ANYAUDIOPHILE

We're finishing whatwe started.

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Going on Record

TECHNOLOGY SAVES

SY all you want about atomic power,space exploration, and the artificial

creation of life, the two inventions that mostdirectly affect the lives of musical peopletoday are the computer and the cassette re-corder. Pianists walk through the streetsanalyzing, through miniature earphones,their most recent concert performances cap-tured on cassette. Composers feed technicalspecifications into computers and drawforth from the machines sets and variantsthat may well constitute their (the compos-ers') next opus. Cassette recorders replacenotation in the effort to capture an exoticbit of folklore or a viable musical idea, andcomputers supersede stylistic analysis in theeffort to determine who wrote Beethoven'sFifth and whether Pergolesi was one man orthree. A tool for organizing information anda method of conveying it are what we havehere, and the two, separately and together,have made a great deal of the dog work ofmusical life considerably easier as well asopening the doors to projects for whichpeople had previously thought life was tooshort.

The computer, for example, is particu-larly adept at things like taking a largenumber of assorted availabilities on the onehand and matching them up with a largenumber of seemingly random requests onthe other. Many recondite projects could beundertaken through such a program, but itseems to me that it is exactly what peopleneed to buy season tickets to the opera. TheMetropolitan Opera (I use it only as an ex-ample) seems to feel that the primary con-cern of subscribers is that whatever operasthey see, they see them on a Thursday (orWednesday or Friday) night, and that theirsecondary concern is that they see all operasfrom the same seats. Which operas anyonesees therefore becomes a random matter.

Now, I have spoken with several subscrib-ers and they have assured me that whatthey see is not at all immaterial to them andthat to see what they want they might evenbe willing to go to the opera on some othernight of the week and sit in some otherseats. Fine. Tell the Met what it is, out ofwhat they are presenting, that you want tosee, have them feed it into the computer,and voila, a season of pure content. Despite

what one might assume to be the Met'sfears on such a matter, not everybody willwant to see the same eight productions. Andif no one requests those dreary productionsof, say, Il Trovatore, with the third-ratecasts, perhaps that will make the managersof the Met ask themselves why they contin-ue to offer them.

T. cassette is a very efficient way to con-vey information because its method of du-plication makes it the perfect one-on-onemedium. As record manufacturers havefound out, there is an audience for practi-cally everything, but the audience for somethings may be very small indeed. The cas-sette offers the opportunity to satisfy au-dience demand without overproducing.

I am happy to see that this potential hasoccurred to Mr. Diz Greer of Box 169,Monroe, Connecticut 06468. Mr. Greer hasdecided to enter the recordings business in away that will allow him to select from thewidest variety of artists and repertoires andsell to even the smallest audiences. What heis saying is basically this: he is looking formaterial, already recorded material, whichhe will then make available, for a price, toanyone who wants to buy it. He will carryno inventory; he will simply duplicate a cas-sette on order, two if he gets two orders, andso on. He is interested, he says, "in tappingthat vast reservoir of latent talent consistingof comics, poets, musicians, writers, and soforth that are out there but never getheard." Obviously, he is also interested intapping that vast reservoir of consumerswho each want something so specializedthat they never get catered to. He will han-dle the editing (if necessary) and the engi-neering himself, will pay a royalty on everytape sold, and asks for no money from theartist. But, before you get your auditiontapes out of the closet, understand that hewill not issue just anything. He will listen toanything himself, but if he's going to offer itfor sale, "it must be of at least some interestto somebody." Great idea. I may not wantto buy any of the tapes myself (I wouldn'tswear to it, though), but I certainly look for-ward to seeing that first catalog. I presumethat it will be produced with the help of aXerox machine. 0

44 STEREO REVIEW

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'81

AUDIO SPECIFICATIONSAND

HUMAN HEARINGBy Mark F Davis

IT has probably happened to you. You walk up toa hi-fi salesperson and ask "How good does thisone sound?" and what you get back is an aval-

anche of technical specifications and audio jargon.Though they have useful technical meanings that re-

flect the complexity of the issues and of the equipmentinvolved, the terms 'frequency response," "distor-tion," "transient response," "imaging," "wow -and -flutter," "noise," and "dynamic range" can also beused as buzz words to obscure meaning, to make itharder rather than easier to understand how we hear.

The science of psychoacoustics can help interpretthese technical terms in the course of trying to explainthe nature and the limits of human hearing and howthose limits determine, among other things, sound -re-production goals for stereo equipment (see the box onpage 52). Our understanding of the human auditorysystem is still far from complete, but there has nowbeen amassed enough consistent evidence about howwe hear to support some preliminary conclusionsabout the necessary "real -world" (as opposed to the"spec -sheet") performance of stereo equipment.

48 STEREO REVIEW

The EarThe human auditory system consists of

the head, the ears, the auditory (or"eighth") nerve, and the brain. Approach-ing this complex assembly from the outside(see Figure 1, next page), we first encounterthe pinnae (the cartilaginous, shell-likeflaps of the external ear). These function assonic baffles and reflectors, and their acous-tical characteristics play an important rolein sonic direction -finding (see "Hearing inSpace" below). Sound collected by the pin-nae is funneled down the auditory canals tothe tympanic membranes, or eardrums. Theauditory canals tend to resonate around3,000 Hz, which in part explains why theears' sensitivity to just -audible sounds (theso-called threshold of hearing) is greatestnear that frequency.

The middle ear consists of three tinybones (the ossicles) and a muscle. These actas a mechanical transformer, coupling thesound from the eardrum to the oval win-dow, a much smaller membrane at the en-trance of the inner ear. The muscle func-tions as a kind of automatic gain control orcompressor. In the presence of high-levelsounds which can damage the sensitive in-ner ear, it contracts and limits the move-ments of the ossicles. This process is calledthe acoustic reflex and is one of the fewprotection devices supplied as standardequipment in the hearing system.

The inner ear, or cochlea, consists of asmall chamber filled with clear fluid andthe gelatinous basilar membrane, which iscovered with some three thousand vibra-tion -sensing hair cells. These hair cells arethe terminations of the main auditory nervein each ear. Sound coupled through the ovalwindow in the cochlea vibrates the fluid,which in turn vibrates the hair cells.

Short of the brain itself, these hair cellsare probably the most intriguing part of theauditory system. To get a rough idea of howthey respond to sound, picture microscopicseaweed waving in a very rapidly changingcurrent. The ears' hair cells are stiffer thanseaweed and are "tuned" to individual fre-quencies (called "characteristic frequen-cies") much as the strings of a piano are.Perhaps a more exact analogy would be to abank of bandpass filters such as can befound in any stereo equalizer. (A bandpassfilter lets pass only those frequencies nearthe frequency to which the filter is tuned.)When a hair cell is excited by acoustic en-ergy at or near the frequency to which it is"tuned," it responds by emitting electro-chemical neural impulses which are trans-mitted down the eighth nerve to the brain.A hair cell, therefore, is a frequency -sensi-tive sound transducer that transforms me-chanical movement of the cochlear fluidinto electrochemical pulses which in turnsignal the presence of sound in the haircell's frequency range.

In other words, all by itself, a single haircell acts as the biological equivalent of abandpass filter, level detector, smoothingnetwork, and transducer-microminiatur-

ization of the highest order. All together,the whole collection of hair cells in the innerear forms a bank of filters, level detectors,etc. which span the audible range, breakingup the incoming sound into its componentparts according to frequency and level (am-plitude). In effect, the cochlea performs acontinuous spectral analysis of the incomingsound, and its output is analogous to the(much cruder) spectrum -analyzer displaysseen on some stereo components and taperecorders.

Two such running spectra, one from eachear, comprise the totality of the informationabout a sound available to the brain. Even ifthe sound is an isolated transient such as aclick, what the brain receives is not thetransient itself, but what can be consideredthe effect of that transient on a bank ofbandpass filters and level detectors. Itdoesn't matter at this stage whether it is

Mozart or the Stones; all the brain gets towork with are continually changing spec-trum analyses.

The precise details of what happens whenthe signals from the hair cells reach thebrain is, at the present state of our knowl-edge, a bit vague. The output from each ear

A sound reproductionsystem need not beany better than tneears listening to it,IDA just how good

are our ears?

seems to be channeled into several distinctareas of the brain (called "complexes")which simultaneously and independentlyprocess the information to form a consciousperception of the sound field surroundingthe listener. For example, one of the cere-bral complexes thus far identified seems togenerate perceptions of timbre or tone colorby observing how hair -cell response variesas a function of frequency.

What Is Audible?The simplified conceptual model of the

human auditory system derived from psy-choacoustical investigations boils down tothis: two microphones feeding two filterbanks with level detectors feeding a ratherslow but very smart computer (Figure 1).On the basis of this grand simplification, wecan derive these criteria for "audibility":

A sound, or a change in a sound, is audi-ble if-and only if-it affects the output ofat least one hair cell (and preferably a few).Not only must hair cells be affected, but thechange in their behavior must be above thebrain's thresholds for detection of such

changes. (In our spectrum -analyzer modelof the auditory system, the brain's thresholdfor detection works out to be approximatelya I -dB change in hair -cell filter output.)

We can now sketch in some of the details ofthis model and evaluate some common au-dio -equipment specifications in accordancewith it. You'll see how various limitations ofour hearing system result from the way inwhich it is constructed. But keep in mindthat audio thresholds are rarely very sharp;usually there's a region of uncertainty be-tween the audible and the inaudible. We aredealing with statistical generalizationsaround which there are inevitable individu-al variations.

Frequency ResponseThe minimum frequency -response re-

quirements of audio equipment involve notonly the frequency but the amplitude limitsof the auditory system. The characteristicfrequencies (CFs) of the hair cells in thecochlea start at a low of about 20 Hz andcontinue upward to about 20 kHz, a rangeof some ten octaves or so. This physiologi-cal fact is the basis of our first psycho -acoustical limitation: you can't hear fre-quencies that lie appreciably outside the 20 -to 20.000 -Hz range because there are nohair cells to respond to them. (Furthermore,a gradual stiffening of the mechanical link-ages in the middle ear tends to limit high -frequency response to under 15,000 Hz asone gets older, especially in males.)

The hair -cell CFs are spaced in a general-ly logarithmic fashion so that each audibleoctave has approximately the same numberof hair cells assigned to it. With 3,000 haircells covering ten octaves, neighboring CFsare only about one three -hundredth of anoctave apart, which suggests that the hu-man ear has very precise frequency resolu-tion; it does. The effective bandwidths ofthe hair cells, considered as electronic band-pass filters, also scale logarithmically withfrequency, so that each is about one-third ofan octave wide. As a result, the ear's re-sponse to varying frequency is, in almost allinstances, logarithmic-one reason why fre-quency response is usually plotted on loga-rithmic frequency scales in spec sheets andtest reports. It also figures in the reasonwhy almost all music is based on logarith-mically arranged scales (there are twelvelogarithmically spaced semitones to the oc-tave in most occidental music).

The figure of one-third octave (a "criticalbandwidth" in psychoacoustic terms) is ofkey importance: all spectra reaching thebrain are subject to an effective one -third -octave smoothing characteristic. Thismeans that if a piece of stereo gear has fre-quency -response aberrations, those aberra-tions will generally be inaudible if they spana third of an octave or less.

The response of a hair -cell filter at fre-quencies other than its CF (the skirt re-sponse) rolls off very sharply. Near the CFthe rolloff rate is about 96 dB per octave,falling to about 18 dB per octave well away

MAY 1982 49

SPECS AND EARS...

"As far as human hearingis concerned, transientresponse is a red herring."

from a hair -cell CF (see Figure 2). This isapproximately the response of a third -order(six -pole), one -third -octave Butterworthbandpass filter, making such an electronicfilter particularly appropriate for spectrum -analysis work. (The high phase shift of sucha filter-over 60 milliseconds at low fre-quencies-makes it unsuitable for equaliza-tion applications.)

Like its response to frequency, the ear'sresponse to sound amplitude is generallylogarithmic-every doubling of amplitudewill be perceived as an equal change inloudness. The familiar decibel (dB), beingproportional to the logarithm of a ratio ofamplitudes, is therefore extremely conven-ient as a common unit of measurement. Theusually specified sensitivity of the auditorysystem to a change in amplitude is about IdB, although that varies with sound -pres-sure level, frequency, and many other fac-tors. Under ideal conditions, the resolutioncan improve to around 0.3 dB, especiallywhen large numbers of hair cells are beingstimulated at the same time.

As mentioned above, the ear's amplitudesensitivity is not uniform at all frequencies.Frequency -weighting curves are often ap-plied to distortion and noise measurementsto reflect this behavior since weighting em-phasizes those frequency ranges to whichthe ear is most sensitive. As sound levelsrise, the frequency sensitivity tends to flat-ten out (the well-known Fletcher -Munsoneffect). A practical consequence of this isthat deep bass and upper treble can be bet-ter perceived at higher sound levels.

In the light of the "audibility criteria"covered in the previous section, we can saythat the frequency response of a piece of hi-fi equipment can be considered perceptually"flat" if, after one -third -octave, third -ordersmoothing, the response deviations do notexceed I dB (0.3 dB if you're really fussy).As a practical consideration, if the frequen-cy response in the chain from recording stu-dio to your ears in your listening room iswithin ± 2 dB over most of the frequencyrange, you're doing very well indeed.

Frequency SelectivityThe sharply tuned responses of the hair -

cell filters provide a frequency resolution(as opposed to frequency response) muchfiner than a third of an octave. This is be-cause small frequency changes producelarge amplitude changes of the hair -cell -fil-ter outputs if the input frequency falls on afilter skirt (and not directly on its CF). Forexample, with hair -cell filter -skirt slopes of96 dB per octave and a single, constant -lev-el sine -wave input, a 1 -dB change in theoutputs of some of the filters requires a fre-

quency change of only one ninety-sixth ofan octave-about 0.7 per cent-which hap-pens to be approximately the frequency -re-solving power of the auditory system. Undercontrolled laboratory conditions, this figureimproves to about 0.3 per cent, which corre-sponds to a filter -level change of 0.4 dB.

Room -resonance effects can multiply thedegree of amplitude/frequency interdepen-dence, rendering even finer frequencychanges audible. Wow and flutter audibilitythresholds can therefore be seen as beingdependent on the listening environment.

Phase ShiftsPsychoacoustically speaking, the difficul-

ty with the phenomena known as phaseshifts is that there seem to be a number ofmechanisms in the auditory system that canrespond to them, and in several differentways. There is also a wide disparity in howsensitive these mechanisms are. Most pre-cise is the ability to detect the difference inthe time of arrival of a sound at our twoears. This interval ranges from 0 secondsfor sources equidistant from the ears to amaximum of about 675 microseconds (mil-lionths of a second) for sources directly tothe left or right of the head. An arrival -timedifference of only 10 microseconds is justnoticeable, and this corresponds to a changein the horizontal position of a sound sourceby 1 degree of arc (see "Hearing in Space"below).

This remarkably accurate interaural timeprocessing is carried out in the superior oli-vary complex of the brain, which is connect-ed to the hair cells in the inner ear by neuralpathways only one cell long. The neural in-terconnections in this part of the brain ap-pear to preclude timing comparisons be-tween different frequencies. Thus the su-perior olivary complex's great timing preci-sion is unavailable to the analysis of monau-ral phase shift. In other words, it doesn'tmatter to the superior olivary complex howbad the phase shift of one channel is; as longas the other channel matches it within 10microseconds, phase shifts between stereochannels will not be detectable.

Monaural phase processing appears totake place in a different part of the brain,which has a timing resolution about 100times coarser-on the order of I to 2 milli-seconds (thousandths of a second). This val-ue is associated with the effective smooth-ing time constants of the hair -cell filters,which are also about 1 millisecond. In ef-fect, the brain seems to update its binauralspectral estimates every millisecond.

A final important time period associatedwith the brain's processing is the fusiontime (30 to 50 milliseconds). The fusiontime means that two sounds arriving within50 milliseconds of one another tend to beheard as a single event; once the spacing ex-ceeds 50 milliseconds, separate events areperceived (the "Haas effect"). This fusiontime seems to come from a "scratchpad"memory in the brain which allows it to keeptrack of the previous 50 milliseconds of au-dio, rendering certain acoustic events per-ceptually simultaneous if they occur within50 milliseconds of each other. It's as if partof the brain did its sonic computations at a50 -millisecond (20 -Hz) rate.

OUTER EAR

PINNA

MIDDLE EAR

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DIRECTIONALMICROPHONE

TRANSFORMER

IBANDPASS FILTERS

(HAIR CELLS)

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111

LEVEL DETECTORS(HAIR CELLS)

AUDITORYNERVES

INTERAURALTIME PROCESSOR

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LOUDNESS ANDSPECTRUMESTIMATION

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REVERBERATIONPROCESSOR

1 tCONSCIOUS

PERCEPTION (9)

Figure 1. At top is a cutaway diagram of the human

ear. (The actual transduction of sound to nerve im-

pulses takes place in the chick -pea -size cochlea.)

Below it is the electronic model of the human au-

ditory system used in the article. The model be-comes more conjectural, though still experimen-

tally based, as one moves down the diagram: the

ear is known in great detail, the brain is not. Start-

ing from the top, the outer ear is modeled as adirectional microphone because the pinnae andthe head impose directional characteristics on the

ears. The ossicles of the inner ear function as amechanical transformer between the eardrum and

the cochlea. Three thousand hair cells on the ba-

silar membrane of the cochlea serve as bandpass

filters and level detectors, making the cochlea'soutput analogous to the display of a spectrumanalyzer. The brain turns spectra into "sound."

50 STEREO REVIEW

Other mechanisms of phase sensitivityshow up in careful laboratory tests, usuallywith electronically generated test signals,but their audibility outside the lab is argu-able. In home listening, monaural phaseshift usually doesn't become apparent untilit exceeds several milliseconds, and some-times not until it approaches the fusiontime. Few stereo components contributeanywhere near that much phase shift.

Transient ResponseAs far as human hearing is concerned,

transient response is a red herring. The per-ceptual requirements for accurate repro-duction of transients are no different fromthose for other types of signals. If a systemhas flat frequency response and sufficientlylow phase shift, distortion, and noise, tran-sients will be reproduced with no audibledegradation. Pictures of transient, square -wave, or pulse responses are therefore po-tentially misleading. What they look like

a stereo component which were not a part ofthe input spectrum. This definition sub-sumes all common measures of distortionsuch as total harmonic distortion (THD),intermodulation distortion (IM), and tran-sient intermodulation distortion (TIM).

Our audibility criteria predict that distor-tion will be inaudible if none of the newlycreated frequency components significantlyaffect the outputs of any of the hair -cell fil-ters. This means, for one thing, that out -of -band (ultrasonic or infrasonic) distortionproducts will be inaudible, as will distortionproducts with levels that fall below thethreshold of hearing. For example, at a verysoft listening level-say, only 20 dB abovethe threshold of hearing-distortion has toexceed 10 per cent before it can becomeaudible.

Distortion will also be inaudible if it is"masked" by the source spectrum. Suchmasking can occur even in the case of a puresine -wave sound if enough of the originalsignal leaks into those hair -cell "filters"

Noise and Dynamic RangeThe issues involving the perception of

noise are nearly identical to those for distor-tion. Like distortion, noise is basically spec-tral energy present in the output of a stereocomponent that was not part of the input.Noise differs from distortion, however, inthat it is not usually related to the input sig-nal (it is not correlated mathematicallywith the input, and it sounds hissy) and isusually present even when there is no sourcesignal

The audibility criteria for distortion ap-ply as well to noise. Noise will be inaudibleif

a. it lies outside the audio bandb. it is below the threshold of audibilityc. it is masked by the program.

The noise signal as a whole will be inaudibleif substantially all of its spectrum is ren-dered inaudible by any combination of theabove three factors.

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FREQUENCY IN HZ (CYCLES PER SECOND/

Figure 2. If a hair cell is considered as a bandpass filter,

its frequency response, obtained from masking experiments (grey trace above), drops sharply away from the

cell's characteristic frequency (here 400 Hz). The

5/< 10K 205

colored trace is the response of a 1,000 -Hz, third -order.

one -third -octave bandpass filter used in acoustical instrumentation. At right, where it all begins: hair cells ofthe cochlea. Each cell carries a V-shaped tett of hairs (or

r1 "-\ c,

ook "7"1404444'

stereocilia); three rows are seen from abcve and onefrom the side. This scanning -electron micrograph is ofmouse hair cells. which are quite similar to human and

other mammalian hair cells. Magnification is 1,480 times.

doesn't necessarily tell you how they sound.Deviations from picture -perfect response onsuch signals can be caused by

a. audibly non -flat frequency responseb. inaudibly non -flat frequency

responsec. Audibly non -flat phase responsed. inaudibly non -flat phase responsee. some of the abovef. none of the above (distortion, for

example).

In short, bad -looking transient responsedoes not necessarily equate with bad sound,and good-looking transient response is noguarantee that there aren't audible prob-lems. If the significance of a transient -re-sponse measurement is to be assessed inperceptually meaningful terms, its effectshould be evaluated on a one -third -octave,third -order spectral basis; otherwise, themeasurement can be either ambiguous ormisleading.

DistortionThe term "distortion," as used here, re-

fers to frequencies in the output spectrum of

whose CFs correspond to the distortion fre-quencies. A pure sine wave, for example,will mask any second -harmonic distortion(where the distortion frequency is twice theinput frequency) of less than about I percent. However, seventh -harmonic distortion(a distortion frequency seven times the in-put frequency) will be audible if it is greaterthan 0.03 per cent. In this case the originalsignal is further away from the CF of thehair -cell filter responding to the seventhharmonic and therefore does not mask thedistortion.

The spectral complexity of most musicand speech will tend to do a much better jobof masking distortion than a pure tone. Thisraises practical "inaudible" distortion levelsto around 2 or 3 per cent for second- andthird -order distortion; the figure drops to0.1 to 0.2 per cent for higher -order (fifth -order and up) distortion products. High -or-der distortions (from transistor -amplifier ordigital -recorder clipping, for example) aretherefore potentially more objectionablethan low -order distortions caused by tube -amplifier clipping, analog tape -recorderoverload, or loudspeaker limiting.

Commercial encode/decode noise -reduc-tion systems rely on the last two criteriaabove to improve perceived dynamic rangein tape and disc recording. They do this bydeliberately keeping the source spectrumabove the noise spectrum of the recordingmedium, then undoing that action duringplayback to restore the original signal.

In terms of frequency, the masking ofnoise by a signal is similar to the masking ofdistortion, in that masking is much more ef-fective near the frequency of the source sig-nal. Thus high -frequency noise is relativelyeasy to mask with even a quiet cymbalclash, out it is very hard to mask hiss with alow organ -pedal tone.

Subtracting the ears' threshold of audi-bility sensitivity from an assumed maxi-mum sound level of 120 dB SPL (higherlevels can do permanent damage to thehearing system), we get minimum dynamic -range requirements for audibly "perfect"reproduction of around 120 dB in the 3,000 -Hz region, 100 dB at 20,000 Hz, and only45 dB at 20 Hz. Masking by room noise willtypically moderate these requirements bothin recording and playback. However, high -

MAY 1982 51

SPECS AND EARS...

"...the current generationof stereo components isvery well matched to thecapabilities of much ofthe auditory system."

frequency room noise can be surprisinglylow, often falling near or below the thresh-old of hearing, so its ability to mask high -frequency recording noise is minimal.

Hearing in SpaceWith the exception of interaural-timing

resolution, the specifications discussed sofar have been monaural in nature. The per-formance requirements stated apply to eachinformation -carrying channel, two in thecase of stereo. Spatial acuity, on the otherhand, affects what you want to do withthose perceptually pristine channels onceyou have them.

The direction from which a sound arrivesat the ears, be it the direct sound or an echoor reflection, has a significant effect on theperception of that sound. This is easyenough to demonstrate: have a friend talk toyou from across a good -size room while youhold an omnidirectional microphone andmake a monaural recording of the event.When the recording is played back-pref-erably through a headphone so the sounddoesn't go through the room a secondtime-you will find that it sounds hollowand "echoey," quite different from the liveexperience. Assuming that the equipment isof reasonable quality, you have accuratelypreserved all the spectral and timing infor-mation on the recording, but you havethrown away the spatial information. Theresult, as you can easily hear, is far from the"real thing."

The processing of acoustical space is ahigher -order brain function. The brain usesthe signals entering the two ears to create a

continuous three-dimensional "picture" ofthe acoustic space. Left/right judgmentsare based primarily on

1. interaural arrival -time differencescaused by the spatial separation of the earsand

2. amplitude differences caused byacoustic shadowing by the head (the head isits own acoustic shadow above about 1,500Hz); the limit of horizontal resolution isabout I degree of arc.

Vertical (front -top -back) spatial judgmentsseem to rely mainly on

1. the angle -dependent high -frequency(7,000- to I4,000 -Hz) response dips im-posed by the convolutions of the pinnae onthe incoming sounds (so that's why they'reshaped so strangely!) and

2. movements of the head; the verticalresolution limit is about 5 degrees.

Distance judgments seem to depend on aneven more complicated evaluation involvingrelative amplitudes and the reverberationcontent of sounds.

All this "processing" is carried out simul-taneously on all the direct sounds andechoes that impinge on the ears, even ifyou're at the Super Bowl surrounded by50,000 screaming sound sources. The resultis that you can concentrate on what the per-son next to you is saying and filter out mostsounds (they may even be louder ones) com-ing from other directions. This ability hasbeen aptly named the "cocktail -partyeffect."

Moreover, the cocktail -party effect oper-ates over the previous 50 milliseconds of au-dio: the contents of the brain's 50 -millisec-ond audio memory are apparently taggedwith their estimated source positions, allow-ing the brain to ignore spatial information ithas recently determined to be extraneous.In particular, this process permits the sup-pression of spatially divergent echoes fromthe consciousness. In order to be sup-pressed, an echo must

1. arrive within 50 milliseconds of theprimary -source signal, and

2. come from a different direction thanthe source signal-otherwise the brain as-sumes the echo was emitted by the sourceand you hear a change in the sound of thesource (this is one reason why speaker

sound can be greatly influenced by speakerplacement in a room).

Most echoes die out within 50 millisec-onds in the average room, and they areusually spatially diverse. This allows themto be perceptually suppressed. The monau-ral recording you made of your friendspeaking inhibited the action of your brain'secho -suppression system by doing awaywith the clues it needed to identify and ig-nore echoes. In a large enclosed area wherethe time lags are much longer than 50 mil-liseconds (churches, concert halls, auditori-ums), the 50 -millisecond memory capacityis exceeded, and even spatially divergentechoes can become audible.

For the FutureIf we compare the psychophysical limits

covered here to the performance of modernhigh-fidelity equipment, we find that, onthe whole, the current generation of stereocomponents is very well matched to the ca-pabilities of much of the auditory system.There are audible improvements still to bemade in some of the areas discussed (dy-namic range, for one) if "perfect" fidelity isto be attained. But already proposed record-ing systems, some of them digital, offer thehope of achieving perceptually pristinesound channels in the foreseeable future.

Perceptually, the greatest discrepancy re-maining in high fidelity is between real andreproduced acoustical space. As it is now,gross distortions of acoustical space are aninevitable consequence of funneling threedimensions through two stereo channels. Abetter understanding of the ear's localiza-tion processes may make possible the devel-opment of practical systems of recordingand reproduction (the two are of course in-timately related) that preserve the spatialcharacteristics of the original recording siteand accurately reproduce them at home.

Will such systems "solve" the problem ofhigh fidelity once and for all? Is there reallyan "ultimate" sound reproduction quality?Is it likely to be achieved in the foreseeablefuture? I don't know-and I don't thinkanybody else knows either. But perhaps fur-ther psychoacoustic investigation will intime tell us. 0

pSYCHOACOUSTICSis the branch of

hearing science which deals withanalyzing the perception of sound. Ittries to relate "what you hear" to "whatwent in." Psychoacoustics is not a par-ticularly new discipline-presently use-ful work dates back to before the turn ofthe century-but it has modern applica-tions in the advancement of the sound -reproduction arts as well as the develop-ment of aids for the hard of hearing.

In recent years, psychoacousticianshave been addressing such issues as therelationships between electronic andacoustic specifications and perception,what specifications are worth measuringin the first place, and the limits of hear-ing beyond which further technical re-finement produces no audible improve-

PSYCHOACOUSTICS ment. This work has been assisted bystudies in the fields of auditory physiol-ogy and neurophysiology, where at-tempts are being made to explain the de-tailed processing of sound by the earsand by the brain.

FOR more information on psycho -acoustic theory the reader is directed toAcoustics by Leo Beranek, Volume II ofFoundations of Auditory Theory editedby J. V. Tobias (articles on "CriticalBands" by Bertram Scharf and "Audi-tory Localization" by A. Wilbur Mills),George von Bekesy's Experiments inHearing, and issues of the Journal ofthe Acoustical Society of America,which prints the latest results in psy-choacoustical research.

52 STEREO REVIEW

AT LAS VEGAS (ESIT was a rather gloomy collection of

manufacturers' sales, marketing, en-gineering, and public -relations repre-sentatives who came together for theopening of the Winter Consumer Elec-tronics Show in Las Vegas the firstweek in January. With record cold tem-peratures and snow sweeping a nationalready chilled by the recession, therewas apparently little to be optimisticabout. Money was tight, and audio con-sumers seemed not to be consuming.

Happily, retailers who came to LasVegas to order the latest in electronicsequipment to sell in their stores werenot so pessimistic. The Christmas sea-son had not been quite the disastersome crapehangers had predicted.Though initial sales were slow, a last-minute buying surge had cut into thedealers' already slim inventories andleft them with a need to restock. By theend of the show all the previous officialattendance records had been broken,and this stimulated hopes that, at leastas far as the electronics industry wasconcerned, the recession may have bot-tomed out.

The excitement of an upturn in busi-

ness was not, however, matched by anoutpouring of exciting new audio prod-ucts. The manufacturers, overstockedwith inventory, had anticipated me-diocre sales at the show, so genuinelynew products were few and far be-tween. No one had a production -modeldigital -audio -disc player to sell, butthere were prototypes from Denon, To-shiba, and Yamaha, all designed in theSony/Philips "Compact Disc" (CD)format, and it is expected that someone(probably Sony) will be taking ordersat the Summer CES in Chicago.

In conventional equipment the trendcontinues toward more microprocessor/computer control (in the field of hi-fi,computer and microprocessor are syn-onymous) that allows greater flexibili-ty, more convenience, and more "spe-cial features" for the dealer to sell with.Even on receivers, the volume -controlknob is beginning to go the way of theanalog tuning knob, being rapidly re-placed by up/down touch buttons.

Dolby -C and dbx noise -reductionsystems are appearing on more andmore cassette decks, and CX (CBS'disc -encoding system) switches made

an appearance on some prototype re-ceivers and even a few preamplifiers.The unaccountably slow rate at whichCBS is "CXing" its catalog, however, iscausing some concern among manufac-turers planning to install CX decodersin their hardware.

Our correspondents combed the showto see what was new and interesting.The reports that follow are as completeas we could make them, but withliterally hundreds of companies, 100per cent coverage is impossible. Anysignificant omissions will be rectified inour "New Products" columns in themonths to come.

If you are interested in a productmentioned, write to the manufactureror check the hi-fi dealers in your areafor more information. Regretfully,STEREO REVIEW will not be able to an-swer individual requests for product in-formation. If you are unable to locate amanufacturer, we'll supply the addressif you send us a note with the name ofthe company and include a stamped,self-addressed envelope: Stereo Review,Dept. CES, One Park Avenue, NewYork, N.Y. 10016.

MAY 1982 Continued overleaf

1. EMMEN I .

triO

I I

TAPE impTAPE DECKS

A report byCraig Stark

JTHF. increasing popularity of the Dolby -C

noise -reduction system was evident inthe Winter CES cassette -deck introduc-tions, though dbx also expanded its in-fluence, primarily through the Teac line.Normally the Las Vegas show is more de-voted to restocking post -Christmas dealerinventories than to announcing new models,but a respectable number of newcomers invarious product lines were presented.

Teac introduced ten new tape decks, fiveopen -reel and five cassette. The new top oftheir line is the bidirectional X -1000R($1,400), which is capable of handling101/2 -inch reels, has built-in dbx noise -re-duction circuitry, a real-time linear tapecounter, and, of course, the ability to usethe new EE (Extra Efficiency) tapes fromTDK, Maxell, and BASF. The other fournew Teac open -reel decks (the X-10MKII,X-7RMKII, X-7MKII, and X-3MKII.priced from $1,090 to $590) are updatedversions of previous models with the altera-tions necessary to make use of the EEformat.

On the cassette side, Teac's top new of-ferings, the V-95RX and V -I RX ($625 and$590), incorporate dbx noise reduction; theformer model offers bidirectional recordand playback with fast auto -reverse, the lat-ter three -head operation. The V -90R($490) also offers bidirectional record andplayback but with Dolby -B, and all threenew models use computer -chip -controlledtransports. Three -head operation with Dol-by -B is also among the features of the newV-80 ($420), and Dolby -B and Dolby -C arcoffered in the V -70C ($390).

Akai, the other deck manufacturer to in-troduce EE -capable machines last June.was standing pat on its open -reel offeringsbut brought out a large number of new cas-sette decks, all featuring Dolby -C (includ-

ing Dolby -B for compatibility, of course).The GX-F66RC and GX-F44R ($575 and$475) are both bidirectional quick -reversedecks, the former including a twenty -pro-gram search function. The new GX-F7 I($450), GX-F5I ($350), and GX-F3 I($300) also make extensive use of micropro-cessor controls, the first two including auto-matic bias/equalization/sensitivity adjust-ments. Rounding out Akai's new offeringsare the CS -F21, CS -F14, and CS -F12($250, $200, $180), all but the least expen-sive of which include Dolby -C in addition toDolby -B.

Hitachi showed five new cassette decks,all with Dolby -C. The D -2200M ($750) hasa new Hitasenrite single -housing record -playback head, and the D -E99 ($570) has asimilar titanium -surface head; both havemicroprocessor -controlled automatic tape -type optimization and digital elapsed -timecounters. The D -E66 ($400) omits the auto-matic tuning system but is otherwise simi-lar. The D -E57 ($350) is microprocessor -operated with a program memory and scan-ning facilities, and the D -E33 ($200) offersDolby -C and metal capability at an eco-nomical price.

Dolby -C is also incorporated in the newNakamichi LX -3 ($545), a two -head ver-sion of the LX -5 (see April test report) thatotherwise contains all the latter's advancedtransport and logic -controlled features. On-kyo introduced three new models: the three -head TA -2070 ($699) and the TA -2055($360), both with Dolby -B, Dolby -C, andautomatic bias adjustment, plus the TA -2025 ($255) with Dolby -B.

Sansui filled out its cassette line withthree new introductions, all featuring Dol-by -C. The D -770R ($600) permits bidirec-tional record and playback with a 0.6 -sec-ond turnaround time. The three -head D-570 ($525) and two -head D-370 ($420) areavailable in either black or silver finish, andall three decks offer Sansui's automatic -program -search feature and other micro-processor -controlled functions.

Denon's two new cassette -deck offerings,

the DR -F7 and DR -F6 ($500 and $425),are three -head recorders with servo -con-trolled tape tension and Dolby -C. The DR -F7 also features an automatic bias system.Digitally adjusted automatic bias, equaliza-tion, and tape sensitivity, three -head opera-tion, and Dolby -C are featured in Aiwa'snew AD -3800 ($595), which also includesautomatic head demagnetizing.

B&O, which developed the Dolby-HXProfessional headroom -extension system,has incorporated it, together with Dolby -Band Dolby -C, in its new three -head Beocord9000 ($1,800). The deck not only adjustsbias and equalization with a microproces-sor, it also adjusts the readings on the peak -level indicators by measuring actual distor-tion at the output. Both elapsed -time andremaining -time readings are shown on thedigital counter display. B&O's uniqueScandinavian styling is also exemplified inthe more moderately priced ($550) newBeocord 2400.

Dolby-HX Professional is included in thetop two models in the CD (Citation Divi-sion) series from Harman Kardon. Thethree -head CD401 ($750) has a claimedresponse of ± 3 dB to 27 kHz with high -biastape, and the similar two -head CD301($530) is said to go out to 24 kHz ±3 dB!Both also include Dolby -C, as does theCD201 ($400). Even the least -expensivenew HK model, the CD101 ($300), is ratedfor 20 Hz to 21 kHz ±3 dB. Unlike B&Oand Harman Kardon, NAD is offering Dol-by-HX on a budget -price model, the $218Model 6040A cassette deck.

While most of the emphasis on noise -re-duction systems was clearly on Dolby -C andDolby-HX, the attraction of dbx was notconfined to Teac. The new BSR CX-300($380) incorporates dbx circuitry and pro-vides an additional facility by making itswitchable to use as a disc decoder for dbx-encoded records. Among the eight new San-yo decks, the Plus D90 ($380) and Plus D58($300) utilize Sanyo's own non -compatible"Super -D" noise -reduction system. Sanyo'sPlus D57 ($250), RDS46 ($200), and

Harman Kardon CD401 1

Denon DR -F6

=-..1 . .1

a

Teac V-95RX

54 STEREO REVIEW

RDS35 ($180) use Dolby -C. For dubbing(at a 1:1 speed ratio), Sanyo offers the dou-ble -transport RDW50 with Dolby -B($220). Double -speed dubbing using twoseparate cassette drives is possible with thenew Optonica RT-5050 ($380) and the Cy-bernet DD -701 ($480). Cybernet's Kyoceraseries has two new decks, the D-801 ($600)and D-601 ($550), both featuring Dolby -Cand dual -capstan drive; the former also hasa real-time readout.

Dual showed its new Model 828 auto -re-versing deck ($500), and Technics intro-duced the three -head, twin -capstan M273D($550). At approximately $500, the Ken -wood KX-900 features fifteen -programrandom-access memory and an advanced,amorphous -alloy record/playback head.Toshiba added two new models, the bidirec-tional (recording and playback) PC-G6R($300) and the low-cost PC -G2 ($220). Anold name in turntables, Garrard became anew one in cassette decks, introducing theCD -5000 ($290), with Dolby -C, and theCD -3000 ($180), with Dolby -B.

On the software front there were severalnew products of note. Sony introduced itsnew high -bias UCX-S cassettes, whose fineparticle size is said to produce dramaticallyimproved sensitivity and maximum outputlevel. TDK has applied its cobalt -adsorptionAvilyn technology to produce a normal -biasparticle with improved characteristics forits new AD -X cassettes. Loran has modifiedits high -bias formulation to achieve flattermidrange frequency response and betterhigh -frequency overload properties. Scotchhas greatly upgraded its mid -price Dyna-range series and has somewhat improved itsbudget Highlander series, which now comesin a regular cassette box. PD (Philips -Du-Pont) Magnetics, which introduced its ini-tial line last June, will now start to marketit. BASF, which has the official responsibil-ity for producing the world -standard refer-ence tapes for I EC Type 1 and Type II (nor-mal and high -bias), is upgrading its ownProfessional Il's sensitivity and output toconform to these standards and will intro-duce a C-90 metal tape shortly. Maxell isadding a new metal microcassette and an-nounced an agreement to supply Nautiluswith their premium UDXL-11 high -biastape for limited -edition top-quality prere-corded cassette releases.

At any CES there are always a few thingsthat tend to stand out in your memory. Thistime, one was the new "Speed Listening"cassette recorder from VSC Corp. Usingdigital circuitry and large -scale -integrated(LSI) circuits, it makes it possible to listento a spoken -word recording at speeds up totwice normal without encountering the"Donald Duck" pitch changes that usuallymake such playback unintelligible. Stu-dents, executives, and the sightless can allprofit from such a device, which will be in-troduced for under $200.

Another standout was Sony's pair ofsmall, lightweight components making up adigital -audio record and playback system: acompact Betamax VCR and the PCM-F1two -channel digital -audio adaptor. The sys-tem is probably an example of "the shapeof things to come." The PCM-F1, shownon this month's cover, is described morefully in "New Products" (see page 13).

I II II II III Ill III III......... 1 I III RECEIVERS

A report byFred Petros

THE Winter 1982 CES may go down inhistory as the best attended of these

electronics shows so far, but it will not beremembered as one offering much excite-ment to those looking for something new instereo receivers. Other than the entrance ofa few companies into the receiver market,the expansion of the use of microprocessors,a certain amount of downsizing, and thedemonstration of a prototype CX-decoder-equipped unit, most of the receiver newsfrom CES amounted to "more of the same."Only twelve major companies showed newmodels.

The general trend was toward refinementof features rather than startling innovation.For example, virtually every major audiomanufacturer now one to a half -dozen receivers with digital frequency -syn-thesis tuning in its line. Other companieshave climbed on the bandwagon with digitalreadouts added to conventionally tunedmodels to cash in on a strong awareness thatthe display is the thing to attract consumerinterest.

Since, thanks to microprocessors, receiv-ers today provide a high level of operatingconvenience and automation plus a qualityof sound that is hard to improve on, therehas been a heavy emphasis on what is aptlyknown as "cosmetics." Changes in this areaare more apparent than are technologicaladvances, most of which cannot be per-ceived by average listeners and sometimesnot even by the more dedicated "goldenear" audiophiles.

This growing concern with receiver cos-metics was most noticeable in the trend to-ward downsizing. Coming on strong weremodels best described as "midi"-smallerthan most receivers currently being pro-duced, but larger than "micro" or "mini"models. The midis' appeal, say manufactur-ers, is that their appearance suggests heftand power but without bulk; they satisfythose who initially wanted something small-er but who found the micro or mini models abit too small.

Another cosmetic trend, made possible bythe use of microprocessors, is toward the re-duction and/or elimination of rotary con-trols in favor of pushbuttons, or "push -pads," for an appearance that better suitsmodern home decor. Reflecting that trendare Bang & Olufsen's Beomaster 6000, Pio-

neer's new SX-8, and Kenwood's KR -I000,all with flat, soft -touch electronic controls.Volume, equalization, mode, and AM/FMchannel -selection circuits are controlled bythe microprocessor, eliminating the need forelectromechanical potentiometers.

Toshiba gave us a glimpse of their proto-type CX-decoder-equipped receivers, whichwill be introduced officially this summer.The units shown had discrete -componentCX circuitry, but production units are saidto utilize a single chip that is now under de-velopment. Two receivers were shown, the25 -watts -per -channel (W/ch) SA -R2 withanalog tuning (under $300) and the 40-W/ch SA -R3 with digital tuning (under$400).

Toshiba is not the only company planningto include CX in components. CBS has an-nounced CX licensing agreements with Ya-maha, Kenwood, Superscope/Marantz,Telefunken, Phase Linear, Audionics,Sound Concepts, MX R, Nakamichi,Soundcraftsmen, and Applied Technology,among others. They are also reported to benegotiating with Pioneer, Hitachi, Onkyo,Panasonic, and Sanyo.

Hitachi introduced its HTA-3000, de-scribed as "the lowest -priced [$249.95]quartz -locked digital -synthesized -tuningreceiver on the market today." (We couldfind nothing else at the CES to contradictthat statement.) The HTA-3000 offers 30W/ch and programmable memory for sixFM and six AM presets. It is cosmeticallymatched to two earlier Hitachi models with40- and 50-W/ch outputs.

Kertwood's digital -synthesis Model KR -1000, at $1,250, utilizes microprocessortechnology extensively and, except for tworotary fine-tuning controls, is entirely con-trolled by pushbuttons and pushpads.About one-third of the set's face is devotedto a flow -chart display that indicates oper-ating status, mode, peak power output, timeof day, station frequency, speakers in use,relative volume level, and filter(s) in use.The microprocessor makes possible suchfeatures as the "Program Mode Command-er," which retains four different "signalflows" in its memory; a weekly programtimer; pushbutton control of volume andmuting; and a built-in graphic equalizerthat adjusts seven frequency bands over a± 10 -dB range at the touch of individual UP

and DOWN keys. The tuner section hastwelve station presets (six FM and sixA M ).

Kenwood also added four other models,priced from $330 to $599, all with quartz-PLL digital -synthesis tuning systems andpower outputs of 30 to 75 W/ch. They allfeature Kenwood's "Hi -Speed" amplifiers,presets for six FM and six AM stations, andautomatic station scanning.

The U.S. Pioneer 100-W/ch Model SX-8($800) also features a built-in microcom-puter that controls all receiver functions, in-cluding volume, loudness, muting, balance,function selection, and AM/FM tuning.(For more information, see Julian Hirsch'stest report on page 27.)

The Bang & Olufsen Beomaster 6000,whose shape conforms to the unique style ofall B&O components, is also a microproces-sor -controlled receiver. In addition to someof the same computerized functions as in

MAY 1982 55

the Kenwood and Pioneer units, it has a 24 -hour timer and optional remote control. Itcan operate as the central control unit for aB&O "Data Link" audio system also in-cluding a B&O turntable and one or twoB&O cassette decks, all of which can betimer- or remote -controlled through the re-ceiver. The Beomaster 6000 has 75-W/choutput, volume preset, and a price of $1,600(the full -function wireless remote -controlunit is included).

Among the newcomers to the receiverbusiness was Cybernet International, a ma-jor Japanese audio manufacturer, introduc-ing its Kyocera (from Kyoto Ceramics, theparent company) series of "tuner/ampli-fiers" incorporating direct -coupled, vari-able -bias, MOSFET power amplifiers. Thetop -of -the -line R -85I ($866) has a built-inthree -band parametric equalizer, MC(moving -coil) cartridge input, and automat-ic i.f. bandwidth selection, among other fea-tures. Its power output is 85 W/ch. The 65-W/ch R-651 ($740) offers two -band para-metric equalization. Both feature a narrowdrop -down panel that hides secondary con-trols, and both are operated mainly by pushcontrols. The R-451 ($569) is a 45-W/chunit notable for its slender profile and com-pact size. All three units have large glass -front display areas.

Also new in the receiver arena was Gar-rard, a name previously associated mostlywith English -made turntables. The compa-ny has been "reborn" as Garrard U.S.A.under the aegis of Gradiente of Brazil, thatcountry's largest consumer -electronics man-ufacturer. Garrard showed four new receiv-ers at the show. The top unit, the Model1660 ($450), has quartz-PLL digital -syn-thesis tuning and "discrete components in-stead of ICs in the preamp section as well asthe rest of the audio path, for superior per-formance," according to a spokesman. Its"Triple A" non -switching, variable -bias am-plifier circuit is described as "identical toJVC's Super Class -A, offering Class -A/ B -type operation." The 60-W/ch unit hasfourteen station presets (seven FM, sevenAM); bass, midrange, and treble controls;high and low filters; and loudness and mutecontrols, among other features. Similar interms of its preamp/amplifier circuitry isthe Model 1560 ($350), a traditionallytuned model with an unusually short dialscale and an output of 40 W/ch. Other newGarrard units are the Model 1360 ($250),with 35-W/ch output, and the Model 1260($190), with 25-W/ch output; both featurewide -scale tuning dials, dual speaker -pairoperation, and signal -strength meters.

A third new entrant in the receiver fieldwas BSR, introducing two units. The30-W/ch RX-300 ($280) has regular tun-ing but digital station readout. The 20-W/ch RX-100 ($220) is similar in most re-spects to the RX-300 but has a nondigitalstation readout.

The final new entrant (actually a re-en-trant) in the receiver field is KLH, latelyknown primarily as a speaker manufactur-er. Its R-301 ($250) is an elegant -lookingtraditional receiver with 30 W/ch and a fullcomplement of controls.

Adding a lower -power model to its linewas Denon. The DRA-400 ($399) matchesthe appearance and functional capabilities

of the firm's DRA-600 but has an output of40 W/ch instead of the latter's 60 watts.Among the important features of the newunit are a direct -coupled output stage withnon -switching class -A output circuitry, alow -noise preamp section with moving -coilstep-up stage, a frequency -synthesis tunersection with ten preset buttons (five FM,five AM), and a flip -down panel that con-ceals ancillary controls.

Scott's new offering is the Model 385R($600) featuring AM/FM digital readoutplus analog tuning scale and servo -lock FMtuning. It is notable for a midrange tonecontrol in addition to the bass and treblecontrols, moving -coil as well as moving -magnet cartridge inputs, three -pair speakercapability, and Scott's proprietary fluores-cent auto -range peak -hold power meters,which switch automatically between a highand low range to provide more accuratereadings at all volume levels. The poweroutput is 85 W/ch with no more than 0.03per cent total harmonic distortion.

Sanyo came up with three receivers sport-ing a "new look" that reflects the industry'sconcern with large display areas on thefront panel. The top model, the 33-W/chDCR350 ($300), features digital PLL fre-quency -synthesis scan tuning with twelvepresets and a LED numerical readout. The22-W/ch DCR250 ($200) also featuresPLL frequency -synthesis scan tuning buthas a twenty -eight -LED linear array in-stead of a mechanical dial pointer. It alsooffers ten -station memory and operation oftwo pairs of speakers either separately or si-multaneously. The 22-W/ch DCR150($160) is a "basic" model with a five -LEDsignal -strength indicator, flywheel tuningwith illuminated dial pointer, and high -cutfilter among other features.

Two other companies contacted duringthe show have new receivers on the waywith details still to come. Grundig hasscheduled release of its R-400 receiver, butno details were available at press time. "Al-most ready," according to a spokesman, wasthe NAD Model 7140 receiver, a 40-W/chunit that will be "in production form" inMay or June.

O S I II II II III III III 111...... .

II

AMPLIFIERSTIMERS

A report byRalph Hodges

Amps and Preamps

THE Winter CES drew a pretty good col-lection of audio amplifiers to Las Ve-

gas in January. Most of the new productsintroduced had some ready appeal, and afew genuinely broke new ground.

One source of new amplifiers was Sony,which added three integrated models to itsstandard high-fidelity line and two poweramplifiers and a preamplifier to the eliteEsprit series. The TA-AX6 integrated amp($480), 75 watts per channel (W/ch), em-ploys what Sony calls "Audio CurrentTransfer," evidently referring to a schemeof low -impedance iriterstage coupling saidto improve channel separation and reducestage -to -stage interference. Just below it in.price ($410), the TA-AX5, at 65 W/ch,combines a microprocessor with some non-volatile memory to permit fully electronic

56 STEREO REVIEW

adjustment of volume, balance, filter set-tings, and bass and treble, with instanta-neous recall of previous settings. Illumi-nated front -panel displays keep the user in-formed of what is happening. The TA-AX4($320, 55 W/ch) has more conventional-but not entirely conventional-control fa-cilities but shares the very efficient pulsed -power -supply technology of its more expen-sive brethren.

In the Esprit line, the new TA -N901 pow-er amplifier offers 150 W/ch and what issaid to be class -A operation for $2,500. TheTA -N902, based on the same design princi-ples, has 100 W/ch and a $1,600 price tag.Both amplifiers employ no negative feed-back around their output stages and featurenovel construction techniques intended tocurb the malignant effects of electromag-netic induction. The TA -E901 preamplifier($2,000) employs no negative feedbackaround its moving -coil -cartridge inputstage, and its design is equally scrupulousabout magnetism, vibration, and the chemi-cal purity of its internal electrical wiringand conductors.

The audio world has been awaiting withinterest the results of the collaboration ofHarman Kardon and Dr. Matti Otala, a re-searcher much publicized for his investiga-tions into dynamically induced forms of am-plifier distortion. It got its first real look inLas Vegas with the appearance of the Cita-tion XX power amplifier, a $7,500 doublearmful (93 pounds) of laser -adjusted, gold-plated electronics rated at 250 W/ch andwith such astonishing performance parame-ters as "200 amperes of instantaneous cur-rent capability." The user can switch be-tween three different bias conditions for theoutput stages, and he can also engage infra-sonic and ultrasonic filters when indicatorson the amplifier's front panel suggest it is

wise to do so. Harman Kardon promisesfurther additions to its revived Citation linein due course.

Cybernet's Kyocera division also intendsto astound, apparently. The massive Kyo-cera B-901 power amplifier (150 W/ch,$1,750) is heavy in the power -supply andcontrol -circuit departments. Its companion,the $1,350 C-901 preamplifier, concen-trates on bandwidth, reduction of noise anddistortion, and appropriate interface withsignal sources.

In the extreme -overachiever categorythere is the Carver M-1.5 power amplifier,which is rated at 350 W/ch continuous into8 ohms and 600 W/ch for musically signif-icant time periods (in excess of a second).The M-1.5 is intended to cost about $750,weighs about 16 pounds, and is about thesize of a briefcase! Perhaps needless to say,it employs Carver's proprietary "magnetic -field" technology.

Phase Linear shares some of Carver's de-sign goals. Its new DRS (Dynamic RangeSystem) series is topped by the DRS 900power amplifier ($1,095) and includes theDRS 400 power amplifier ($695) and thecompany's first integrated amplifier, theDRS 250 ($975). The DRS 900 has twopower -supply voltages, one giving a ratingof 150 W/ch continuous, the other deliver-ing a momentary 900 W/ch on peaks. TheDRS 400 and DRS 250 are similarly con-figured, with corresponding ratings of 50

watts continuous and 400 watts peak. Com-plementary new preamplifiers are theP3800 ($750), with three -band parametrictone controls, and the more basic P3600($450). Of special interest is the multi -LEDfront -panel display on the DRS 900, whichprovides indication of average power outputplus a marker for peak power that will holdthe highest output levels attained.

The new Onkyo M-5090 power unit (200W/ch, $1,800) is a bias -switching amplifierwith built-in guards against unwanted in-frasonic signals and thermal anomaliesthroughout. and its companion P-3090preamplifier ($1,250) is designed for maxi-mum circuit simplicity and maximum qual-ity of integral parts. Adcom, after improv-ing its GFA-1 (now GFA- I A) in variousways, has introduced the GFA-2 power am-plifier ($360) with 100 W/ch, the GPF-1preamp ($350) to complement it, and theHAPI 300, a 125 -watt power amplifier de-signed by audio pioneer Stuart Hegemanthat can be bought for $650 assembled or$500 as a kit.

sented a new integrated amplifier, the $800A-1060, which is clearly not class -A butputs forth 140 W/ch over the full audiobandwidth and incorporates such endearingYamaha features as continuously variableloudness compensation.

More integrated amplifiers came fromSansui, which attributes the fine perform-ance of its AU -D33 (50 watts) and AU -D22 (35 watts) to feedforward techniques;feedback is used for lower frequencies, how-ever. Neither feedback nor feedforward isused in Denon's three new integrated amps,the PMA-730 (50 W/ch, $229), PMA-750(80 W/ch, $450), and PMA-770 (100W/ch, $620). "Instead," according to themanufacturer, "a localized error detectionand correction system is used to cancel dis-tortion without any . . . negative side -ef-fects." The language puts one in mind ofdigital technology, but its application thereis unlikely. However, we certainly can't ar-gue with the prices.

As inviting in price, and as mysterious inoperation, are the new Akai AM -U61 (80

AMP: Al\

Soundcrattsmen RA6501

Left, Harman KardonCitation XX; right,Adcom GFA-1A

. - .

Phase Linear DRS 900

Threshold equaled Sony's numbers innew amplifier introductions, presenting twonew preamplifiers, the FET One ($2,000)and FET Two ($1,000), plus four largepower amplifiers, the S/150, S/300, S/500,and S/1000, ranging from $1,200 to $3,000in price and from 75 to 250 W/ch in power(roughly speaking; the top -of -line S/ 1000 isactually a single -channel amplifier rated at500 watts). All six products are "Stasis" de-signs, referring to a Threshold circuit con-figuration said to eliminate feedback andoperate all gain stages in a constant-cur-rent/constant-voltage mode. They are alsovery pleasing to look at and are endowedwith numerous precious -metal touches in-side and out.

Another single -channel amplifier, said tobe the company's finest power -unit productto date, was shown by Yamaha. Priced at$2,000, the BX-1 appears to be a conserva-tive class -A design capable of 100 wattscontinuous output with harmonic distortionas low as 0.002 per cent. Yamaha also pre-

W/ch, $400) and AM -U41 (55 W/ch,$300) integrated amplifiers, which apply"Zero Drive" circuits described as operat-ing on a "servo principle" to iron out non-linearlties at the output stages and elimi-nate switching distortion. Akai has workedout a front -panel control scheme-with lotsof push -plates and push -bars, plus somepushbuttons and rotary controls normallyhidden by a cover-that is both unusual andattractive.

The Garrard brand name, after a tempo-rary disappearance, has returned to themarketplace on an extensive line of newproducts that includes five integrated am-plifiers ranging in model number from 86 to366, in price from $170 to $550, and inpower from 20 to 85 W/ch. Features areadded with increasing price in the kind ofprogression you might expect, with the em-phasis on power -output indicators, whichchange from mechanical meters to LEDs tofluorescent displays as the price goes up.


MAY 1982 57

And KLH has also come back with two newintegrated amplifiers, the A-351 and A-601, which deliver 35 and 60 W/ch, respec-tively, and do it with attractive but unpre-tentious LED power -output displays.

CX, the CBS compander system forphono noise reduction, has stirred a fewmanufacturers into action. Audionics nowoffers the RS -2 preamplifier ($650) withCX decoding built in, along with an ex-pander system based on the CX circuitrythat is said to do well with non -encoded sig-nal sources of limited dynamic range. Thesame maker has also introduced a S700 80-W/ch power amplifier, the CC -3, and alower -price version with less power -supplyregulation, the $600 Model 280-A. Sher -wood's S-6020 preamplifier ($250) has CXdecoding along with a novel LED visualguide to volume -control settings and exten-sive use of FET gain circuits. Sherwood'sS-6040 100-W/ch power amplifier usesFET power transistors and costs a measly$300.

The Amber Model 50A integrated ampli-fier is a $600 combination of an existingpreamplifier and a power amplifier not spe-cifically rated as to power (but around 100W/ch seems right), and it may augur anunexpected interest in this product categoryamong "esoteric" manufacturers. The nextshow could tell.

Soundcraftsmen appeared with the $650LA2502 power amplifier with an outputrating of 125 W/ch and twenty -LED out-put -level indicators. A larger relative, theRA6501 ($800), has 250 W/ch and a moreaustere appearance. Acoustat, which every-one thought made only electrostatic loud-speakers, now makes a 200-W/ch poweramplifier for anybody's loudspeaker. TheTrans -Nova Twin -200 (S995) aims at re-solving the differences between transistorand vacuum -tube advocates with a circuitthat has nothing but field-effect transistorsin its signal path and which employs an asyet unrevealed form of feedback. Chassisconstruction is totally stainless steel, andthe appearance is a bit stark, but the designstory is provocative.

Stax Kogyo has cut its Model DA -100Min half to create the $1,000 DA -50M class -A power amplifier, liquid cooled with a heatpipe. Output is 50 watts in pure class -Amode, switchable (in the interest of powerconservation) to a combination of class -Aoperation below 12.5 watts and class -ABabove. Confronted with a 4 -ohm load, itreverts to straight class -AB operation.

Audio Research, a company that has tra-ditionally served vacuum -tube advocates, isdoing it again with the D-160 power ampli-fier, a unit that is 19 inches wide, almost afoot high, and nearly 2 feet deep. Rated out-put, from what appeared to be ten vacuumtubes of KT -66 dimensions, is 160 watts perchannel.

Nevertheless, transistors are still with usin one form or another. At Mission Elec-tronics the form they take is a preamplifierapparently powered by two internal storagebatteries. The mate to the Model 776preamplifier is the 200-W/ch Model 777power amplifier. The spartan controls forboth units nestle within the contours of theword "Mission," cast in high relief so as tocover the entire matte -black front panels.

Prices and final specifications were not yetavailable.

Dennesen now has a $3,000 preamplifier,the JC-80, which is said to embody thelatest conceptual ideals of the "esoteric"audio approach, including passive phonoequalization, field-effect transistors, im-peccably fashioned switches and controls,and plenty of gold plating. For smallerpurses there is the $800 Dennesen Lyrapreamplifier, which adopts much of the JC-80's technology, and to back up eitherpreamplifier there is the 250 -watt single -channel Orion power amplifier at $600.

Manufacturers coming to these showsroutinely try to bring along spare samples oftheir newest products to be loaned to-andseen at-the exhibits of other, noncompet-ing manufacturers. Often a show will adopta "sweetheart" component that-becauseof intrinsic merit, beguiling appearance,ready availability, or all three-turns up atthe booth of every noncompeting exhibitorwho can lay hands on it. This show's sweet-heart was the Spectral DMC-10 preampli-fier, a $1,595 two-piece (separate powersupply) product that is just plain prettyboth inside and out. Curiously, it uses pow-er FETs in its signal path, but there's noobvious reason why that should hurt.

Krell Electronics will have nothing butpure class -A in power amplification andclaims to have the only power amplifiers(two now, with a third coming) that main-tain true class -A operation up to full poweroutput-I00 watts per channel from Krell's$2,500 stereo unit and 200 watts for itsmono amp ($5,800 per pair). The KrellPAM I preamplifier ($2,000) consists oftwo mono preamps sharing nothing morethan a faceplate and cover, with the twopower supplies physically separate inside.

And beyond all these, there were new am-plifiers from BRB Systems, whose Model200 Reference Amplifier (S899) operates inquasi -class -A and affords 100 W/ch andwhose $499 Model 10 preamplifier has amoving -coil input section that is also avail-able as a $139 outboard device; from Fos-tex, whose two new power amplifiers, theModels 300 and 600, are rated at 100 and200 W/ch, respectively; from Sumo Elec-

tric, which introduced the S699 AndromedaPlus class -AB power amp with 200 W/chand the matching $399 Electra preamplif-ier; and from Electrocompaniet, which isaugmenting its 150-W/ch Ampliwire I($2,195) and 45-W/ch Ampliwire II($1,395) with the Preampliwire, which isexpected to cost about $1,400 (I presumethe "Ampliwire" name is intended to invokethe "straight -wire -with -gain" idea).

Spectrascan now has a family of threeBPA-I00 series power amplifiers pricedfrom $850 to $1,795 and dedicated to theproposition that appropriate amounts offeedback are a good thing, as are tightlyregulated power supplies. The company alsohas three preamplifiers, the LCA-10, LCA-20, and LCA-30, priced from $595 to$1,195. Amplification & Recording (Cam-bridge), a.k.a. Arcam, presented its C200preamplifier, which has inputs for a tunerand two tape units plus space for up to twoof three optional phono-input modules(moving -magnet, moving -coil, and line -lev-el). The phono modules feature switch -se-lectable sensitivity, capacitance, and resist-ance settings. Price: $750 with one moduleand $895 with two. The SA200 power am-plifier (100 W/ch, $895) has a DIN inputsocket, but adaptors are available.

Questar has reworked its 110-W/chModel 220 and made it the Model 330, withthe same output power but price still unde-cided. And RGR, which showed a prototypeof its Model Five "High Current" poweramplifier last June, can now sell you a pro-duction version for $1,050.

Audio Design's products are very attrac-tive in an unassuming way, with soft greyfinishes and softly rounded edges. New arethe $400 Model One preamplifier and threepower amps, the Models 10-A, 20-A, and30-A, ranging in price from $500 to $1,200.Bedini's newest products, a $1,000 pream-plifier and a massive $3,000 power ampli-fier, emphasize the company's design phi-losophy of complete electronic separation ofthe two channels. Music Reference Corpo-ration's latest is a $930 vacuum -tubepreamplifier, the RM5.

Undoubtedly there were still more hiddenaway where I couldn't find them.

Sony ST-JX5 AM/FM tuner

Sansui TU-S33AM FM tuner

Onkyo T-9060 FM Tuner

Yamaha T-70 AM FM tuner

58

TunersWHILE the amplifier tribe lustily trum-

peted great new strides in circuit in-novation and refinement, tuners at thisshow did pretty much what they did lastyear, which was to offer quartz -crystal -ref-erenced frequency -synthesis tuning, phase -locked -loop multiplex decoding, plenty ofstation presets, and a low -silhouette appear-ance. Displayed again in prototype form,Carver's mysterious signal -cleaner -uppertuner has not yet reached the productionstage (it's said to be getting there, though),and of other novelties there were virtuallynone.

One small feature probably destined to beof some significance did turn up, however: ajack at which the output of the AM detectorappears. Such a jack will connect to the in-put of some future stereo -AM decoderwhen some future stereo -AM system finallyshakes down. Phase Linear's new AM/ster-eo-FM Model T 5200 has the jack, and oth-ers I didn't notice may have had it too. TheT 5200 also has six FM and six AM stationpresets with non-volatile memory, wide andnarrow i.f.-band selection for both FM andAM, and a price of $495. The new SansuiTU-S33 ($200) has a special noise -reduc-tion circuit as well as a long, linear tuningdial and tuning -aid LEDs that ride with thedial pointer. You can choose black or alumi-num front panels.

Introduced shortly before the show, theOnkyo T-9060 FM -only tuner is an impor-tant product for this manufacturer, and itsfront panel-busy with indicators for car-rier deviation, i.f. bandwidth, and the like-shows it. There are seven station presets,auto and manual tuning modes, and, ofcourse, all the internal quartz -synthesizingdigital -readout technology that has becomethe industry's state of the art.

Akai's new AT -S61 has presets for tenFM and ten AM stations, and any of themcan be summoned up automatically by a re-mote timer. It also has an automatic circuitthat gradually shrinks stereo separation forweaker signals, a knobless front panel, anda $250 price. Another knobless front panelgraces the $370 Yamaha T-70, with ten sta-tion presets shared between FM and AM, abuilt-in oscillator for calibrating tape re-corders, timer recording capability, andvarious aids to good reception. Scott's Mod-el 558T ($280), with seven FM and sevenAM presets, auto tuning, much fluorescentfront -panel activity, and an unusually lowsilhouette, became available in January.And NAD's Model 4020S tuner, based ontechnology (Schotz circuitry) evolved forProton's FM portable, will apparently be-come available on schedule sometime thisyear, but the price and other details are notyet firm.

Sony's new tuners are three, the costliestof which (the ST-JX5 at $290) has sevenstation presets for FM or AM and the abil-ity to recall four of them in sequence forunattended recording with a timer system.The ST-JX4 ($250) closely resembles theJX5 sans a few features. The $200 ST-JX3has that rarity of rarities, a tuning dial, plusa servo -controlled tuning system to go withit, but no frequency synthesis. For the mod-els with station presets, Sony provides labels

with frequency designations that mount onand blend with the front panels-a verythoughtful touch.

Denon and Sherwood introduced one newtuner apiece. Denon's TU-720 also has atuning dial and a servo -lock tuning systemplus a built-in recording -calibration oscilla-tor and an agreeable price of $229. Sher -wood's S-6010 ($250) is fully in the currentmode, with eight FM and eight AM presetsand all the rest.

KLH's overseas supplier has done hand-somely by them with two colorful new tun-ers, the frequency -synthesis, digital -read-out, seven -preset (for FM and AM) T-201($350) and the tuning -dial -equipped T-101($230). And Garrard showed two attractive,utterly analog AM/FM models that aretuned by hand and tweaked by ear. TheGarrard Models 9 and 7 are $230 and $170,respectively.

If these remembrances of yesteryear arenot enough for you, be aware that they'regood enough for Quad, whose new FM4tuner, although not at the show, has beenannounced and revealed in photos. It tunesby hand with a knob, and its front panelgives you little else to do. However, the sta-tion readout is digital, there are seven FMpresets, and there is a built-in microproces-sor. It has not yet been announced what themicroprocessor does, but for $625 it hadbetter be a lot.

r

girl

SPEAKERS

A report byRalph Hodges

AD now for the show's maddest mara-thon, the romp past hordes of walnut

boxes that produce sounds, some music -likeand some not. Under the show's conditionsit is not within anyone's power to make finedistinctions on matters of audible musicali-ty, so all 1 can do is tell you what I saw.What was out there in Las Vegas was not,for once, thousands or even hundreds of new

speaker systems. Even speaker manufactur-ers were showing some restraint this year.But I found some noteworthy new speakersamong all those boxes.

A pair of new two-way bookshelf systems,the L46 ($150) and L56 ($250), join theJBL L Series. The tweeter, a I -inch alumi-num -coated phenolic -dome type, is thesame for both. The woofers are 8 and 10inches. respectively, and both cabinets areported Altec Lansing's Series II consists ofthree new speaker systems in what is essen-tially a bookshelf format. Altec's constant -directivity "Mantaray" horn loading a sol-id-state compression driver with a "Tanger-ine" phasing plug is the high -frequencydriver for all three. Models 6 and 8 arethree-way systems with 5 -inch midrangedrivers and 10- and 12 -inch woofers, respec-tively, in ported cabinets, and the Model 4is a two-way speaker with a 10 -inch woofer.Two more Altec products, the Models 310and 312, use cone drivers exclusively inthree-way configurations employing 10 -

and I2 -inch woofers in vented enclosures.Infinity moved both up and down at this

show. Up was to a $4,000 system, the Ref-erence Standard I, which is a direct de-scendent of the astounding $22,000 InfinityReference Standard and which, like it, con-sists of two columnar line arrays of bassdrivers and two curved panels mountinglines of mid- and high -frequency driverswith planar diaphragms. Down was to the$130 Reference Standard Jr., a compacttwo-way design. The RS I employs 8 -inchbass drivers, six per column. The RS Jr.'swoofer is 61/2 inches. Both systems useEMIT -type drivers to reproduce the higherfrequencies.

A number of manufacturers limited theirintroductions to a single smallish system.Acoustic Research's new three-way AR58S($3251 could be considered small comparedwith some of the company's floor -standingtowers. KEF's $200 Model 303.3, a two-way design in a vinyl -clad enclosure, is def-initely small. The Sony SS -X150 ($90),with a 61/2 -inch woofer and 2 -inch tweeter,is smaller still. And so is the new Micro -Acoustics 4dx, with drivers of the same sizeand the company's unique "lollipop" tweet-er mounting, which enables the user to aimhigh frequencies where he wishes. The BESC60E, the smallest model yet from thismanufacturer of flat -diaphragm loudspeak-ers, is recommended for ceiling installationand outdoor use. The Mini -Mesa 100 fromMesa, though small, is a three-way systemwith an 8 -inch woofer. Celestion's SL -6"Laser Monitor" made its official debut inLas Vegas even though it had been an-nounced to the press before the show. Thissmall but obviously sophisticated speakersystem sells for $800 per pair.

KLH has a new line of four systems, theSeries 500, all employing ported cabinetsand cone drivers, the largest of which is theI5 -inch woofer of the Model 515. Thetweeters are all 3 -inch devices, and the mid-ranges (except for the two-way Model 508,which has none) are 5 inches. Garrard,pursuing its new identity as a full -line man-ufacturer, now offers four speaker systems,all of them three-way designs with woofersranging from 8 to 12 inches. The top twomodels, the Master 78 ($170) and Master

MAY 1982 59

100 (as yet unpriced), have front -panelLEDs to warn of excessive drive.

Interaudio Systems, not really a newcompany but a newly re-emergent one, hasdevised a novel -looking acoustic lens tomodify the directivity of the 3 -inch tweeterused in all its models. Its least expensivesystem, the Alpha One ($150), has thistweeter/lens assembly plus an 8 -inch woof-er in a ported enclosure. Its most expensivesystem, the Alpha Four ($450), has two ofthe assemblies plus a 61/2 -inch midrange, a10 -inch woofer, and a passive radiator; itstands just under 4 feet high.

"Ambassador" speakers are new from Vi-sonik, and they come in five varieties, fromthe $150 A 60 WN (5 -inch woofer, I -inchdome tweeter) to the $465 A 150 WN (12 -inch woofer, 2 -inch dome midrange, 1 -inchdome tweeter). A new line of what arecalled "residential" loudspeakers comesfrom Cerwin-Vega. Seven models have beenannounced and three have so far appeared,including a three-way floor -standing designwith a 12 -inch woofer, two 6 -inch mid-ranges, and a horn tweeter; a bookshelf sys-tem with the same drivers less one mid-range; and a subwoofer intended for usewith minispeakers. And what had beenC -V's Model 812S, employing its coaxial -horn arrangement for mid and high fre-quencies, has become the 812T as the resultof further refinements. Its price is $600,and an enlarged version with a 15 -inch (in-stead of 12 -inch) woofer will cost $700.

Polk's latest is the Monitor 4, a two-way(61/2 -inch woofer, 1 -inch dome tweeter) de-sign that, at $100, is the company's leastexpensive system. Two of them togetherwith Polk's previously introduced LF-14subwoofer make up the $500 LF-14/4three-piece subwoofer/satellite system. Fi-nally, a $400 adaptation of the Polk RTA-12, the RTA-11, uses most of the same driv-ers but mounts them all in a front -firingconfiguration. If you are interested in reallysmall speaker systems, Fostex showed its G-7000, a desk -top subwoofer/satellite systemwith a 7 x 131/2 x 10 -inch teak -finish sub -woofer and two small satellites ($550).

Snell's latest is the Type E ($749 perpair), which stands on the floor, tilts back toany desired angle (within reason), and hasan 8 -inch woofer and I -inch soft -dometweeter with a crossover network that is ad-justed to the characteristics of each driverpair coming off the line. Scott's latest, alsoa reworking of a previous design, is the Pro100B II (S795), now with a 15 -inch woofer.41/2 -inch midrange, and 1 -inch tweeter infront plus a midrange and two more tweet-ers on top. The relative contributions of thefront and top drivers can be adjusted. Den-nesen's latest, the $350 Catella, has a 10 -inch woofer, a 5 -inch midrange, three elec-trostatic tweeters, and a butcher -block en-closure in oak, cherry, or mahogany.

Jamo introduced five attractive newspeakers, including three in its CBR (Cen-ter Base Reflex) line that have vents aroundthe woofer and other features to isolate thedrivers. The CBR line ranges from thethree-way Model 902 ($300) to the four-way Model 1702 ($650). The two non-CBRsystems are a two-way and three-way at$140 and $220, respectively.

The DQM-5 from Dahlquist is called a

"Compact Monitor," and at $250 or $289,depending on finish, it is the least expensiveof this Dahlquist series, which was original-ly intended to bring certain sonic benefits toa rectangular -box format. Not a rectangu-lar box, but rather a column of roughly ovalcross section, the DCM Time Window=[sic] is an enlarged version of DC M's origi-nal Time Window; together with greaterdynamic range, it is said to have superiortime coherence between drivers and to pro-tect that coherence with less directionality.Two each of 8 -inch, 6 -inch, and 1 -inch driv-ers are employed, and the price is expectedto be about $750.

Mordaunt-Short, an energetic Englishmanufacturer, has revamped its line; theenclosures are now square in cross section, abit larger in internal volume, and clad infabric on four sides. The new -look Series 3will coexist with the old Series 2 for thetime being. Prices are: Carnival 3, $395 perpair; Festival 3, $525 per pair; Pageant 3,$765 per pair. Stands are $50 extra. Avidand Cizek are also said to be revampingtheir lines. Avid's plans were under wrapsat the time of this writing, but Cizek hasintroduced the three-way Model 747 (about$500), and there is the possibility of a newfour-way system by the time you readthis.

ADC has three new models: the 103B($100), with a 10 -inch woofer, 5 -inch mid-range, and 3 -inch tweeter; the 123B ($130),which substitutes a 12 -inch woofer; and the153 ($200), equipped with a I5 -inch woof-er, a 5 -inch midrange, and a horn tweeter.Norman Laboratories has seven models, ofwhich the leader is the $800 12B, consistingof a bass enclosure with two 10 -inch woof-ers and a vertical panel for a 2 -inch domemidrange and two planar -diaphragm tweet-ers. Byers has a new tall speaker (the6501T, $575 per pair) and a new short one(the 5010R, $390 per pair); both are portedtwo-way designs. O'Malley has two brand-new systems, the Models 3015 and 3008,that employ horn -loading extensively. Theyare modular three-way designs, with the3008 recommended as a rear speaker tocomplement the 3015 up front.

A new full -range electrostatic system hasbeen brought out by Stax Kogyo. Specifi-cally designed for small rooms and forplacement near the wall (damping materialattenuates some of the rear radiation), theELS-F81 ($3,100 per pair) is only about ayard high and a foot and a half wide. It con-tains three electrostatic elements, the nar-row central one being driven full range andthe two outer ones having attenuated highsand a signal delay of about 0.3 millisecond.The speaker can be tilted to obtain the best -sounding perspective on the listening area.The Wilson WAMM (Wilson Audio Mod-ular Module) attracted attention at theshow with its $32,000 price if not its sound.Why $32,000? Well, the system includesKEF woofers, an elaborate array of RTRelectrostatic elements, a very large sub -woofer enclosure with an 18 -inch driver,and several other devices, all variable intheir distance from the listening area. Allthat costs something, and Mr. Wilson's per-sonal services (he does all final installationshimself) are certainly worth somethingmore.

As for evidence of new or newly refur-bished speaker technology at this show, Inoted only two examples. The AEC Moni-tor joins the Plasmatronics loudspeaker andthe Magnat tweeter imported by Dahlquistas one of the few devices that produce soundby modulating ionized air. The Monitoremploys a 12 -inch woofer, 3 -inch midrange,and a horn -loaded "ionic" tweeter. The sys-tem costs $5,000; the tweeter is availableseparately for $1,000. AEC products aremanufactured in West Germany and im-ported by CM Labs of Albany, Kentucky.

Innovation number two was a new pie-zoelectric tweeter from Motorola, whoseoriginal horn -loaded device has been used ina number of highly regarded speaker sys-tems. The new tweeter uses two piezo ele-ments in a vertical line -source array, there-by improving dispersion significantly. Thedevice is inexpensive and reasonably uni-form in response from below 5 kHz to above40 kHz, and it generally requires no cross-over network. Look for it in next year'sspeaker systems.

Fostex G-7000 subwoofer 'satellite system

Scott Pro 10013 II

JBL L46 (lett) and L56 (right)

60

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CARTRIDGES

A report byPeter Mitchell

CoNTINLING the trend established at theprevious CES six months earlier, only

a moderate number of new phono pickupswere introduced at the Winter CES, andmost of the action was in the moving -coilcategory, with a growing population of MCmodels offered at prices that compete withpopular moving -magnet designs. One trendthat spans the entire cartridge marketplaceis a continued lowering of the weight of car-tridge bodies; not long ago a weight of 7 to 8grams was typical, but in this year's models5 grams is the norm.

Denon, long known as a leading supplierof MC pickups, introduced two new mov-ing -coil models. The $275 DL -207 was de-veloped specifically to achieve a ratedtracking force of 1.4 grams, uncommonlylow for an MC design (most are designed totrack at 2 grams or more). The DL -207 fea-tures high compliance, a 4.7 -gram bodyweight, a lightweight and rigid amorphous -boron cantilever, and an effective tip massof only 0.25 milligram. Denon's second en-try is the DL -300, a medium -complianceMC model with a fiberglass body weighingonly 4.2 grams, an elliptical stylus, and aprice of under $100.

Yamaha has added two more moving -coilunits to its line, each designed with separatecoils on the horizontal and vertical axes.The $200 MC -3 features a tapered tubularcantilever made of pure beryllium, a metalnoted for its unique combination of ex-tremely light weight and high rigidity, andits 8 x 40 -micrometer stylus has a squaresolid -diamond shank. The MC -9 employs atapered aluminum cantilever tube, its 8 x20 -micrometer elliptical stylus also has asquare diamond shank, and its $90 sug-gested price makes it the cheapest moving -coil pickup on the market.

Dynavector's top -of -the -line "Karat"cartridges employ unusually short diamondand ruby cantilevers in the interest of max-imum rigidity. Now Dynavector has man-aged to develop revised versions of thesemoving -coil cartridges with even shortercantilevers: the DV17D with a 1.7 -mm dia-mond cantilever ($600) and the DV23Rwith a 2.3 -mm ruby cantilever ($310).

Another MC pickup that has been popu-lar is the Fidelity Research MC -201. Thenew entry from FR, the $350 MC -202, is arefined version featuring a lowered effectivetip mass, a rectangular "Vital" stylus tipwith improved groove -wall contact, and arated tracking force of only 1.3 grams. Su-miko's Premier LMX is a $200 moving -coilpickup with an intriguing "cutter analogue"diamond stylus-a line -contact stylus saidto fit the groove wall almost as intimately asthe cutting stylus did. For their own rea-sons, Sumiko also offers the same stylus in amoving -magnet model at the same price,the Andante FGV.

High -output moving -coil pickups don'trequire a step-up transformer or specialMC preamp, and their low impedance en-sures that their frequency response is unaf-fected by cable capacitance or preamp im-pedance. Adcom's Crosscoil series of high -

signed before the recent profusion of pick-ups employing rare jewels in their construc-tion. Owners of the F9 can now update itwith an RS9 replacement stylus assemblyfeaturing a ruby cantilever for no more than$200.

The popularity of the Technics line ofcompact radial -tracking turntables hasspawned a broad range of plug-in cartridgesspecially designed to mate with the light-weight radial arms. Audio-Technica, whichhad previously marketed two such plug-inmoving -magnet pickups, has now intro-duced two more, both with elliptical styli:the ATI 1 2EP ($70) and the AT122EP($95) with a nude -mounted diamond stylus.Ortofon's series of four new plug -ins for theTechnics turntables includes three VMS -type moving -magnet models (the TM 14,TM20, and TM3OH, with list prices of $65,$115, and $175, respectively) and the

ADC Integra STXLM-I

Audio-Technica AT3OHE

Fidelity ResearchMC -202 "Gold"

Dynavector Karat 23R

output MC pickups has been notably suc-cessful, and the new Model HCE, weighing5 grams, is priced at $130-half the priceof the earlier Crosscoil models employing asimilar lightweight, symmetrical X -shapearmature.

Audio-Technica's AT3OHE ($135), thefirst high -output MC model from A -T,shares with its low -voltage stablemates theunusual convenience of a user -replaceablestylus assembly. Boston Acoustics, in itsfirst departure from loudspeakers, is intro-ducing two high -output MC pickups assem-bled in Japan: the MC -1E ($140), with anelliptical stylus, and the MC- lvdh ($200),with a Swiss -made Van den Hul tip. Theircantilevers are said to resist twisting in re-sponse to torsional forces in order to pre-serve correct orientation of the stylus tip inthe record groove and to maintain goodhigh -frequency separation.

Among the moving -magnet designs, theGrace F9E cartridge has gained an excel-lent reputation for its sound, but it was de-

TMC200 moving -coil pickup, which at$350 includes a boron cantilever, a line -con-tact stylus, and a samarium -cobalt ringmagnet

The Integra ST series from ADC is a

group of magnetic -pickup cartridges in-stalled in headshells designed to plug direct-ly into the straight tubular tone arms thathave become common in recent years. TheST headshells are made of carbon fiber forlow mass and high rigidity, and they featurebuilt-in adjustments for offset angle, stylusoverhang, and vertical tracking angle.Three models are available, each with a to-tal cart:idge/headshell mass of 9 grams;prices range from $80 for the XLM-1 to$135 for the XLM-III. 0

This report will be concluded next monthwith coverage of Turntables, Audio Accesso-ries, Headphones, One -brand Systems, Au-dio Cabinetry, and audio -related Video.

MAY 1982 61

Elly Ameling(Photograph courtesy of Phonogram International)

STEREO REVIEW'S SELECTION OF RECORDINGS OF SPECIAL MERIT

BEST OF THE m011T11

A Significant Release: Joseph Haydn's Songs Complete

iii.. German Lied originated in thei age of Goethe and his contempo-raries, the era of the great German Ro-mantic poets. Beethoven and Schubertare the pioneers of the Lied; the factthat composers of lesser rank had al-ready set to music texts by Goethe andothers before they did is not really sig-nificant. Joseph Haydn, however, is al-ways significant (we will be celebratinghis 250th birthday this year), and therelease by Philips of the first completerecording of his forty-eight songs, withsoprano Elly Ameling and pianist JOrgDemus, calls attention to his worthycontribution without in any way alter-ing Beethoven's and Schubert's prima-cy in the field.

The simple fact is that the enormousinfluence of Goethe and his fellow Ro-mantic poets on composers of the periodwas a German affair. Neither Mozart(in Vienna) nor Haydn (in Esterhaza)was significantly affected by its mightycurrents. Mozart did set Goethe's DasVeilchen to music in 1785 (and a goodcase can be made for its designation asthe first important Lied), but that mod-est little violet stands nearly alone.Most of the Haydn and Mozart songswere conceived operatically and bearthe imprint of the Italian canzonette,the French ariette, or, in Mozart's case,the Viennese Singspiel.

Haydn's first song collection, pub-lished by Artaria in 1781, containedtwelve songs with texts by unknown orminor poets. His second collection(1784) discloses two major German au-thors, Burger and Lessing, as well asthe popular Johann Wilhelm Gleim,whom Mozart also favored. These early

German songs were followed by a set of"original canzonettas" written duringHaydn's London stay to verses by AnneHunter, wife of an English surgeon.The remaining songs were written onindividual occasions, and among themwe find a tender Abschiedslied (No.40) composed for a female friend andthe celebrated Gott, erhalte den Kaiser(No. 43), a special Haydn favoriteknown to us from his Emperor Quartetand to Austrians as their former nation-al anthem.

HAYDN: Complete Songs. BeimSchmerz, der dieses Herz durch-wiThlet: Der Schlaue and dienst-fertige Pudel: Trachten will ichnicht; Abschiedslied; The Spirit'sSong; Gott. erhalte den Kaiser!;0 Tuneful Voice; Als einst mitWeibes Schonheit; Un tetto umil;Pensi a me 31 fido amante; TheLady's Looking Glass; Bald we -hen uns des Fruhlings Difte; andthirty-six others (twenty-fourGerman songs and twelve origi-nal canzonettas). Elly Ameling(soprano); JOrg Demus (piano).PHILIPS 6769 064 three discs$32.94.

Like Mozart's similar endeavors, allof Haydn's songs are brief. They areusually strophic, rather limited instructural invention but not in charac-ter variety. Simple devotional hymns,Italian canzonette a la Metastasio, pas-toral songs on French models, a

Shakespeare setting, a lusty English

sailor's song, and love songs of variouskinds follow one another. The compilersof the Philips set had the happy idea ofnot presenting these songs chronologi-cally, thus reducing the danger of sub-jecting listeners unnecessarily to same-ness. Haydn was quite expert in hisword settings in all three languages, buthe was not above repeating lines in thestyle of the operatic aria. His piano ac-companiments are superior to those ofsuch German contemporaries as Neefeand Reichardt: simple supporting

conventional patterns sud-denly blossom into rippling passagesand joyous ritornelli (Die Landlust andPleasing Pain are good examples). Per-haps the most individual-it is certain-ly the most harmonically adventu-rous-of the lot is The Spirit's Song.And the composer's humorous touchenlivens several songs as well, notablyLob der Faulheit (here mistranslatedas "Indolence" when it is "Idleness"that is meant).

It is entertaining to discover "Schu-bertian" touches in Gleichsinn and DieLandlust (which is Der Musensohn inan earlier guise), both written years be-fore Schubert was born. The Mer-maid's Song looks ahead to Mendels-sohn (and to Sullivan!), while Eine sehrgewOhnliche Geschichte tells a tale sim-ilar to Brahms' Vergebliches Stand-chen, though with a different outcome.

Some of Haydn's best songs havefound their way onto records before.There was an Electrola disc by DietrichFischer-Dieskau some twenty years agothat contained thirteen of them. Thiscomplete edition, however, is unprece-dented, and to hear the totality per-

"... Elly Ameling's refinement and involvement multiply the pleasure of discovery."

MAY 1982 63

formed with the refinement and in-volvement displayed by Elly Amelingmultiplies the pleasure of discovery.Her tone is pure and unforced, and shetosses off Haydn's modest embellish-ments with appropriate lightness. I

would perhaps have welcomed a touchmore exuberance in The Sailor's Song,but, then again, broad humor can leadto a coarsening of tone, and I appre-ciate the artist's avoidance of the risk.Similar tasteful restraint allows MissAmeling to display involvement with-out exaggeration in the sentimentalsongs. Her enunciation in German,English, and Italian is exemplary. Sheis admirably supported by Jorg Demus,whose pianistic touch is finely attunedto eighteenth -century dynamics and ar-ticulation. In terms of recorded sound,the set is just about perfect.

So now, in addition to the sympho-nies and various forms of chamber mu-sic, we also have all of Haydn's songs.His achievement in this area may notbe as momentous as it is in the instru-mental forms, but these outstandingperformers have raised it to a loftyplane indeed. -George Jellinek

Sister Sledge:Fresh, Feminine, andFlawless in anAlbum of Their Own

WITH their new Cotillion release"The Sisters," four young wom-

en known collectively as Sister Sledgehave given us proof that they are readyto claim a spot in the top rank of con-temporary soul and pop performers. Iconfess that before this release I hadn'tbeen much impressed with them. Fourcute little girls who looked amazinglyalike and who recorded songs thatsounded alike, they had come roaringout of the East on the crest of the discotidal wave, and the only impressionthey made on me was with the song WeAre Family-not for its quality, whichwas negligible, but because it was chos-en as the Pittsburgh Pirates' fight songwhen the team slammed its way to vic-tory in the 1979 World Series. But evenas their music tended toward exuberantmonotony, they showed considerablespunk, ingenuity, and sex appeal in per-formance, they were young, and theyhad plenty of time to develop.

And develop they have, for here is analbum that shimmers with musical en -

8

U

SISTER SLEDGE: Kathy (top). Debbie, Kim, and Joni

chantment, a carefully balanced pro-gram of selections that range fromdance tunes to ballads to songs of socialcomment. All of them simply breathefreshness; everything about them is per-fectly suited to this very feminine four-some. In addition, the singing is soflawless that it exceeds the accomplish-ments of the precedent -setting old Su-premes, and therefore of just abouteveryone else since.

Although this album is likely to at-tract attention first for its sweetly cooedupdating of Smokey Robinson's MyGuy, emblematic of the boundless,carefree r -&-b of the early Sixties,there is an abundance of other musicalpleasures tucked into these grooves.The opener, Super Bad Sisters, fuseshang -loose dance rhythms with a hintof rap, and Lightfootin', penned bySledge Sister Kathy and spouse PhillipLightfoot, employs skillful changes andaccented group chants to rejuvenate theall -too -familiar genre of the party -dance song. Uptempo numbers are de-livered with an enticing aplomb, andmore introspective selections, such asMy Special Way and All the Man INeed, get a caring sensitivity.

Perhaps this album differs so mark-edly from everything Sister Sledge hasdone before because this is the firsttime they have served as their own pro-ducers: they appear to know better thananyone else exactly what will work forthem, and they manipulate their indi-vidual talents to full advantage. The al-bum's range and general excellencesupport my belief that current popularmusic would be far more exciting and

less predictable if artists were permit-ted to play a greater role in conceivingand producing their own recordings.It's not talent we're short of but roomfor it to work in. Commercial timidity isgetting in the way of the music.

-Phyl Garland

SISTER SLEDGE: The Sisters. SisterSledge (vocals); instrumental accompani-ment. Super Bad Sisters; My Guy; Light-footin'; My Special Way: Grandma; GetYou in Our Love; II Mcicquillage Lady;Everybody's Friend; All the Man I Need;Jacki's Theme; There's No Stopping Us.COTILLION SD 5231 $8.98, © CS 5231$8.98, 0 TP 5231 $8.98.

Vaclav Neumann:

Radiance and NobilityIn Mahler's Second andFourth Symphonies

ABOUT fifteen years ago Vanguard,then introducing its Cardinal se-

ries, issued a recording of Mahler'sFifth Symphony played by the LeipzigGewandhaus Orchestra under Va.clavNeumann, its music director at thattime. That set (VCS -10011/12, still inthe catalog) and a more or less contem-poraneous Turnabout disc of the Kin-dertotenlieder and Lieder eines Fah-renden Gesellen with mezzo Vera Sou-

64 STEREO REVIEW

kupova and the Czech Philharmonic(TV 34302, still in Schwann but appar-ently not available) suggested that herewas a conductor of sure Mahlerian in-stinct, and it was hardly surprising thatNeumann subsequently undertook a re-corded cycle of all the Mahler sym-phonies with the Czech orchestra forSupraphon.

None of the first three or four per-formances issued in the cycle (amongthem a somewhat disappointing remakeof the Fifth) struck me as especiallymemorable, however, and none of Neu-mann's recorded Mahler to date couldhave prepared anyone, I'm sure, forwhat he has achieved in his new record-ings of the Second (Resurrection) andFourth Symphonies, now issued in thiscountry on the Pro Arte label. The nat-ural, unforced radiance one hopes for ina performance of the Fourth-surelythe most ingratiating of all Mahler'smajor works-is seldom hinted at in theSecond, but this is nonetheless the dis-tinguishing quality of Neumann's read-ing of it: a sense of joy which, howeverunexpected, is instantaneously and un-arguably convincing.

The Second Symphony, like Beetho-ven's Ninth, is a ceremonial work, andthe context in which it is presented hastended to magnify the aura of solemni-ty and heaviness. But it is in its ownway also concerned with joy: what iscelebrated in Klopstock's ode andMahler's own words in the final move-ment, after all, is nothing less than atriumph over earthly pain and despair.This is not sorrowful music, but musicof hope and certitude. In Neumann'shands the Second becomes very much apart of the same unpretentious world asthat of the Fourth. The stark drama ofthe opening movement is not laid on ex-ternally, but rises spontaneously andunselfconsciously-and drawn to hu-man scale. Similarly, the ironic sectionsof the next two movements make theirpoints in contrast with the sweetness ofthe surrounding material; Neumannseems to acknowledge that Mahler haswritten all the drama into the musicand there is no need for further inter-pretive overlay. Eva Randova is mar-velously touching in the Urlicht, fully inaccord with Neumann's straightfor-ward, unexaggerated statement of sen-timents that are so simple yet so deepthat any attempt to underscore themonly distorts them.

In the march section of the vast fi-nale, leading up to the "Grand Call"and the entry of the chorus, the texturesare clear enough for every motif toemerge without artificial spotlighting,and the effect is one of barely sup-pressed excitement, of undercurrents ofjoy in anticipation of certain deliver -

MAY 1982

ante. It is not that Neumann has con-trived to divest the work of its solemni-ty, but that he has managed to releaseits message of joy; in so doing he hasdrawn the most beautiful and commit-ted singing and playing from all his as-sociates. Whether this is the "best" ofthe currently available Mahler Secondsmay be an unanswerable question, butthe performance is revelatory in thetruest sense and retains its freshness inrepeated hearings.

From the foregoing description ofNeumann's Second one knows what toexpect in h:s Fourth, and there is no dis-appointment. The pacing is slightlybroader than that of Neumann's fellowCzech Rafael Kubelik in his similarlystraightforward account (DG Privilege2535 119), and the orchestral texturesare perhaps still clearer. The slowmovement here does not imagine itselfa sequel to that of the Eroica but is con-tent to radiate a fairy-tale sadness andsweetness: it is simplicity of the noblestsort. In the final movement MagdalenaHajossyova sings with a freedom thatsuggests folk music, yet with all thechildlike seriousness that the charmingtext dictates. As in the Second, theoverall spontaneity of the performanceis supported by the most luminous play-ing from the fine orchestra.

Both performances are splendidly re-corded, and the Wakefield pressingsare flawless. The only shortcomings arein the annotation and, for No. 2, thecover art (which misleadingly impliesthat the work deals with the Resurrec-tion of Christ rather than Mahler'smortal hero), but since both worksspeak for themselves so effectively (atleast in such performances as these)

and the texts in both cases are printedin full and with decent translations,there is really nothing at all to complainabout. These are very distinguished is-sues, and Pro Arte must be congratu-lated for taking so much care in theirprocessing. -Richard Freed

MAHLER: Symphony No. 2, in C Minor("Resurrection"). Gabriela Benadkova-tapova (soprano); Eva Randova (alto):Prague Philharmonic Chorus; Czech Phil-harmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Neumanncond. PRO ARTE 2PAL-2011 two discs$19.96, © 2PAC-20I I $19.96.

MAHLER: Symphony No. 4, in G Major.Magdalena HajOssyova. (soprano); CzechPhilharmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Neumanncond. PRO ARTF PAL -1068 59.98, e PAC -1068 $9.98.

Jean Redpath and theBallads of Scotland:Melody Knows NoCultural Frontiers

CONSIDER everything, my granddadsaid, so I have had to entertain the

notion that the serial number of JeanRedpath's new Philo record, 1066, maybe a factor in my loving it, for the digitsalso represent the date that probablylies behind my clan's having an Englishname that sounds suspiciously French."Music" is personal, but, whatever

VACLAV NEUMANN: the drama is written into the music

BEST OF THE MONTH:RECENT SELECTIONS

YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

POPULAR

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers:Straight Ahead. CONCORD JAll CJ -168"The Class of '81 graduates with full hon-ors." (April)

George Jones: Same Ole Me. EPIC FE37106. "Honkytonk singing that will justflat astonish you." (March)

King Crimson: Discipline. WARNERBROS. BSK 3629. "A seminal band backbetter than ever." (February) Mark Murphy: Bop for Kerouac. MUSEMR 5253. "May be the vocal jazz album ofthe year." (March) Pennies from Heaven. WARNER BROS.2HW 3639. "A soundtrack album with a dif-ference." (April)

Doc and Merle Watson: Red RockingChair. FLYING FISH FE 252. "Strong tunesand some amazing flat -picking." (April)

- Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Reactor.REPRISE HS 2304. ". . a textbook on howto make music out of the sounds of a scrapyard (March)

CLASSICAL

J. S. Bach: The Notebook of Anna Mag-dalena Bach. NONESUCH DB-79020. "Aralbum to be treasured." (February) Brahms: Piano Trios Nos. 1-3. HARMONIA MUNDI FRANCE HM 1063 ,"Remarkably intense interpretationsrichly recorded." (March) Delius: Vocal and Orchestral Works -the Fenby Legacy. UNICORN-KANCHANADKP 90089. "Well-nigh perfect re -cre-ations." (April) Puccini: Tosca. ANGEL DSBX-3919"The opera's best recorded performancesince 1963." (April) Purcell: Choral Works. ARCHIV 2723076. " . . . not only exquisitely performedbut brilliantly recorded." (March) Schoenberg: Erwartung; Six OrchestralSongs, Op. 8. LONDON LDR 71015. "Re-velatory performance of one of the land-arks of twentieth-century music." (March

Love Can Be Still -Music on Verses byNorma Farbe. NORTHEASTERN NR 201"Impeccable performances of song cyclesby two New England composers." (April)

JEAN REDPATH: art concealing art

your lineage, if you like beautifulsounds you've got to like the voice ofJean Redpath, America's A -Number -One purveyor of Scottish ballads. As inthe case of a woodwind instrument, youcan hear just a hint of air escapingaround the vocal cords, and like a clar-inet in the hands of a master, Redpath'sinstrument covers a considerable rangeso smoothly that there's no hint ofstrain. Talk about art concealing artand you are talking about the way JeanRedpath sings.

The program's relevance, for peoplein many American environments, liesmostly in the melodies-a good tune isa good tune right across any culturalfrontier-and this recording has somethat are special. My favorite, I think, isBonny at Morn, which was collected, itsays in the notes, by John Bell in 1783.Several others, including Riddles Wise-ly Expounded (which, speaking of col-lecting, is Child Ballad No. 1, no less),are just about as lovely. I do wish shehad sung instead of recited most ofMary Hamilton, which may be overex-posed, but only among dedicated folk-niks. Ironically, as the late John JacobNiles pointed out in these pages severalyears ago, it is far less likely that themelody of a ballad survived intactthrough the years and the folk processthan that the words did. Still, it is mel-odies we have here, and a voice and ahalf. Both lovely. -Noel Coppage

JEAN REDPATH: Lowlands. Jean Red -path (vocals, guitar); Abby Newton (cello).A Wee Bird Cam' tae My Apron: FarawayTom; Who Shall Count for Thee; TheLichtbob's Laddie; Clerk Saunders; MaryHamilton; Lowlands; Laddie wi' the Yel-low Coatie; Bonny at Morn; Gallowa'Hills; Riddles Wisely Expounded; Rose ofAllendale. PHILO 1066 $7.98.

cy

1

VIRGIL THOMSON: portrait by Cliff Condak

Virgil Thomson'sMusical PortraitsIn Performances That

Gladden the Ears

APORTRAIT ALBUM,- a new digitalrecording from Nonesuch, ap-

pears to have been designed to honorVirgil Thomson on the occasion of hiseighty-fifth birthday, which occurredlast November 25. It is an appropriategesture, for the series of musical por-traits Thomson began in the 1920s dis-plays one of the unique facets of hiscreative activity.

More than thirty years ago Thomsonhimself conducted the Philadelphia Or-chestra in a recording of the orchestralversions of five of the portraits, includ-ing those of Picasso and Flavie Alvarezde Toledo (first and fourth, respective-ly, in the piano sequence on the None-such disc). The well-known sonata de-picting Peggy Guggenheim (composedoriginally for piano but introduced intothe harpsichord repertoire by the lateSylvia Marlowe, herself the subject ofChromatic Double Harmonies) is themost elaborate of the portraits, com-prising three brief movements. The oth-er sketches are shorter, single -move-ment pieces, though the portrait ofRuth Smallens with which the violin setbegins is fairly extended and intricate(it was composed in 1940, a dozen yearsafter the rest of the set).

Family Portrait, composed in 1972,represents four members of one familyand a fifth person who may have beenvisiting at the time of the group "sit-ting." It is the one work on the disc that

66 STEREO REVIEW

is played by the performers for whom itwas written, and it is presented withbrilliance to burn. But all the perform-ances here would surely gladden theheart of any composer-and the ears ofany listener.

The sound is quite good, and Thom -son's own annotation, which gives aconcise summary of his career as wellas the background of each of the twen-ty-five pieces, is almost as treasurableas the music. Poor marks for the editingof the printed material, though: themisspellings of the names of some of theportrait subjects ("Mina Curtis,""Roger Desermiere," etc.) must havedismayed the composer, who is one ofthe most fastidious as well as stylish ofwriters. In the works at Nonesuch, bythe way, is the first complete recordingof the composer's Four Saints in ThreeActs. Richard Freed

THOMSON: Bugles and Birds; With Fifeand Drums; An Old Song; Tango Lullaby;Solitude; Barcarolle; Alternations; In a BirdCage; Catalan Waltz; Chromatic DoubleHarmonies; Aaron Copland. Paul Jacobs(piano). Sonata No. 4 (Guggenheim Jeune).Paul Jacobs (harpsichord). Eight Portraitsfor Violin Alone. Joseph Silverstein (violin).Family Portrait for Brass Quintet. Ameri-can Brass Quintet. NONESUCH 0 D-79024$11.98, ® D4-79024 $11.98.

New Orleans PianistDr. John "RadiatesThe 88's" with aHeartfelt Solo Album

MAC REBENNACK, whose profes-sional name is Dr. John, has just

recorded for the aptly named CleanCuts label what is probably the firstsolo album by a New Orleans pianist.No one else, except perhaps AllenToussaint, has the necessary technique,the fine -honed sensibility, to recordsuch an album. All the other brightkeyboard lights of that city-FatsDomino, Huey Smith, and the late Roy"Professor Longhair" Byrd-were bas-ically singers who accompanied them-selves in a mixture of styles acquiredfrom such Twenties -to -Forties boogieplayers as Pine Top Smith, Meade LuxLewis, Jimmy Yancey, and the team ofAlbert Ammons and Pete Johnson.

Rebennack's mentor was Roy Byrd,who certainly put his own individualstamp on his stylistic sources, but his

student has a much greater range andcommand. He has heard and hearkenedto Earl Hines and Fats Waller, pickingup a flashing bravura from the formerand the habit of inventing wistful littlecodas from the latter. BUt some of Re-bennack's codas become so extendedthat one gets the impression he has justfigured out a completely different in-terpretation of his subject and wouldset it right down if time and circum-stances would only permit.

As a vocalist, Rebennack can be clas-sified as a blues-and-holle- man, whichmeans that the lyrics of The Nearnessof You get pummeled into a painfullyinappropriate gumbo of funk. But heconcentrates on the keyboard for therest of the album and -radiates the88s," as he puts it, with great charmand conviction.

Rebennack is not only a pop mu-sician, he is a New Orleans pop mu-sician. The city has for years been ab-

tual Let My People Go, and his ownDorothy contains the resolution fromFats Domino's Wait Till It Happens toYou combined with the opening state-ment from Who's Sorry Now.

On the cognominal Big Mac he usessome fine and intriguing inner -voiceharmonies that fall midway betweenJames P. Johnson and Jimmy Yancey,both of whom, although differing intheir pianistic concepts and technicalskills, were certified poets of the key-board. Memories of Professor Long-hair is neither a medley of Byrd's songsnor an original Rebennack composition,as one might perhaps expect, but rathera down -tempo, reverent version ofByrd's Tipitina.

Dr. John's flamboyant onstage per-sonality and his many quick trips upand down the success ladder over thepast fifteen years may have worn hisimage a little thin for some, but don'tlet that keep you from hearing this

MAC REBENNACK (alias Dr. John): serious and feeling

sorbing and redefining any number ofmusical forms and styles, and it's notsurprising that Rebennack's solos aremade up of kaleidoscopic colors ab-stracted from fragments of jazz, pop,and spirituals. And so The Nearness ofYou opens with an extended quotationfrom Vernon Duke's /Vitumn in NewYork, fully half of Saints is a rococoand subtextual version cf the old spiri-

hearty and heartfelt solo album. He's aserious musician and a feeling one; youcan hear what a difference that makes

-Joel Vancehere

DR. JOHN: Plays Mac Rebennack. Dr.John (vocals, piano). Dorothy; Mac's Boog-ie; Memories of Professor Longhair; BigMac. New Island Midnight; Pinetop; TheNearness of You; Delicado; Honey Dripper;Saints. CLEAN CUTS CC 705 $8.98.

MAY 1982 67

Classical music Briefs

INGERS who devote them-selves to German Lieder,

French melodies, and other artsongs deal with finely wroughtmusic and usually give their re-citals in small auditoriums. Thesuccessful fines compensatefor this smallness of scale bysinging often and making a lotof records The Dutch sopranoElly Ameling says she travelspractically the whole year long

Interviewed on a brief stop-over in New York, she said, "Idon't sing every night, ofcourse, and I take little vaca-tions between tours. If you try togive beauty through your ownwork, you must feel it some-where On the way to Japan, forexample, I always try to visit an-other one of the Hawaiian is-lands, and in Japan I take anextra week to visit the templesin Kyoto I try to absorb what Ican of the beauty of nature andculture in order to replenish mysupply "

Recordings have played anenormous role in Miss Amel-ing's career, and this spring shehas new ones with all four ofher regular piano accompan-ists CBS Masterworks has justreleased an album of songs byFaure and Debussy on whichshe is accompanied by DaltonBaldwin and an album of Men-delssohn Lieder on which hercollaborator is Rudolf Jansen.Her recording of Wolf's ItalianSongbook with baritone TomKrause and pianist Irwin Gage isan April release from None-such, and Philips has broughtout a three -disc set of all theHaydn songs, which she re-corded with Jorg Demus (seereview in "Best of the Month")

The Mendelssohn was herfirst digital recording, and sheliked the results "There is ab-

solutely no hiss, and the bal-ance between voice and pianois very natural. I'm not a techni-cal person, but I think in digitalrecordings you can do morewith dynamics "

Miss Ameling finds it stimulat-ing to record all the songs of aparticular composer "AlthoughHaydn's songs are not wellknown, they are splendid I

found a few of his German set-tings weak, but 90 per cent aregood, and the English canzo-nettas are great masterpieces.My manager told me that theBritish coach who worked withme on the English songs has aLiverpool accent. If anyone criti-cizes my diction on these rec-ords, I plan to say that it is theEnglish of Haydn's time."

For EMI in Europe she has re-corded similar integral sets ofthe songs of Faure and Pou-lenc, and she wishes Angelwould release them in theUnited States. "For EMI HollandI recorded the songs of theDutch composer ChristianHuygens, and I think it is un-American of Angel not to issuethem this year when we are cel-ebrating two hundred years of

0unbroken diplomatic relationsbetween Holland and the UnitedStates. As part of the celebra-tion I will be coming with theHague Philharmonic to performat Carnegie Hall, the KennedyCenter, and Symphony Hall in

Boston."In the dozen or so years she

has been singing for Americanaudiences, Miss Ameling no-tices only one major change"There are more of you-atleast more who are interestedin coming to my concerts " Theprincipal difference she noticesin herself is greater strength inthe lower register of her voice"I think it's warmer On recordsI hear a color I didn't have whenI started

"I hope my experience of lifehas also given deeper meaningto my interpretations. I like tosing. It's my job, and it gives mepleasure, but I have come to re-alize that the artist serves a pur-pose for the audience In JapanI sang Schubert's Mignonsongs, and a man who was ter-minally ill wrote me that hearingthem helped him and wouldmake it easier for him to acceptdeath A large number of suchmoving letters have made meunderstand that many peopleneed music Although it doesn'tapply to their problems specifi-cally, music through its time-lessness and its beauty has thepower to lift their burdens Thatis a great reward for the artist,but it is also a tremendousresponsibility." -W L

AR T has always been thehandmaiden of commerce,

so it's no surprise that in theUnited States these days cul-ture is having an affair with busi-ness The latest corporation to

go out with the MetropolitanOpera is the brokerage firmMerrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &Smith, which is donating$300,000 to help underwrite theMet's annual spring tour

Corporate support of classi-cal recording projects has be-come fairly common in Europe,and we can expect to see moreof it on this side of the Atlanticas well London has released aTristan funded by Amoco, andan integral set of the nine Bee-thoven symphonies with KurtSanderling conducting the Phil-harmonia Orchestra has beenrecorded by EMI thanks to asubsidy from du Maurier ciga-rettes. Since those cigarettesand that conductor are not wellknown here, Angel has decidedagainst releasing the set in theUnited States.

We were not surprised, how-ever, to see the SanderlingBeethoven box in the window ofOrpheus Records, the hottestlittle classical store on NewYork's East Side "We recom-mend choosing recordings ofthe symphonies individually,"says Orpheus' manager DavidHunt, "but we haven't figuredout a way to stop people frombuying Beethoven symphoniesin sets "

Asked why he stocked whathas been called the low -tarBeethoven cycle, Hunt said, "Ihad heard good things aboutthe sound on the Sanderling re-cording-it's digital withoutsounding clinical -and the setwas widely advertised in theEnglish record magazine theGrammophone, which our cus-tomers memorize." But despiteall that and Time magazine'sendorsement of Sanderling'sBeethoven, Hunt admitted thatit had died on the shelf "We

68 STEREO REVIEW

could not sell one single set Fi-nally, we marked it down to$40, and a couple of studentsbought it."

Hunt thinks we'll see moreoutside corporate aid for re-cording projects. "Why not acomplete Chopin cycle spon-sored by, say, Estee Lauder?There are lots of good pianistswho could do it. I'm very fond ofJorge Bolet, and Stephen Bish-op is popular among our cus-tomers. Andras Schiff has justmade a Mozart record for Lon-don that's really beautiful. If youhaven't heard it, stop by, andplay it for you." We think it'sthat kind of enthusiasm, morethan corporate support, that re-ally sells records. -W.L

EvER-rising production costsmake it impossible for

companies to lower the pricesof new recordings. Despite re-cession and inflation, however,record buyers can still add mu-sical treasures to their collec-tions without spending $12 95per disc. In addition to the vari-ous budget labels, most majorcompanies have introduced"mid -price" lines usually com-posed of worthy reissues.These include such series asRCA's Gold Seal, CBS Master-works' Great Performances,Philips' Festivo and Sequenza,and Deutsche Grammophon'sPrivilege and Resonance.

With an initial release oftwenty items available on discs

or cassettes, London Recordshas just launched its own mid -price line The discs in the newJubilee series are importedpressings from the Nether-lands, and the cassettes areDolby -B processed List price is$6.98, but you may see themdiscounted to as little as $4.99per disc or cassette.

So far the Jubilee line con-sists mostly (but not entirely) ofreissues of such basics asBach's Brandenburg Concer-tos, Holst's The Planets, Puc-cini's La Boheme, Ravel'sBolero, and Vivaldi's Four Sea-sons Jubilee's big selling pointis its roster of artists. Repre-sented in the series on at leastone recording each are singersMirella Freni, Birgit Nilsson, Lu-ciano Pavarotti, Leontyne Price,and Joan Sutherland, pianistsVladimir Ashkenazy and Wil-helm Backhaus, hornist BarryTuckwell, and conductors AntalDorati, Carlo Maria Giulini, Her-bert von Karajan, Lorin Maazel,Neville Marnner, and ZubinMehta Some of these areamong today's best-selling re-cording stars, and it will be in-teresting to see how success-fully their earlier recordings athalf-price will compete with theirown current releases

A second group of titles willbe added to the Jubilee line inJune or July. Scheduled for in-clusion are performances bysuch big -name conductors asLeonard Bernstein, Georg Solti,and Leopold Stokowski.

cc

D°you remember Katla andMariana Labeque, the

French duo pianists whose firstalbum was released here byPhilips last summer? Europeanand American sales of that al-bum-two-piano versions ofGershwin's Rhapsody in Blueand Concerto in F-have lorgsince passed the 100,000mark Philips now reports thattheir second album, a recital ofGershwin songs which the La-beque sisters pert (yr, withthe American soprano BarbaraHendricks, is off to a runningstart

The Labeques are currentlytouring the United States and

Canada as the opening act inconcerts by the jazz guitaristJohn McLaughlin The tourstarted in Canada on April 2,then dipped down into the U Sfor a series of dates including aCarnegie Hall performance(their New York debut) on April23. and will continue across thecontinent until May 16 The keyitem in their repertoire for thistour is the Rhapsody in Blue.But to keep you from thinkingthat these two pianists are aone -composer team, Philipshas scheduled the Labeques'recording of Brahms' HungarianDances for their next U S re-lease in July

Din and Tape ReviewsBy RICHARD FREED DAVID HALL GEORGE JELLINEK PAUL KRESH

STODDARD LINCOLN ERIC SAL/MAN© = stereo cassette 0 = digital -master recording0 = eight -track stereo cartridge C) = direct -to -disc

0 = quadraphonic disc= monophonic recording

The first listing is the one reviewed; other formats, if available. follow.

J. S. BACH: Trio Sonatas. Sonata in G Ma-jor for Flute, Violin, and Continuo (BWV1038); Sonata in C Major for Two Violinsand Continuo (BWV 1037); Sonata in GMajor for Two Flutes and Continuo (BWV1039); Sonata in D Minor for Violin, Harp-sichord Obbligato, and Cello (BWV 1036).Musica Antigua Koln. ARCHIV 2533 448$10.98, © 3310 448 $10.98.

Performance FineRecording Very good

Although Bach heartily subscribed to theprinciple of the trio sonata, he usuallyscored such works. for one melodic instru-ment and harpsichord obbligato or organ.There are, however, five trio sonatas per

se-that is, sonatas scored for two treblesand basso continuo-by or attributed tohim. The greatest of these is part of TheMusical Offering, and it is wisely omittedfrom this album because it should be heardin its original context. Of the four remain-ing examples, only one, that in G Major forviolin and flute, has been positively authen-ticated as a trio sonata by J. S. Bach. The CMajor Sonata is often attributed to JohannGottlieb Goldberg. The Sonata in D Minoris undoubtedly by one of Bach's sons, Wil-helm Friedemann or Carl Philipp Emanuel,and whether it was scored for two violinsand continuo or for violin and harpsichordobbligato col basso (as it is played on thisdisc) is a moot question. The G Major So-

nata for two flutes is more widely known inits version for viola da gamba and harpsi-chord obbligato. But despite questions ofauthenticity, these four sonatas are fineworks and of considerable interest, especial-ly the highly mannered D Minor Sonata,which is imbued with a passion rare in thisgenre. Those familiar with the G MajorSonata in its gamba version will be fasci-nated by the one for flutes since it brings adifferent balance to the counterpoint.

The Musica Antigua Ki5In performs onauthentic instruments at the old pitch andfollows the performance practices of the pe-riod. Their playing is clean, musical, andgentle. The highlight of the album is their


MAY 1982 69

Christian SIinr Hron Barrett Stoiet Pe o to

Lit] KRAUS ROBIN MCCABE JERZY SULIKOWSKI

Keyboard Bartok: Three ViewsLLI KRAUS IS so thoroughly identified with

the music of Mozart, Haydn, and Schu-bert that many of her devoted admirers arejarred a bit on being advised that she wasone of the first pianists to record music byBartok. In an article about her in February1975 STEREO REVIEW, she was quoted assaying she had persuaded Parlophone to lether record some Bart6k in the 1930s, overthe company's objection that such an un-dertaking would be "suicide," and that shethen had the satisfaction of noting that "un-til the war every radio station in Europeplayed those recordings regularly." Thoserecordings of the Three Rondos on FolkTunes and the Six Romanian Dances werereissued on an American Decca LP thirtyyears ago, at the same time that labelbrought us Kraus' postwar recordings ofMozart concertos and Haydn trios. "I adoreto play Bartok," Kraus continued, "and stillinclude his music in all my recitals, thoughI'm sorry to say I have never played the con-certos. I don't believe one's nationality de-fines one's capacity for that country's mu-sic, really, but still, there is some truth insuch a notion. When I play Bartek's folk -song pieces, I can't help singing the wordsto myself, and of course the very metrum ofthe text is also the rhythm of the music; it ismuch nearer to me . . . ."

In a new Vanguard release that is appar-ently her first recording of Bart6k's musicin nearly a half -century, Lili Kraus playsthe works mentioned above as well as fourothers of varying dimensions plus a gener-ous selection from Volume I of For Chil-dren. Her 1975 remarks seem very much tothe point here, for her playing is character-ized most of all by the sort of idiomatic free-dom that suits the quasi -improvisatory na-ture of these works down to the ground andmakes them not only effective displaypieces but exceptionally communicative.

Nowhere is there a single labored or fussed -over phrase; everything flows spontaneous-ly, as if there were no "middle man" in-volved. It's an intriguing program too, thesound is first-rate, and the album is furtherenhanced by Halsey Stevens' authoritativeannotation as well as a shorter autobiogra-phical note by Kraus herself, in which shemakes her bona fides absolutely clear: "Iwas blessed by the privilege and joy of hav-ing been taught by Bela Bartok. . . . I wasa young child when I first saw him. Then, asin the last moment when I saw him in Italy,I found him the most beautiful, transcen-dental, almost saintly human being I hadever seen."

ROBIN MCCABE, who wrote her ownnotes for her Bartok program on the Swed-ish Bis label, duplicates only one of the titlesin Kraus' collection (the ubiquitous Ro-manian Folk Dances) and turns in the sortof brilliant and deeply sympathetic per-formances one would expect after hearingher Mussorgsky Pictures on Vanguard.There is perhaps more driving force inMcCabe's playing than in Kraus', but thisis certainly appropriate in the Allegro Bar-baro and the Dance Suite (quite the mostpersuasive performance of this work in itspiano version I have yet yeard), and there isno lack of subtlety. She is hardly less idio-matic -sounding than Kraus, for this qualityis so written into the music that it can't failto come through in any really successful re-alization. The other five pieces on her discwill be discoveries for most listeners, andmost attractive ones they are. The recordingis all we have come to expect from this la-bel-which is to say first-rate.

JERZY SULIKOWSKI, whose name is new tome-the notes on his new Stolat album sayhe was born in 1938 and is now a professor

at the conservatory in Gdansk-is almost aspersuasive as Kraus and McCabe in his sin-gle side of relatively well-known Bartok.The Out of Doors suite is suitably evoca-tive, the jazzy quality of the Six Dances inBulgarian Rhythm (from Mikrokosmos,Book VI) is brought out splendidly andwithout exaggeration. (Is this music reallyall that familiar, or does it only seem so be-cause of the likeness to I Got Rhythm in itsfinal section?) He seems more at home inthis music, in fact, than in the Ravel on theother side of his disc, in which one can hearthe wheels turning, as it were, the interpre-tive decisions somewhat more self-con-sciously arrived at, the technique stretcheda little more effortfully. Which is perhapsan overly negative way of saying that thefive sections of Miroirs are given thoughtfuland on the whole effective performances.Both sides are well recorded, and the silenceof the surfaces is a bonus one doesn't takefor granted at this price these days.

-Richard Freed

BARTOK: Six Romanian Folk Dances;Three Rondos on Folk Tunes; Three Hun-garian Folk Songs; Sonatina; Fifteen Hun-garian Peasant Songs; Evening in the Coun-try; Twelve Selections from "For Children."Lili Kraus (piano). VANGUARD VSD-71249$7.98.

BARTOK: Six Romanian Folk Dances;Dance Suite; Two Romanian Dances; ThreeBurlesques; Allegro Barbaro. RobinMcCabe (piano). Bis LP -182 $10.98 (fromQualiton Records, Ltd., 39-28 CrescentStreet, Long Island City, N.Y. 11101).

BARTOK: Out of Doors; Six Dances in Bul-garian Rhythm. RAVEL: Miroirs. JerzySulikowski, (piano). STOLAT SZM 0116$5.98.

70 STEREO REVIEW

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VANTAGEULTRA LIGHTS

Scene from the New York City Opera production

I UNLIKE any other opera, Janaeek's TheV Cunning Little Vixen is a poetic fableglorifying the wonders of nature and the in-nocence of the animal world in contrast tohuman yearnings and frailties. There is noovert preaching or moralizing: the opera'sphilosophy is conveyed in mosaic -like frag-ments, with the composer's veneration ofnature mirrored in the glow of his orches-tral music. And, while Janatek's admira-tion for the resourcefulness with which theanimals pursue their destiny is everywhereevident, he demonstrates similar compas-sion for his fellow men. Just from readingthe libretto, I would never have imaginedthat this strange amalgam of fantasy, phi-losophy, and humor could be turned into astageworthy opera. The New York CityOpera's current production has convincedme otherwise, but that is no isolated phe-nomenon: the lovable Vixen has been suc-cessfully produced in several European the-aters in recent years.

Just how much of the opera's magic canbe communicated to the home listener by arecording in a strange language is a matterfor speculation. In the case of the new ProArte album derived from a Supraphon orig-inal, we are treated to a virtuosic account ofthe orchestral writing-in which a large or-chestra is asked to produce chamber -musicsonorities peppered with those brassy osti-natos and tricky high violin passages thatare the earmarks of the composer's style.The Czech Philharmonic plays magnifi-cently under its seasoned conductor, VaclavNeumann, and the moments when the mu-sic eases into folk dances with seamless nat-uralness have an authenticity of idiom thatis likely to elude foreign interpreters.

There are a few grating voices in the cast,which is usually the case in recordings ofEast European origin. But MagdalenaHajossyova enlivens her pleasing timbrewith warmth and humor in the title role,and she is ably partnered by Gabrie aBeriadkova-Capova as the amorous Fox.Richard Novak manages the role of theForester well enough, but the beautiful clos-ing apostrophe calls for a tonal splendor(a la Milnes or Weikl) that is not within hiscommand.

The recording is a rather static studio job.Movements, distances, a sense of passingtime-all are suggested by the libretto butnot realistically mirrored in the recording,which is otherwise admirably rich andclear. As a broadcaster, I also take excep-tion to the absence of a dividing band be-tween Acts II and III, a careless oramateurish oversight in the mastering.There are no annotations, but there is acomplete English libretto. Reservations not-withstanding, this is a fine album of an en-dearing opera. -George Jellinek

JANACEK: The Cunning Little Vixea.Richard Novak (bass), Forester; MiroslavFrydlewicz (tenor), Schoolmaster/Gnat;Karel Pru§a (bass), Parson/Badger; Jaro-slav Soutek (bass), Hara§ta; MagdalenaHajossyova (soprano), Vixen; GabrielaBenatkova-Capova (soprano), Fox; KarelHanu§ (tenor), Innkeeper; Drahomira Ti-kalova (soprano), Innkeeper's Wife; others.Czech Philharmonic Chorus; Kiihn Chil-dren's Chorus; Czech Philharmonic Or-chestra, Vaclav Neumann cond. PRO ARTEPAL -2012 two discs $19.96, © PAC -2012$19.96.

beautifully matched phrasing and articula-tion in the Sonata in C Major for two violinsand continuo. The two flutes also play welltogether, but the combination of flute and

violin is less successful. Nonetheless, this isa very listenable record. S.L.

BAIRD: Elegia (see LUTOSLAWSKI)

BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 2, in FMajor. Pro Arte Quartet. LAUREL LR- l 16$7.98.

Performance FluentRecording. First-rate

This is Beethoven's original version, withhis original title, of the work he subsequent-ly revised and published as Op. 18, No. I. Itmay not have been performed in public any-where till the Pro Arte presented it atPrinceton in the summer of 1980. and itmay have a rather limited appeal on disc,since most listeners are happy enough withthe composer's final thoughts on this mate-rial. Chamber -music buffs serious enoughabout the Beethoven quartets to enjoy morethan a single recorded performance,though, may find it intriguing. Lewis Lock-wood, in his annotation, notes that "thelogic that dictated many of the structuralchanges forced Beethoven to abandon anumber of beautiful and subtle details inthe original version," three of whose fourmovements are much longer than in Op. 18,No. I. A printed insert offers musical exam-ples from both versions of the work and ad-ditional notes by Norman Paulu, the ProArte's first violinist, detailing the practicalconsiderations that led to the revision-among them a passage near the end of thework with a voicing problem that "couldonly be solved for the recording with elec-tronic help." Such explication is indispensa-ble to such an undertaking, and the docu-mentation is both comprehensive and clear.The performance is fluent enough to makethis more than a mere musicological curios-ity, the sound is first-rate, and the pressing,on "the new American 'Quiex' vinyl," isexemplary. R.F.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITBEETHOVEN: Variations on a Waltz byDiabelli, Op. 120; Piano Sonata No. 31, inA -fiat Major, Op. 110. Leonard Shure (pi-ano). AUDIOFON 2001 two discs $23.96.

Performance. MagisterialRecording Very good

Now in his seventies, sometime Schnabelpupil Leonard Shure is very much at homewith the masterpieces he has recorded forthe Florida -based Audiofon label. Indeed, itis regrettable that this eminent teacher andconcert artist has made so few recordings:the Diabelli Variations and Brahms' Op.116 Fantasien for Vox back in 1947; a scat-tering of Beethoven, Schubert, and Schu-mann for Epic in the 1950s; and now thisAudiofon set, which I hope will be only thefirst in an extended series.

Though capturing to the full the magnifi-cent comedic, humaine dimensions of Bee-thoven's Diabelli Variations, Shure's per-formance is somewhat less volatile thanCharles Rosen's on his memorable PetersInternational disc. But the imposing mo-ments here, especially Variations Nos. 29-31 and the towering fugue of No. 32, arereally imposing, even awesome. As alwayswith any outstanding performance of thiswork, one comes away exhilarated. No lesscan be said for Shure's reading of the Op.110 sonata. From the very opening the tonalgradations are beautifully and carefullyweighted, to magical effect. Shure imparts


72STEREO REVIEW

These European Imports AreNice to Le Wallet & to Le Ear Too.

Here )) now we do 11 We buy large quantities 01 the Dest reCOrdalgS there aredirectly from Europe We handle our own import -business We eliminate the

wraw41.

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Deutsch Orammophon"presents" at giveaway prices.Deutsche Gr ammophon Ger manyhas a new series called "Prasentntich is a high War. word for-present" in devise,* talk Thisseries consists of beautiful 2 LP -boxes a lovely present to the oneyou love, even I it's a "Me -Generation' yourself They havea nice gold -embossed fake -leather look & a booklet (in Ger-man but the pictures are nice)Al) of them are pressed in Ger-many All of them cost only $12 99on Present

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Daniel Barenboim, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

We Songs of`Franz 'LisztFRANZ Liszr's remarkable legacy of songs

reflects the universality of his back-ground. Hungarian by birth and German bycultural inclination, he rose to prominencein the Paris of Chopin, Berlioz, Hugo, Bal-zac, and Delacroix. In the later phases ofhis long life he could feel equally at home inWeimar, Rome, and Pest. Music has neverknown a more spectacular cosmopolitan. Isit any wonder that when he chose the poetsfor his songs, he could turn to Petrarch,Goethe, Heine, Hugo, Musset, Tennyson,and Hungary's Petofi with equal ease andset their verses with utter naturalness?

There is a great deal of originality inthese songs. Some reveal an indebtedness toSchubert, but Liszt's harmonic idiom wasdaring and experimental, with Wagnerianelements (Die Loreley, Uber Allen Gipfeln1st Ruh) in evidence in anticipation ofWagner himself and ambiguous tonalitiesfar in advance of their age. His more thanseventy songs embrace an extraordinaryrange: Italian canzoni, French melodies,mystical German Lieder, vocal-pianisticrhapsodies, melodramas, and so on. Some,such as 0 Lieb. So Lang Du Lieben Kannst(far better known in its instrumental guiseas the Liebestraum No. 3), call for the pur-est kind of lyricism. Others require a semi -operatic declamation. When the two ex-tremes are brought together in the samesong, the mixture is seldom brought off con-vincingly. Liszt was also frequently given tooverstatement, but he gave a great deal ofthought to his songs and repeatedly revisedthem, taming their excesses. There are sev-eral masterpieces in his output: the Hugosettings of Oh! Quand Je Dors and Com-ment, Disaient-Ils stand out in the Frenchgroup, the Petrarch sonnets (which he later

turned into more ornate piano solos) are en-tirely unique, and Goethe's brief philosoph-ical poems are captured in a rapt, pantheis-tic mood.

About a dozen years ago Hungaroton re-leased a three -disc Liszt song collection in-volving various Hungarian singers andpianists. Deutsche Grammophon's newfour -disc set with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskauand Daniel Barenboim is even more com-prehensive. It includes forty-four songs andoverlooks none of true significance (al-though it is regrettable that DG missed theopportunity to ask Julia Varady, Mrs.Fischer-Dieskau, to contribute at least oneof the three songs on Hungarian texts).

Who but Fischer-Dieskau, that living en-cyclopedia of vocal literature, could haveundertaken such a project? We are all in hisdebt, but I, for one, wish it had happened,say, fifteen years ago. This peerless singer isfifty-six now, and it has been evident forseveral years that relentless time has beenno kinder to him than to other great artistsbefore him.

Even in his glory years, Fischer-Dieskaucould rarely resist the temptation to overin-terpret, and this tendency has assumed tru-ly damaging proportions in recent years.When he does overcome it here-in suchsongs as Wie Singt die Lerche SchOn, DuBist Wie eine Blume, and Uber Allen Gip-feln 1st Ruh-we hear lyric simplicity freeof artifice, singing that is nearly magical.But all too often we are disturbed by intru-sive mannerisms. When the tone is dark-ened for a dramatic effect, it tends to as-sume unwanted sinister overtones; declama-tions turn into martial hectoring, climaxesinto explosions. Surely the yearning passionin Oh! Quand Je Dors does not require theoutburst it receives here (Fischer-Dieskau'sown earlier treatment on DG 138 793 is farsubtler), and the Petrarch lyrics call for thepurity of be! canto phrasing and not forteasing and overinflecting every singlephrase.

MY notes are full of specific criticalcomments on other songs, but I stop herebecause this is a singer I admire and be-cause I am grateful for what he and DanielBarenboim have given us. They work welltogether because the pianist, expert Lisz-tian that he is, knows how to surround thesinger with rich sonorities and meaningfularticulation without indulging in excessiverhetoric. This set is a valuable and revelato-ry document that fills an important gap.

-George Jellinek

LISZT: Songs. 0 Lieb, So Lang Du LiebenKannst; Es Muss ein Wunderbares Sein;Die Loreley; Gastilbelza; Ein FichtenbaumStein Einsam; Die Vatergruft; Ich MochteHingehn; Du Bist Wie eine Blume; Vergif-let Sind Meine Lieder; Uber Allen GipfelnIs: Ruh; Die Drei Zigeuner; Ihr Glockenvon Marling; Oh! Quand Je Dors; Com-ment, Disaient-Ils; Enfant. Si J'Etais Roi;Three Petrarch Sonnets; and twenty-sixothers. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (bari-tone); Daniel Barenboim (piano). DEUT-SCHE GRAMMOPHON 2740 254 four discs$43.92.

great nervosity and excitement to the rug-ged and capricious allegro molto secondsection. As in the later pages of the varia-tions, Shure is an infinitely knowing guideto the late -Beethoven universe. The greatseries of chords just before the inversion ofthe fugue subject in the sonata's finale willnot soon be forgotten by those who hearthem on this recording.

The excellence of Audiofon's analog son-ics is a major factor in the impact of theseperformances. Clearly, no pains werespared in the choice of a fine instrument(Baldwin) or in matching it to the recordinglocale, and the microphoning is just right asregards presence and room tone. Only thevery best of the Connoisseur Society pianodiscs of the Sixties and Seventies are in thesame class as this release. Spreading theDiabelli Variations over three sides was anexcellent idea, for it not only helps ensurethe highest -quality sound but also enablesindividual banding of the variations, a boonfor students and teachers. The pressings areflawless. Highest recommendation-and arequest to Mr. Shure and Audiofon formore. D.H.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITFAURE: Penelope. Jessye Norman (so-prano), Penelope; Jocelyne Taillon (mezzo-soprano), Euryclee; Alain Vanzo (tenor),Ulysse; Jean Dupouy (tenor), Antinotis;Philippe Huttenlocher (baritone), Euri-maque; Jose van Dam (bass), Eumee; oth-ers. Ensemble Vocal Jean Leforge; Or-chestre Philharmonique de Monte -Carlo,Charles Dutoit cond. ERATo/RCA STU71386 three discs $26.94.

Performance: Some good singersRecording Okay

Like Debussy, Gabriel Faure wrote onlyone opera, Penelope, and even that one hecalled a "poeme lyrique." It is in the greatFrench neo-Classical tradition (wait andsee, Boulez's first opera will be based onAeschylus or Sophocles). It was first pro-duced in 1913 at the Opera of Monte -Carloand later in Paris, Brussels, and elsewhere.It has had a consistently good receptionfrom critics and connoisseurs and has beenrevived a number of times, but it has nevermade its way outside the French-speakingworld, and even there it has never reallycaptured the public's admiration.

The story is that of the final scenes ofHomer's Odyssey. Faure's modesty in call-ing his setting a "poline lyrique" was apro-pos. It is said that the director of theMonte -Carlo Opera tried to get him tochange the happy ending-to what, exactly,is not very clear! Not a great deal happensin the way of plot, and until the momentwhen Ulysses confronts the suitors there isno real conflict. In a positive orgy of Frenchgood taste and classical measure, even thatbig fight takes place mostly offstage.

Still, it would be a mistake to imaginethat this is purely a quiet, lyric, or contem-plative work. There is plenty of animationand even passion-in the music at least.Faure inexplicably neglected the operaticstage for most of his life, but he was an ex-perienced and successful man of the the-ater, supplying a good deal of incidentalmusic to contemporary plays. What a pityhe didn't write more lyric drama-he had

74 STEREO REVIEW

the gift. He was a master at writing for thevoice, and he knew how to absorb the Wag-nerian lesson without knuckling under toWagnerism or ever giving up his individu-ality and Frenchness.

Penelope may never be a popular work,but it is a beautiful one and full of musicthat is inspired and, in the best sense, the-atrical. Fortunately we have-thanks to thepatronage of the Prince of Monaco-thisrecording from Erato. It is far from perfect.The Monte -Carlo Philharmonic is not thebest orchestra in the world, and there aremany obvious edits. But there are two orthree excellent singers in the cast-JessyeNorman, Jose van Dam, and a good Frenchtenor, Alain Vanzo, as Ulysses. And there isa general level of competence with theFrench language and style.

The early twentieth century was a betterperiod for opera than is commonly believed.The old operatic theater was dying, notfrom a lack of good works but from thecompetition of the popular musical theater,the nascent movies, and the politicalupheavals that made it seem increasingly ir-relevant. Pelleas et Melisande is at leastabout the dark side of the human soul; Sa-lome is part of the temper of the times;Elektra and Erwartung are concerned withpsychosis; Wozzeck is a psychic history ofWorld War I; Le Sacre du Printemps is abreak-out of artistic violence on the eve ofthe real thing. Where in this scheme ofthings could Penelope possibly fit in? It isnot a backward -looking work, and yet itseems to belong to another, safer world oforder, feeling, and taste. Irrelevant! Nowonder it was lost in the shuffle. Pity,though. It is a lovely, idyllic thing and de-serves to live and be known. Perhaps thisrecording, with all its faults, will help it todo that. I enjoyed it immensely. E.S.

HAYDN: Complete Songs (see Best of theMonth, page 62)

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITLISZT: Piano Concerto No. 1, in E -flatMajor; Piano Concerto No. 2, in A Major.Claudio Arrau (piano); London SymphonyOrchestra, Sir Colin Davis cond. PHILIPS9500 780 $10.98, © 7300 854 $10.98.

Performance: AbsorbingRecording: Mostly very good

Claudio Arrau has never been my favoritepianist in a large part of the standard key-board repertoire, but, from his earliest Ger-man Polydor and Odeon 78 -rpm discs, I

have admired him as a Lisztian. As mightbe expected after some fifty years, there isslightly less flash in Arrau's latest Lizstreadings, but there is a very high and mostwelcome poetic content. This new recordingof the First Piano Concerto has a ratherstately opening, and throughout there is anelegance of phrasing and passagework thatenables one to savor the music in a freshway quite different from the usual hell -for -leather readings.

Even finer (and more of a piece) is theinterpretation here of the A Major Con-certo. Not only do the lyrical elements re-ceive their full due (the solo -cello passage inthe slow section is absolutely outstanding),but the big moments come off with a splen-didly martial panache. Sir Colin Davis and

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the London Symphony are ideally sympa-thetic collaborators throughout. The or-chestral sonics seem a bit cavernous at theopening of the E -flat Concerto, but there isample body and presence. The piano soundis altogether superb. D. H.

LISZT: Reminiscences de Norma (seeSCHUMANN)

LUTOSLAWSKI: Mi-Parti. PENDER-ECKI: The Awakening of Jacob; Anaklasisfor String Orchestra and Percussion.BAIRD: Elegeia. Prague Radio SymphonyOrchestra, Jacek Kasprzyk cond. SUPRA-PHON 0 1410 2734 QG $9.98 (from Quali-ton Records, Ltd., 39-28 Crescent Street,Long Island City, N.Y. 11101).

Performance: ExcellentRecording: Dull

After the so-called "revolution" of 1956-the precursor of today's events in Poland-Polish intellectuals and artists gained agood deal of freedom, and the Poles becamethe first East Europeans to absorb the in-fluences of the Western avant-garde. Thewhole country became a hot -bed of modern-ist creation and performance.

Composers too turned to new ideas at thistime. The one best known in the West isKrzysztof Penderecki (born 1933), and his1959 Anaklasis was, along with Threnody

for the Victims of Hiroshima, one of theworks that brought him to prominence.Scored for strings and percussion, Anakla-sis is not as monolithic in sound or single-minded in mood as its companion piece, andit perhaps holds up better today. Pendereckifurther developed the new Polish style-great dark masses of sound daubed on a bigcanvas with a thick, heavy brush-in an al-most melodramatic fashion in such laterpieces as the 1974 The Awakening of Ja-cob. The Slavic anguish in these works isclose to unbearable.

Witold Lutoslawski (born 1913) is thebest-known Polish modernist of an oldergeneration. His 1976 Mi-Parti is orchestralmusic in the same genre as the Pendereckipieces, but it is more lyrical, more reflec-tive, more sculptured. Tadeusz Baird wasborn in 1928, and his 1973 Elegeia for or-chestra is an introverted and expressionistpiece.

All of these works are very well per-formed by the Prague Radio Symphony Or-chestra under the direction of the young

Polish conductor Jacek Kasprzyk. The re-corded sound is adequate but on the heavyside-not that any of this is brilliant music,but the scoring and playing are much moresonorous than the recording. E.S.

MAHLER: Symphony No. 2, in C Minor("Resurrection"); Symphony No. 4, in GMajor (see Best of the Month, page 64)

MARTINO: The Greek Passion. JohnMitchinson (tenor), Manolios; Helen Field(soprano), Katerina; John Tomlinson(bass), Grigoris; Phillip Joll (baritone),Kostandis; Geoffrey Moses (bass), Fotis;Arthur Davies (tenor), Yannakos; RitaCullis (soprano), Lenio; others. Czech Phil-harmonic Chorus and Kahn Children Cho-rus; Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra,Sir Charles Mackerras cond. SUPRAPHONI 116 3611/2 two discs $31.96 (from Quail -ton Records, Ltd., 39-28 Crescent Street,Long Island City, N.Y. 11101).

Performance Very goodRecording: Excellent

The Greek Passion was Bohuslav Martina'slast opera. Its English libretto was based ona novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, but thepremiere performance was of a Germanversion produced in Zurich in 1961, twoyears after the composer's death. The pres-ent recording, made in collaboration withthe Welsh National Opera, uses Martina'soriginal English text as revised by BrianLarge.

The story begins with the decision by theelders of a Greek mountain village to pro-duce a Passion play. Led by their priest,they select the various people who are to en-act the roles of Christ, the Apostles, Judas,Mary Magdalene, and so on. The shepherdManolios, chosen to portray Christ, be-comes obsessed with his role; in his dedica-tion to charity and saintliness, he antago-nizes the other villagers. Overcome bygreed and unreasoning fear of a phenome-non that transcends their simple lives, theymark Manolios a "revolutionary" and de-stroy him.

The detailed album notes relate Mar-tina's difficulties with the setting of thiscomplex and powerful novel. At one pointMartina observed, "The text must be re-spected more than in an ordinary opera; itcosts me a lot of music." Indeed, it appearsthat his self-effacing commitment to thetext may have hurt the opera's effective-

ness. The elemental power of Katzanzakis'original is frequently captured, but the mu-sical inspiration is rather uneven.

Just the same, The Greek Passion is not afailure. The characters are strongly drawn,and, though the opera's four acts are ratherbrief, tension builds convincingly toward atragic denouement. There are some miscal-culations: one particularly virile characteris assigned to a soprano, and another impor-tant supporting part is given to a speakingactor. Despite such distractions, the listeneris inescapably drawn into the orbit of amoving drama.

The music, permeated with elements ofthe Greek Orthodox liturgy, is thoroughlyaccessible, and the vocal writing, at timessuggestive of plainsong and supported byrich sustained chords, never compels thesingers to stray beyond their natural ranges.The interpreters of Manolios, Katerina, andGrigoris stand out in a uniformly capablecast, and the important choral portions arerendered with distinction. In Sir CharlesMackerras, the music of Martina has founda committed champion, and the digitalsound is outstanding. G.J.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITMILHAUD: Scaramouche; Carnaval a laNouvelle -Orleans; Le Boeuf sur le Toit.Philippe Corre, Edouard Exerjean (pianos).PIERRE VERANY PV 9811 $13.98 (fromBrilly Imports, 155 North San VicenteBoulevard, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90211).

Performance ExuberantRecording. Quite good

If Milhaud had written only one of the sau-cy, vivacious works on this disc and nothingelse, he might have enjoyed the sort of ad-miration Dukas earned with The Sorcerer'sApprentice. But because he was able to turnout so many such pieces, there has been atendency in certain quarters to react withdisdain instead of admiration. Well, too badfor the stuffed shirts. Milhaud did producea goodly quantity of more serious works,but his charming divertissements are shotthrough with the more than casual exuber-ance that prompted Arron Copland to re-mark, some thirty years ago: "Others writemusic to express themselves; Milhaud, likeno other composer I know, writes music tocelebrate life itself." Scaramouche and theCarnaval a la Nouvelle -Orleans are both,of course, by now classics of the two -pianoliterature. Le Boeuf sur le Toil proves to benearly as fetching in the four -hand versionhere as in the more familiar orchestral one,or so it seems in this astoundingly alive per-formance by Philippe Corm and EdouardExerjean. I had never heard of them before(there are some amusing biographical noteswith the annotation), but they play with ex-actly the sort of freedom and relish this mu-sic needs-just the sort Milhaud must havefelt when he set it down in the first place.The recording is quite good, and so is thepressing. A winner. R F

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITMOZART: Thamos, King of Egypt (K. 345).Thomas Thomaschke (bass). High Priest;Janet Perry (soprano); Anne -Marie Milhle(mezzo-soprano); Marius van Altena (ten-or); Harry van der Kamp (bass); Nether -

76 STEREO REVIEW

lands Chamber Choir; Collegium Vocele;Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam,Nikolaus Harnoncourt cond. TELEFUNKEN0 6.42702 AZ $12.98, © 4.42702 CX$12.98.

Performance: RadiantRecording: Wonderful

Mozart's only incidental music was forGelder's Thamos, King of Egypt, a play soladen with Masonic imagery that it hasbeen considered a precursor of The MagicFlute. Although the play was unsuccessful,Mozart was very fond of the music. In fact,writing to his father some years later, hesaid, "It ought to be performed, just for thesake of the music." He was right: the scoreis a powerful one.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, as he clearlydemonstrated in his recent recording of1domeneo, Re di Creta, is a superb Mozartconductor. Under his direction, the Con-certgebouw Orchestra takes on a mellowsound and is balanced to bring out the oftensubmerged inner details of Mozart's orches-tration. His pacing too is perfect for the fi-ery nobility of the music. A radiant per-formance of an almost unknown Mozartmasterpiece-a beautiful record. S.L.

PENDERECKI: The Awakening of Jacob;Anaklasis (see LUTOSLAWSKI)

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITSCHUMANN: Faschingsschwank ausWien, Op. 26. LISZT: Reminiscences deNorma. Ivan Davis (piano). AuDIOFON2004 $I 1.98.

Performance: Immensely enjoyableRecording. Exceptionally realistic

It is hard to think of so youthful a man asIvan Davis as having reached the age of fif-ty, as he did in February, but he has seemedfor some time to be one of the triumvirs-the others being his senior colleagues JorgeBolet and Earl Wild-who have been per-forming the big Romantic virtuoso pieceson the highest level. The coupling here re-minds us that many of Schumann's worksmay be so regarded, without slight to him orcondescension to Liszt, and there is certain-ly no trace of either quality in Davis' ster-ling performances. The coupling is conven-ient too for avoiding duplication; althoughthe Norma Fantasy has been recorded morethan once in the somewhat shorter two -pi-ano version, I do not recall coming acrossone of the solo version before. In his engag-ingly modest annotation, Davis describesthe piece as "one of the most stupendouslydifficult" of Liszt's piano works, but hebrings it off brilliantly, concealing the diffi-culty and exposing a perhaps unsuspecteddepth. The Schumann is served no less ef-fectively, its poetic content by no meanscompromised in Davis' exuberant, outgoinginterpretation-for even in his exuberanceSchumann is one of the most intimate of allcomposers. Both sides are immensely enjoy-able, the more so for the exceptionally real-istic sonics, the only flaw in the release be-ing a misspelt name or two in the produc-tion credits. R.F.

TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture, Op. 49;Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48.Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti

cond. ANGEL 0 DS -37777 $10.98, © 4ZS-37777 $10.98.

Performance: Superior 1812Recording: Very fine

Were it not for Riccardo Muti's somewhatoveremphatic treatment of the String Ser-enade, this disc would have rated a "SpecialMerit" tag. Surprisingly, it is the /812Overture that is the winner here, and onmusical grounds, not sound effects. I don'tthink I've ever heard this old warhorseplayed with such loving attention to detailsof color and phrasing and to niceties of dy-namics. The recording is almost the best Ihave heard from Philadelphia's "Old Met"auditorium, and the digital tape mastering

does wonders for the music's quiet episodesas well as full justice to the truly majestictreatment of the last pages.

I would have liked a lighter hand in theString Serenade, especially in the endmovements. The famous waltz comes offbest, with some nice changes of pace in thevarious contrasting episodes where a lighttouch is in evidence. Wonderful as the Phil-adelphia string sound is, I wish that theoverall sound level had been set a couple ofnotches lower, particularly in the slow -movement elegy, and that the string basseswere not quite so obtrusive. Again, though,Muti's 1812 is something else. D.H.


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THOMSON: A Portrait Album (see Best ofthe Month, page 66)

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: The Springtimeof the Year-Folk-song Arrangements. TheDark -Eyed Sailor; The Springtime of theYear; Just as the Tide Was Flowing; TheLover's Ghost; Wassail Song; Bushes andBriars; Loch Lomond; John Dory: Green -sleeves; Ward, the Pirate; Ca' the Yowes;The Unquiet Grave; The Seeds of Love;Early in the Spring; The Turtle Dove; AnAcre of Land. London Madrigal Singers,Christopher Bishop cond. MUSICAL HERI-TAGE SOCIETY MHS 4463 $7.75 (plus $1.60postage and handling from the MusicalHeritage Society, 14 Park Road, TintonFalls, N.J. 07724).

Performance LovelyRecording Well-balanced

About every ten years or so, someone getsthe idea of recording the Vaughan Williamsfolk -song arrangements. Musically, it's al-ways a good idea. The basic songs are

among the great treasures of folk art, andthe arrangements are knowing and sympa-thetic, a cross breeding, as it were, of thetwo great British musical traditions of folksong and choral singing. And Vaughan Wil-liams, unlike most arrangers of earliertimes, made no conscious attempt to "cor-rect" the songs, to bring them within theharmonic and melodic strictures of a classi-cal tradition to which they were never re-lated, but built his arrangements out of thematerials of the songs themselves.

This particular recording was made byEMI in 1970 but has apparently not beenreleased here before. The London MadrigalSingers include such soloists as Ian Par-tridge and Geoffrey Shaw, and they arequite an excellent ensemble, but, despite thename, they are really a small Choir, not amadrigal consort. Their choral sound seemsto emphasize a certain genteel quality in thearrangements (not in the songs) that takesthem perhaps just one step too far from theearth for their own good. Still, these arelovely, sympathetic performances that do at

times (such as in Ca' the Yowes, which isScottish for "call the ewes") bring out thehaunting, mysterious quality of the music.There is something absolutely foreign andprimeval there-and incredibly beautiful-that makes one think that the "folk,"whoever they were, were very different be-ings from you and me. -James Goodfriend

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITWHITE: Lamentations of Jeremiah; ReginaCoeli; Portio Mea Domine; Domine QuisHabitabit; Christe Qui Lux Est. TheClerkes of Oxenford, David Wulstan cond.NONESUCH H-71400 $5.98, © H4-71400$5.98.

Performance: EtherealRecording: Ethereal

Robert White was a master craftsmanwhose music is imbued with passion andbeauty and is on the same lofty level ofquality as that of his contemporaries Byrdand Tallis. Thanks to David Wulstan and

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WOLF -FERRARI: 11 Segreto di Susanna.Renata Scotto (soprano), Susanna; RenatoBruson (baritone), Count Gil. Mary Nash(piano); Philharmonia Orchestra, JohnPritchard cond. CBS 0 M 36733, © MT36733, no list price.

Performance. Good, but ...Recording. Good

Susanna's secret vice was smoking ciga-rettes-a situation intriguing enough back

in 1909 for Ermanno Wolf -Ferrari and hislibrettist Enrico Golisciani to turn it into aone -act opera. Since then, as vices (alongwith everything else) have become more so-phisticated, the theatrical viability of thisdelightful opera has been accordingly di-minished. That is a pity, for it is delicatelywrought and seems well suited to form partof an evening of one-acters or as a compan-ion to Mascagni's brief L'Amico Fritz.

The first stereo recording of II Segreto diSusanna appeared about five years ago onLondon (OSA 1169) with a performancethat I find on balance superior to this newone. There is more elegance in the overallleadership of Lamberto Gardelli on theLondon album than in John Pritchard'shere. I don't find Pritchard's approach ob-jectionable, but this production stresses acertain kind of realism that militatesagainst the score's delicacy. Technically,too, the disc is somewhat overproduced: inthe opening scenes, for instance, the jealoushusband's parings up and down are so evi-dent as to be distracting.

The performance is certainly lively. Asalways, Renata Scotto creates a vivid char-acter, but, as usual nowadays, we must ac-cept a great deal of vocal stridency alongwith her theatrical expertise. The lovelyduet "II dolce particularly suffersin this respect. London's Maria Chiara isclearly superior in the role. The two bari-tones are more closely matched. BerndWeikl on London offers the richer sound,Renato Bruson here the smoother and moreItalianate style. Boti are more than satis-factory. The annotations for the CBS re-lease by Barrymore Laurence Scherer areuseful and informative. G.J.

COLLECTIONS

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITVICTORIA DE LOS ANGELES: Opera,Song, and Zarzuela Recordings, 1949-1969.Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro: Porgi amor.Rossini: I! Barbiere di Siviglia: Una vocepoco fa. Verdi: Otello: Willow Song; Ave

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The Cantilena Chamber Players

'Wee by Taneyev

CERGEI TANEYEV (1856-1915)-a favor-ite pupil of Tchaikovsky, brilliant con-

cert pianist, renowned music theoretician,revered as both teacher and human being-has been represented only sporadically ondiscs outside of Russia. For many years Da-vid Oistrakh's Angel recording of the Con-cert Suite for Violin and Orchestra was themajor point of contact with the composer'swork for Western listeners, but more re-cently two of the symphonies, a number ofchoral works, and the ambitious opera Or-esteia have come to hand.

Now Pro Arte has released three new Ta-neyev discs, two devoted to chamber worksand one to that same Concert Suite. If theyare fair evidence, then I am inclined toagree with the commentator in Cobbett'sCyclopaedic Survey of Chamber Musicthat Taneyev's most powerful and effectivemusical utterances are to be found in hischamber music. Compared with the PianoQuartet and Piano Trio, the charming Con-cert Suite seems diluted and a trifle over-long. Like his own pupil Nicolai Medtner,Taneyev avoids both nationalism andTchaikovskian emotional excess. Stylisti-cally, both the quartet and the trio could becharacterized as Russian Brahms, and interms of structural logic and musical sub-stance, neither is inferior to works in theseforms by the German master.

An impressive architecture and strongrhythmic pulse give real power to theseworks, and there is also brilliant writing forthe piano. The complex, scintillating finaleof the quartet, the syncopated scherzo ofthe trio with its Rachmaninoff-style ending,and the dazzling final movement of the trioare among the high points. The New York -based Cantilena Chamber Players-whosepianist is Frank Glazer-do splendidly bythe Piano Quartet and receive a superlative-

ly full-bodied and well-balanced recording.Germany's Odeon Trio is equally impres-sive in the trio and is also superbly recorded.The terse nine -minute Piano Trio of Alex-ander Tcherepnin (1899-1977), datingfrom 1925, makes a delightful filler on sidetwo of the Odeon's disc.

The Concert Suite for Violin and Orches-tra (there's also a violin -piano version) hasmovement titles-Prelude, Gavotte, Conte,Theme and Variations, Tarantella-thatlead one to expect a pleasant series of genrepieces, but this is actually a large-scale,fully developed work built up mainly fromthe materials of the opening movement.There are charming things in the variations,which are redolent of the Tchaikovsky bal-lets, and the concluding tarantella is a vio-linist's delight. Young Christian Altenburg-er's new recording will not make me forgetthe famous Oistrakh performance, but hedoes a much more than merely creditablejob with the solo part, bringing to it a sweetbut not overly lush tone and ample dexteri-ty. Yuri Ahronovitch and the Vienna Sym-phony provide warm and wholehearted col-laboration. The recording is again first-rate.All in all, a very satisfying trio of releases.

-David Hall

TANEYEV: Piano Quartet in E Major, Op.20. Cantilena Chamber Players. PRO Aa'rE0 PAD -107 $9.98, © PCD-107 $9.98.

TANEYEV: Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 22.TCHEREPNIN: Piano Trio in D Major,Op. 34. Odeon Trio. PRO ARTE PAL -1052$9.98, 0 PAC -1052 $9.98.

TANEYEV: Concert Suite for Violin andOrchestra, Op. 28. Christian Altenburger(violin); Vienna Symphony Orchestra, YuriAhronovitch cond. PRO ARTE 0 PAD -I10$9.98, © PCD-110 $9.98.

Maria. La Traviata: Addio del passato.Puccini: La Boheme: Mi chiamano Mimi;Donte lieta usci. Madama Butterfly: En-trance of Butterfly; Un be! di vedremo.Wagner: Tannhauser: Dich, teure Halle.Lohengrin: Einsam in triiben Tagen. Gou-nod: Faust: Jewel Song. Massenet: Manon:Adieu, noire petite table; Gavotte. Werther:Air des lettres. Bizet: Carmen: Habanera;Seguidilla (with Nicolai Gedda, tenor).Granados: Goyescas: La Maja y el Rui-sehor. Falla: La Vida Breve: Alli esta!Riyendol; Vivan los que den! Songs bySchubert, Brahms, Faure, Hahn, Duparc,Canteloube, Granados, Rodrigo, and oth-ers; three zarzuela excerpts. Victoria de losAngeles (soprano); various orchestras andconductors; Gerald Moore, Gonzalo Soria-no (piano). ANGEL. SCLX-39 I 4 three discs$29.94.

Performance Good to exceptionalRecording: Good

The foregoing list speaks for the compre-hensive nature of this marvelous collection.New to LP are the early (1949-1950) re-cordings of Mozart and Wagner, the Goyes-cas excerpt, and various Spanish songs.They appear here interspersed with selec-tions of later origin in a way that makessuch matters as the passing of time and ton-al changes relatively insignificant. One's at-tention stays focused on the Spanish so-prano's pure, warm, beautifully controlledvocal instrument and the keen mind andlively personality that shine through it.

In the early stages of her career, Victoriade los Angeles sang in Bayreuth under Wie-land Wagner's direction. And what a pleas-ure it is to hear her sing Wagner. In theTannhauser: and Lohengrin excerpts here,she traces the music sensitively and effort-lessly, never overpowering it or, even worse,being overpowered by it.

For the rest, here are reminders of De losAngeles' coy, winking Rosina, her affectingMimi and her not very tragic but uniquelycharming Carmen (both under Beecham),her exquisite Butterfly (two excerpts fromtwo different complete recordings), and herpeerless Manon under Monteux. There arealso reminders of her natural mastery ofFrench song literature as well as souvenirsof her Granados, Falla, and Rodrigo-com-posers she interpreted incomparably. If herSchubert and Brahms are not the last wordin authenticity, they are still embodimentsof charm, taste, and musicality. The recitalconcludes characteristically with AdiosGranada, which she sings to her own gui-tar accompaniment.

The career of this unique singer has moreor less coincided with my own as a profes-sional critic. No other singer has given memore pleasure in so many different musicalareas. Obviously, I recommend the setwholeheartedly. The sound is fine, electron-ic "enhancement" of the oldest selectionsand all. Texts and translations are suppliedalong with notes by Frank Granville Barkerexpressing an enthusiasm for Victoria de losAngeles that matches my own. G.J.

PLACIDO DOMINGO: Sings Tangos.Caminito; Nostalgias; Volver; Vida Mkt;Mi Buenos Aires Querido; El Dia Que MeQuieras; Uno; Marla: Alma de Bohemio:Cuesta Abajo. Placido Domingo (tenor);orchestra, Freddy Leutgebweger arr. and

80 STEREO REVIEW

cond. DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2536 416$9.98, 0 3336 416 $9.98.

Performance: OverkillRecording Fins

If anybody should be able to "cross over"from the classical to the popular sphere itwould be Placido Domingo. Practically"born in a trunk," he had his first singingexperience with his parents' zarzuelatroupe, and he has performed in Spanish -language productions of such American lyr-ic -theater standards as Brigadoon and MyFair Lady as well. In this new album of tan-gos for Deutsche Grammophon, however,he remains on the far side of the dividingline, sounding offhand and even, unfortu-nately, a little condescending, singing fromoutside the songs rather than from withinthem.

Domingo has, God knows, a right to acertain amount of vocal narcissism, but itcan get in the way. Many of his vocal effectshere sound self-conscious, more calculatedthan felt, so we get the singer and not thesong. Vernacular music is not all that easyto sing well. The point can be made by com-paring the inimitable Carlos Gardel's per-formances of these tangos with Domingo's,or (quicker and easier) by checking thetenor's current "Perhaps Love" album(CBS 37243), in which he goes up againstJohn Denver in the latter's Annie's Song-and comes in second.

Does that mean that vocal perfection isthe kiss of death for some music? Yes. Doesit matter? Not, evidently, for many recordbuyers. "Perhaps Love" has gone gold, andthese tangos are the rage in Argentina,where the dance originated. The orchestra-tions-cymbal crescendos and busy violinson a very wide screen-are overdressed, butyou might enjoy El Dia Que Me Quieras.the best song here, nonetheless.

-William Anderson

PHILIP JONES BRASS ENSEMBLE:Battles for Brass. Byrd: The Batten. Ban-chieri: Udite Ecco le Trombe. Kuhnau: TheBattle Between David and Goliath. Jenkins:Newark Siege. Handel: La Rejouissance.Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Philip Jonesand Elgar Howarth cond. LONDON CS 7221S10.98.

Performance MilitantRecording: Super

From the glories of Renaissance and Ba-roque battle music, the Philip Jones BrassEnsemble has blasted out a disc that willturn doves into hawks in about five seconds.The works of Byrd and Kuhnau here, inge-niously arranged by, respectively, ElgarHowarth and Chris Hazell, are actuallymore effective played by brass than in theiroriginal keyboard versions. The Battle Be-tween David and Goliath, for instance, isusually played on the barely audible clavi-chord; here the tempest has been taken outof that little teapot and put back on thebattlefield.

Actually, a little of this sort of thing goesa long way, since composers portrayingbattles are generally sternly diatonic, assid-uously avoiding modulation or chromati-cism. After ten minutes of tonic and domi-nant, even the subdominant becomes some-thing of an event. Nonetheless, if you are anaficionado of "La Battaglia" and dote on

brass, this record is your wildest dreamcome true. S.L.

JOSEPH SMITH: Piano Recital. Turina:SanIticar de Barrameda (Sonata Pintores-ca). S. Bernstein: Guernica. Mendelssohn:Fantasy on "The Last Rose of Summer."Op. 15. Chasins: Fantasy on Themes fromWeinberger's Opera "Schwanda the Bag-piper." Joseph Smith (piano). ORION ORS81402 $8.98.

Performance BelievableRecording: Very good

Joseph Smith is a very good pianist. But it ishis choice of repertoire that gives this rec-ord its special interest. The Turina Sonata

Pintoresca, which takes up all of side one, isa substantial work and an appealing one. ItsHispanic evocations are made believable bythe skilled keyboard writing and the as-sured mastery of large, diverse forms, andSmith's performance is convincing too.These are musical frescoes on a big scale.

Side two is even more unusual. SeymourBernstein's Guernica (from New Pictures atan Exhibition) is as cruel and unexpectedas Picasso's painting itself. Mendelssohn'sfantasy on The Last Rose of Summer is, inanother way, equally unexpected (but a lotmore charming). Abram Chasins' contribu-tion is an old-fashioned opera fantasy onthemes from a now almost forgotten opera.All are well played and recorded. E.S.

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MAY 1982 81

Popular music Briefs

N the music business "cross -I over" doesn't just mean thatan occasional jazz or pop per-former finds his way onto aclassical label. It works the oth-er way too, and a current exam-ple is the English conductorJohn Lanchbery, who has tak-en time from his duties with theworld's leading ballet compa-nies to arrange and conduct ascore based on Cole Portersongs for the Agatha Christiemovie Evil Under the Sun.

Peter Ustinov plays the de-tective Hercule Poirot, and oth-ers in the cast are RoddyMcDowall, James Mason, SylviaMiles, Diana Rigg, and MaggieSmith. The story is set in a

Mediterranean resort in the1930s, and Lanchbery evokesthat time and place very effec-tively with Porter's music. "Iused twenty-four tunes, sevenof them unpublished," he said."For a scene of Adriatic fish-wives at work I needed some-thing with a Greek feel to it andtried a song called It's Greek toMe, but it didn't work. An ar-ranger can take liberties, so Iscored Why Should I Care? forhigh mandolins, and that gavethe right Eastern Mediterranean

atmosphere. One often thinksof Porter's very clever words,forgetting that many of hissongs have excellent melodies.Those are the ones I was look-ing for.

"Since Evil Under the Sun isset in 1938, I was limited totunes Porter wrote up to thatpoint. But the producer wantedthe score to sound like a 1940smusical, and I enjoyed arrang-ing Porter's music to get thatsound. Going through his manu-scripts and notes, I felt Colewas with me, and in a curiousway I grew quite fond of him. I

would love to have met him."Although Lanchbery makes

his headquarters in Spain andhas a house on the island ofMallorca, where much of EvilUnder the Sun was filmed, hisconducting engagements takehim as far away as Australia.For several weeks before theroyal command performance ofEvil Under the Sun in England atthe end of March, he was com-muting between ballet compa-nies in London and Paris. Then,after a conducting stint in

Stockholm, he was scheduledfor a couple of weeks in Bostonconducting the Pops.

When we talked with Lanch-bery he was in New York toconduct the Boston Pops atCarnegie Hall in a concert thatincluded a suite from Evil Underthe Sun called Porter MeetsPoirot. "It was hard to selectthe tunes. The ones I'd usedunder the opening titles werevery strong -/ Concentrate onYou and I've Got You Under MySkin-so I included them. Andthe ones for the closing titlesare jolly good-/ Get a Kick Outof You and Night and Day(probably the best one). And Ilove a little unpublished one

called There's Nothing LikeSwimming for Trimming the OldPhysique, so I put that in themiddle, composed a couple ofbridges, and there's the suite. Itlasts only about six minutes, butit has a terrific finish, and theBoston Pops love a big Holly-wood finish."

The Carnegie Hall audienceloved Lanchbery and PorterMeets Poirot. After the concertwe followed him to a partyASCAP was giving for the castof Evil Under the Sun. Songwrit-ers Sammy Cahn, Hal David,Jule Styne, and others enter-tained the guests with Porterstories and music. Ethel Mer-man sang her favorite Portersong, / Get a Kick Out of You.

To keep you entertained withPorter's songs there is a good

bit of his music in the catalog,such as Ella Fitzgerald singing"The Cole Porter Songbook,"the best-selling item in theVerve series of jazz reissues.Among new Porter recordsthere is an Atlantic album ofJimmy Lyon playing Porter'smusic on Porter's own Stein-way, and a Rosemary Clooneyalbum of Porter songs is duefrom Concord Jazz. An April re-lease in RCA's Best Buy line is"Selections Featured in the FilmEvil Under the Sun-Music ofCole Porter," with thirteen Por-ter songs performed by suchartists as Tommy Dorsey, GlennMiller, and Artie Shaw. We planto get a kick out of it becausewe think that Porter is the topand that a big Porter revivalwould be delovely. -W. L.

You want an r -&-b revival?Well, folks, allow me to

give you . . Clarence Clem-mons and the Red Bank Rock-ers. I caught up with the greatSpringsteen sax -man and his AllStar Soul Review recently atNew York City's fabled Rose-land Ballroom (which turns out

to be a pretty good venue forrock-and-roll, by the way) andfor my trouble was treated to byfar the most authentic and in-spiring re-creation of late -Six-ties Black Pop I have ever beenprivileged to witness. The band(a big one, with a four -piecehorn section) is rehearsed to a

82 STEREO REVIEW

fare -thee -well, far from par forthe usual run of oldies shows,and they were simply splendid,running the gamut from RayCharles (Georgia on My Mind)to Otis Redding (Can't TurnYou Loose) to Sly Stone (Every-body Is a Star) to make a veri-table Dictionary of Soul. Clar-ence himself was every bit theshowman you'd expect if

you've seen him with Bruce, agreat natural clown, and a mu-sician worthy of the King Curtismantle he obviously aspires to.A wonderful night. -S. S.

LAST issue, you may recall, wereported that the members

of the Swedish rock group/conglomerate ABBA were eachnow richer than the King ofSweden. Perhaps coincidental-ly, news now comes from Mos-cow, where the official Commu-nist Party youth newspaper, thesnappily named Komsomol-skaya Pravda, has just blastedthe group after local screeningsof ABBA: The Movie. Accordingto Russian reviewer Ms. OlgaDmitrieve, the band is guilty of"vulgarity, hypocrisy, andpreaching the message that allthat counts in the world is mon-ey." And, as if that weren'tenough, she also adds that thefilm "concentrates on the rhyth-mical jerking of the girls' scanti-ly -clad hips and the sensuallydistorted faces of the au-dience." Sounds like an aver-age night at the PeppermintLounge to me. -S. S.

THis month two rock-and-rollnovels, a collection of on -

the -road photos, and a starbiography have crossed ourdesk The novels first.

Platinum Logic (Delilah,$8.95), already a best-seller inEngland, is the work of TonyParsons, a young British jour-nalist who previously wrote TheBoy Looked at Johnny: TheObituary of Rock and RollSparing nobody, that little effortdescribed an English punkscene peopled by hucksters,cretins, burnouts, careerists,and assorted jerks PlatinumLogic is just as cynical. Ostensi-bly the story of the rise and fallof record producer NathanChasen and his singer /wife Tril-bee (probably based on Philand Ronnie Spector), it alsobusies itself with thinly veiledportraits of about a zillion rockstars and music -biz execs withthe usual array of vices. Perti-nent quote: "If God doesn't de-stroy the Music Business, heowes a written apology to Sod-om and Gomorrah." Entertain-ing, trashy, and a good read.

Next, there's Jerzy Kosinski'sPinball (Bantam $7 95), whichmay be the first work by a majorwriter that uses rock as a back-drop. A metaphysical detectivestory, it concerns a down-and-out classical composer hired bya Mysterious Woman to discov-er the identity of Goddard, arock superstar who has neverbeen seen by anyone, not eventhe people at his record com-pany. Kosinski fleshes out the

Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon of the Clash

story with some of his usualpreoccupations about the psy-chology of violence, the mys-tery of sex, and the nature cfidentity, but it doesn't work. It'sobvious that English is Kosir-ski's second language, and histake on rock is clearly that of anoutsider -heavy handed, over-heated, and surprisingly sopho-moric The idea that a phantomrock star might take his namefrom the now almost legendaryColumbia Records head God-dard Lieoerson could perhapsoccur only to an émigré Polishnovelist.

Then we have The Clash Be-fore and After, a collection oftour photos taken by PennieSmith, accompanied by com-ments from members of theband (Little, Brown, and Co ,$8.95). Ms. Smith took thegreat cover shot for the "Lon-don calling" album (it's repro-duced in the book), and herblack -and -white work through-out is equally good. It revealsthat the Clash are not revolu-tionary firebrands, as some

thought, but squarely in the tra-dition of rock-and-roll narcis-sism that extends all the wayback to Elvis I Four preeningposers who know they are pret-ty boys, they are pleasedenough about it to be able tolaugh at themselves. I don'tknow what time will make oftheir music, but on the visuallevel they are definitely up therewith the greats. Tons of fun

Finally, we have Barbra: ABiography of Barbra Streis-and by Donald Zec and Antho-ny Fowles (St. Martins Press,$12 95) The authors, bothEnglish, fail miserably in their at-tempt to penetrate the mind oftheir subject, and they sidestepthe central question of her ca-reer how the hell did Streisandget through the Sixties withoutlooking like a laughable throw-back to prehistory? Mawkishand gracelessly written, thebook is almost redeemed by itsclosing comment that, despiteall her successes, Streisand is"like Woody Allen's God, anunderachiever." -S. S.

Disc and Tape ReviewsBy CHRIS ALBERTSON NOEL COPPAGE PHYL GARLAND PAUL KRESH

MARK PEEL PETER REILLY STEVE SIMELS JOEL VANCE© = stereo cassette 0 = digital -master recording 0 = quadraphonic disc0 = eight -track stereo cartridge (I) = direct -to -disc = monophonic recording

The first listing is the one reviewed: other formats. if available. follow.

AC/DC: For Those About to Rock (WeSalute You). AC/DC (vocals and instru-mentals). Evil Walks; C.O.D.; Spellbound;Let's Get It Up; Inject the Venom; Snow-balled; and four others. ATLANTIC SD11111 $8.98, © CS 11111 $8.98, ® TP11 11 1 $8.98.

Performance RabelaisianRecording Excellent

Sales figures (live million copies of theirlast album) seem to say that AC/DC isnothing if not in the mainstream of pop con-sciousness. Yet this hard -rock, heavy-metalgroup don't get no respect no place. Thepundits of the rock establishment dismiss

them with a brief "yecchh!" The adults whoare "into" pop consider them juvenile, adreary repeat of Led Zeppelin. And the mu-sic -biz trendies view them with the horror ofan anorexic trapped in an Italian restau-rant. That seems to leave only the kids andthe record dealers to look forward to theirnew albums, but perhaps that's about tochange.

This is the first AC/DC album that I'velistened to with any attention, and-sur-prise!-I had a hell of a good time. Ofcourse, it's hard not to pay attention to anAC/DC album. Even with the volume con-trol set on "low genteel," this one is enoughto rattle the ice cubes in your glass of Per-

rier. From the opening title song, which in-cludes what sounds like cannon fire, rightthrough the Rabelaisian grossness of Let'sGet It Up and Put the Finger on You to therambunctious inanity of Inject the Venom,AC/DC offers a truly roaring good time.The production and sound are spectacular,with a very fine balance for the vocals sothat the lyrics can actually be heard in themidst of the maelstrom. If you're lookingfor intellect, sensitivity, or deep meaning,forget AC/DC. But if you're not ashamedof an occasional musical pig -out, they'll beright up your pepperoni -pizza alley. P.R.


MAY 1982 83

I II

ABBA

EACH successive ABBA album has been alittle more gloomy than the last, despite

the Swedish group's beginning as a cheer-fully frivolous quartet borrowing Americanand British pop forms. Though ABBA iscareful to include at least one potential hitsingle on every album (When All Is Saidand Done and One of Us are the candidateson their new "The Visitors"), lately thesehave been ballads of remorse and regret.

There's no levity at all on "The Visitors,"except perhaps for the dark humor of Twofor the Price of One, in which a railway -station rest -room attendant answers a sexad. The title song portrays a woman on thebrink of insanity, Slipping Through MyFingers describes a young mother's feelingof failure with her baby daughter, andHead over Heels introduces a chatterboxdominatrix.

Perhaps ABBA is feeling the burdens ofsuccess. They are the most financially suc-cessful music group in the world, accordingto their own press handouts, with theirname registered as a trademark and owner-

ship vested in a diversified holding companythat actively trades on the Swedish and in-ternational stock markets. Then, too, theymay be sharing their countrymen's insecur-ity since that Soviet submarine surfaced ina militarily sensitive Swedish harbor andwas allowed to depart without being in-spected ("I got lost," said the captain).

WHATEVER the source of their woe, with"The Visitors" ABBA has once again writ-ten, arranged, performed, and produced analbum that for sophisticated pop entertain-ment far surpasses what most Americanand British groups can manage thesedays. -Joel Vance

ABBA: The Visitors. ABBA (vocals and in-strumentals). The Visitors; Head overHeels; When All Is Said and Done; Sol-diers; Let the Music Speak; One of Us; Twofor the Price of One; Slipping Through MyFingers; Like an Angel Passing ThroughMy Room. ATLANTIC SD 19332 $8.98, ©CS 19332 $8.98, 0 TP 19322 $8.98.

JOHN ANDERSON: I Just Came Home toCount the Memories. John Anderson (vo-cals); Pig Robbins (piano); Fred Carter Jr.(guitar); other musicians. Would YouCatch a Falling Star; Girl, for You; Stop inthe Road; Trail of Time; and five others.WARNER BROS. BSK 3599 $8.98,© M5 3599 $8.98, 0 M8 3599 $8.98.

Performance For real kickersRecording Good

John Anderson is from the mold of MoeBandy; he couldn't do anything fancy if hewanted to, but give him a good, straight -ahead tune and he'll give you an honest

roadhouse -jukebox performance. Thosewho want country singers to rememberHank Williams' dictum about mule manureon their boots will appreciate this; there aresome mild strings in a couple of cuts, but nomushy Eddie Rabbitt-style crap. There aretwo or three good jukebox tunes here, andAnderson is even reasonably effective onthe unlikely Bob Dylan tune Don't ThinkTwice, although there I think the sparklingguitar accompaniment by Fred Carter Jr. isthe main factor. The backing is as straight-forward as Anderson is. If you're pining fora country record that doesn't sound like apop record, try this one. N.C.

CARMINE APPICE. Carmine Appice (vo-cals, drums); instrumental accompaniment.Paint It Black; Blue Cafe; Sweet Senorita;Drum City Rocker; and six others. PASHAARZ 37676, © AZT 37676, no list price.

Performance Skins aliveRecording Good

Carmine Appice literally wrote the book onrock drumming. In fact, he wrote four ofthem, in addition to pounding the skins forVanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck, and Rod Stewart,among other luminaries. And this albumleaves little doubt that its main performer isa drummer; it comes about as close to usinga drum set as lead instrument as any I'veheard so far. And the drumming is some-thing to hear, veritably taking charge ofyour speakers. Unfortunately, it's prettyeasy to be lukewarm about the rest of it.Appice, who co -wrote eight of the songs, isan intelligent songwriter, but the materiallacks the fire of his drumming. You get thefeeling that if he really has something tosay, it's something about the use of drumsand not about the nominal subjects of thesesongs. He does have a decent rock voice,though, and the thought of umpteen otherrock drummers turning green when theyhear this is not unpleasant. N.C.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITRAY BARRETTO: La Cuna. Ray Barretto(congas, percussion); Joe, Farrell (tenor andsoprano saxophones, flute); Tito Puente(timbales); Charlie Palmieri, Carlos Fran-zetti (pianos); Jeremy Wall (synthesizers);John Tropea (guitar); Francisco Centeno(bass); Steve Gadd, Mark Craney (drums);Willy Torres (vocals). La Cuna; Doloroso;Mambotango; The Old Castle; PastimeParadise. CTI 9002 $8.98.

Performance: ExcellentRecording. Excellent

The terrific Ray Barretto is the nominalleader on this 1979 date, which also fea-tures the hothouse pianistics of Charlie Pal-mieri, the elfin flute of Joe Farrell, JohnTropea's full -hearted guitar, and the greatTito Puente on timbales. It's carefully ar-ranged and produced, with the overall ef-fect of a jam session in which tipica Latinmoves easily into salsa and jazz. The threeforms blend instead of making concessions,and it's all very danceable. The only disap-pointments are The Old Castle, which attimes teeters on the melodramatic, and theEnglish lyrics of Pastime Paradise, whichare supposed to be psychosocial commen-tary but are just overloaded word-blurp.But the playing is really sensual, and therecorded sound is first-rate. Ay! J.V.

BOBBY & THE MIDNITES. Bob Weir(vocals, guitar); Billy Cobham (drums, vo-cals); Alphonso Johnson (bass, vocals);Matthew Kelly (harmonica, vocals); BrendMydland (keyboards, vocals). Haze; TooMany Losers; Far Away; Book of Rules;Me Without You; Josephine; and three oth-ers. ARISTA AL 9568 $8.98, ACT 9568$8.98, 0 A8T 9568 $8.98.

Performance: Well IntendedRecording: Average

This isn't exactly an all-star team-it'smore like a convention of second fiddlers -

84 STEREO REVIEW

but it does attempt to give you some good,ungimmicky, blues -based rock. It would doit, too, if the material weren't so lifeless. I

appreciate the effort to relieve us from radiodrivel, but you've got to write these thingsbefore you can play them. If the group hadgiven a little time to finding good, underex-posed tunes that already exist, the projectmight have worked. Instead, they justdashed off a batch or -it sometimesseems -made them up as they went alongafter studio time was booked. Bob Weirdoes get to display a little more of his per-sonality than he does in the Grateful Dead,but I was too bored by the tunes to caremuch. N.C.

WILLIAM BOLCOM AND JOAN MOR-RIS: The Rodgers and Hart Album. JoanMorris, Lucy Simon (vocals); William Bol-com (piano). The Lady Is a Tramp; TenCents a Dance; Take Him; Spring Is Here:Bewitched; Where or When; This FunnyWorld; and six others. RCA ARL I -4123$9.98, © ARK) -4123 $9.98.

Performance MeticulousRecording Good

If this album were as good as the musician-ship, the taste, the effort, and the obviouslygood intentions that went into it, it would bea masterpiece. As it is, it's a charming, me-ticulous genuflection to the popular geniusof the great Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hartsongwriting team. Hart's lyrics had a re-markable suavity and sophistication some-what like Cole Porter's, but they also ex-pressed a wistful resignation and, at times,a dark sadness that made them unique.Such songs as Where's That Rainbow?, Be-witched, Ten Cents a Dance, and It NeverEntered My Mind are only superficiallycaustic or amusing or world-weary; at bot-tom they are heartfelt cries of anguish, andRodgers devised simple, deeply affectingmelodies for them. They should, ideally, beperformed by someone who is familiar withthe brittle, wisecracking, tough -but -tenderThirties style.

As careful, precise, musical, and well-meaning as William Bolcom, Joan Morris,and (on two songs) Lucy Simon are here,they miss the smoky essence of these songs,substituting taste for irony and precision foremotion. If you want a quick lesson in thedifference between a "good performance"and genuine popular art, I suggest you com-pare their versions with Ann Sothern's oldMGM single of Where's That Rainbow?,Vivienne Segal's performance of Bewitchedon the Columbia original -cast recording ofPal Joey, Ruth Etting's definitive TenCents a Dance, also on Columbia, and,finally, Frank Sinatra's superb It Never En-tered My Mind on Capitol. P.R.

JACK BRUCE AND ROBIN TROWER:Truce. Jack Bruce (bass, vocals, key-boards); Robin Trower (guitar); Reg Isi-dore (drums). Gonna Shut You Down;Gone Too Far; Take Good Care of Your-self; Fat Gut; Little Boy Lost; and fourothers. CHRYSALIS CHR 1352 $8.98.

Performance PaleRecording. Good

Jack Bruce has never gotten over havingbeen one-third of Cream. Eric Clapton has


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MAY 1982 85

WE don't often get unanimous agree-ment about how, when, and where a

kind of American music got started. Buteven if it had died out, rockabilly wouldhave earned its lines in the record book. Weknow exactly when it started: July 6, 1954.And where: 706 Union Avenue, Memphis,Tennessee, the address of Sun Records.And how: Elvis Presley, backed by ScottyMoore on guitar and Bill Black on bass,sang That's All Right and Blue Moon ofKentucky. blending the sounds of blues, thethen -fledgling rhythm-and-blues, country,and gospel in a way that made Sam Phillips'eyes light up. Soon to be followed by awhole nation's jukeboxes.

Rockabilly did not last as the nation'shottest craze, but neither did it die out,probably because its basic elements-whichPhillips had been gradually assembling,waiting for the catalyst that turned out tobe named Elvis-made a collective state-ment that got us a little closer to under-standing ourselves. It showed the inextrica-ble mingling of our culture's black andwhite roots at a time when the country wasready for a change in attitude about thecolors people come in (the Supreme Court'sdesegregation ruling was that same year,1954). Rockabilly conveyed something ofthis to the young, who would have to domost of the changing. To a degree, they did.The price they exacted was that rockabillygive them a good time (which includedhelping them feel properly rebellious), andit did. Phillips unleashed his second wave:Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Per-kins, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison .... To-day rockabilly flourishes in a subdued way,but Cash continues to thrive on a smoothed -out version of it, newcomers such as RobertGordon and Joe Ely seek to give it newblood, and its influence continues-youheard it just the other month in ELO's pophit Hold On Tight to Your Dream.

AJUMBLE of rockabilly, old and fairlynew, has been collected by Epic in two dou-ble -disc albums (and there will be anotherone, we are told) called "Rockabilly Stars."They purport to demonstrate, as liner -notewriter Gregg Geller puts it, "how this musicand its artists fared under the aegis of onecompany, CBS Records." Fair enough, butwhat about that reference in the title tostars? Turns out there are several nameshere of the . . er ... magnitude of ErselHickey, whose big moment came when heonce hit No. 73 on the charts.

Certainly Cash, Carl Perkins, the EverlyBrothers, and Charlie Rich were (and insome cases still are) rockabilly stars. Buteven in those cases these albums miss theirmost important or influential performances.Columbia had the Everlys before they werehot, and Rick Nelson long after he was;Cash had already cut his hottest stuff (forthe time being) for Sun, and such stars asElvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, andBuddy Holly were signed by other labels.Such contract vicissitudes give the collec-tion its tone: either you don't get a seminalfigure or you get him at the wrong time anddon't get a seminal performance. Carl Per-kins appears no fewer than nine times, but

his most influential work for some time tocome was then in the past, when he waswith Sun, especially Blue Suede Shoes. ForColumbia he tried to follow that up withdreary sequels, such as Pink Pedal Pushersand Pointed Toe Shoes, that I suspect heand his fans would just as soon forget.

Such "stars" as Larry and Lorrie Collins,Sleepy LaBeef, Sid King and the FiveStrings, and Ronnie Self weren't exactlyhousehold names in the heyday of rockabil-

arl -Blue Suede .Shoe %- Perkins

RockabillyStars

ly. They did make rockabilly music, and/orits precursors, at times (as did Little JimmyDickens, who is represented twice in the col-lection), but you might infer from the spacethey're given here that the Collins Kids in-vented it. You'd get a weird sense of propor-tion about rockabilly in general if this col-lection were all you had to go by.

Still, you do get some interesting music-Marty Robbins' cover of That's All Right,for example. Robbins had a try -anythingattitude in those days (he had already triedumpteen different kinds of work before hegot into music), and he did give rockabilly ago, even if his bets were hedged a bit withcountry -swing twin fiddles behind him. Hisversion did go over more, as I recall, as acountry record than as an example of thisnew thing. A lot of people had been excited

by the song but still weren't quite ready forElvis. Whatever the ramifications, though,Robbins did a nice piece of work.

The collection even catches Carl Smithdoing it. Carl, once married to June Carterbefore she became June Carter Cash, hadstarted out in bluegrass and was as thor-oughly hillbilly as Little Jimmy Dickenswas, but he liked tinkering and is caughthere singing the unlikely Cut AcrossShorty. He sounds a bit lost, but that's thekind of little thing I like about this project.

UNFORTUNATELY, there aren't quiteenough of such little things to overcome thedearth of big things. The authority of John-ny Cash's late -Seventies I Will Rock andRoll with You and Charlie Rich's Big BossMan contrasts rather too boldly with every-thing else, exposing most of it as essentiallyme-tooism. Taken home with modest expec-tations, the albums won't serve you poorly.They will give you examples of rockabilly,some of them a little funky and far out, anda few tunes and performances-though notmany, on a percentage basis-that still holdup admirably as music, labels aside. But ifyou're looking for these examples to be de-finitive, one after another down the line,you're on the wrong Yellow Brick Road.This one doesn't lead to the citadel of rock-abilly, it just circles around the grounds.

-Noel Coppage

ROCKABILLY STARS, VOLUME 1. TheCollins Kids: Wait for the Light to Shine;Party. Everly Brothers: The Sun KeepsShining. Little Jimmy Dickens: Rockin'with Red. Marty Robbins: That's AllRight. Johnny Horton: Honky Tonk Hard-wood Floor. Billy Brown: Did We Have aParty. Carl Perkins: Pink Pedal Pushers;Pointed Toe Shoes; State of Confusion:Sorry Charlie. Scotty Moore: Milk CowBlues. Link Wray: Mary Ann; Raw Hide.Ersel Hickey: Bluebirds over the Mountain.Carl Smith: Cut Across Shorty. Bob Lu-man: Mystery Train. Mac Curtis: HoneyDon't. Johnny Cash: I Will Rock and Rollwith You. Allan Rich: Break Up. MickeyGilley: Lawdy Miss Clawdy. Charlie Rich:Big Boss Man: No Headstone on My Grave;

Feel Like Going Home. EPIC EG 37618two discs, © EGT 37618, no list price.

ROCKABILLY STARS, VOLUME 2. TheCollins Kids: Missouri Waltz; Just Be-cause; Mercy. Lorrie Collins: Rock Boppin'Baby. Larry Collins: Whistle Bait. Sid Kingand the Five Strings: Gonna Shake ThisShack Tonight; Sag, Drag and Fall. EverlyBrothers: Keep a Lovin' Me. Little JimmyDickens: A Hole in My Pocket. Carl Per-kins: Jive After Five; All Mama's Children;Restless; Daddy Sang Bass. Ronnie Self;Bop -a -Lena. Link Wray: Ain't That Lovin'You Babe; Hand Clapper. Sleepy La Beef:Shame, Shame, Shame; You Can't CatchMe. Rick Nelson: That's All Right. BillyLee Riley: / Got a Thing About You Baby.Bob Luman: Big River. Mickey Gilley: I'mthe Number One Rock cf Roll C& W Boo-gie Blues Man: Rockin' My Life Away.EPIC EG 37621 two discs, © EGT 37621,no list price.

86 STEREO REVIEW

long since gone on to other things, and Gin-ger Baker, the last I heard, was operating arecording studio in Nigeria, but Bruce reso-lutely marches on to the past.

This latest attempt to reproduce Creamfeatures the usually abrasive and indulgentguitarist Robin Trower. On this session heplays with an unwonted but becoming mod-esty, deferring to Bruce, who is also cau-tious. The subject matter of most of thesongs-emotional disintegration-has someurgency, but the music has the detachmentof a routine autopsy. J.V.

JIMMY BUFFETT: Somewhere over Chi-na. Jimmy Buffett (vocals, guitar); CoralReefer Band (instrumentals); other musi-cians. Where's the Party; Lip Service;Steamer; and six others. MCA MCA -5285$8.98, © MCAC-5285 $8.98.

Performance WhimsicalRecording Good

There was a time, not too long ago, whenJimmy Buffett was one of the more amus-ing musicians around. His raffish, laid-backtales of life on the Florida coast had a dark.gritty humor, and his performances werenonchalantly impertinent. His last few al-bums, however, have been rather coy andstrained. This latest descends to a kind ofwhimsey that's only one or two steps abovea Beverly Hillbillies episode or an oldCharlie Weaver monologue. Buffett nowseems intent on projecting the image of adown-home humorist-wise, warm, andwonderful. Just a glance over the titles herewill give you an idea of what to expect.Among them are It's Midnight and l Ain'tFamous Yet, When Salome Plays theDrum, Lip Service, and I Heard I Was inTown. Aren't they cute? He rebounds brief-ly in a really fine performance of the oldFrank Loesser hit On a Slow Boat to Chinain which he sounds like his former disreput-able self, but that arrives only at the veryend of the album, which is too late. P.R.

CHIC: Take It Off. Chic (vocals); instru-mental accompaniment. Flash Back; TakeIt Off; Just Out of Reach; Telling Lies;Stage Fright; So Fine; and four others. AT-LANTIC SD 19323 $8.98, 0 CS 19323$8.98, 0 TP 19323 $8.98

Performance Brittle and stylishRecording Good

Chic's name is apt: the group certainly fitsthe dictionary definition of "effective instyle" and "fashionable." Chic enjoyed ex-ceptional popularity during the reign of dis-co, and understandably so: their arrange-ments are sharply defined, crisp, business-like, and fashionably cool. This is dancemusic that demands a certain distance be-tween the partners; there is no room forwarmth or emotional exchange. It is de-signed for the stylishly dressed, sterile -look-ing men and women who imitate the man-nequins in designer -jeans ads and hangaround discos trying to appear bored whenall they warts is for someone to notice them.Chic's music is meant to appeal to thoseconcerned with surfaces, for it is all cleverpackaging and skillfully produced effects. Ifind such ultra -cool, self-proclaimed lack ofsoul depressing, and who needs, that? P.G.


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BURTON CUMMINGS: Sweet Sweet.Burton Cummings (vocals, keyboards); vo-cal and instrumental accompaniment. RealGood; Mother Keep Your Daughters In,Gettin' My Daddy's Car; You Saved MySoul; Something Old, Something New; BadNews; and four others. ALFA AAB-11007$8.98, ACB-11007 $8.98.

Performance GoodRecording. Good

Burton Cummings, former lead singer ofthe Guess Who, has improved since he em-barked on a solo career a few years ago. Hisvoice is beginning to mellow and his phras-ing is better. He now sounds something likea younger B. J. Thomas. Despite his artisticgrowth, however, Cummings may have ademographic problem. "Sweet Sweet" is apleasant, well -produced, and well -sung col-lection of ballads and mild, mid -tempojumpers for the MOR/AOR audience. Butyoung adults have to be careful with a buckthese days, so I wonder about its marketchances. I hope it is successful, for there aresome solid performances and ingratiatingtunes here: Real Good (with master guitar-ist Steve Cropper), Bad News, and the titletrack. Cummings has proved himself a sur-vivor so far, and this album shows he's stillin there pitching. J.V.

DEPECHE MODE: Speak & Spell. De-peche Mode (vocals and instrumentals).New Life; Puppets; Dreaming of Me; BoysSay Go!; Nodisco; What's Your Name?,Any Second Now (Voices); Tora! Tora!Tora!; and three others. SIRE SRK 3642$8.98, © M5S 3642 $8.98.

Performance: Run-of-the-millRecording Okay

The evidence from Depeche Mode (FastFashion) is that there are no new musicalideas, just new synthesizers to play the oldones on. "Speak and Spell" is a smorgas-bord of electronic styles ranging from Mer-

sey Beat to schoolyard songs to Eurodisco tosurfing music, all strained through a noth-ing -to -get -excited -about British sensibilityand recorded in the latest minimalist fash-ion. At its best, "Speak and Spell" suggestswhat an AT&T switching station mightsound like from inside the main transform-er. At its worst, which happens more often,it recalls those mopey British bands of theSixties who dressed in powdered wigs andlivery and sang satires on tea time and Par-liament in droning monotones. M.P.

DR. JOHN: Plays Mac Rebennack (see Bestof the Month, page 67)

EYE TO EYE. Eye to Eye (vocals andinstrumentals); instrumental accompani-ment. Hunger Pains; Life in Motion; NiceGirls; More Hopeless Knowledge; and fourothers. WARNER BROS. BSK 3570 $7.98, ©M5 3570 $7.98.

Performance. Electro-perkedRecording. Good

You might like this. Or it might drive younuts. Or both. Julian Marshall and Debo-rah Berg, under the direction of Steely Danproducer Gary Katz, provide some nice vo-cals and a couple of songs that are more in-teresting than we're accustomed to, but theinstrumentals sound like a combination ofMorton Denny and Kraftwerk. Except inMore Hopeless Knowledge (one of the in-teresting ones), the album is dominated byherky-jerky rhythms electronically en-hanced, which simply means that a lot ofsynthesizer shrieks are superimposed. Itmay remind you of the singularly annoyingexaggerated percolator sound in a MaxwellHouse commercial. Most of the materialseems designed to be treated this way. It'sdifferent, but is it music? N.C.

MICHAEL FRANKS: Objects of Desire.Michael Franks (vocals, guitar); vocal andinstrumental accompaniment. Jealousy;

88 STEREO REVIEW

Laughing Gas; Tahitian Moon; No One butYou; and five others. WARNER BROS. BSK3648 $8.98, © M5 3648 $8.98.

Performance: VagueRecording: Very good

Michael Franks writes some delightful lyr-ics, but the witty conceits and rhymes hereare buried in songs that are weak on melodyand further debilitated by his reedy, indeci-sive vocals. Great efforts have been made tosurround him pith sympathetic arrange-ments and instrumental soloists; the back-up musicians fall to their task with somecheerfulness, but it is obviously somethingof a chore.

The material also isn't as challengingstructurally as on his previous albums, andin some cases the songs are throwaways thatgo on too long, though one or two lines arememorable for charm and word play. Thebest item here, Wonderland, about a loser'sbar, suffers from too much repetition of thechorus (two minutes out of a five-minute to-tal). Still, there are those winning lines:"Used to be mellow/Till you got hold ofme/Now I feel like Othello/I'm dyin' ofjealousy" (Jealousy); "All the people inWonderland have no regrets/They've allmisplaced their raison d'etres" (Wonder-land); "I couldn't stand another perfectday/Of living in this paradise without anend/Guess I needed to feel confused again"(Tahitian Moon). See what I mean? J.V.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITHOT RIZE: Radio Boogie. Hot Rize (vo-cals and instrumentals). Radio Boogie;Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow; Wild BillJones; Just Ain't; No Brakes; Walkin' theDog; Tom and Jerry; and five others. FLY-ING FISH FF 231 $7.98.

Performance. Solid bluegrassRecording: Very good

"Hot Rim" was the name of a special ingre-dient (Lester Flatt pronounced it "spatial")of Martha White Self -Rising Flour, whichfor many years sponsored Flatt andScruggs, and later Flatt's Nashville Grass,on the radio and the teevee. So it's a namewith some bluegrass tradition, and theyoung men in this band live up to it. In threeor four years, Hot Rize has established it-self as one of the best bluegrass bands in thecountry. Ironically, the boys are "outsiders"from the "wrong" mountains; they're fromColorado, not Appalachia, and are muchbetter known in the West than in the East."Radio Boogie" could change that.

Tim O'Brien is a fine singer, an excellentfiddler who'll remind you of Kenny Baker'sclean counterpoint, and maybe even a bet-ter mandolin player. And the other threeguys-Pete Wernick, Charles Sawtelle, andNick Forster-may be just as good. Musi-cianship abounds, as it should in a bluegrassband, and here it's complementary ratherthan competitive (as it often is in bluegrassbands). If you're new to the form, you couldtake this as an example of how to do it. Fly-ing Fish seems to be touting the group as"modern" as well as "traditional." I don'thear that-they sound pretty traditional tome. It's how it's done that counts, and OleLester would've liked this. N.C.

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ClaudiaSchmidt

HERE'S another example of how the mostinteresting stuff-maybe 80 per cent

of it anyway-is happening on the small la-bels. Flying Fish, which seems to be mount-ing a folk -music revival all by itself, has an-other winner in Claudia Schmidt. "Mid-western Heart," her second album, revealsa musical sprite, a genuine free spirit atwork-and she does good work. Accus-tomed to working alone, she brought in alimited number of sidemen (and one wom-an) for this album, and the way she uses

them parallels her unfettered approach towriting and singing. Conventional ideasabout rhythm and lead instrumentation aretossed out, and each song is given a uniquecomplement of instruments, often one that'soff-the-wall by conventional thinking. GiveMe Some has a dulcimer, a trap set, anelectric bass, and a steel drum; Man WhoVisits Me has a twelve -string guitar, a cello,and a harmonica; Dolphin Story has a dul-cimer, an acoustic bass, and a pennywhistle;and so on.

Schmidt sounds like a committed folkie,and her voice echoes others: Joni Mitchell,Cynthia Gooding, the late Sandy Denny.Her songs (she wrote all but three here) arewell crafted and wide ranging. Man WhoVisits Me deals sympathetically with apeeping tom; Dolphin Story spins a mythabout how the dolphin was created from awoman by a jealous god after she refusedhis advances; and Vampire, written by Mi-chael Smith, is about the appeal of being,er ... non -dead. That last one, by the way,isn't anywhere near as bizarre as you'd ex-pect. Instead, it's folk -pretty with enoughstuff in it to keep you awake and glad to bealive. And, speaking of folk -pretty, there'sanother song, Broken Glass, that's justsmashing, with a dandy melody and suchlines as, "My memories of you whirled meback to boiling blood and wrath/And I

wonder if you've stumbled on a lighterpath." Go get 'em, small labels.

-Noel Coppage

CLAUDIA SCHMIDT: Midwestern Heart,Claudia Schmidt (vocals, dulcimer, twelve -string guitar, pianolin); Kelly Sill (bass);Judy Roberts (piano); other musicians.Give Me Some; Man Who Visits Me; TheDarkening; Vampire; Broken Glass; Fare-well My Friends; Alley Dancer; ComingHome to You; Afternoon on a Woodpile;Dolphin Story; This Is the Hour. FLYINGFISH FF 241 $8.98.

MAGIC SAM: Live. Magic Sam (guitar,vocals); Eddie Shaw (tenor saxophone, vo-cals); A. C. Reed (tenor saxophone); Ty-rone Carter (electric piano); Mac Thomp-son (bass, vocals); Bob Richey, Robert"Huckleberry Hound" Wright, Sam Lay(drums); Bruce Barlow (bass). Every NightAbout This Time; Mole's Blues; ToreDown; You Were Wrong; Come On in ThisHouse; Riding High; I Need You So Bad;Strange Things Happening; All Your Love;Sweet Home Chicago; and six others. DEL -MARK DL -645/646 two discs $9.98.

Performance: ExcitingRecording: Okay

Magic Sam (Samuel Maghett), the crownprince of South Side Chicago blues duringthe Fifties and Sixties, died of a heart at-tack in 1969 when he was thirty-two. Henever became as well known as MuddyWaters or Howlin' Wolf, but he was a wowon the tough club circuit. In 1957 he cut AllYour Love for the local Cobra label. Itseerie chord progression and dramatic vocalmade it a regional hit. I remember it well,

having tuned in one night to black radio sta-tion WGES to be knocked almost out of mychair. In the mid -1960s Sam was signed toDelmark Records, a white -owned blues -en-thusiast label, and made two albums forthem. These led to his booking at the 1969Ann Arbor Blues Festival, where his per-formance converted a lukewarm crowd intoraving true believers. Had he lived, hewould have had a comfortable career on thecampus circuit and in Europe.

The first disc of this set is compiled fromon -the -spot recordings at the Alex Club inChicago in 1963-1964, the second from re-cordings made at the Ann Arbor Festival,where the amplifier system was designed bythe same team that, a few months later,rigged up Woodstock. Despite obviouslimitations, the sound is better than you'dexpect.

Delmark's claim that Sam's live perform-ances differed significantly from his studiowork is proved by this album. He was anexuberant performer who obviously likedworking in front of an audience. One of thepleasures of this set is comparing Sam "at

home" with a black crowd at the Alex Cluband gradually adjusting to the enthusiasmof a white crowd at Ann Arbor. Most blues -men at that time had seldom if ever playedfor white audiences. I can recommend thiscollection not only to blues fans but also tostudents of American popular musicalhistory. J. V.

CURTIS MAYFIELD: Love Is the Place,Curtis Mayfield (vocals); vocal and instru-mental accompaniment. She Don't Let No-body (But Me); Toot an' Toot an' Toot;Babydoll; Love Is the Place; Just Ease MyMind; and three others. BOARDWALK NBI33239 $8.98.

Performance. EclecticRecording: Good

As one of the soul survivors of r-&-b's goldenage, Curtis Mayfield deserves a close listen nomatter what he happens to be doing. This timearound, he tries out a number of new direc-tions. On the opener, She Don't Let Nobody(But Me), he does a bit of scat singing a la AlJarreau, but he seems uncomfortable andawkward with it, and that's all he does herein that style. On a couple of numbers he useslight reggae rhythms, and on Babydoll hetalks his way into the song the way IsaacHayes often does. About half the second sideseems borrowed from the country -musicrepertoire, although these are original May-field compositions. Sound like a strange al-bum? It is. But you won't be bored, for it'simpossible to guess what's coming next.

For old Mayfield buffs, there is a moretraditional treat. On the last selection, ComeFree Your People, Mayfield stops experi-menting and settles down to doing what hedoes best, which is to deliver one of his con-temporary message songs in the gospel -fla-vored, full -hearted style that is his hallmark.It's the clincher for the whole set. P.G.

JUNE MILLINGTON: Heartsong. JuneMillington (vocals, guitar); vocal and in-strumental accompaniment. I'll Keep Hold-ing On; Coconut Mentality; When Wrong IsRight; Trouble; Rosarita; and five others.FABULOUS LF929 $7.

Performance. GoodRecording Middling

June Millington, fo, lerly of Fanny, an all -female rock group that achieved some pop-ularity in the early Seventies, here steps outin her first solo album. Her music bears asuperficial .esemblance to that of ToniBrown. Or at least that reference will putyou in the ballpark: it's a light, vaguelyjazz -influenced approach. She writes andsings with some skill, although as repre-sented here she is more musician than lyri-cist. Her lyrics are above average by today'sstandards, but below what the average hasto be if people are to get as excited aboutpop music as they were a few years ago. Butwhat really troubles me is the hybrid, amor-phous style of the instrumentals. I get theimpression they are as slick as the budgetwould allow and will get slicker the minutethe budget is increased. So I have my goodmoments and my bad moments with this al-bum, but there's a talent here that bearswatching. N.C.

T. S. MONK: More of the Good Life. T. S.Monk (vocals and instrumentals); instru-

90 STEREO REVIEW

mental accompaniment. Everybody Get Upand Dance; Too Much Too Soon; Falling inLove with You; Oh! Oh! Speedo; and threeothers. MIRAGE WTG 19324 $8.98, © D519324 $8.98, 0 TP 19324 $8.98.

Performance Polished funkRecording: Good

Perhaps it is beside the point to note thatT. S. Monk, the popular new funk group,includes both the son (Thelonius Monk Jr.)and daughter (Boo Boo Monk) of the The-lonious Sphere Monk, the great jazz pianistwho died in February. Then again, probablymany of the junior Monks' fans are unfa-miliar with the father's historic role in thedevelopment of modern jazz. Just chalkit up to the generation gap; T. S. Monk's ma-terial is certainly not in Thelonius MonkSr.'s league, but it is evidently what ayoung pop -music audience wants to hear.

The emphasis in "More of the Good Life" ison the heavy beat of black dance music. Thelyrics obviously aren't intended to be mem-orable, yet there are many imaginativetouches. A few tracks jump out with specialinsistence, most notably Falling in Love withYou, which has an exceptionally appealingmelodic line. Thelonius Jr., a singer -percus-sionist, and his vocal collaborators YvonneFletcher and Boo Boo Monk sing with realstyle and cohesion. Overall, the album evi-dences sound musicianship. It doesn't knockme out, but it's well done and makes pleasantlistening. P.G.

POLYROCK: Changing Hearts. Polyrock(vocals and instrumentals). ChangingHearts; Love Song; Quiet Spot; Cries andWhispers; Mean Cow; In Full Circle; andfive others. RCA AFL I -4043 $8.98,A FK I -4043 $8.98.

Performance Very goodRecording: Very good

The accent in Polyrock is on poly, as inpolyester, rather than on rock, as in down-to-earth. Recording under the aegis of NewMusic composer Philip Glass, Polyrock ismainstream avant -garde -no longer such acontradiction when one considers what loftapartments in New York's Soho are fetch-ing these days. The band did do at least twothings right on "Changing Hearts": theykept the tempo brisk, and they didn't weartheir intellect on the inner sleeve. Ratherthan another pretentious art -rock state-ment, "Changing Hearts" stands on somesolid musical merits, not least of which is acool energy. The songs here are built up ondiscrete layers of synthesized keyboardsand shot through with agile, inquisitive gui-tar lines -basically rhythm -conscious mu-sic with some interesting melodic passages.Although the vocals are of the mannered,arty sort that is rapidly wearing out its wel-come on my turntable, the vigorous pacinghere makes them a little easier to overlook."Changing Hearts" won't change yourmind about avant-garde music, but it'sfresh and lively enough for those who liketheir art to rock, and it poses some questionsfor those who like their rock to puzzle.

M.P.

PRISM: Small Change. Prism (vocals andinstrumentals). Don't Let Him Know; TurnOn Your Radar; Hole in Paradise; Rain;Stay; Heart and Soul; and four others.

CAPITOL ST -12184 $8.98, © 4XT- I 218458.98.

Performance Radio -readyRecording Very good

You could take the album title to mean thesongs won't be very different from much ofthe stuff on the radio, especially Foreign-er's. Prism has the same kind of strainedearnestness about material that's mostlydoggerel. Yet it's not every day that a bandseemingly custom-made for bubblegumrock records a Jimmie Rodgers tune (In theJailhouse Now), and it's rare that you hearsuch a band this well recorded. There's acrispness and transparency about the engi-neering job on "Small Change" that lets

every drop of music come through in its bestlight. The band takes a Led Zep approachto the Rodgers tune, incidentally, and pret-ty thoroughly messes it up, but the boys arecompetent enough at most of what they do,songwriting aside. It comes down to wheth-er you're young enough not to have heard itall before. That would make you mightyyoung, but you'll get over it. N.C.

JIM REEVES & PATSY CLINE: GreatestHits. Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline (vocals); in-strumental accompaniment. Have YouEver Been Lonely; Welcome to My World;He'll Have to Go; Crazy; Sweet Dreams;Four Walls; Golden Memories and SilverTears; and three others. RCA AHLI-4127

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91

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Performance Okay as a samplerRecording. Well-preserved

The gimmick here is a grafted -togetherduet by two singers who have been dead foryears and who never recorded togetherwhile alive. Both recorded Have You EverBeen Lonely in the early Sixties-with twodifferent producers-and the notes say, "Itwas merely by coincidence that the songwas recorded almost in the same key." Thatmust mean a half-step apart, and that mustmean the producer and the engineer of this,Owen Bradley and Bill Harris, respectively,juggled tape speeds, as they seem to be inthe same key now. They have Reeves sing-ing a line and then Patsy singing a line andboth singing the refrain-in unison. Mod-ern technology apparently stops short ofturning a lead line into a harmony line.Otherwise, you get five of Jim's greatesthits and four of Patsy's, all of which are al-ready available in countless repackagings.But if you haven't yet added either Reevesor Cline to your collection, and want onlythe best of their best, 'twill serve. They wereamong the first of the countrypolitan sing-ers-although Cline, echoing Bessie Smith,was more than that-and their work contin-ues to be influential today. N.C.

RENAISSANCE: Camera Camera. Renais-sance (vocals and instrumentals). CameraCamera; Faeries; Remember; BonjourSwansong: Tyrant -Tula; Okichi-San; andthree others. IRS SP 70019 $8.98, ©CS 70019 $8.98, e 8T 70019 $8.98.

Performance GoodRecording Good

Renaissance seems to have become synthe-sizer -addicted since its work last came myway, and that's the biggest thing wrongwith this album. As far as I'm concerned,the debate is over: the synthesizer is not amusical instrument but a gadget. If you lis-ten to this and imagine it done George Mar-tin -style, with a grand piano and an Elea-nor Rigby -size string ensemble, you mightsee what I mean. The soullessness of oscilla-tor -generated pure tones just doesn't benefitthe program. But Renaissance continues tohave good melodic ideas and write betterthan passable lyrics, and its feel for whatthe instruments ought to be doing-puttingaside for a moment what instruments theyare-is still good and still seeminglygrounded in classical orchestration. AnnieHaslam is quite effective, too, when she issurrounded by harmonies, where the brassyedge on her voice can do some proper cut-ting -through. Alone, she indulges a bit inmosquito -imitating vibrato. But the damnedsynthesizer is the main problem. N.C.

SMOKEY ROBINSON: Yes It's You Lady.Smokey Robinson (vocals); vocal and in-strumental accompaniment. Tell Me To-morrow; Old Fashioned Love; Destiny; andsix others. TAMLA TL -6001 $7.98, © T75-6001 $7.98, 0 T8-6001 $7.98.

Performance UnevenRecording. Very good

It was almost twenty-five years ago thatSmokey Robinson and the Miracles helpedBerry Gordy launch Motown Records with

Get a Job. A local Detroit release, it was theseed that sprouted into one of the most suc-cessful independent record companies in theworld. Subsequent Motown releases alteredthe sound of America's pop music, and allthrough the label's first decade Robinsonplayed an important role in its phenomenalgrowth, not only as a singer and songwriterbut also as a producer and guiding light forthe stream of budding talent that collective-ly established the "Motown sound."

Robinson quit the Miracles some tenyears ago, but he has continued to writesongs and make albums for Tamla, a Mo-town subsidiary label introduced in 1959with-not so coincidentally-a Miracles re-lease. This new Tamla album demonstratesthat Robinson, now forty-two, still has hisvocal equipment, but that familiar smooth,high-pitched voice can also dull the senseswhen it is applied to monotonous material.Unfortunately, that happens all too oftenhere, though not on the four songs Robinsonwrote himself. The unevenness of this re-lease makes me wonder why Smokey Robin-son subjects himself to producers, arrangers,and songwriters who are much less talentedthan he is. C.A.

SISTER SLEDGE: The Sisters (see Best ofthe Month, page 64)

SNEAKER. Sneaker (vocals and instru-mentals). Don't Let Me In; More Than Justthe Two of Us; Get Up, Get Out; Million-aire: Looking for Someone; and four others.HANDSHAKE FW 37631,0 FWT 37631, nolist price.


Sneaker is a Los Angeles -based group withthickly layered vocal harmonies a la AirSupply, Orleans; and the Little River Band.Their material here mainly is aw-gee-you're-swell love ballads; the exception isDon't Let Me In by Walter Becker andDonald Fagan (alias Steely Dan), whichhas that Juo's customary dose of vinegar.Although Sneaker's sound is smooth, it islargely derivative, and I don't advise you towear out your best shoes running to therecord store for it. J.V.

AL STEWART: Live/Indian Summer. AlStewart (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Shot inthe Dark (vocals and instrumentals). Herein Angola: Pandora: Indian Summer; De-lia's Gone; Princess Olivia: Running Man;Time Passages; Merlin's Time; On the Bor-der; Year of the Cat: and five others. ARIS-TA A2L 8607 two discs $13.98, © A2CT8607 $13.98, 0 A28T 8607 $13.98.


Al Stewart may not use the King's Englishto any real purpose, but he does use it. He isone songwriter you can distinguish linguis-tically from the average bozo on the street.He seems fond of melodies too, and the firstside of this two -disc set finds him at playagain in both fields in some bright, if incon-sequential, new songs. Think of it as old-time -drawing -room -chat music and you'llbe all right. Since that first side was re-corded in the studio, this is only a three-quarters live album. The rest is available on


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other records, probably all owned alreadyby the members of Stewart's sizable cult,but I'm gratified that he included the lessfamiliar thing about Nostradamus in therewith Year of the Cat and Time Passages.He and his group make a fine, scuffed -upbut light sound that isn't much differentfrom the way it sounded the first time, songfor song, in the studio. But they give youactual music intelligently played. This setwould serve nicely as an introduction to AlStewart. N.C.

TOMPALL AND THE GLASER BROTH-ERS: Lovin' Her Was Easier. TompallGlaser, Chuck Glaser (vocals); Jim Glaser(vocals, guitar); instrumental accompani-ment. Lovin' Her Was Easier; It'll Be Her;Busted; Feelin' the Weight of My Chains;Just One Time; The Last Thing on MyMind; and four others. ELI-KTRA 5E-542$8.98, © 5C5-542 $8.98, 0 5T8-542$8.98.

Performance High plains harmoniesRecording Good

The Glaser Brothers split up in 1973, andTompall has had a fair -to -middling solo ca-reer since, but here is an album that sug-gests brothers who can sing should sing to-gether as long as they can stand it. Theseboys, in case you forgot or never heard, havea high, dry, Western sound reminiscent ofthe Sons of the Pioneers (that's why theysounded so good backing Marty Robbins onhis cowboy songs twenty years ago), whichmay be a natural part of their coming fromthe plains of Nebraska. But they like to dothe more moist and emotional songs of theSoutheast, making for a combination thathas been missing, and missed, aroundNashville.

The program here is a careful blend ofcontemporary songs and neglected stand-ards and near -standards such as HarlanHoward's Busted, Don Gibson's Just OneTime, Tom Paxton's The Last Thing on MyMind, and Mansion on the Hill by FredRose and Hank Williams. The brothers givesome of these a more straight -ahead treat-ment than one expects, as if to simplifyeverything that might distract attentionfrom the harmonies. The three Glasers(Tompall and Chuck are twins, by the way,while Jim is four years younger) have suchsimilar vocal characteristics that their har-monies are simply tighter than three stran-gers could get them. The album isn't a rev-elation, and it isn't quite as exciting as I

would like, but it shows what makes a goodbrother act good; I'm glad to have it. N.C.

BOB WELCH. Bob Welch (vocals, guitar);instrumental accompaniment. Two to Do;Remember; Bend Me Shape Me; That'sWhat We Said; Drive; and five others. RCAAFLI-4107 $8.98, © AFKI-4107 $8.98,0AFS1-4107 $8.98.

Performance Radio rockRecording Very good

The more I hear of Bob Welch's solo ef-forts, the more I wonder whether he andFleetwood Mac didn't part company be-cause he was too middle-class for the rest ofthem. This one is a slick and sophisticatedpresentation of basic bubblegum, which isto say here's Welch cheerfully putting hischips in the pot with the likes of Styx, For -

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eigner, and Supertramp. It is a little moretuneful than this kind of thing usually is,but the overriding feeling is that Welch isconstantly fine-tuning to an audience quitea bit younger than he is, and I find thatbothersome. Still, it's the kind of thing theradio will play, and it is well crafted. N.C.

WHISPERS: Love Is Where You Find It.Whispers (vocals); instrumental accom-paniment. In the Raw; Turn Me Out; SayYes; Love Is Where You Find It; Only YOU:and three others. SOLAR S-27 $8.98, © SC -27 $8.98, 0 ST -27 $8.98.

Performance: SmoothRecording: Good

It's a good thing the Whispers are in a spir-ited mood on this album. They sing with thekeen precision and sweet harmony we havecome to expect from them, but since most ofthe selections here really couldn't jump outand grab you in their own right, they had toinvest more energy in putting them across.The album is divided into a fast side and aslow side; the latter is more successful, for itenables the Whispers to play up theirstrongest point, the fine quality of theirtone. Okay for casual listening, but not oneof their best releases. P.G.

COLLECTION

IN HARMONY 2. Billy Joel: NobodyKnows but Me. James Taylor: Sunny Skies.Lou Rawls and Deniece Williams: The Owland the Pussycat. Teddy Pendergrass:Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand).Janis Ian: Ginny the Flying Girl. And sixothers. COLUMBIA BFC 37641, © BCT37641, no list price.

Performance- Mostly missesRecording: Very good

Not to pontificate or anything, but it seemsto me that most of the entertainment sanc-tioned for children by educators, PTAgroups, child psychologists, and the like willeither bore them to death, condescend inways they are bright enough to notice, orstifle whatever sense of wonder they mayotherwise have developed.

I put forward this perhaps heretical opin-ion after listening to "In Harmony 2,"which features adults singing, ostensibly,for children. It was put together by theteam responsible for 1980's Grammy -winning "In Harmony," Lucy Simon andDavid Levine, her producer husband. De-pending on whether you agree with my viewas expressed above, it will probably strikeyou as either cute or icky. Then again, I findmany of the artists here-Janis Ian, KennyLoggins, James Taylor-basically cute oricky when they're performing for those of usin long pants. It all goes down fairly inof-fensively, though, and there are two stand-out tracks. Dr. John, bless him, does a mar-velously gruff job with Bobby Darin's sub-limely silly old Splash Splash, and even bet-ter is Bruce Springsteen's live version ofSanta Claus Is Coming to Town, which hasbeen widely bootlegged and makes a long -overdue official appearance here. Bruce andthe E Streeters don't begin to approach thesymphonic grandeur of the Phil Spectororiginal they learned it from, but they dis-play a heart as big as all outdoors-andonly a churlish child could resist. S.S.

THEATER FILMS

ARTHUR-THE ALBUM (Burt Bacha-rach-Carole Bayer Sager). Original -sound-track recording. Christopher Cross, Nico-lette Larson, Ambrosia, Stephen Bishop(vocajs); orchestra. WARNER BROS. BSK3582 $8.98, © M5 3582 $8.98.

Performance: Hot Cross, that's itRecording: Glossy

Burt Bacharach scored the motion -picturesoundtrack for Arthur and then portionedout various sections of it as pop singles forsuch singers as Ambrosia, Stephen Bishop,and Nicolette Larsen. The original instru-mental score takes up side two of this al-bum; the singles are on side one. It waswhen he approached Christopher Cross tocollaborate on and perform the main theme,however, that Bacharach hit real gold. Car-ole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen are alsolisted as members of the committee thatturned out one of Cross' biggest single hits.Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) isone of those amorphous, almost wimpy bal-lads that Cross has made such a specialityof. He performs it in his broadly emotionalstyle with his usual devotion to lyric com-municativeness. There's a reason for Cross'success: he gives the impression of truly be-lieving in his material. The rest of the al-bum is forgettable. P.R.

NAPOLEON (Carmine Coppola). Excerptsfrom the soundtrack. Milan PhilharmonicOrchestra, Carmine Coppola cond. CBSFM 37230, © FMT 37230, no list price.

Performance BlusteryRecording Adequate

Abel Gance's 1927 movie Napoleon, hislast big creative achievement, is a truly re-markable production. With its thousands ofextras, its camera angles, its tinted scenes,its Polyvision triptychs that anticipatedCinerama by about thirty years, Napoleonis a startling spectacle to behold. When thefour-hour version reconstructed by KevinBrownlow was shown at Radio City MusicHall last spring and again in the fall, thefinal triptych scenes stretched wall to wallon the gigantic screen, and there was a sym-phony orchestra on hand playing the newscore Carmine Coppola had composed tounderline the pageantry and excitement ofthe action.

Now a soundtrack has been made for themovie, and this record contains an hour'sworth of Mr. Coppola's music. Minus theBeethoven and Mendelssohn overtures Mr.Coppola had added as filler, though, andrather roughly played under the composer'sdirection by the Milan Philharmonic, thescore is something of a disappointment.There are plodding marches, a terribly ba-nal love theme, wedding music that sounds

96 STEREO REVIEW

like warmed -up leftovers from the score ofThe Godfather, and a triumphal finale thatis remarkable mainly for the stirring Mar-seillaise on which it depends.

The original music for Napoleon waswritten by no less a figure than ArthurHonegger, who scored a number of Gance'smovies. I am told that the use of his music isimpracticable for the current film (the ver-sion he scored ran for only two and a halfhours), but it would be interesting to hearhow that daring modern composer handledthe assignment. P.K.

RANDY NEWMAN: Ragtime. RandyNewman (vocals, piano); Jennifer Warnes(vocals); orchestra, Randy Newman arr.and cond. Newsreel; I Could Love a MillionGirls; Tateh's Picture Book; DelmonicoPolka; and fourteen others. ELEKTRA 5E-565 $8.98, 0 5C5-565 $8.98.

Performance: GentleRecording: Good

Randy Newman was the logical choice towrite the music for Ragtime, since his mel-odies regularly evoke a flavor of America-na, often recalling the era dealt with in themovie. Of course, in the film you get lessthan the whole Randy Newman; he's notonly constrained to keep his lyrics free oftheir customary cynicism but constrained toavoid lyrics altogether most of the time.What he has done is to compose elegant lit-tle pieces-some of the ones on this albumare from the movie itself, some not-thatsound as old as they're supposed to, with the

piano generally featured. The spirit of ScottJoplin is in it, though his ragtime is not. Thescore is not entirely quiet and pensive, butthere's no melodrama in it. It's movie musicwithout being doggedly incidental. N.C.

THE WESTERN FILM WORLD OFDIMITRI TIOMKIN. John McCarthySingers; London Studio Symphony Orches-tra, Laurie Johnson cond. Music fromGiant, Red River, Duel in the Sun, HighNoon, Night Passage, and Rio Bravo. UNI-CORN-KANCHANA 0 DKP 9002 $15.

Performance: GoodRecording: Excellent

The gigantically lush sound is the main at-traction of this beautifully engineered andrecorded disc. Composer Dimitri Tiomkinwas a favorite of old-time Hollywood pro-ducers for his ability to provide sweepingorchestral color, large-scale themes to pointup dramatic screen action, and a certain airof "importance" that psychologically up-graded low -budget movies. Even such rela-tively modest efforts as Night Passage andRio Bravo got the Full Treatment. Whenfaced with such colossi as George Stevens'sprawling soap opera Giant or King Vidor'smurkily Freudian Duel in the Sun, the fa-cile Tiomkin responded with scores thatmade Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky soundlike a Bach partita. Very noisy stuff, butwithout the ageless, saving grace that otherHollywood thunderer, Erich WolfgangKorngold, had in such abundance-a giftfor melody. P.R.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITRON CARTER: Super Strings. Ron Carter(bass); John Tropea (guitar); Kenny Barron(piano); Jack DeJohnette (drums); RalphMacDonald (percussion); other musicians.Burin': Uptown Conversation; No Flowers,Please; and three others. MILESTONE M-9100 $7.98.

Performance Super IndeedRecording: Good

Any Ran Carter album is a hard act to fol-low, but clearly not for Mr. Carter himself.Time and again he outdoes himself. ''SuperStrings- features the full-bodied, exquisite-ly plucked bass of the leader and a stellarquintet set against a soft, cushioned back-ground of strings. It is an album of lyricalbeauty and tender, meaty jazz expressions.A characteristic Ron Carter release. C.A.


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RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT

HAVING admired jazz guitarist BuckyPizzarelli for several years, I'm de-

lighted not only with the playing on his newStash solo album, "Love Songs," but alsowith its basic-very basic-concept: put amusician who knows what he's doing in astudio by himself, turn on the tape recorder,and let talent take its course.

From the Twenties on, jazz solo -guitarrecordings have been made either for a lim-ited audience or at the whim of a producer,so there haven't been many of them. Andmost of the classics were included on theYazoo collections "Pioneers of the JazzGuitar" (L-1057) and "Fun on the Frets"(L-1061), which featured Eddie Lang, CarlKress, Dick McDonough, and George VanEps, among others. Pizzarelli's playing is inthe same tradition.

The selections on "Love Songs" were

chosen with taste and care from the cata-logs of Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington, Hoa-gy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, VernonDuke, and others of their stature. The onlything I miss on this record is the feeling ofbeing in a small club at the last set, whenthe music and the customers are at theirmellowest. But this is surely the next bestthing. -Joel Vance

BUCKY PIZZARELLI: Love Songs. BuckyPizzarelli (guitar). You Must Believe inSpring; Folks Who Live on the Hill; OneMorning in May; Flashes; SophisticatedLady/Prelude to a Kiss; Concerto for Gui-tar; Bad and the Beautiful; Last NightWhen We Were Young; Smoke Gets inYour Eyes; Autumn Leaves/Autumn inNew York; Spring Can Really Hang YouUp the Most. STASH ST2I 3 $8.9R.

RICHIE COLE: Cool "C." Richie Cole(alto and tenor saxophones); instrumentalaccompaniment. Autumn Leaves; On GreenDolphin Street; Back to Bop; Blue Bossa;and three others. MUSE MR 5245 $8.98.

Performance Very goodRecording Excellent

Saxophonist Richie Cole's fascination withmusical camp has at times gotten in the wayof his delivering a wholly satisfying jazzperformance. That can be particularly an-noying because Cole has often proved him-self to be a superb musician, one whose art-istry is merely diluted when he shares a mu-sical environment with such performers asManhattan Transfer or Tom Waits.

Fortunately, there are no such distrac-tions on "Cool 'C'," a new album featuringCole with an excellent orchestra of Japa-nese musicians. The thirteen -piece orches-tra plays, with precision and swing, ar-rangements that stunningly complementRichie Cole's robust, authoritative saxo-phone. Except for the title tune, the chartswere written by pianist Himiko Kikuchi,who will undoubtedly be heard from again.If I had to single out the most impressivetrack, it would be Someday My Prince WillCome, a tune that was assured a place inthe jazz repertoire through the treatmentgiven it by Dave Brubeck and Miles Davis.If there was any question of the song's fad-ing from the jazz scene, Cole's performanceof it here certainly gives it renewed life."Cool 'C' " lives up to its title. C.A.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITAL DI MEOLA: Electric Rendezvous. Al DiMeola (guitar); instrumental accompani-ment. God Bird Change; Electric Rendez-vous; Passion, Grace & Fire; Cruisin'; andthree others. COLUMBIA FC 37654, © FCT37654, 0 FCA 37654, no list price.

Performance OverwhelmingRecording: Very good

Al Di Meola plays the guitar like a man with athousand fingers. His facility is nothing short

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of breathtaking, and his highly energized ap-proach with its daring layered rhythms isguaranteed to generate excitement. All thesefamiliar qualities are apparent in abundanceon this new album, which otherwise differsfrom its predecessors in representing a sharpturn toward rock. The acid -edged texture willplease or repel you depending on whether youlike hard rock. Yet "Electric Rendezvous" isstill close enough to fusion jazz to be appre-ciated more widely.

If there is a shortcoming here, it is a ten-dency toward bombast. Too often Di Meolathrows everything he has at you, apparentlytrying todazzle rather than woo. But when hesettles down to a cooler mood, he shows he canbevery effective in a more subtle way. Overall,the mix here is good. One particularly inter-esting track is a long solo selection calledPassion, Grace & Fire, which just about de-scribes the ingredients at the core of Al DiMeola's music. Now for just a touch moreof that grace. P.G.

ECHOES OF AN ERA. Chaka Khan (vo-cals); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugel-horn); Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone);Chick Corea (piano); Stanley Clarke(bass); Lenny White (drums). Them ThereEyes; All of Me (two takes); Take the "A"Train; 1 Mean You; and four others. ELEK-TRA E1-60021 $8.98, © E4-60021 $8.98.

Performance ForgettableRecording Very good

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITTHE GRIFFITH PARK COLLECTION.Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn);Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); ChickCorea (piano); Stanley Clarke (bass); Len-ny White (drums). Happy Times; Guerni-ca; October Ballade; and three others.ELEKTRA/ MUSICIAN E1-60025 $8.98, ©E4-60025 $8.98.

Performance. MemorableRecording Very good

You may wonder what Chaka Khan, ther -&-b screamer of Rufus fame, is doing insuch illustrious jazz company as the quintetthat accompanies her on "Echoes of AnEra." Ah, but of course: Chick Corea, Stan-ley Clarke, Lenny White -this is more ofthe old Return to Forever fusion, right?Wrong! This is, in fact, an all -acoustic, all -jazz group, and a most splendid one at that.The problem is that Khan is so far out ofher depth here that her vocals turn whatcould have been a great album into a pain-ful, embarrassing listening experience. Oh,she tries, but that is one of the major faultswith her performance -she tries too hard tobe a blend of Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter,and a few other jazz singers. The result is astrenuous exercise in futility, an abrasivesound made all the more annoying by thefact that the accompaniment is so thor-oughly fine.

When I first heard "Echoes," all I couldthink of was how wonderful it would havebeen if Khan had kept her vocals to herselfand we could have enjoyed the instrumen-tals on their own. Well, wishes do some-times come true. No, I wasn't able to erasethe vocal tracks, but the mailman brought"The Griffith Park Collection," an albumon Bruce Lundvall's new Elektra/Musicianlabel (a promising venture). The GPC turns

MAY 1982

out to be the very same quintet sensibly re-corded without the pop vocals. This is theset to add to your collection, an invigoratingexercise in the arts of improvisation andteamwork C.A.

BOBBE NORRIS: Close Up. Bobbe Norris(vocals); vocal and instrumental accom-paniment. Out of This World: After You;Looking at You; You're Free; Swan; LadySings the Blues; and five others. FOUR DI-RECTIONS FDR-2000 $7.98 (from Four Di-rections Records, P.O. Box 1028, Pacifica,Calif. 94044).


Bobbe Norris had a brief go -round on a ma-jor label several years ago. The companyhad signed her on as a jazz singer, thenchanged its mind and tried to refashion herinto a Vegas -style belter. Now she's backsinging the kind of material she does best -big smoky ballads such as Cole Porter's Af-ter You and Harold Arlen's Out of ThisWorld --in her deep, velvet voice. Probablythe best track here is Alec Wilder's LadySings the Blues, in which Norris goesbeyond simple beauty of tone and sinuous-ness of phrasing to really act out the song.She ought to try that more often. The sec-ond side of this record is devoted to fivesongs by Larry Dunlap, who produced thealbum and provides keyboard accompani-ment and background vocals on some cuts.Dunlap's material is a waste of Bobbe Nor-ris' talents, but the other six songs are worththe price of the album. P.R.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITJIMMY ROWLES: Plays Duke Ellingtonand Billy Strayhorn. Jimmy Rowles (pi-ano). Lush Life; Mood Indigo; Lotus Blos-som; Lost in Meditation; Blood Count; andfive others. COLUMBIA FC 37639, © FCT37639, no list price.

Performance: ExcellentRecording: Very good

If pianist Jimmy Rowles does not have aneasily identifiable style of his own, he has atleast one quality that consistently marks hisplaying: taste. He is also extremely versatileand superbly imaginative. Rowles feels heowes a large debt to the music of the lateDuke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, andthis most recent Columbia album may beconsidered partial payment of that debt. Itis a wonderful collection of solo pieces basedon the works of the two men. I say "based"because Rowles has rewritten the material,but he has done it lovingly and with respectfor the original melody lines. C.A.

GEORGE SHEARING AND MARIANMcPARTLAND: Alone Together. GeorgeShearing, Marian McPartland (pianos).Chasing Shadows; Born to Be Blue; No-body Else but Me; Alone Together; and sixothers. CONCORD JAZZ CJ -171 $8.98.

Performance ElegantRecording Very good

This is assured, graceful, civilized musicmaking by two of the very best jazz pianistsaround. George Shearing and MarianMcPartland have, by this stage in their ca -


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HORT. squat, stone -faced, and possessedS of (perhaps possessed bl.) the mostethereally beautiful tone ever made by a hu-man on the alto saxophone, Johnny Hodgeswas the prodigal star of stars of the DukeEllington Orchestra for thirty-five years.During his lifetime he was respected by mu-sicians and adored by the public. Now,twelve years after his death, there is a

Hodges boomlet in reissues. He is the sub-ject of a new three -disc collection in theTime -Life "Giants of Jazz" series, and along -lost 1947 combo session has been re-packaged by Prestige.

Hodges' association with Ellington was sointimate and of such long duration-from1928 to 1970, with a four-year defection-that his best-known solos are contained inthe Duke's own classics (SophisticatedLady, In a Sentimental Mood) and in themore ambitious orchestral suites (Black,Brown and Beige). But Hodges occasionallyfree-lanced with outside pick-up groups inthe late Thirties as well as leading an El-lington contingent on combo sessions. IfDuke's concept and command of his orches-tra were imperial, Hodges was a self-gov-erning dominion within the empire. TheTime -Life and Prestige releases demon-strate how essential Hodges was to Elling-ton's musical thinking and how each bal-anced his loyalty to the other with an equalconcern for preserving his individuality.

Hodges' playing, once heard, is unforget-table. His musical ideas, carried by thatgorgeous tone, were stately, dramatic, ten-der, and wry. No one else's playing could beso openly sentimental without being bathet-ic. He also had a remarkable ability tosound urgent without being effusive. Therewas always a dignified reserve to his workthat bespoke his self-confidence; he knewexactly what he wanted to say and how to

Johnny`Hodges

Raymond Ross

say it. Hodges never played too much or toolittle, just the right amount.

In his personal life, he had a healthy ap-petite for food, the ladies (who frequentlyfell for his romantic, playing), and a bonusdollar. Despite Hodges' occasional skir-mishes with Ellington over musical phrasesappropriated by the Duke for his own com-positions, each man looked out for the oth-er's interests and reputation. They were al-most symbiotic. Toward the end of his life,as he grew stouter, Hodges so much resem-bled Ellington facially that he was some-times mistaken for him. "Are you Duke El-lington?" he was once asked. Giving the in-nocent a slow look, Hodges replied, "No.Not today." A metaphysical statement ifever there was one.

BORN Cornelius Hodges-the "Johnny"was passed down from his father-he wasurged to take up the piano, preferreddrums, and settled on the soprano saxo-phone because it "looked so pretty." Hepracticed to records by his idol Sidney Be-chet. At the age of thirteen he was playingprofessionally in his native Boston and hadalready developed the "singing" tone andquiet assurance that, many years later, ledCharlie Parker to describe him as "the LilyPons of the alto" and the young John Col-trane to wish he could play with the sameconfidence. (Coltrane was in Hodges' 1951-1955 combo.) Tony Bennett once calledHodges "the best singer in the world."

Hodges took his tonal inspiration fromBechet and transferred it to the alto; he alsoretained, for the rest of his life, some of Be-chet's stylistic signatures, especially thesudden, propulsive, exuberant wail. Histransferral of the soprano tone to the altowas so complete that even as late as 1947(on Frisky in the Prestige reissue) it is dif-

ficult to believe that he isn't playing sopra-no, though he never used the instrument af-ter 1940-much to Ellington's regret.

But in 1928, when Hodges joined theDuke, Ellington was anxious to feature hisnew prize on both horns as well as clarinet.Hodges obliged with his customary gentleglee. Tishomingo Blues (1928), FlamingYouth (1929), Old Man Blues (1930), andEchoes of the Jungle (1931) on the Time -Life set are simply dazzling. Hodges soundssassy and subtle, calm and challenging allat once. Unfortunately, the recording tech-niques of that period could not capture thefull beauty of his tone. Not until the lateThirties was Hodges' angelic sound caughtwith some accuracy on discs. The first suchinstance in the Time -Life package is BlueReverie from Benny Goodman's 1938 Car-negie Hall concert, one of those perform-ances where Hodges' alto sounds like a so-prano. The concert was casually recorded(as Chris Albertson pointed out in his arti-cle on Goodman in the February issue), butthe superb acoustics of the hall made a dif-ference. Finesse (Night Wind), recorded in1939 with Ellington at the piano and BillyTaylor on bass, is another example of theclassic Hodges tone.

HAVE dwelt on Hodges' tonal quality, buthe would not have been a major jazz mu-sician if his ideas had not matched his em-bouchure. The personality in his playingwas virtually unique in jazz because of itsstability. At no time did he suggest turmoilor doubt; there was no anxiety, no anger.That may sound like a recipe for dullness,but Hodges added a critical ingredient:humor.

By the late Thirties Hodges was such awell-known voice in the Ellington orchestrathat he was called in for outside dates. Onthe Sunny Side of the Street (1937), madewith Lionel Hampton as leader of a pick-upgroup, was such a success that Hodges wasforever after expected to duplicate his soloin it. Teddy Wilson considered him to be theguest star on I Cried for You (1937), whichalso features a Billie Holiday vocal. A yearlater Hodges began recording under his ownname using Ellington musicians, sometimeswith Duke at the piano and usually collabo-rating with him on tunes created in the stu-dio. The Time -Life collection ends withBeale Street Blues (1959), made underHodges' name with Ellington as pianist(Hodges literally rubbed Duke's back to re-lieve his shyness about taking piano solos),and Isfahan (1966), an Ellington tone poemin which Hodges' feeling for and under-standing of Ellington's ideas are indispensa-ble elements.

The Prestige issue is made up of sessionsfor two Ellington -owned labels, Sunrise andMercer. All the Hodges sessions, done in1947, are on the first disc; the material forthe second was recorded in 1950-1951 with-out him. Both use Ellington musicians, bothfeature compositions by Duke and BillyStrayhorn, and both sound a bit frantic.The immediate postwar era was a terribletime for big bands. Ellington's was one ofthe few survivors, but even he was insecure,so there is in these cuts a sense of urgency,

;

100 STEREO REVIEW

of a need for a commercial hit. Everyoneseems a little worried, in fact, exceptHodges, who, typically, sounds like hedoesn't want to be rushed. He scores bril-liantly with A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing,How Could It Happen to a Dream, VioletBlue, A Little Taste, and Let the ZoomersDrool.

BOTH the Time -Life and Prestige pack-ages were carefully remastered, thoughboth occasionally suffer from the variablestate of the sections transferred from 78 -rpm originals. The biographical booklet byStanley Dance and the critique by GaryGiddins for Time -Life and the liner notesby Leonard Feather for Prestige are infor-mative and evocative. Johnny Hodgesmight have dismissed all the fuss, but asthese collections make plain he was, and is,worthy of a great deal of it -dignified fuss,to be sure. -Joel Vance

GIANTS OF JAZZ: Johnny Hodges. John-ny Hodges (alto and soprano saxophones).Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Tish-omingo Blues; The Blues with a Feelin'; Ina Jam; Hy'a Sue: Isfahan. Duke Ellingtonand His Cotton Club Orchestra: FlamingYouth; Cotton Club Stomp; Echoes of theJungle. The Jungle Band: Rent PartyBlues; When You're Smiling. Harlem Foot -warmers: Old Man Blues. Duke Ellingtonand His Famous Orchestra: The Sheik ofAraby; Bundle of Blues (Dragon Blues);The Gal from Joe's; Grievin'. Duke Elling-ton's Sextet: Tough Truckin'. Teddy Wil-son and His Orchestra: Sugar Plum; WhyDo I Lie to Myself About You?; I Cried forYou; Jungle Love. Lionel Hampton and HisOrchestra: On the Sunny Side of the Street;I Know That You Know. Benny Goodmanand His Orchestra: Blue Reverie. JohnnyHodges and His Orchestra: Jeep's Blues;Empty Ballroom Blues; The Jeep Is Jump -in'; Krum Elbow Blues; Hodge Podge;Wanderlust; Dooji Wooji; Finesse (NightWind); The Rabbit's Jump; Day Dream;Good Queen Bess; That's the Blues, OldMan; Squaty Roo; Passion Flower; ThingsAin't What They Used to Be; Goin' Out theBack Way. Duke Ellington's All -Stars:Beale Street Blues. TIME -LIFE STL-J19three discs $19.95 (plus $2 postage andhandling charge from Time -Life Records,541 North Fairbanks Court, Chicago, Ill.60611).

JOHNNY HODGES ALL-STARS: Cara-van. Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); in-strumental accompaniment. Frisky; Long-horn Blues; A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing;Far Away Blues; How Could It Happen toa Dream; Who Struck John?; June's Jump -in'; Lotus Blossom (Charlotte Russe); Vio-let Blue; Searsy's Blues; A Little Taste; Letthe Zoomers Drool. Duke Ellington andBilly Strayhorn All -Stars: Night Walk;She; The Happening; Moonlight Fiesta;Sultry Serenade (How Could You Do aThing Like That to Me): Britt and ButterBlues; Indian Summer; Swamp Drum; Car-avan; Hoppin' John; Alternate; Jumpin'with Symphony Sid. PRESTIGE P-24103 twodiscs $8.98.

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reers, simplified and refined their tech-niques and styles to the point where every-thing they do seems as effortless and fea-therlight as an Astaire -Rogers two-step.Their playing here, particularly when theybend to each other's improvisations, ispoised, lightly humorous, and worldly wise.But even with all their rampant elegancethey never become pompous or showilycompetitive. Special delights on this recordare a restlessly languid All Through theNight and an Alone Together with the sameintricate, perfect craftsmanship as one ofthose little one -of -a -kind baubles that yousee, but can never afford, at Asprey's orCartier. P.R.

McCOY TYNER: Reflections. McCoyTyner (piano); instrumental accompani-ment. Ebony Queen; Native Song; Rebirth;Nebula; Afro Blue; Desert Cry; Impres-sions; and six others. MILESTONE M-47062two discs $17.96.

Performance Pre -treadmill TynerRecording Good

"Reflections," a reissue of recordingsMcCoy Tyner made between 1972 and1975, serves to remind us that this pianistwas creating music of substance only a fewyears ago. If you have heard Tyner's recentalbums on Milestone and liked them, thenchances are that this one is not your cup oftea. On the other hand, if your taste runsdeeper, back to the Tyner that was, thenthis is the perfect album, for it features theonce dynamic pianist in a nice variety ofsettings, ranging from solo (Naima and TheOffering) to various small groups and a bigband. I say "once dynamic," because I havebeen sorely disappointed by the blandnessof Tyner's recent recordings and by his (orhis producer's) apparent quest for a moremiddle-of-the-road audience. The enormousintensity and drive of these older selectionsare what originally elevated Tyner frombeing known mainly as John Coltrane'spianist to a prominent place of his own.He ought to climb back up and soarbeyond. C.A.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITJESSICA JENNIFER WILLIAMS: Or-gonomic Music. Jessica Jennifer Williams(piano); instrumental accompaniment. TheWeapon of Truth; Krieselwelle; Up the En-tropy Slope; Experiment XX; Longing;Dear Lord; and two others. CLEAN CUTSCC 703 $8.98.

Performance SpiritedRecording Crisp single take

Why does so much good jazz have to gobegging for an audience? It took about twoyears from the time this music was recordedfor it to make it onto a disc, and it probablywon't find its way into one record store in ahundred, while some slick, antiseptic, die-cut session by a jazz group with one eye onits next TV sitcom theme will get into nine-ty-nine of them. Yet I can't imagine anyjazz lover not being totally absorbed by thisheady, very moving music.

"Orgonomic Music" is jazz composedand played with a keen intelligence, calcu-lated recklessness, and concentrated emo-tion that suggest the kind of highwire actCharles Mingus' best bands used to present

or the bold geometries of one of Keith Jar-rett's solo excursions. The ensemble oftrumpet, tenor saxophone, bass, drums, andguitar is fronted by pianist/composer Jessi-ca Jennifer Williams. The sextet is capableof dizzying ensemble blowing and thought-ful accompaniment, but Williams holdscenter stage. She's an adventurous soloistwho's not afraid to stray from a safe path.She has lots of technique, and it's all sharp-ly focused on expression. You may have tohunt a bit for this record, but if you likegood jazz, you're probably used to that.

M.P.

PAUL WINTER: Callings. Paul WinterConsort (instrumentals); voices of seamammals; instrumental accompaniment.Magdalena; Love Swim; Otters in the Kelp;Sea Storm; Blues Cathedral; Sea Wolf;Sea Joy; Talking Bells; Dance of the Sil-kies; and six others. GRAMAVISION/LIVINGMUSIC 0 GR/LM R-1 two discs $17.98.

Performance Very goodRecording Excellent

Paul Winter, a superb saxophonist who withhis "family at large" of musicians, the PaulWinter Consort, has made a number of dis-tinguished popular albums, got the idea forthis one when he met a sea -lion pup in thedunes of Magdalena Island in Baja Califor-nia one warm evening while filming somegrey whales for a wildlife documentary.This encounter led him to embark on a se-ries of expeditions over three years to studythe sounds and the lives of sea mammalsand sometimes to play his saxophone forthem in locales as far-flung as Newfound-land, Vancouver Island, the Bahamas, theCalifornia coastal islands, and the InnerHebrides of Scotland. At length, with fund-ing from a number of conservation groupsand equipped with the taped calls of fifteendifferent sea creatures, Winter and his mu-sicians gathered under the vasty vault of theCathedral of St. John the Divine in NewYork to create a "musical novel" about theadventures of a young sea lion named Silkiewho journeys around the coast of NorthAmerica.

I have heard other efforts to interpolatethe songs of whales and wolves with musicthat were downright numbing, but "Call-ings" is seldom dull and never shoddy. TheSea Storm, with Winter on the conch shelland a thunderclap courtesy of "the GreatDrummer in the Sky," is spine -tingling; thedialogue between a polar bear and a cello isperfectly enchanting; an ocarina and an ot-ter make wonderful music together; and thepassages from Bach, Scottish folk tunes,and the sound of what one of the musicianscharacterized as a "whale -tempered clav-ier" are always intelligently woven into thetexture of a highly imaginative sonic tapes-try. The digital recording does full justice tothe spacious sound. The two -record setcomes with a twenty -page booklet that is initself a whale of an achievement. With insti-tutions as worthy as the New York Zoolog-ical Society, the Human -Dolphin Founda-tion, the Friends of the Sea Otter, and thebuilding fund of the cathedral where it wasrecorded to share in the royalties, I can onlyhope that "Callings" will catch on with theecological public. P.K.


102 STEREO REVIEW

STEREO REVIEW CLASSIFIEDCLASSIFIED RATES: Per Word, 15 Word Minimum. COMMERCIAL: $3.70. EXPAND -AD : $5.55. PERSONAL RATE: $2.00. DISPLAY: 1' x 21/4", $450.00.2" x 21/4", $900.00. 3" x 21/4", $1,350.00. Ads set in all Bold Type (a 20% Premium. Ads set with Background screen (a 25% Premium. GENERAL INFORMATION:Frequency rates and prepayment discounts available. Payment must accompany order except credit card - Am. Ex., Diners, MC, VISA (include exp. date) - oraccredited ad agency insertions. Copy subject to publisher's approval; must be typewritten or printed First word set in caps. Advertisers using P.O. Boxes MUSTsupply permanent address and telephone number. Orders not acknowledged. They will appear in next available issue after receipt. Closing date: 5th of the 2nd monthpreceding cover date (e.g., Mar. issue closes Jan. 5th). Send order & remittance to: Classified Advertising. STEREO REVIEW Magazine. 1 Park Avenue, New York, NY10016. Direct inquiries to Rose Lynch, (212) 725-7686.

EQUIPMENT

DIAMOND NEEDLES and STEREO CARTRIDGES at DIS-COUNT PRICES for SHURE, PICKERING. STANTON, EM-PIRE. GRAD°, AUDIO TECHNICA, ORTOFON, ACUTEXand ADC. SASE free catalog. LYLE CARTRIDGES. Dept. SBox 69. Brooklyn, NY 11218. For fast COD service Toll Free800-221-0906. N.Y. State (212) 871-3303. 9AM - 8PM exceptSunday.

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Time delay is new to consumer audio RecordingStudios have been doing it for years. They havedeveloped much more realistic systems than arepresently offered for consumer use, with One notableexception Our TAD -4

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SO WHAT's NEW? Consider the following - DIRECTSOUND MARKETING can provide you with virtually anybrand of audio or video components (including the esoterics)at extremely competitive pricing, on an in -stock basis. More-over, we maintain a complete service facility to handle anyservice problems. So, if you're looking for price, selection, fastshipments, in-house service and competent advice we have itall, and more. Before you buy anything please call us at 404-233-9500 for more information. Or write to DIRECT SOUNDMARKETING. 3095 Bolling Way. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30305.For your convenience use your M C. Visa or AMEX for fastestservice. Sales tax charged to Georgia residents only.

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40,000 OLD RADIO SHOWS on Tape. Jazz Big Band re-motes. Country Western. discographies, anthologies, chro-nologies. Send $2 for huge catalog (refundable). McCoys Re-cording, Box 1069S, Richland, Washington 99352.

1930-1962 RADIO PROGRAMS. Beats Television!! Tapes.$1.00 Hour! Established esteemed dealer. Informative 250page catalog. $1.25. AM Treasures. Box 192SR, Babylon,N.Y. 11702.

RAVI SHANKAR MUSIC CIRCLE. The finest Indian classicalmusic on L.P. and stereo cassette. Free catalog: 7911 Wil-loughby Ave., Dept. S, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

14-TDK.800-645-6529SAC -90 S2.59 MAXELL 90XL II 53.09SAC -60 2.15 Video Convey.

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TAPE PLACEBox 248, Howard Beach, NY 11414 (516) 569-5976

RECORDS AND TAPES AT EXTREMELY LOW PRICES.

Write: International Records, P.O. Box 12-SR5, De -

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RECORDS

SHOW ALBUMS, Rare, Out -of -Print LP's. 64 pg. list. $1.00.Broadway Hollywood Recordings, Georgetown, Conn. 06829.STORE: 68 Sugar Hollow (Route 7) Danbury, Conn.

RARE ORIGINAL RECORDS, all kinds, mostly mint. 5000 listS2.00. refundable. Carl, Box 828, Princeton, NC 27569.

FREE RECORD CATALOG. New releases at discount

prices and huge selection of classical, soundtrack,popular and jazz special values. Rose Records,Dept. R, 214 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL 60604.

DIRECT - DISC, DIGITAL, half -speed mastered. DBX en-coded, and YSL Japanese Pressings. Send $1.00 for catalog.DISConnection, P.O. Box 10705, Tampa, FL 33679.

RECORD COLLECTORS SUPPLIES plain cardboard. re-placement jackets 35c. Plastic lined sleeves 15c. Postage$2.00. Opera boxes, 78 sleeves. Free catalog. Cabco, 400-2,Box 8212, Columbus, Ohio 43201.

PROTECT your LP's - Poly sleeves for jackets 12 cents:Round Bottom Inner Sleeves 10 cents; Square Bottom 6cents: Poly lined paper 15 cents: white jackets 35 cents. Post-age $2.00. Record House, Hillbum, N.Y. 10931.

THOUSANDS of like new LPs and prerecorded tapes cata-logue $2.50. Records, Hillburn, New York 10931.

VIENNESE OPERETTA RECORDS. INC. Extensive

range. superb vocal performances. on currently

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02030.

WHILE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR "Out -of -Print'. Recordsyou should've been looking for us! DISContinued (213) 846-9192.

ORIONS AVAILABLE by mail!! $8 record includes postage,$15,2. $18.3 or more. Box 4087, Malibu, CA 90265.

RARE JAZZ! Vocal LP's sold through auction. Free lists. LeonLeavitt, P.O. Box 38395, Los Angeles, CA 90038.

COLLECTORS: 400 sealed out -of -print soundtrack/showLPs. Free priced list. Craig Moerer, 19231, Portland. OR97219.

64 PAGE CATALOG of Classical Contemporary recordings.$1.00 (Refundable). MUSICAL CONCEPTS, Box 53SR-5,Cedarhurst, NY 11516.

TUBES

Cornell, 4215-H University, San Diego, California 92105.

WANTEDGOLD, silver. platinum, mercury, tantalum wanted. Highestprices paid by refinery. Ores assayed. Free circular. MercuryTerminal, Box 191, Norwood. MA 02062.

CASH FOR YOUR Unwanted LP's and Prerecorded Reel toReel Tapes. Reder, Box 323S, Millburn, NY 10931.

TOP DOLLAR paid for: AUDIO RESEARCH, MARANTZ,McINTOSH, Box 18009, Seattle, WA 98118. (206) 323-4987.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

ERASE DEBTS with little-known law - CREATE wealth! De-tails FREE- Blueprints. No. DOS, La Grangeville, NY 12540.

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BORROW $25,000 "OVERNIGHT." Any purpose. Keep in-definitely! Free Report! Success Research, Box 29070 -RE,Indianapolis. Indiana 46229.

BORROW $30,000 without interest! All eligible. Repay any-time. Free details. Infohouse, Box 1004-S5, New York, NY10003.

FREE BOOK "2042 Unique, Proven Enterprises." Fabulous"unknowns," second inflation income. Haylings-M, Carlsbad,CA 92008.

COLLEGE DEALERS. Write for details on College Programs.Fast Shipments, Low Prices. Specify College, Sound Repro-duction, Reproduction, 7 Industrial Rd., Fairfield, NJ 07006.

SALES REPRESENTATIVES for one of the nation's largestdistributors of quality high fidelity components. Many desir-able schools and residential areas still available. Completeselling program: posters, sample ads, sales training. SALESLEADS FOR YOUR SPECIAL TERRITORY! Call today for in-formation. Ask for Andy or George. TOLL FREE 1-800-638-8806 or 1-301-488-9600.

I HAVE MADE A FORTUNE in Mail Order, Selling informa-tion. Let me show you how. Write: Kash SR -901, Box 31051,Indianapolis, IN 46241.

COLLECTORS' Soundtracks. Mint. 75 cents (refundable).Jemm's, P.O. Box 157, Glenview, III. 60025. INSTRUCTIONS

RECORD HOUND, Box 88, Eagleville, PA 19408. Fills -want-lists"? DOGGONE RIGHT!! 33-1/3 Specialist. Fast, FriendlyService.

YOUR OWN RADIO STATION AM. FM. Cable, licensed, unli-censed, low cost transmitters! Free information. BROAD-CASTING, Box 130-R4, Paradise, CA 95969.

OPEN REEL TAPES. Prerecorded. Catalogue. $1.00. Bar-clay -Crocker, Room 1470-5, 11 Broadway, NYC 10004.

ELECTRONICSELECTRONICS BARGAINS, Closeouts. Surplus! Parts. ste-reo, industrial, educational. Amazing values! Fascinatingitems unavailable in stores or catalogs anywhere. UnusualFREE catalog. ETCO-014, Box 762, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.

INTERESTING and easy to do hobby projects from Metal De-tector to Musical Synthesizer. For more INFO write to: SPACETECH, 1120 E. Algonquin 2C, Schaumberg, Illinois 60195.

MOVIE FILMSNIDEO TAPES16mm SOUND Features, Shorts. New, Used for Sale. FreeCatalog. National Cinema, P.O. Box 43. Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ07423.

VIDEOTAPES - 8MMI16MM MOVIES. TWO 72 page cata-logs $1.00 each. Both $1.50. Reelimages. Box 137SR, Mon-roe, Connecticut 06468.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTSMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS HOT LINE! Incredible prices:Amps, PA gear. All instruments. Huge selection. Sam Ash,established 1924. 800-645-3518. NYS: (212) 347-7757.

BOOKS & MAGAZINESPUBLISHERS' OVERSTOCK. BARGAIN BOOKS 2,000 ti-tles, all subjects! Free catalog: Hamilton's, 98-58 Clapboard,Danbury, CT 06810.

WE HAVE THE WORLD'S LARGEST, MOST UNIQUE LI-BRARY of Concert Band and solo recordings. Send $3.00 forcatalogs (refundable with first purchase). GOLDEN CREST,Dept. S, P.O. Box 2859, Huntington Station, NY 11746.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

LEARN WHILE ASLEEP. Hypnotize! Astonishing details,strange catalog free! Autosuggestion, Box 24-ZD, Olympia,Washington, 98507.

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PENFRIENDS - ENGLAND - USA, Through correspon-dence, Send age, interests. Free reply. Harmony, Box 89SR,Brooklyn. New York 11235.

CORRESPONDENCE FOR FRIENDSHIP IN PHILIPPINES,MALAYSIA. Free information. AACC-(SR), Box 1542, Can-oga Park, CA 91304.

CORRESPONDENCE for friendship! Mexico, Philippines, Eu-rope, USA. Free information. International, Box 1716 -RV,Chula Vista, CA 92012.

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FOLKv*.1

ALLEN GINSBERG: First Blues. AllenGinsberg (vocals, Benares harmonium). 4AM Blues; Come Back Christmas; CIADope Calypso; Put Down Yr Cigarette Rag;and four others. FOLKWAYS FSS 37560$9.98.

Performance Hard to believeRecording: Moot

The Folkways catalog is a veritable Smith-sonian of music history; all the great move-ments and minor byways of America's mu-sical journey have found their representa-tions on Folkways discs over the years. Likeany museum, it has its masterworks and itsoddities. At the risk of making light of oneof the best minds of the beat generation, 1will suggest that this record may best betaken as a landmark in comedy. For Dada-ist humor, Allen Ginsberg's Tibetan -monk -like "blues" singing makes Andy Kauf-man's controversial, numbing night-clubact pale in comparison. "First Blues" islaughable both for its hopelessly inept tink-er -toy performances and for the deadly seri-ousness of Ginsberg's liner notes and be-tween -song discourses.

The notes do confirm something that as-tute listeners will already have suspected af-ter the first one or two songs, that Ginsbergknows only three chords. The poet thuschronicles his musical development: first heexperimented with the C chord in 1963,added F late in 1968, and finally venturedG in 1971. He admits to not having mas-tered the C -F -G transition when these re-cordings were committed to tape, and, in-deed, his droning, tentative singing betraysa preoccupation with just getting throughthe next chord change. At Ginsberg's cur-rent rate of development, we can expect"Second Blues" sometime in the nextdecade. M.P.

DAVID HOLT: It Just Suits Me. DavidHolt (vocals, banjo, hammered dulcimer,harmonica, hambone, paper bag); instru-mental accompaniment. Morning Blues;Dinah; Lost John; Ragtime Annie; LittleStream of Whiskey; The Old John Hardy;Cotton -Eyed Joe; and seven others. JUNEAPPAL JA 038 $7 (from June Appal Re-cordings, P.O. Box 743, Whitesburg, Ky.41858).

Performance: In the Foxfirs modRecording: Good

Like the Foxfire projects, this album has ajoy -of -preservation attitude about thingsfolk -music in this case -that you mayfind catching. It is listenable largely be-cause David Holt has a pleasant, naturalsinging voice and because his main accom-panists, guitarist Mike Hunter (who used toplay in Jimmy Martin's bluegrass band)

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I (1:,MAY 1982

Akiyoshi andTabackin

IN recent years, numerous albums havepainfully demonstrated that big bands

can sound listless and downright boring, butyou can be sure that isn't the case with theband led by the extraordinary husband -and -wife team of Lew Tabackin and Toshi-ko Akiyoshi. There are other exciting bigbands on the scene today, but none canmatch the Akiyoshi/Tabackin orchestra forsubstance and spirit.

Try any of their previous releases and I'llbet my favorite Chico Freeman recordyou'll like it, but I would feel safe stakingmy entire Ellington shelf on "Tanuki'sNight Out," an almost overwhelmingly ex-citing album that features Tabackin's com-positions in Akiyoshi's arrangements. Thisalbum is a creative high from the title tune'sdrum intro to the very last note on side two.There is a rich array of solos and stunningpassages from Akiyoshi's pen (check out thetrombone arrangement at the beginning ofTanuki's Night Out). There is earthiness(Lament for Sonny), humor (A Bit Byas'd),beauty (Falling Petal), and-to coin aword-stompacious energy (Lew's Theme).Tanuki is a badger in Oriental myth who issaid sometimes to take on human form andcome down from the hills to party-weshould all have such a night out!

-Chris Albertson

Jail America Merketirg

TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI/LEW TABACKINBIG BAND: Tanuki's Night Out. ToshikoAkiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band (instru-mentals). Tanuki's Night Out; FallingPetal; A Bit Byas'd; Yet Another Tear; La-ment for Sonny; Lew's Theme (Let theTape Roll). JAM G 006 $8.98.

and bassist Buddy Davis, are rock solid.Holt, who lives near Asheville and teachesat Warren Wilson College, is variouslyaccomplished on various instruments-smoothest on the hammered dulcimer, mid-dling on banjo, and almost as bad as NeilYoung on the harmonica, possibly becausehe insists on duplicating the "authentic"old-time country (read white) style, whichis too idiomatic for its own good. Holt is anative of Texas, where the music tradition isquite different from what he discovered inthe moist Southeast, so there is a freshnessin his performances that you can hear.Much of this stuff, of course, is already pre-served on various recordings, but the home-made touch, as Foxfire readers know, doesadd something. N.C.

LORRAINE LEE AND ROGER NICHOL-SON: An Exultation of Dulcimers. LorraineLee (dulcimer, vocals); Roger Nicholson(dulcimer); Jean Ritchie (dulcimer, vocals);other musicians. La Volta; How Should /Your True Love Know; Blarney Pilgrim;Bonaparte's Retreat; Black Sarah; TheBellringing; One, I Love; and seven others.GREENHAYS GR707 $7.98.

Performance: NoatRecording: Good

In its basic form, the mountain dulcimerhas just three strings, and the purist way of

playing it is to fret one string with a littlewooden stick, letting the other two functionas drone strings (typical tuning: C, G, 0),and using a goose quill as a pick. But manydulcimers have four or more strings-JohnJacob Niles used to put seven or eight anhis-and a number of different playingtechniques and tunings have evolved overthe years.

On this album Lorraine Lee, from Mas-sachusetts, merges the traditional approachwith mandolin pick technique, while RogerNicholson, from England, uses fingerpick-ing-and Jean Ritchie, who has done themost to repopularize the dulcimer in ourtime, displays the old-timey approach in acouple of guest appearances. Ritchie is alsothe model of a female mountain folk singer;just ask Lorraine, or listen to her vocals.Backing instruments-such as a recorder, acittern, a guitar, a bass-are used sparing-ly, and all the music has a fragile beautywhose main appeal may be abstract. Ifyou're into sound, there's plenty to get intohere. The droning is a lot easier on Ameri-can ears than the droning of bagpipes, andhere it's softened anyway by Nicholson'semphasis on melody. It's quite a fetchingmix, good for cleaning radio noises out ofyour head. N.C.

JEAN REDPATH: Lowlands (see Best ofthe Month, page 651

37 Wisconsin Discount Stereo

STEREO REVIEWADVERTISERS' INDEX

READER PAGE

SERVICE NO ADVERTISER NUMBER

42

41

433

Allison Acoustics 92Angel EMI Records 75Audio Spot 99Audio-Technica U.S.. Inc. 98

BASF 23B&W Loudspeakers 81Blue Angel. IncBose CorporationBrown 8 Williamson Tobacco Corp

73Cover 3

37

4 Carver Corporation 185 Celestion Industries, Inc. 776 Consumers Company 101

7 DAK Industries 178 dbx. Inc 229 dbx, Inc 75

10 Denon America, Inc 7

11 Discount Music Club 2412 Discwasher Cover 42 Dodge Division of Chrysler Corporation 78.79

38 Fulton 44

Harman Karclon IncHerrington s

13 Hi Fi Buys

15

16

17

1:39

42,4396

106

Illinois Audio asInstitute of Audio ResearchInternational HiFi Dist 95International Wholesalers 102

J 8 R Music World 91Jensen Sound Laboratories 45Jensen Automotive Div 8

Kenwood Electronics 25

20 Loran 15

Marlboro21 Mayell Corp. of America22 McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.23 Mura Corp

2920 21

8789

Nekamichi 97

24 Ortofon 18

40 U.S. Pioneer 32,3325 Polk Audio 14

28 P.R.I.C.E 95

Radio Shack 2R J Reynolds/Camel 46.47R J Reynolds/Vantage 71R J Reynolds/Winston 12

27 Sansui Electronics Corp 928 Santa Fe Express 10129 Sennheiser Electronic Corp 18

30 Shure Brothers 10.1131 Sony Corp. Cover 232 Sound Reproduction. Inc. 9233 Stereo Corp, of America 98

Stereo Discounters 101

34 TDK Electronics35 TDK Electronics38 Technics

5

8739

Warner Bros. Records 8889

MAY 1982

106 STEREO REVIEW

Dual Frequency' crossovernetwork.Gradual rolloff characteristicsprovide open, detailed mid-range response.

Inward -firing 3 -inch tweeter.Assures stable center imagingwith lifelike clarity and definition.

Direct Energy Control.Adjusts radiation pattern ofoutward -firing 3 -inch tweeterabove 3 kHz.

10 -inch long -excursionwoofer.Ducted -port enclosure controlscone excursion for reducedlow -frequency distortion.

Te new 501 Series Ill system offers the legendary spaciousnessof Bose Direct/Reflecting " speakers in a functional, floor -standingdesign. Its patented array of three high-performance drivers createsa balance of reflected and direct sound energy that is similar towhat you would experience in a live concert environment. You getan astonishingly wide and transparent stereo image from virtuallyevery seat in the room, with none of the high-frequ9ncy shrillness or"glare** of conventional speakers.

A Direct Energy Control lets you adjust the spatial properties 3fthe 501 speakers to fit almost any type of placement or music. Built-in protection circuits guard against transient and thermal overloaaautomatically. And the extended dynamic range a` the 501 Seriessystem makes it ideal for playback of high-technobgy analog andfuture digital recordings.

Ask your authorized Bose dealer for a side -by -side compari-son of the new 501 Series Ill Direct/Reflecting " LoJcIspeaker withany other speaker in its price class. For more information, writeBose Corporation, Department SR, The Mountain Framingham,Massachusetts USA 01701.

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NEW AUDIO PRODUCTS - World Radio History

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