Stereo-Review-1996-10.pdf - World Radio History

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The

most

convincing argument for

a home theater

isright in

You've waited in the rain, paid your

seven bucks, bought your real buttery -flavor

popcorn and snagged the best seat in the

house. When somebody decides to sit in the

second best seat in the house. You know, of

course, the solution is to create the ultimate

theater in your home. And as anyone will

tell you, a truly moving theater experience is

built around sound as much as the picture.

But not just any sound. Parasound. You see,

we've built our company around the notion

that a person shouldn't have to spend a

fortune to hear the finest that technology

has to offer. And now that we've applied that

principle to home theater, the cinematic

experience will never be the same. Hear

audio that's well above the crowd and head

to your nearest Parasound dealer or

authorized custom installer. And let someone

else deal with the spud with the big head.

MOWP/SP-I500 THX PROCFCSOR/PREAI464P

Astonishing sound unleashed with simple

on -screen operation. It's ready for our Dolby AC -3

decoder today so it won't be obsolete tomorrow

HCA-I206 6 CHANNEL THX AMPLIFIER

Designed by John Curl with a total of 1200 wattson six channels, it's the most powerful THX-certifiedamAfter made Sensitive enough to mow your soul,

powerful enough to move your foundation.

PARASOUNDt 1996 Parasound Products, Inc. (415) 397-7100.In Canada, call (604) 984-3400. Dolby AC -3 is a

regtstered trademark of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corp.THX is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm. Lad.

Announcing The GreatestOur Lowest Pikes Ever On

This is the biggest and best sale event inour history. Between now and October 29th,1996, you can save $40 to $150 on our mostpopular speaker models.

Cambridge SoundWorks manufacturescritically acclaimed speakers and musicsystems designed by Audio Hall of Famemember Henry Kloss (founder of AR, KLHand Advent). We sell them factory -direct, soyou can save hundreds of dollars. HomeTheater Technology says our speakers "soundmuch better than other systems - at half theprice." Audio magazine says we may have"the best value in the world."

And during our sale, "the best value in theworld" is even better.

Ensembles Ensemble is our best speaker subwoofer/

satellite system. We think it competes withaudiophile speakers selling for over $1,000 apair. Yet its uniquefour -piece design literallydisappears in yourroom.

Our dual subwoofer Ensemble

outperformsexpensive speakers

because of its greatroom placement

flexibility.Reg. $599.99

SALE: $449.99

lks $59999Saw 450

Irmo T

Ensemble consistsof two compact, two-waysatellite speakers and two slim -line (41/2"thick) subwoofer cabinets enclosing 8"woofers. Because the bass produced by thesubwoofers is non -directional, you can putthem in out-of-the-way places...even behindor under furniture. Then place the satellitespeakers to create a realistic stereo image.High Performance Review describes Ensembleby saying "...stereo imaging is phenomenallysharp...the dynamics are stunning...some ofthe speakers I'm comparing it to cost $1900to $2800." White or charcoal grey.Reg. $599.99 SALE PRICE: $449.99

it'

Reg. $49999Save $120

AlIVALTHE GREATESTSPEON EAAKERRTH

SALE

Ensemble II is our best value in a high-performancespeaker system. Its satellite speakers are identicalto Ensemble's. Reg. $999.99 SALE: $379.99

Ensemble IIEnsemble II is our best value high-

performance speaker system. It uses thesame satellites as Ensemble, but with a single

subwoofer cabinetthat holds two6'/," woofers inan acousticsuspensionenclosure.Because 90% ofthe music isreproduced by thesatellites,Ensemble 11sounds much likeEnsemble. StereoReview says"Ensemble II canbe compared only

with much largerspeakers at substantially higherprices."

Available in whiteor charcoal grey.Reg. $499.99SALE PRICE:$379.99

Ensemble 111 things

high-performancesound into evenvery small rooms.It uses genuinetwo-way satellitespeakers.

Reg. $399.99SALE: $299.99

Ensemble IIIEnsemble N was designed to bring big

sound into smaller rooms. It has two small,two-way satellites and a subwoofer cabinetthat encloses a single 6'/2" woofer with twovoice coils. Ensemble III maintains thesmooth, natural tonal balance of our moreexpensive systems, but without the samedeep bass extension. Stereo Review says it"sounds first rate in every respect."Reg. $349.99 SALE PRICE: $299.99

Model SixOur Model Six is a two-way, acoustic

suspension bookshelf speaker system. Itcontinues a long tradition of high quality

Our Model Six bookshelf speaker is available inthreefinishes. Reg. $129.99 ea. SALE: $99.99 ea.

two-way speakers by Henry Kloss thatincludes the Acoustic Research AR -1, theKLH Model Six and the Advent Loudspeaker.Model Six is a serious speaker for seriouslisteners. It has natural, accurate sound,wide frequency range and high powerhandling.StereoReviewsays ithas "an 'all there'sound quality thatbelies its amaz-ingly low price...Model Six is anexceptional value."Model Six usesmuch higherquality componentsthan most speakers in its price range. And itscabinet is visually appealling, with a subtlyrounded bull -nose frame, grey grille and

convincing simulated wood finishes of oak,teak and black ash. Reg. $129.99 ea.SALE PRICE: $99.99 ea.

The OutdoorOur all-weather speaker is called The

Outdoor. It has the natural, accurate,wide -range sound that Henry Kloss

Reg. $3499°Save 50

The Outdoor

Speaker Sale On Earth.fur Best -Selling Speakers.

s

/

Reg. $15959Save 50

Center Channel Plu.,

Center Channel

designs areknown for. Wedon't know ofany all-weatherspeaker thatsounds better.

Free-standing (shown opposite page).Reg. $299.99 pr. SALE PRICE: $239.99prIn -wall version. Reg. $349.99 prSALE PRICE: $269.99pr

Center ChannelSpeakers

Get our lowest pricesever on our two best-sellingspeakers designed specifi-cally for use as centerchannel speakers in hometheater systems. Both aremagnetically shielded so theycan be placed near a TV orcomputer monitor. CenterChannel is identical to anEnsemble satellite (but withmagnetic shielding)Reg. $159.99SALE PRICE: $99.99Center Channel Plus uses anultra -low, ultra -widedesign that is ideal

L.° . ;At'

Reg. 524999Save 550

THE GREATESTSPEON EAAKERRTH

SALE

The Surround II The S

Reg. $22999Saw 50

-THE GREATESTSPEAKER SALE

ON EARTH

1PSurround Speakers

Cambridge SoundWorks makes two"dipole radiator" surround sound speakers.Dolby Laboratories recommends dipoleradiator speakers for use as surroundspeakers. The Surround has high power

tI;<-1

for placement above (or, with optionalsupport stand, below) a TV monitor. Itis, we believe, one of the finest centerchannel speakers available. Reg. $229.99SALE PRICE: $179.99

Arsa*THE GREATESTSPEAKER SALE

ON EARTH

IIIReg. $69999Save $100

Powered Subwo2,`er

Surround

SlaveSubwoofer

Powered SubwoofersThe Powered Subwoofer by Cambridge

Soundlhorks uses a heavy-duty 12" wooferhoused in an acoustic suspension cabinetwith a 140 -watt amplifier and a built-inelectron c crossover. Stereo Review said itprovides "deep powerful bass...31.5 Hz bassoutput was obtainable at a room -shakinglevel... it opens the way to having a 'killer'system for an affordable price."Reg. $699.99 SALE PRICE: $599.99Our Slave Subwoofer connects to thePowered Subwoofer, doubling the bassoutput. It uses the same size woofer andcabinet as the Powered Subwoofer.Reg. $299.99 SALE PRICE: $229.99The new Powered Subwoffer II uses a 120 -watt amplifier with a custom designed 8"woofer. ieg. $399.99 SALE PRICE:$339.99

Factory -Direct SavingsOur speakers are available only directly

from CambridgeSoundWorks, andthrough cost-efficientBest Buy stores.*Order them, thenlisten in your ownhome. If you aren'tsatisfied, return themwithin 30 days for afull refund.Don't Delay - SalePrices good ThruOctober 29th,1996.

PoweredSubwoofer II

handlingcapacity and isoften selectedfor "high end"surround soundsystems. Reg.

$399.99 pr.SALE PRICE:$319.99 pr

Thesmaller

TheSurround ll

is arguably thecountry's best value in a dipole radiatorspeaker. Reg. $249.99 prSALE PRICE: $199.99 pr

CIRCLE NO .6 ON READER SERVICE CARD

r\F.eg. $39999Save 10

'Actual prices

may vary by store.

To OrdeL For a Free Catalog, Or ForThe Nearest Store Location, Call

1-800-FOR-HIFIkl-800-367-4434)

CAMBRIDGESOUNDWORKS

Critically Acclaimed. Factory -Direct.311 Needham Street, Suite 102. Newton, MA 02164

Tel:1-800-367-4434 Fax: 617-332-9229Canada: 1-800-525-4434 www.hifi.com

Outside U.S. or Canada: 617-332-5936c Cambridge SoundWoris et nsernble is a regrstered trademark of Cambridge SoundWorksInk AIM a a tradmaili kl II Fr in I imara.,0.1 leases Inc

®Dellb, and H.' &moms lAensing Corpla i Ahem or

41111111#

01996 honeildillipptcs

(USA) Inc.. Long Beach. CA.

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0 25 F E

Aroused by booming bass frequencies, giant river salamanders cling to the legs

of wading villagers.

1-250 MILES Earth's tectonic plates shift during prolonged drum solos.

1,000-2,500 FEET

The dead are awakened, amazed by sound clarity, then return to their

original, dead state.

Hell's heating system frequently disrupted. ' (Deceased politicians rejoice.)

GROUND LEVELDriver turns on Pioneer

car stereo systemfeaturing a 2 S2 high -

current amplifier withbuilt-in crossoverand Variable BassBoost. Beverages

on dashboardare blasted

onto the lapsof jammin"passengers.

rr

XI

Award -winning Bose" Lifestyle®

systems have been hailed as true

audio breakthroughs.

With the Lifestyle* 12 home

theater system, our goal was to

develop the best sounding, easiest

to use home theater system ever.

One that was optimized for both

movie soundtracks and music.

You won't believe the simplicity.

The system is completely integrated.

Every element is designed to work in

harmony with the others - precisely,

efficiently, simply.

And although the technology is ad-

vanced, it's where it belongs - on the

inside. Outside, a single, elegant music

center houses a built-in CD player and

AM/FM tunes It replaces an entire rack

of conventional equipment.

The remote works through walls so

you control everything from anywhere

inside, or outside, the house.

You won't believe the sound.

The secret to the critically -acclaimed

performance is Acoustimass® speaker

technology.

Five tiny cube speakers are all you

see. They blend right into your decor,

almost invisibly, while the Acoustimass

module hides out of view behind or under

furniture. We believe this advanced tech-

nology delivers noticeably purer, more

lifelike sound than conventional designs.

If you're not already listen-

ing to Acoustimass speakers,

you're just not hearing everything

you could.

Step up to a new

experience in home theater.

Your eyes won't believe your ears.]

You won't believe it until you hear it.

Thirty seconds with this system and you'll

understand why Home Theater Technol-

ogy said, "...everything is included and

carefully thought out.... The performance

is awesome..."

Call for names of selected Bose deal-

ers where you can hear the Lifestyle® 12

home theater system. Experience the

difference Bose technology makes.

For a FREE booklet call

1-800-444-BOSE Ext. 814

The Lifestyle' 12 home theater

system. The new audio standard

for movies and music.

Better sound through tseth®

RCA's RC5200P, Toshiba's SD -I006,and Sony's prototype are among

the DVD players that are in the worksfor a market debut once copyrightissues are resolved. See pages 66 and

75 for details.

Photograph by Dave Slagle

LETTERS 12

NEW PRODUCTS 17

AUDIO CHU 28

SIGNALS 32

TECHNICAL TALK 33

POPULAR MUSIC 102

CLASSICAL MUSIC 114

TIME DELAY 132

Stereo Review, Stereo, Hi Fi, HighFidelity, and Backbeat areregistered trademarks of HachetteFilipacchi Magazines, Inc.

STEREO REVIEW ONLINE

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Stereo ReviINCORPORATING HIGH FIDELITY

October 1996$BulletinGet ready for the audio computer, a new audiophileCD label, and Hootie hatred

24PeripheralsWhere the World Wide Web meets SeinfeldBY GREGG TARR

35Equipment Test ReportsKenwood KC -Z1 Stage 3 home -theater controller,

page 35Klipsch Rebel KSS-3 subwoofer/satellite speaker

system, page 42Linaeum Extreme speaker, page 44Magneplanar MMG speaker, page 52Energy C-2 speaker, page 5913 -I -C Venturi V-504 speaker, page 62

66Are You Ready for DVD?Politics aside, the super -hot DVD is comingyour way sooner or laterBY KEN C. POHLMANN

75DVD's First ActInnovative DVD players are waiting in the wingsBY JOSEPH PALENCHAR

81Inside Dolby DigitalAn introduction to the surround -sound systemformerly known as AC -3BY DAVID RANADA

86Multimedia Speaker ShowdownComparison tests of ten speaker systems for yourpersonal computerBY TOM NOUSAINE

97Best Recordings of the MonthBeck's "Odelay," Tchaikovsky's opera lolanw,"The 'X' Field" by Rodney Jones, andRautavaara's Angel of Light and Annunciations

Page 35

A Page 56

A Page 81

V page 97

BULL FITINBY BOB ANKOSKO

DON'T GIVE A BOOTIE?The success of Hootie and theBlowfish has inspired someresentment, if not salesresistance. Hootie detractorshave been hoping that AlanisMorissette's debut album,"Jagged Little Pill," willoutsell Hootie's debut,"Cracked Rear View." Not yet.Sales figures indicate 11million for "Jagged" and 14million for "Cracked."Hootie's image may behelped by the group's $10,000endowment of a music schol-arship at the State Universityof New York at Stony Brook.The band had voided ticketsfor the first ten rows at twoLong Island shows, thwartinga scalping scheme thatinitially withheld those seatsfrom the public. Face -valuerefunds were offered forthe tickets, but only a fourthwere claimed, resulting inthe $10,000 profit/endowment.With nearly 400 nullifiedtickets still out there, we'rewondering what's worth more-a genuine scalped Hootieticket or a Monkee lunchbox?

D.I.Y. SPEAKERThe large photographs andtype in Gene Healy's TheAudiophile LoudspeakerAnyone Can Build (softbound,163 pages) make it easy tofollow a project to constructa pair of two-way portedspeakers measuring 191/2inches tall. The book is avail-able for $22.95 plus $3.50 forshipping and handling ($4.95in Canada) from the BostonPost Publishing Co., P.O. Box1175, Madison, CT 06443.

QUAD CLASSICSQuad is commemoratingits 60th anniversary with theDiamond Jubilee Quad IImono tube amp, a reissueof the Quad II sold from 1953to 1968. The company willproduce only 600 pairs of theDiamond Jubilee, whichboasts a 22k -gold faceplateand circuitry that's describedas faithful to the original.Price: $10,000 a pair. Quad is

& WILLIAM LIVINGS

also "reintroducing"the legendary ESL -63 electro-static speaker to the U.S.market, priced at $6,000a pair. Quad is distributed byMission North America;telephone, 1-800-838-7955.

A/V DIGESTFrom the muy macho worldof car stereo: Bill Proud'sCerwin-Vega-sponsored FordRanger set a world record forsound -pressure level bypounding out 160.5 dB at thedB Drags in Boise, Idaho....More than 600 FM stations inthe U.S. can now transmitRadio Data System (RDS) textmessages and automatictraffic reports, thanks in largepart to a market -seedingcampaign launched last yearby the Consumer ElectronicsManufacturers Association.Home components with RDSare made by Denon, Onkyo,and B&O, while car gear isavailable from Denon, Delco,Audiovox, and Pioneer....Speakers designed by audiopioneer Roy Allison under theRDL Acoustics name will nowbe built and marketed byCambridge SoundWorks. Thefirst model to be producedunder the new alliance is theF-1 MII, priced at $599 a pair.

THE BOOKSHELFCraig Rosen's The BillboardBook of Number One Albums(Billboard, $21.95) tells "theinside story" behind thetop -selling albums from 1956to 1995.... Please Kill Me(Grove Press, $23) by LegsMcNeil and Gillian McCainis "the uncensored oralhistory of punk." ... AmadeusPress has published the BBCMusic Magazine Top 1,000CD's Guide (softbound,$12.95), offering advice on thebest classical discs.... DavidHajdu's Lush Life: A Biog-raphy of Billy Strayhorn(Farrar Straus Giroux, $27.50)tells the story of the pianist/composer known for hiswork with Duke Ellington....Colin Escott, an authorityon early country, rockabilly,

GET READY FOR THE AUDIO COMPUTER

In the wonderful world of audio/video, to upgrade is to replacea sometimes beloved piece of gear with a spiffy andtechnologically hip new model. Wouldn't it be nice if you couldsimply pop a card in the back of your AN receiver to add,say, Dolby Digital (AC -3) capability? Well, a new generation ofhigh -end gear is on the horizon that provides the samelevel of upgrade flexibility as your home computer.

Theta Digital's Casablanca Music & Cinema Controlleris described as "an open -architecture component" thataccepts nine plug-in cards to provide a variety of analog anddigital inputs and outputs, switching capabilities, andsignal processing modes, including Dolby Pro Logic and AC -3.Price: $4,300 to $11,000, depending on configuration. Latethis year, Meridian hopes to bring to market its ReferenceDigital Surround Controller 861, which accepts up tosixteen plug-in cards. The system's main controller card usesa flash memory bank into which new software programscan be downloaded.

and rock-and-roll, is theauthor of Tattooed on TheirTongues: A Journey Throughthe Backrooms of AmericanMusic (Schirmer Books,$25). Profiled are such unher-alded figures as Jimmy Swanand Tommy Tucker, as wellas the stars Marty Stuart andDwight Yoakam And in thefour-part "How to Start aRecord Company," Escottdetails the beginnings of fourindependent labels: Decca,King, Starday, and Hi.

JAZZ FOR AUDIOPHILESJVC has started a series ofXRCD (Extended ResolutionCD) recordings intendedto deliver "higher fidelityand improved audio quality"without special playbackequipment. The first tenXRCD's (plus a sampler) offeran eclectic mix of jazz styles,including such artists asBill Holman, Carmen Lundy, 9

Ernie Watts, Tom Coster, -*z

Tiger Okoshi, Oscar Castro -Neves, and Spirit Traveler. o

C

8 STEREO REVIEW OCTOBER 1996

Boston AcousticsHome Theater Options

Micro Reference SeriesBig theater sound from small,sculpted satellites.

Compact Reference Series

Audiophiles are Incredible sound from compactspeakers.

Lynnfield VR SeriesAudiophile sound with the full

getting into metal.impact of Dolby' Digital.

Boston Acoustics THX' SystemDubbing studio quality sound.

This Micro90t Home Theater Package includes:

Two die-cast satellites; a die-cast, sonically

matched Micro90c center channel; a 75 -watt

powered subwoofer and a pair of VRS

diffuse -field surrounds (available separately).

INTRODUCING THE DIE-CAST ALUMINUMMICR090 SYSTEM FROM BOSTON ACOUSTICS.

Regardless of your musical leanings, the new Boston Micro90 will alter your view of subwoofer/satellite

systems. One reason: The satellites are die-cast from an aluminum alloy, creating a housing of incredible

strength and rigidity. So all of the speaker's energy is projected as pure, clean acoustic output instead of

being wasted as cabinet vibration. That's how a Micro90 satellite, which fits in the palm of your hand,

can fill a room with aston shing sound. Its anodized aluminum tweeter with AMD handles lots of power,

yet reproduces highs with virtually zero distortion. And its optional swivel -mount pedestals make for

simple shelf or wall mounting. The Micro90's powered subwoofer, with its clean 75 -watt amp and 8 -inch

DCD bass unit, produces enough bass to satisfy fans of both Ozzy and Offenbach. Best of all, the

Micro90 is available in a complete home theater package, with a matching die-cast center channel and

your choice of direct or diffuse -field surrounds. Hear the Micro90 at your Boston dealer.

BostonAcoustics300 Jubilee Drive, Peabody, MA 01960 (508) 538-5000. www.bostonacoustics.com

Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. THX is a recistered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd.

Stereo ReviewVice President, Editor in Chief

LOUISE BOUNDAS

Executive EditorBOB ANKOSKO

Art DirectorMINDY OSWALD

Technical Editor Senior EditorDAVID RANADA ROB SABIN

Director, Hirsch -Houck LaboratoriesJULIAN HIRSCH

Managing EditorDAVID STEIN

Popular Musk Editor Classical Music EditorSTEVE SIMELS ROBERT RIPPS

Associate Editor Associate Art DirectorKEN RICHARDSON ANDREW THOMPSON

Assistant Editor Database CoordinatorJAE SEGARRA SANTIAGO PIZZINI

Editor at LargeWILLIAM LIVINGSTONE

Contributors: Robert Ackart, Chris Albertson,Francis Davis, Rebecca Day, Richard Freed,

Phyl Garland, Ron Givens, Corey Greenberg, David Hall,Bryan Harrell (Tokyo), Jamie James, George Jellinek,

Daniel Kumin, Ian Masters, Brett Milano,Alanna Nash, Tom Nousaine, Henry Pleasants (London),

Ken Pohlmann, Parke Puterbaugh,Charles Rodrigues, Eric Salzman, Craig Stark

Vice President, Group PublisherTONY CATALANO

Consumer Electronics Group AdvertisingVP/Associate Publisher

Scott Constantine

Regional VP/Ad Director, East Coast:Charles L. P. Watson, (212) 767-6038

Regional Account Managers, East Coast:Christine B. Forhez, (212) 767-6025

Penry Price, (212) 767-6077

Midwest Advertising Manager:Jerry Stoeckigt, (312) 923-4804

Regional VP/Ad Director, West Coast:Robert Meth, (213) 954-4831

Western Advertising Manager:Paula Mayeri, (213) 954-4830Sales Assistant: Nikki Parker

National Record Label Sales Representatives:The Mitchell Advertising Group (MAG Inc.)

Mitch Herskowitz, (212) 490-1715Steve Gross, (212)490-1895

Assistant to the Publisher: Aline J. PulleyPromotion Coordinator: Adele Ferraioli-Kalter

Operations Manager: Sylvia CorreaAdvertising Coordinator: Linda Neuweiler

Sales Assistant: Yvonne TelesfordClassified Advertising: (800) 445-6066

Production Manager: Vicki L. FeinmelProduction Director: Patti Burns

Business Manager: Jonathan J. BighamGeneral Manager: Greg Roperti

1E31, /IIchettc Stereo Review is published

chi by Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, Inc.

Chairman: Daniel FilipacchiPresident. CEO: & COO: David J. Pecker

Executive VP & Editorial Director: Jean-Louis GinibrePresident. Hachette Filipacchi New Media: Paul DeBenedictis

Senior VP. Director of Corporate Sales: Nicholas MatarazzoSenior VP, Global Advertising: Paul DuCharmeSenior VP, CFO, & Treasurer: John T. O'Connor

Senior VP. Manufacturing & Distribution: Anthony R. RomanoVP, General Counsel: Catherine Flickinger

VP, Circulation: David W. LackeyVP, Research & Marketing Services: Susan Smollens

VP, Communications & Special Projects: Keith EstabrookVP, Magazine Development: Marcia Rubin

VP, Dir. Creative Services, Corporate Sales: Lynn ChaikenVP. Financial Operations: Margaret Carroll

Creative Production Dir.. Global Marketing: Jean Pierre LabatutSenior VP, Corporate Sales, Detroit: H. E. (Bud) Allen

66j W1.14\,

- D.3. Keele, Jr., Audio Magazineor. the Studio/100

din yco,

kma

- Andrew Marshall, Audio Ideas Guideon tie Studio/80, CC -450, ADP -450

High praise for PARADIGM° REFERENCE

SPEAKER SYSTEMS...dedicated to providing

the highest standard of technological designexcellence, and deliver breathtaking

high -end sonic performance!

toith years of design expertise and a state-of-the-art in-house R&D facility,Paradigm engineers and acousticians set out to build the world's finestspeakers, regardless of cost! The result is Paradigm Reference...electrifying

and eminently satisfying high -end speaker systems that bring you closer than ever tothe live event!

And, while this stunning performance heightens the sheer enjoyment of music, it is

equally important for the best in home theater sound, especially now with the arrival ofdigital AC -3.

We invite you to visit your nearest Authorized Paradigm Reference Dealer andexperience this astonishing new reference standard in music and home theater soundfor yourself!

1Stuotio120 Studio/60 Studio180 Studio/100 bpaIBP

Bipolar

ODErhpu./BP LCR-450 CC -450 ADP -450

&polar Lei/Own/Right Outer Gunnel Surround

PARADIGM. REFERENCETHE CIL TWA TE IN HIGH E,JO PERFORMANCE FOR MUSIC ANC 1-10AE TREATER'

far nier. nAormid0on PM" ,00. num; 4.4thon4cd RA:erem, Nl, or write"irk. AIRO Boa 2410. NIO7O, F,IL. A't 14142 1 1e5 1 632-0180

Cet.rd. Parddlgin. 10, .1,1n1dx Rd. tra.ndbridgr. (IC r..r 11.5 001 310-280,

CIRCLE NO. 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD

Stereo Review

(REST' ' WORDS

Are Proud ToPresent Their

0 IL DStereo AndSurround SoundSet -Up IDiscStereo Review and Chesky Records

have designed this disc to help you

improve every aspect of your stereo

system and entertainment center's perfoi -

manim. Featuring demonstrations developed

by Ciesky's own recording engineers with

special test signals developed by Stereo

Review's Technical Editor, David Ranada.

This GOLD CD offers a host of useful

test! (some recorded in Dolby Pro -logic)

and includes a sampling of Chesky's

best iew Pop, Jazz, World Music,

and Classical recordings.

Stereo Review (I4SKY RECORDS

tel! 11.1i f1'Ild/

STEREO AND SURROUND SOUNDSET-UP DISC

The kereo Review/Chesky Records GOLD StereoAnd Surround Sound Set -Up Disc Modes selections

from -14e fo4krwIng Chesky arusts-

°regalPaquitc DRivera

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Only $9.98 . $2D0 S&HPlease draw 2.4 weeks kr delwery

To order Call 1(800)-294-589424 Hours a day -7 Days a week

Listen and Learn!hittp://www.chesky.com/music

Chesky RecordsRadio City Station,

P.O. Box 1268 New York, NY 10101

LETTERSMere Computer Speakers1 see you printed the same letter on comput-er speakers from Carl Valle in both your Ju-ly and August issues. I have a suggestion:Why don't you print it again this month,and for once we'd have a legitimate use ofthe phrase, "It's déjà vu all over again"?

RICHARD COLEDes Moines, IA

Oops! Sorry about that! But see page 86 forour comparison test of ten - count 'em,ten! - computer speaker systems.

MiniDisc AnxietyI am considering purchasing a MiniDiscplayer during the upcoming holiday season,but a few things about the format troubleme. First, I will be using the analog inputsto make most of my recordings, but I haveheard (and read) that these inputs causemore noise and distortion than a direct digi-tal input. Exactly how much more noise canI expect? Will my recordings have noisesimilar to tape hiss? Also, will the ATRACperceptual coding technique delete the (in-audible) surround information in Dolby -en-coded CD's?

Second, I have been told that, because oflack of consumer interest, the format maynot survive another year. Is this true? Will Ibe able to get blank MD's two years fromnow? I would really hate to see such an in-credible format disappear. PATRICK MARAJ

Bronx, NY

MiniDisc recordings are dramatically qui-eter than any analog tape whether madethrough the analog or digital inputs. If youuse a good MD home deck, you'll be hardpressed to detect any difference at all he-tween a digital -source MD and an analog -source MD of the same program. As fordubbing Dolby -encoded CD's to MD, DolbyLabs tells us there should be no problem.

Your question about the longevity of MDis harder to answer. Though the format ishugely popular in Japan. it hasn't caughton yet here, in part because of the reluc-tance of some record companies and musicstores to release and stock prerecordedMD's. But Sony - MD's biggest booster -continues to promote it aggressively and re-cently began offering a $600 "bundle" thatincludes a home deck, a portable player.and a couple of blank MD's. Sharp hasalso just introduced a new $700 home deck.Whether or not MD survives long-term, how-ever, there's no denying its benefits today,which include the ability to mix your owndigital recordings and play them at home,in a car, or in portable gear.

Three -Bean Salad?I think I have isolated the subtle distinctionbetween ultra high -end gear and what real

people can afford. If you play CD's throughsolid-state electronics, you will be able tohear ZZ Top's drummer break wind. If youplay vinyl through tube equipment, you candetermine the variety of legume he ingestedthat precipitated the intestinal upheaval.

ED HEATHLexington, IN

Weise FilterIn response to Jack Harvanek's letter in Au-gust "Audio Q&A" concerning high -fre-quency noise on CD reissues, the dbx pro-fessional Model 296, available from profes-sional audio and musical -instrument deal-ers, includes a variable low-pass filter that"slides" upward to allow music through and"slides" to a lower turnover point to filterout hiss when there is no music in the upperfrequencies. It is designed to reduce hissonly, not pops and clicks. A high- and low -frequency enhancer is included to help re-store the sound quality. GARY MARSHANK

dbx representativeLos Angeles, CA

Whither DCC?Where can I find blank and prerecordedDigital Compact Cassette (DCC) tapes? Igot a great deal on a home player/recorder,a portable player, and ten tapes. Unfortu-nately, I can't find a store that has any ideawhat DCC is, and there are no tapes any-where. Should I sell my DCC equipment, oris there hope on the horizon?

KYLE EUGENE GRAVESDetroit, MI

Demand for the DCC format appears to bewaning. Marantz still carries DCC decks inits line, but Philips. Technics, and RadioShack have all dropped them. Radio Shacksays it will continue to sell 60- and 75 -minute Scotch/3M blank DCC's on specialorder (catalog Nos. 44977 and 44978, re-spectively). You might also ask TDK (1-800-835-8273), Maxell (201-794-5900), andBASF (1-800-225-3326) if any retailers inyour area still carry their DCC blanks. Asfor prerecorded DCC's, the format's failureto take off led to its rapid disappearancefrom record stores.

The Ragged EdgeDennis Eichenberg's article "The RaggedEdge" in June neglected to mention speakerreconing as an option for readers faced withdecayed foam surrounds. Reconing - thereplacement of all the moving parts in aspeaker basket, not just the foam - is notonly an additional option but the best courseof action. It is a cost-effective method of re-pairing a woofer (or sometimes midrange)damaged by foam rot or something elsewhile restoring the speaker's original sweet


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to giveyou the most realistic theater sound possible.With the touch of a button.your entire system comes alive

with Dolby'Surround AG -37

AG -3 gives your ear the distinct pleasure of hearing

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which, until now, was heard exclusively in top theaters.

The Accurate Imaging System consistently distributes

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delivering the full bandwidth (20Hz to 20ldiz) provided by

AC -3. And the Intelligent System Control brings the,operation of ally our components, including those of other

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All this at the heart of your audio/video system. gving..,iyou the most uncompromising sound duality possible as

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WHEREVER

H EY

D,HEY RE

It doesn't matter

where you put

them, what you

use them for, or

how you decide

to mount them,

Solids perform.

Why? Because they're acoustically

engineered by world-renowned B&W

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created the legendary B&W Matrix

801 - the speaker used for nearly

eighty percent of all classical recordings.

Solids produce

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their size and

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sound. Reconing vs. refoaming is like re-treading a tire vs. purchasing a new one.Not many drivers prefer retreads.

We also take issue with the method of re -foaming Mr. Eichenberg described. Sincerefoaming reattaches the foam to the cone,we find it imperative to use shim stock tolock up the voice -coil assembly during a re -foaming repair. Without it, centering a foamperfectly on a cone and frame while also al-lowing the voice coil to travel freely is amatter of luck. GLENN AND CATHY SATIN

The Speaker ExchangeTampa, FL

Dennis Eichenberg replies: The article stat-ed that many factors contribute w the deg-radation of speaker sound quality but fo-cused specifically on the common problemof foam -surround deterioration. Reconing iscertainly a viable option when the damageis greater than just the surround. But re -foaming, if done properly, can provide ex-cellent results and certainly warrants con-sideration.

I did emphasize the importance of cen-tering the cone during the repair process aswell as the need to follow the specific in-structions provided in the replacement kit.And I did note the availability of voice -coilalignment shims.

DVD and HDTVI've been told that DVD's cannot be used tostore HDTV signals. Does that mean we'llall have to use a separate medium for play-ing and recording high -definition TV pro-grams? If so, shouldn't this deficiency becorrected before DVD's come into massproduction? JEFF MAYERS

Reseda, CA

You're correct that first -generation DVD'swon't accommodate high -definition televi-sion, which calls for greater capacity and afaster bit rate than are currently practical.But the DVD standard does provide forHDTV as technology allows. A consumerDVD machine capable of HDTV playbackor recording probably won't be seen untilthe end of the decade, when blue lasers be-come cheap.

CorroctionsAugust "Technical Talk" inaccurately com-pared the power draw of a 2 -ohm speakerload from a constant -voltage source with an8 -ohm load. It would draw four times asmuch power, not sixteen times as much.

Because of an editing error, RichardFreed's review in August of a recording ofconcertos by MacDowell and Liszt by An-dre Watts incorrectly stated the pianist'sage. Mr. Watts turned fifty this past June. o

We welcome your letters. Please addresscorrespondence to Editor, Stereo Review,1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.You should include your address andtelephone number for verification. Lettersmay be edited for clarity and length.

SOUND SO REAL YOU CAN FEEL IT

There's more to a good subwooferthan thunderous, wall -rattling bass.

Even a small percentage of distortioncan take all the clarity out of the signal,leaving you with a muddy, undefinedsound. It's thunder without the light-ning. And who wants that?

You'll hear all the impact and all thefidelity from Velodyne's High GainServo subwoofers. It's thanks to theaccelerometer. This revolutionarydevice, custom -designed by Velodyne, ismounted directly on the speaker's voicecoil, where it takes continuous motionmeasurements and feeds them to a com-parator circuit. Any differences betweenthe measured motion and the sourcesignal represent distortion.

The Velodyne system corrects thosedifferences approximately 3500 timesevery second for a precise match withthe input signal. The resulting sound isclean, powerful and, at less than 1%THD, virtually without distortion -acombination no other subwoofer hasbeen able to achieve.

Why let distortion get between youand the power and definition youexpect in a subwoofer? Audition aVelodyne speaker system, including anF -Series sub, today. Call 1-800-VELO-DYNE for the authorized dealer in yourarea.

Velodyne Acoustics Inc.1070 Commercial Street, Suite 101San Jose, CA 95112 USA408-436-7270 FAX 408-436-72761-800-VELODYNE

Velodyne

V

Subwoofers in Velodyne's F -Series feature a resin -reinforced cone with a speciallydesigned hole pattern to break up unwanted standing waves; a high density surroundand linen spider for exceptional durability; a massive magnet structure; a copper voicecoil, precisely matched for maximum output and amplifier efficiency; protection cir-cuitry to prevent damage; an optimized cabinet design; and infrared remote control.Now available with 10", 12", 15" and 18" drivers!

© 1996, Velodyne Acoustics Inc. Velodyne is a registeredtrademark of Velodyne Acoustics, Inc. All rights reserved.

A bullet-proofargument for thenew B&W 600 Series.

sbal ja:r if 33V -1S 1:311o- :" Z8111.!379.-ataaessran,e,sccess.:ssr>

The use of our patented Kevlar® con'esis reason enough to choose the new:B&W 600 Series.

fter all, Kevlar has always been the standardin B&W's best and mo't expensiveloudspeakers.

But that's just thelstart of our bullet-proof argument. Bec4use B&W's top -gunengineers loaded a yarrage of technicalinnovations into antentire family ofaffordable, high pekformance speakers-the B&W 600 Seris. Our metal dome tweeters-borrowedfrom the Matrix 401s- provide near -perfect response tb well beyond audibility.

Beveled cabinet edges and solidlybraced enclosures minimize boxresonance and the effects of diffractionfor truly transparent sound. Gold-plated hreaker terminals allow forbiwiring to reduce component cross -talk. You can choose from a full line ofspeakers ranking from bookshelf to floorstanding, center channel to surroundsound, eveq an active subwoofer. Prices strt at just $400 a pair.

of argument. Any 'questions? Fire away.1-800-370-3740.

KEVLARe IS USED IN BULLET..

PROOF VESTS AND HIGH -END

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QUENCIES. SO ALL YOU HEA

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End

Call

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tel 1-800-370-3740 fax 508-664-4109Listen and You'll See Kesler is a registered trademark of Dupont

CIRCLE NO 8 ON READER SERVICE CARD

NEWPRODU

DENONDenon's AVR-5600 AN receiver

features Dolby Digital (AC -3) and

Pro Logic decoding as well as

THX 5.1 certification and a total of

ten surround modes for movies

and music. Five discrete amplifiers

deliver 130 watts each to

the main. center, and surround

speakers: a preamp output is

provided for an externally

powered subwoofer. The AM.'FM

tuner has forty station presets

and RDS data reception. and a

programmable remote control

is included. Price: $2.800. Denon

Electronics. Dept. SR. 222

New Rd., Parsippany, NJ 07054.

Circle 120 on reader service card

TANDBERGAfter a hiatus. Tandberg of wide -bandwidth preamplifier

DIMONNorway has returned to the U.S. ($1,095). and the TPA 4036 high -

has 'JP market with its 4000 Series

components: from the top. the

current stereo power amp. rated

for 100 watts per channel into

TCP-4035 CD player with 18 -bit 8 ohms ($1.595). Tandberg, Jason

D/A converters ($1.495), the Scott Distributing, Dept. SR. 8816

TPT 4031 tuner with Class A audio Patton Rd.. Wyndmoor, PA 19038.NW, Rittc

circuitry ($1.595). the TCA 4038 Circle 121 on reader service card

McINTOSHMcIntosh's MA6400 integrated

amplifier combines a remote -

controlled preamp with a direct -

coupled stereo amplifier rated

to deliver 100 watts per channel

into 4 ohms. One of the seven

high-level input connections can

be switched to function as a

phono-level input. Two tape -

monitor and two tape -copy

switches are also provided. 3S

are pre-out/main-in jacks. A I

switching of the audio signa is

done with quiet "logic -driven -

relays. Price: $3.000. McIntosh.

Dept SR. 2 Chambers St..

Binghamton. NY 13903.


A ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGYAtlantic Technology has upgraded

its System 250 home -theater

speakers to the System 250.1.

Changes include larger magnet

structures. redesigned crossovers.

and heavier. 34 -inch cabinets for

the Model 251.1 LR main speakers

and 253.1 C ;enter speaker. The

254.1 SR dipole surround speakers

now have a new baffle and. for

extended response, two 4 -inch

woofers each instead of one. The

system also includes the 262 PBM

150 -watt powered subwoofer.

Price: $1,736. Atlantic Technology.

Dept. SR. 343 Vanderbilt Ave..

Norwood, MA 02062.


STEREO REVIEW OCTOBER 1996 17

NEW PRODUCTSVANDERSTEEN Vandersteen's Model 1C tower

speaker improves on its

predecessor, the Model 1B, with a

tightened driver grouping that's

said to allow the 1 -inch metal

tweeter and 8 -inch polycone

woofer to act more like a point

source. The Model 1C also has

a new crossover for better phase

integrity, but it retains the

minimum -diffraction baffle used

in the Model 1B. The 36 -inch -tall

speaker, wrapped in a black

grille cloth. is rated for a frequency

response of 38 Hz to 22.5 kHz

±3 dB. an impedance of 6.8 ohms.

and a sensitivity of 90 dB. Price:

S715 a pair: matching adjustable

base, S85 a pair. Vandersteen

Audio, Dept. SR, 116 W. Fourth

St., Hanford. CA 93230.


AUDIO MAGICThe conductor in the Dragon

interconnect from Audio Magic

has an oxygen -free copper

core clad in high -purity silver

(70 percent of the conductor).

Teflon insulates the conductors.

and a PVC jacket protects

the cable. Price: 1 meter, $39:

11? meters, $44. Audio Magic,

Dept. SR, 456 S. Potomac Way,

Aurora. CO 80012.


MISSIONThe Mission 75AS powered

subwoofer. with a 120 -watt amp

and two 8 -inch drivers. is rated to

27 Hz (-6 dB). A variable crossover

and a phase switch are included.

The 17 x 24 x 10 -inch cabinet is in

black ash (shown). rosewood.

or primavera wood veneer. Price:

$1,400. Mission. Dept. SR. 400

Matheson Blvd. E.. Unit 31.

Mississauga. Ontario L4Z 1NB.


FISHERFisher's PCD-6900 portable CD

player pushes shock protection to

the limit with a 20 -second Opti-

Trac Ill memory buffer. Other

features of the compact, 1 -inch -

thick player induce a three -

position equalizat on switch (to

boost bass. ambience. or both),

a line output for playback on home

A SONYThe Sony CDP-CX270 200 -CD

changer has a video output

and graphical interface that lets

users scroll through disc titles

and tracks on any TV with a

composite -video iiput. Data can

be entered by attaching a

PC -compatible keyboard to the

changer. You can designate up to

eight groups of music by genre or

systems. programmed- and

repeat -play modes, a back -lit LCD

readout, and an accessories

package with headphones. car

adaptor kit, rechargeable battery.

and AC adaptor. Price: $200.

Fisher. Dept. SR. 21350 Lassen

St.. Chatsworth, CA 91311.


LOVEGOLE

OVERBANGDANAArielFUNKJazzBatt

listener name. sequence playback

of up to thirty-two tracks, skip

tracks you don't want to hear with

Delete Track memory. and select

random- or repeat -play options.

A Master Control feature allows the

CX270 to operate a second 200 -

CD Sony changer. Price: Si .000.

Sony Electronics, Dept. SR.

1 Sony Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656.


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Die HardWith A Vengeance

Here's a great way to build a collectionOf your favorite movies - on laserdisc!Just write in the numbers of the 3laserdiscs you want for $1.00 each, plusshipping and handling. In exchange,you simply agree to buy four morelaserdiscs in the next two years,at regular Club prices (currently as lowas S29.95. plus shipping and handling) -and you may cancel membershipat any time after doing so. What's more,you can get still one more movie forthe low price of $19.95 and have lessto buy later (see complete detailsin coupon).

Free Magazine sent every four weeks(up to 13 times a year) reviewing ourDirector's Selection - plus scores ofalternate choices, including many lower -priced laserdiscs. And you may alsoreceive Special Selection mailings up tofour times a year. (That's up to 17buying opportunities a year.)

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Interview WithThe Vampire

Casper (The Movie)

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P lease Check How Paying: C. My :heck is enclosedCharge n, introductory laserdiscs and tuure Club purchases to:MasterCori I -I Diners Club I: AMEX VISA

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Do any of the following apply to you? 41)17 I own a Perscool Computer (I) I cwn o PC w -h a CD-ROM (2) E I pion to buy a PC with o CD-ROM (3)Note This offer hes to first-time Loserdis: Club membrs only Limit one per household Columbia House reserves theright to request Mona' information, repot any applicorra Of cancel any membership Offer lirnried to the continental U S!excluding /Jaskol. Applicable soles tax awed to all orders :04-0/95

NEW PRODUCTS

AMCAMC's CVT 3030a integrated tube

amplifier delivers 30 watts per

channel in Class A operation.

Labeled inputs include phono, DAT.

CD tuner, video. and aux;

there s one tape loop. Modular

construction allows the phono

section to be replaced with an

on -board digital -to -analog

converter. Other features include

gold-plated speaker terminals,

a tone -control bypass switch, and

a headphone jack. Price: $1,000.

AMC/Weltronics. Dept. SR. P.O.

Box 80584, San Marino. CA 91108.


NHTThe NHT SuperOne bookshelf

speaker. with a 61 2 -inch

video -shielded woofer and a

1 -inch soft -dome tweeter in

an acoustic -suspension cabinet.

has a rated resporse of 57 Hz

to 25 kHz ±3 dB. Sensitivity is

given as 86 dB. irrpedance

as 8 ohms, and power handling as

150 watts. The 11'3 -inch -tall

box has a high -gloss black or white

laminated finish. Price: S350 a

pair. Now Hear Thl, Dept. SR.

535 Getty Ct.. Benicia, CA 94510.


. INFINITYThe Sigma is billed as Infinity's

best one-piece speaker. Each

581 4 -inch -tall tower contains two

planar tweeters (tiring front and

rear). one planar midrange. one

612 -inch injection -molded -

graphite (IMG) "midbass coupler,"

and one 12 -inch IMG woofer.

Response is given as 30 Hz to 42

kHz ±2 dB. sensitivity as 87 dB.

Price: $10,000 a pair. Infinity

Systems. Dept. SR. 20630 Nordhoff

St.. Chatsworth. CA 91311.


UNIVERSALUniversal's One For All 5 remote

control comes with a pushbutton

"finder" transmitter that activates

an alarm on the remote. The

transmitter has a range of 60 feet

and operates through walls

and ceilings. As the name

suggests, the One For All 5 can

learn commands for up to five

components. It includes a Menu

button for stepping through

on -screen TV and VCR menus,

a TVNCR button, and a sleep

button with its own timer for TV's

that don't already have the

function. Price: $25. Universal

Electronics, Dept. SR, 1864

Enterprise Pkwy. W.. Twinsburg,

OH 44087.


OEM SYSTEMSThe SS -84-G Sound Scape outdoor

speaker from OEM Systems is

designed for ground or planter

installations where only the top 5

inches of the speaker are

exposed. Each stereo speaker

contains an 8 -inch dual -voice -coil

woofer and four piezoelectric

tweeters (two per channel) to

create 360 -degree dispersion.

The ABS enclosure is said to resist

long-term exposure to the

elements. Power handling is rated

as 100 watts: impedance, 8 ohms.

Price: $249 each. OEM Systems,

Dept. SR. 740 Freeport Blvd.,

Suite 106, Sparks, NV 89431.



0

P slip Morris Inc. 1996

Count

4

"

16 mg "tar," 1.1 ay. per cigarette by FT: _jp

SURGEON GENERAL S WARNING: Cigarette

Sm)ke Contains Carbon Monoxide.

Inside Definitive's Revolutionary BP2000

Low frequencytuned column

25 mm pure aluminumdome, aperiodictransmission -line tweeter

Low diffraction driverbaffle interface

Complex Linkwitz Riley

crossover netwof k

Font intror-frinat,edD'Appolito bipolar array innon-rescnant chamber

Massive subwoofermagnet structure

Acselerc meter optimizedcabinet braces

1" thick high densitynedite front baffle

.33nopfre fiberntemal dampening

..,wmpogiummill110110110" Piano gloss bloc:.or Gloss cherry enccEps

1" thick rea -medite 33ile

High definition pure

copper wire

riuti-loyered damp?, -ingpiis line entire cat Ina.'

1 7 cm minera-filedpolymer high-defi -itom

Lass /midrange drivers

Rr 11111T01-urogecl

D'Appo ito bipolar array in

rm-resonant chap be

15" highixvoercog -throw bi-lantriate

pd.rner subwoofer driver

Ccrr ple-.,e powE rocs ibwoofer sy3ten

Gold -03'31 subw.orerr put (for optiona us.?

Gold-plated tri-vo-abic

speaker level inputs

High-airrEnt 3M -watt Tsubwoofer arnplf er

Throicial transform er

1 "/4" thick high -der EON!

-recite cabinet sidenal

"Definitive's new HP2006 absolutely kills mastmore -expensive speakersi"

-Bret It I it teew. It. Home 77r wet irechawliq.ly

Julian HirschSays,"...I WouldChoose TheseSpeakers for

Myself."BP2000 is "the first speaker I have been able to audition in

my own familiar sunvundings that has given me thatspecial thrill that usually costs ten or more times its price..."

"This slammin' system willprobably kill any other you'veever heard or seen."

-Brent Butterworth, Home Theater

Speaker of the DecadeThe experts agree: Definitive's

BP2000s are an amazing achieve-ment! We have literally reinventedthe loudspeaker and combined asix -driver dual D'Appolito bipolararray with a built-in (side -firing) 300 -watt powered 15" subwoofer. (Yes,a complete powered subwooferbuilt into each speaker!) The resultis extraordinary sonic performancebeyond anything you've ever heard.

Both music and movies arereproduced with unequalled purity,transparency and lifelike realism.And the astounding high resolutionimaging and awesome bass impacttotally envelop you in sonic ecstasy.

Definitive's complete AC -3* ready BP2000 Home Theater Systemis the perfect choice for ultimate music and movie performance.


See our dealer list on page 28

-Julian Hirsch, Stereo Review

The Ultimate Home TheaterIn addition to being an audiophile's

dream, the BP2000s are also the mainspeakers in Definitive's AC -3* readyUltimate Home Theater System. Thisastonishing system is absolutely thefinest sounding available. It recreatesa "you are there" spatial reality thatactually puts you into the soundspaceof the original cinematic action.

The complete system combines theBP2000s ($1499 ea) with a C/L/R 2000center ($650 ea) and BPX bipolar sur-rounds (from $399 ea.). Of course, dual15" powered subwoofers are alreadybuilt into the sleek BP2000 towers.Truly the ultimate listening experience!Visit your Definitive dealer today.

nitive TechThe Leader in HighPerfonnance Loudspeakers...

11105 Valley His. Dr. Baltimore, MD 21117 (410) 363-7148Visit us at http-Rwww.soundsitesximaietinitive. Vegoterrfl Trulemark

PERIPHERALSPRODUCTS AND TRENDS THATGO BEYOND MAINSTREAM AUDIO/VIDEO

The Web Meets SeinfeldBY GREG TARR

44 onvergence" is the hottestbuzzword in consumerelectronics right now. Asyou read this, teams of con-

sumer -electronics manufacturers andcomputer companies are feverishlyworking on getting the comfortableold TV in your family room to do dou-ble duty as a personal computer, orsomething in between the two. Thismelding of technologies, it is said, willlead to future television "systems" thatcan answer your video telephone, con-trol your home theater, play videogames, balance your check book, orcruise the World Wide Web as easilyas they can tune in Seinfeld reruns.

So far the manufacturers have ap-proached the convergence issue fromtwo basic directions. The first is thePC/TV approach, which combines ahigh-performance big -screen televi-sion monitor with a high-performancePC capable of doing whatever a regu-lar PC can do and then some. This ap-proach works particularly well forfamilies looking to shift the kids' mul-timedia use to the family room whilefreeing up an existing home PC.

The second approach is to offera specialized, affordable informa-tion appliance for World WideWeb browsing, e-mail, and otherlight computing tasks. Emphasisis placed on ease of use, withmost functions requiring little be-yond pressing a few buttons on aremote control. The thinking hereis that many Americans have aninterest in exploring the Internetand using e-mail but still don'town a PC, either because theycan't afford one or because theyfind them intimidating to use.

PC/TV to You, TooSome traditional consumer -elec-tronics manufacturers have vowedto get into the PC/TV act as soon

as next year. Philips, for example, isworking on a full-scale PC/TV systemalong with Web browser add-on boxesand other digital devices to be soldunder a new combined Philips Magna-vox brand name. Thomson ConsumerElectronics has joined with computermaker Compaq to produce both big -screen PC/TV's and television Webbrowsers, most of which are expectedto sell under the RCA and Compaqbrands.

For now, full-blown PC/TV's areavailable from mail-order computermaker Gateway 2000, whose Destina-tion models were reviewed here in Au-gust, and startup Silicon Valley PC/TVmaker NetTV, which sells a WorldVi-sion line. Gateway is selling the Desti-nation system with a 31 -inch Mitsubi-shi -made television monitor config-ured as a VGA display with 800 x 600resolution. The system offers both awireless remote and a wireless key-board to control PC and televisionfunctions. You can watch TV pro-grams while cruising the Web in a sep-arate inset window, and both picturesare said to look sharp - unlike tradi-

tional NTSC TV's, which have troublereproducing computer graphics with-out picture -enhancing software.

Like any multimedia computer to-day, the Destination also has stereo au-dio outputs for feeding TV or CD-ROM sound to a stereo or home -the-ater system. Prices range from $3,499to $4,699.

Taking a similar approach, NetTV isselling WorldVision PC/TV's with ei-ther 29 -inch (27 -inch viewable) or 37 -inch (35 -inch viewable) Thomson -built picture tubes that support SVGAresolution of 800 x 600. The 29 -inchWorldVision 2900 series is priced at$2,995 to $4,200.

The monitors included with theWorldVision PC/TV's have both com-puter and video inputs so that, unlikethe Gateway Destination, you canwatch TV without booting up thecomputer as long as you have a VCRor cable -box tuner. The guts of thecomputer are packaged in a slim,black VCR -like case designed to fit ina stereo cabinet. As with the Destina-tion, both television programming andcomputer applications can appear onthe screen simultaneously.

Web Browsing Made EasyThe momentum building tor PC/TV'smay soon be eclipsed by a new breedof TV -based Web browser systemsthat shrink equipment prices to $599or less by scaling down system memo-ry and the microprocessor.

The first of these systems, from Phil-ips and Sony, are expected to reachstore shelves this fall. Both are de-signed to access a new online Internetsupport service operated by WebTVNetworks. WebTV also wrote the spe-cifications for the browser -box plat-

form, meaning that if you buy aWebTV box you must take theWebTV service. The flat monthlyfee was not set by our press time,but it was expected to be between$10 and $20 a month, includinge-mail boxes for up to five users.

Connection to the Internet witha WebTV browser requires noth-ing more than a push of a buttonon the supplied wireless remotecontrol. The box then connectsyour TV, through a telephone lineand modem, to a WebTV homepage that serves as the interfacefor finding Web sites. WebTVprovides links to 300 preselected"hot" sites categorized under 12topical directories such as Sports,Finance, and Kid's Clubhouse, or

vu Ilewr\ Ill lOqI )1 O\ lilt At. I .1. LIS\ IAA Nonit draw r.filifisider/off/ PeRiyedrnir

/o1111,7DIbn Internet I?,

Zenith will offer two NetVision Web -browsing TV'sthis fall, including this 27 -inch model.


A Breakthr ugh!"Definitive's NewBP2002 Achieves

An ImpossibleDream."

-Peter Moncrieff, International Audio Review

At $999 ea., the bipolar BP2002 with dual built-in 125 -wattpowered 12" subwoofers approaches the ultimate

performance of Definitive's reference flagship BP2000.Your Dream Comes True

When Stereo Review's Julian Hirschwrote of the BP2000, "...I would

choose these speakers for myself,"we were thrilled and honored bythis highest of compliments. In fact,since its introduction last year,Definitive's top -of -the -line BP2000has clearly established itself as themost award -winning and highlyreviewed speaker of all time.

Now, our newest breakthrough, theBP2002, incorporates similar cutting -edge technologies in order to achievemind -boggling sonic performancewhich closely approaches that of ourflagship BP2000. And most important-ly, the BP2002's significantly lowerprice and more compact size willallow many more lucky listeners likeyourself to own speakers of thisultimate quality level.

Experience sonic ecaasy! Hear for yourself why top high -end guntPeter Moncrieff raved the "BP2002 achieves an impassible dream"

CIRCLE NO. 15 ON READER SERVICE CARDSe: our dealer list on page 28

Music & Movie PerfectionThe extraordinary BP2002s incorpo-

rate bipolar technology, which turnsyour whole room into a sweet spotwith three-dimensional depth and ahuge sonic image ideal for music andmovie perfection. Truly a unique com-bination of delicately detailed musical-ity and totally controlled brute forcefor your ultimate listening pleasure!

Whether incorporated in a superaudiophile stereo music system orcombined with matching CLR2002center channel ($499 ea.) and ourbipolar rears for a truly remarkableAC -3* ready home theater system,Definitive's magnificent BP2002 willachieve your impossible dream, too.

nitive TechThe Leader in High -Performance Loudspeaken-

1 111)5 Valley His. Dr. Baltimore. MD 21117.14101363-7148Visit us at http://www.soundsite.com/detinitive.

PERIPHERALSusers can access the Excite NetSearchengine to locate other sites by subjector Web address. The system is com-patible with all the popular standardsused by Web site developers.

The WebTV browser can be cus-tomized for fast access to favoritesites, and enhancements to the brows-er's internal software are downloadedautomatically into flash ROM. A porton the box allows connection of op-tional adaptors and peripherals.

Although most of the newWeb browsers use algo-rithms to enhance text andgraphics on a conventional

TV display, WebTV images appear es-pecially clean, the result of a propri-etary technology called TVLens. Thebrowsers deliver professional -quality(D1 -classification) video output andCD -quality 44.1 -kHz, 16 -bit stereo au-dio that can be fed to a stereo systemfor playback of RealAudio, MPEG-2,or MIDI audio files downloaded fromcyberspace.

The WebTV reference profile callsfor a 33.6-kbps modem (the fastestavailable for standard phone lines) anda 112 -MHz, 64 -bit RISC processor.For conducting online transactions, theWebTV spec also allows for a "SmartCard" slot that accepts the new bankand credit cards equipped with inte-grated circuits (IC's).

Philips Magnavox WebTV, as Phil-ips's browser is called, was scheduledto hit stores this month at a suggestedretail price of $329, complete with awireless handheld remote control fornavigating the system and generatinge-mail messages, though just one char-acter at a time. To simplify that proc-ess, a jack for an IBM-compatiblekeyboard is provided on the compactgray box, and a wireless infrared key-board will be available for $60 to $70.

The browser has a standard phonejack for hooking up your telephoneline, along with composite -video, S -video, and stereo audio outputs. ASmart Card slot facilitates transac-tions, and there's an e-mail messagelight. Other planned options include aprinter port and an RF adaptor for usewith TV's that lack a video input.Viewing Web images alongside theTV picture requires the use of a TVwith a picture -in -picture (PIP) feature.

Sony's INT-W100 WebTV browserwas also scheduled to be available in

October at a price comparable to thatof the Philips Magnavox model. Alongwith the basic WebTV features de-scribed by the platform specifications,it will offer a small footprint (111/4 x 2x 8'/4 inches) and a universal trackballremote control with a ten -digit keypadthat will allow easier access to TVchannels and, eventually, Web sites.

Beyond WebTV, ViewCall Americahas written specifications for a $300set -top TV box that provides Internetaccess via its installed Web -browsingsoftware, called WEBster. The inter-face offers easy Web navigation and e-mail service. Users control functionswith on -screen icons and a trackballremote. An infrared wireless keyboardwill be available for under $100.

The specifications for the system in-clude a 28.8-kbps modem, a high-per-formance RISC microprocessor, and4 MB of RAM. The system requiresa TV set with a PIP function to dis-play Web sites alongside television

The momentum building for

PC/TV's may soon

be eclipsed by the new TV -

based Web browsers.

programs. ViewCall expects its firstbrowsers to be out this fall.

Another company taking the set -top -box approach is Curtis Mathes, whichplans to deliver two UniView Internetaccess devices this fall. UniView fea-tures e-mail, paperless faxing, Websurfing, game playing, conferencephone calling, and a personal phonedirectory and memo center. It also in-corporates an electronic on -screen TVprogram guide and allows for electron-ic pen input for drawing and handwrit-ing fax messages. Also, unlike manyother TV Web browsers, UniViewboxes will allow users to watch TVand browse the Internet simultaneous-ly without requiring a PIP -enabled TV.

The basic UniView browser, set tobe priced at $399, will have a 14.4-kbps modem and 1 MB of flash mem-ory and will only be capable of dis-playing text downloaded from Websites. The step-up model, to be pricedat $499, will offer a 33.6-kbps modemand 2 MB of flash memory for full

graphics capability. Curtis Mathes alsoplans to introduce UniView TV's soon.

Bandai Digital Entertainment plansto offer this fall the first version of thePippin. Called Pippin@World, it is es-sentially a stripped -down Macintoshcomputer, priced at $599, that's con-figured to display on a television mon-itor. Designed as a hybrid CD-ROMplayer and television Web browser, ituses a PowerPC 603 processor and a4x CD-ROM drive that will play spe-cially encoded Mac software discs.Pippin@World will include 6 MB ofRAM, although 2 MB are used for thevideo display. It ships with a wired,boomerang -shaped controller. Bandaiis working with PSInet to provide un-limited Internet access for an expected$25 a month.

Big -Screen BrowsersMitsubishi, Hitachi, and Sharp haveall announced plans, with few spe-cifics, to offer televisions incorporat-ing Web -browsing circuitry late thisyear or next year. But Zenith, in col-laboration with software developerDiba, is set to introduce two Internet -enabled television sets this fall.

The NetVision browsing systemwill be found in a 27 -inch Zenith setpriced at $1,099 and a 35 -inch set un-der the company's new Inteq brand at$3,499. Both feature 0.55 -mm dot -pitch tubes with resolution enhancedfor text and graphics by Diba software.

The platform includes a Motorola -derivative CPU that is comparable to a66 -MHz Intel 486. Both sets includean RS -232 port for printer connection,a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connec-tion for future peripherals, a 28.8-kbpsmodem, and 8 MB of RAM. Func-tions are controlled with on -screenicons and a trackball remote. An op-tional wireless keyboard will be avail-able for composing e-mail.

Super Web Boy?Still others getting into the Webbrowser act include video -game mak-ers Sega and Nintendo. In November,Sega will offer its Net Link Webbrowser as a $199 add-on to the Sat-urn CD game system. Sega's archrivalNintendo plans to have a similar add-on for its forthcoming N64 game sys-tem but has not yet released details.

Greg Tarr reports on TV and video forThis Week in Consumer Electronics.


"All Definitive's NewBipolar Towers

Deliver AstoundinSound for MusicMovie Perfection"

Our extraordinary new BP30, 10B, 8B and 6B(firm $299) now have BP2000 Series technology

for dramatically superior sonic performance!

"Truly Outstanding"- Stereo Review

AA bsolute sonic superiority andunexcelled value have made

Definitive the leader in high-perfor-mance loudspeakers. We are nowpleased to introduce a new series ofincredible -sounding bipolar towerswhich incorporate drivers, purealuminum dome tweeters, crossoversand cabinet technology developedfor our flagship BP2000 Series.

These exquisitely styled, Amer-ican -made, bipolar (front and rearradiating) systems totally envelopyou in a symphony of sonic perfec-tion. They combine lush, spacioussound -staging, lifelike depth -of -field,razor-sharp resolution, pinpoint 3-Dimaging, powerful subwoofer-qualitybass (to below 20 Hz), high efficiencyand ultra -wide dynamic range forunsurpassed reproduction of musicand movies in your home.

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The breathtaking performance of our award -winning bipolarspeakers makes your music and movies really come alive.

CIRCLE NO. 15 ON READER SERVICE CARDSee our dealer list on page 28

"Music and Movie Soundwas Stunning," - Video MagazineCombine the BP6B, 8B, 10B or 30with our matching centers, bipolarsurrounds and optional PowerFieldsubwoofers for the most lifelike,spectacular "you are there" musicand home theater available. All arecompletely Dolby Digital AC -3* ready.

Award after Award ConfirmsDefinitive's Sonic Superiority Stereo Review "Dream System" Video Magazine Product -of -the -Year Audio Video Speaker -of -the -Year CES Design & Engineering Awards Sound & Vision Critic's Choice Inner Ear Report Editor's ChoiceYou owe it to yourself to hear theseremarkable speakers today.

nitive TechThe Leader In High -Performance Loudspeakers.

111(6 Valley His. Dr. Baltimore, MD 21 117.1410)363-7148Visit us at Ntrfiwww.sounctsite.comAlefinitive. Roytqtrtvl Trudentark

Definitive Technology.The Leader in High-Perfotmena Loudspeakers.

AUDIO Ca & AIAN G. MASTERS

Preamp-Free Surround.6 I am interested in building a surround -

.sound system that I can easily upgradeto Dolby Digital (AC -3) in the future. Otherthan an audiolvideo source. I intend to haveno other inputs (no CD or tuner), so I wouldlike to limit the system to just a Pro Logicdecoder and several power amplifiers. Wouldit he necessary to add a preamplifier to thissetup other than for tone control?

FRANK STELLATOGuilford, CT

AThere's no real need for a separate pre-amplitier in such a setup as long as you

have the proper sort of control over signallevel. Otherwise, unless your power amplifi-ers have input -level controls, there is a dan-ger that you might feed them a signal highenough to damage your speakers. That real-ly depends on your Pro Logic processor:Some models "remember" the level settingslast used, in which case there should be noproblem. A few, however, automatically re-set to a default level when first powered up,ignoring whatever setting may have been inuse when they were turned off. The defaultlevel may be fine, or it may be too high. In-vestigate before you choose a processor.

Extra Amps(aMy system consists of four pairs of ste-reo speakers plus four smaller speak-

ers. The main speakers are driven by theprimary power amplifier plus a second am-plifier fed from the tape outputs of the mainpreamplifier. The four smaller speakers aredriven by a second outboard amplifier, alsousing the signal from the tape outputs. Isthis setup likely to cause any harm to mymain components? RODNEY HEDRICK

Phoenix, AZ

AWow! Either that means you havespeakers in every conceivable corner of

your house, or you have a listening roomwith enough acoustic power to implode abowling ball. Either way, powering twelvespeakers with three stereo amplifiers doesrun the risk of presenting some very low im-pedances to the amplifiers, depending on ex-actly how things are wired up. As long asthe amps are reasonably able to cope withlow loads, however, and as long as thespeakers themselves have reasonably highimpedances, you're probably okay runningtwo pairs in parallel per amplifier.

As for feeding the auxiliary amplifiersfrom the tape -monitor jacks, that shouldpose no problem. It means that you can'tvary the overall volume of your extendedsystem with the level control on your pre -


amplifier. But if you can do that on the ex-ternal amps themselves, it may not matter.

Second SubQMy powered subwoofer is fed from the

line -level subwoofer output of my re-ceiver, which has an internal low-pass filter.I would like to add a second sub, but the re-ceiver has only one sub output. Can I justput a "Y" connector on the output and feedit to both subs, or is there a better way?

ROBERT G. FRITZNorth East, MD

ANo, yours is a perfectly reasonableway to set them up. The extra drain on

the line -level output will be tiny; even if youcan hear a drop in level, which I doubt, itcan be corrected easily by tweaking the sub -woofer output -level control on your receiveror the level knob on the powered sub itself.

Although it doesn't apply in your case -you have a low-pass filter in the circuit be-fore the subwoofer output - there are sys-tems in which the filtering is done at thepowered sub. Usually, the sub's built-incrossover has a high-pass output that is fedback to the receiver's main -in jacks or to anancillary amp for a pair of satellite speakers.To add a second sub in that case, you canuse "Y" cords to feed both powered subswith the same full -range stereo signal fromthe receiver's pre -out jacks. But you'll needto run only one set of high-pass outputsback to the receiver or amplifier that powersthe satellites. In any event, care should betaken when running two subs to set theircrossover points at the same frequency.

Increasing PowerQMy listening room is large - almost

600 square feet, with I 3 -foot ceilings- and I am currently using speakers with anominal impedance of 4 ohms and a sensi-tivity of 90 dB. My amplifier is rated at 225watts into 4 ohms, and I'm contemplatingincreasing that to 375 or 400 watts, depend-ing on which new amp I buy. Would that rep-resent a significant upgrade or just a wasteof money? SERGE BOUFFARD

Nicolet, Quebec

Al doubt that either a 150- or 175 -wattpower increase would be worthwhile

in terms of increased output. First, eventhough your room is larger than most, youshould have little trouble filling it withsound using the quite sensitive speakers youhave and the power available from your cur-rent amplifier. In any case, the upgrade youare contemplating would less than double

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I

Ii

"Definitive'sSubwoofersGuarantee

Ultimate BassIn Your Home!"

Our award -winning $699 PF 15 subwoofer has a15" woofer, 200 -watt RMS amp and earth -shaking17 Hz response that will supercharge your system.

"Shook the Concrete Floor-- Stereo ReviewWhen Definitive set out to buildthe world's finest sounding

subwoofers, our goal was the per-fect synergy of powerful, earth -shak-ing bass for home theater and arefined and expressive musicality.

First, we developed PowerFieldTechnology for superior high -powercoupling and unexcelled transientdetail. Next, we engineered beautifulrock solid monocoque cabinetswhich house our high -power, high -current amplifiers, fully adjustableelectronic crossovers and massive12", 15" or 18" drivers. The result isthe absolute ultimate in subwooferperformance, awesome bass whichthunders down below 15 Hz, yetretains complete musical accuracyfor your total enjoyment. Definitive's subwoofers combine explosive power with refined

musicality to achieve the absolute ultimate in bass performance.

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your power, and that would mean a just -audible increase of less than 3 dB.

Disturbing Bass

Ca/plan to buy a suhwoofer for my sur-

round -sound system, but my currentspeakers already disturb the neighbors. Willreplacing my woofers with a suhwooferhelp, or will that just make the sound toobassy? DARIUS C. CUTTS

Maplewood, MO

ANow let me get this straight: Yourneighbors are already complaining

about the explosions and such emanatingfrom your home -theater system, but youwant to add extra bass to really blow themaway? No, that can't be it. Maybe you feelthat by substituting the output of a subwoof-er for the bass output of your present speak-ers you might achieve a different quality ofbass that, while still satisfying, would beless disturbing outside your listening room.Sorry. Bass is bass, and if you have enough,it doesn't really matter what's producing it.

It does matter where that device is, how-ever, and if you have to crank your regularspeakers to a level that rattles the neighbors'teeth, it may well be that the acoustic pecu-liarities of your listening area put your chairin a room mode that sharply attenuates thebass. If you try to overcome that by turningthings up, the result in a position withoutthat attenuation may well be unbearable -

and that position could easily be on the oth-er side of your wall, in your neighbor's liv-ing room. If that's the case, simply experi-menting with the position of your presentspeakers may solve the problem (I'd suggestenlisting your neighbor's help, if it isn't toolate). Failing that, a subwoofer would be areasonable solution, but you will still haveto do some careful experimentation withposition. As for making your sound "toobassy," that's a matter of setting the level soit's balanced with the rest of the system.

Distorted LP'sQWhen playing tapes or CD's, my ste-reo system works well. I have an older

turntable that I wanted to connect to my re-ceiver, but when I did, it seemed to overpow-er the system. The only way I could listen toit was with the volume at minimum and thesuhwoofer turned off, and even then thesound was still pretty terrible. I'd really liketo listen to my old records. Can you offer anysuggestions? MARYANN O'GORMAN

Kingston, PA

AYou don't say just how old your rec-ord -playing equipment is, but if it's old

enough (or was inexpensive enough whenyou bought it), it may use a ceramic or crys-tal phono cartridge rather than the more ad-vanced moving -magnet sort.

The phono inputs of most receivers aredesigned for moving -magnet cartridges,

SRS cor place e sounds qf esides of the listening area or ere ther4iitioithailcaseintecases. The restir

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which have much lower signal levels thanother components such as tape or CD play-ers. To compensate, an extra stage of ampli-fication is added for the phono input to raisethe level to that of the other sources. At thesame time, the phono preamplifier appliesequalization that boosts bass and cuts trebleto offset the similar but inverse equalizationapplied when a record was made.

A ceramic or crystal cartridge has a muchhigher output - about the same as that ofyour non-phono components - and has anatural response characteristic that approxi-mates the equalization circuitry in your pho-no input. If you plug a turntable using sucha cartridge into a regular phono input, itcauses the phono circuits to overload andwill certainly sound much too loud and ex-cruciatingly distorted. In addition, there willbe double bass boost, naturally by the car-tridge itself and again by the equalizationcircuits. One solution is to connect the rec-ord -playing equipment to a high-level input,such as aux, or a second tape -monitor input,rather than the phono jacks. Another optionis to buy a modem cartridge, assuming yourturntable can handle one, or a new turntableand cartridge combination.

If you have a question about audio,send it to Q&A, Stereo Review,1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.Sorry, only questions chosenfor publication can be answered.

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You Want Mustard On That?Anyone who really values high-

fidelity music reproduction isrightly concerned about theintegrity of his playback sys-

tem. The joys and frustrations of buyingnew equipment, upgrading old equip-ment, and tweaking are well known toevery audiophile. That perfection is unob-tainable, that there always remains some-thing else to be improved, is one of thereasons the pursuit is so fascinating. Asimportant as your playback system is,however, in reality it is a relatively minorfactor in determining the quality of thesound you listen to. Suppose that you arehiking in the mountains and you comeupon a cold, bubbling stream. You take adrinking cup from your pack and dip itinto the stream for a drink. How impor-tant is your cup's size, shape, design, andcost in determining the quality of the wa-ter you're drinking? The same questioncan be asked about the equipment you usefor music playback.

Okay - I'm exaggerating a little bit.Of course, the type of playback system isvery important. Anyone who can't hearthe difference between a rack system anda sophisticated home -theater systemshould consult his family physician. Butno matter how good your playback sys-tem is, it cannot be better than the soundof the recording itself. In that respect, it isthe quality of all the recording, editing,mastering, and duplicating processes thatlargely determines what finally leavesyour loudspeakers. The problem is thatwhile you have complete control of thequality of your playback gear (withinbudgetary constraints), you have no con-trol at all over the other 90 percent of thegear that is upstream of your tape or disc.Moreover, though you may have set upyour hardware expertly, there is no assur-ance that a high level of professionalismwas exhibited in all of the steps prior toplayback.

The recording/reproduction chain isfabulously complicated. Most consumershave little notion of just how many vari-ables are at play. The type of equipmentmay range from state-of-the-art to a stateof anarchy. To begin with, virtually everymusic recording employs a mixing con-sole, both to record individual tracks andto remix the tracks into a stereo master.

Most mixing consoles are a collection ofhundreds or thousands of tiny operationalamplifiers, and it does the audio signalno good to pass through them. Indeed,many consoles are infamous for the col-oration they add to audio signals. What isperhaps the most widely used profession-al mixing console, costing much morethan your house, is openly condemned forthe audible distortion it adds, but engi-neers like to use it anyway because of itsflexible operation. Other, cheaper con-soles are even worse.

Another example: One of the world'smost widely used digital tape recordersuses analog stages with the exact sameparts that you'll find in a cheap clock ra-dio. Moreover, the designers carelesslyoverlooked the fact that the digital out-puts are 180 degrees out of phase with theanalog outputs.

Similarly, the technicians and engi-neers along the signal chain may range in

A recording is something

like a hot dog. A lot

of elements go into it, and

you're better off not

knowing about all of them.

expertise from consummate professionalto clueless goofball. In either case, onefalse move, by anyone anywhere in thechain, can condemn a recording to sonicmediocrity or worse.

For instance, it's easy to pass an audiosignal through a mixing console. But onlyexperienced engineers understand theramifications of setting gains and lossesin a console signal path. Recording engi-neer John Eargle (a consummate profes-sional) points out a common pitfall in hisbook Handbook of Recording Engineer-ing: A console that is operated properlymay provide a dynamic range of 88 dBfrom input to output. If the input fader isset 10 dB too high, however, the submas-ter must be set 10 dB lower to compen-sate, which reduces the throughput dy-namic range to 78 dB. That 10 -dB loss

can never be recovered, and the elevatednoise floor is forever preserved on the fi-nal recording.

The signal chain is not a single, unbro-ken process; instead, it is a series of hand-offs from one step to another. A conscien-tious recording engineer may work tire-lessly to find exactly the right tonal bal-ance, and then some laggard in a CDpressing plant may nonchalantly decide tocrank up the treble. Conversely, even thebest pressing plant can only faithfullyreplicate the garbage on the tape mailedin from some garage studio. Between therecording engineer and the pressing plantis the editing engineer. Most recordingstoday are made of hundreds of little bitsof music edited together on a digitalworkstation. Music is almost never re-corded continuously. One famous ensem-ble breaks its tracks into chunks of fouror five bars of music and records thechunks one at a time, resting betweeneach one. Then the chunks are edited to-gether to form a complete recording.

Anyway, as the music data is movedinto and off the workstation, and as it iscopied and pasted, clicked and dragged,snipped and tucked, cloned and pitch -shifted, there are thousands of ways toadd noise, distortion, or outright musicalerrors. The point is, a music recording issomething like a hot dog: A lot of differ-ent elements go into it, and you're betteroff not knowing about all of them.

Given the complexity of the recordingchain, it may seem miraculous that any-thing at all listenable reaches our loud-speakers at home. The fact that some re-cordings sound absolutely gorgeous is atribute to some of the dedicated profes-sionals out there. For example, Tom Jungis well known for his perfectionist ap-proach to recording. His studio technique,microphones, processing and editing elec-tronics, and storage media are withoutcompromise. As a result, his recordingson the DMP label represent the straightestpossible path from studio microphone tohome loudspeaker. Unfortunately, Jungand his small group of perfectionist col-leagues are in a minority. The simpletruth is that the music business is moreabout business than about music. The bot-tom line counts, and in the rush to getproduct out the door, the subtleties ofsonics are often overlooked. If there's anyextra money to spend on a recording,most record labels would rather use it foradvertising and promotion instead ofsome technical improvement.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bum youout. I was just trying to point out a fewunpleasant realities of the upstream re-cording chain. Actually, this is a prefaceto a description of some great new re-cording technology that will dramaticallyimprove the signal chain. But I've usedup my word quota for the month. Thegood news will have to wait.


TECHNICAL TALKJULIAN HIRSCH

What I Can't Tell You AboutA Component

From time to time I receive lettersfrom readers asking for informa-tion on such matters as the relia-bility or durability of an audio

component, or where a specific productcan be repaired. Other frequent questionsconcern the choice of a specific compo-nent, such as "Should I buy this receiveror that one?"

Likewise, a reader will often write in totell of his experience, good or bad, with aproduct totally unknown to me, suggest-ing that we review it. Occasionally thedeveloper or manufacturer of a new prod-uct offers to send it in for test.

In general, I cannot respond to thesequeries, as much as I'd like to. Most read-ers don't realize that I do not choose thecomponents to be reviewed in STEREOREVIEW. Although I may have sugges-tions, the choice is up to the editors, andmy role is to test and evaluate the perfor-mance and merits (or weaknesses) of theselected components. Sometimes I havenever seen a component to be reviewedbefore it arrives at my door, and on a fewoccasions I have never even heard of it. IfI know of some worthy component froma previously unknown source, I may men-tion it to the editors, but they make the fi-nal call.

Various criteria go into determiningwhat gets tested and what doesn't. For ex-ample, over the years, I have receivedsome criticism for giving only positive re-views. Although that is not entirely true,the vast majority of my published reportsare indeed favorable. The reasons shouldbe obvious. Products for review are oftenselected on the basis of their feature con-tent, state-of-the-art circuitry, or their per-formance at a press demonstration indi-cating that they are likely to be of interestto our readers. We don't review "junk"components or products that are obvious-ly unsuitable.

Among those products we do test,there is only so much we can tell youabout them. Let's look at service life andreliability, for example. We have only twooptions for judging product reliability: 1)Use it regularly and monitor its perfor-mance for an extended period, such as six

months or a year, or 2) consider the repu-tation and track record of its manufacturerand assume that the test sample is typicalof the product.

The first option is obviously impracti-cal, requiring the regular or continuousoperation of perhaps dozens of compo-nents and systems. That kind of testingcould only be done by the manufacturer(and a fairly large one at that) or by an or-ganization like Consumer's Union, al-though by the time any useful reliabilitydata could be generated, the productwould probably be obsolete.

The second option (testing one sam-ple), though perhaps not ideal, is the onlypractical one. Most established compa-nies, in my experience, turn out honestly

We don't review "junk"

components or products

that are obviously

unsuitable for our readers.

rated and reliable products. The few thatdon't are not likely to be around too long.The fact is, most of today's audio compo-nents are vastly superior to their prede-cessors in reliability, performance, andvalue.

Incidentally, for years we have request-ed that review samples be tested by themanufacturer for compliance with thecompany's own specifications and that wereceive a copy of the test results. Suchpretesting can be a major help in identify-ing a defective sample so that we don'twaste a lot of time on useless measure-ments. A very small number of compa-nies (probably less than 10 percent) com-ply with this request, but most compo-nents we test easily meet or surpass theirratings nonetheless.

What about customer service? Mostconsumer -electronics manufacturers ofany size try to satisfy their customers, orthey would soon be out of business. Butevaluation of such factors is simply be-

yond the scope of my role as an equip-ment reviewer.

What I can comment on are a compo-nent's performance aspects, but even thatmust be taken in context. Simply put, thecomplete disclosure of product perfor-mance based on objective measurementsis impossible! Even if we could measureevery detail of a product's electrical andacoustical performance, much of the datawould not be very meaningful to a readerof the report.

I assume that for most people who areinterested in acquiring or upgrading ahi -ti system, the bottom line is the soundthey expect to enjoy. Now, we can mea-sure the acoustic output of a loudspeaker(the only part of a music system thatmakes a sound). Unfortunately, that mea-surement may have only the most tenuousrelationship to the sound you will hearfrom it in your listening room. WhateverI, or anyone else, can tell you about thesound we hear or measure from a loud-speaker, no matter how accurate and ob-jective it might be, cannot be used to pre-dict what it will sound like in your ownsystem except in the most general way.

Yes, the performance of a loudspeakercan be measured in a number of repeat-able and objective ways. And with experi-ence one can often extract quite a bit ofinformation from such data that will helpto distinguish one speaker from another,or even to rate different speakers with re-spect to their "value" as defined by the re-viewer. But with thousands of speakermodels currently on the market, we are along way from being able to comparethem all in every respect. I can't imaginehow it might be done without actuallyhearing them side by side in the same en-vironment, and even that would be aflawed and uncertain proposition.

In closing, then, I enjoy receiving mailfrom readers, especially when it containsconstructive criticism or suggestions.Mail sent to STEREO REVIEW is forward-ed to me regularly. If a stamped, self-ad-dressed envelope is included, I endeavorto answer all letters. I cannot, however,respond to queries about the incredibleamplifier, loudspeaker, or you name itthat has been developed or sold in yourarea and whose exceptional performanceand value you feel far surpass those of thebetter-known brand names. Maybe suchmarvels do exist, but I tend to wonderwhy the talent that created them is so se-cretive. At any rate, none of these unap-preciated wonders has yet, to my knowl-edge, emerged into the light of day.

Likewise, I cannot answer questionssuch as "Should I buy a Brand X orBrand Y receiver?" (or any component,for that matter). While we can advise yougenerally, that decision must ultimatelybe between you and your ears, where nei-ther I nor the magazine's editors wouldpresume to interfere.


"mind blowing...bullet proof`Dynamic Balance 'technolo

If Polk's Dynamic Balance technology can make even smallspeakers sound so amazing, why don't other companies use it?

(They didn't do the research)

el.1)Polk's exclusive Dynamic

Balance technology is the

, result of laser research

I;41 conducted in cooperationMatthew Polk, with Johns Hopkins University.co-founder and

chairman It helps our speakers produce

wider response and lower distortion for

clearer, cleaner, more life -like sound.

Dynamic Balance is just one of dozens

of loudspeaker technologies developed by

Polk Audio, including over twenty which

are patented. Whether you're looking for

stereo or home theater, large floorstanding

speakers or award winning speakers small

enough to just about disappear, look

to Polk Audio. Because our program of

fundamental research leads to products

with unmatched performance and value.

For the complete story of Polk technologies

and information on the entire line of Polk

loudspeakers, call (800)377-7655 or visitus on the web http://www.polkaudio.com.

E,W magazine, April, 1996. From a review of the Polk AudioSRT system with Dynamic Balance technology.

11*

MUT The RM5300 is the latest in Polk'saward winning line of satellite/subwoofer

speaker systems. It features a floor

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Dynamic Balance driver technology

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"Polk Audio", "The Speaker Speciahsts "RM5300", "SRT". and "Dynamic

Balance" are registered trademarks of Polk Investment Corporation used

under license by Polk Audio Incorporated


TEST REPORTS

Kenwood KC -Z1 Stage 3Home Theater ControllerDAVID RANADA TECHNICAL EDITOR

apust a glance at Kenwood's KC -Z1 Stage 3 Home Theater Con-troller, a tuner/preamplifier andmore, will tell you that it is

special. In contrast to the typicalblack, slab -sided audio/video compo-nent, it is finished in dark gray and itsmostly bare front panel is sculptedwith gentle undulations. Each buttonin the row of input selectors glows avivid blue when touched, and there arefour tiny, bright red and green indica-tor lights at the lower right. The smallcentral volume control is flush -mount-ed. As an example of industrial de-sign, the front panel of the KC-Zl issimply gorgeous.

A glance will also tell the audio en-thusiast that there aren't enough but-tons and knobs on the front panel toperform the functions of an A/V pre-amplifier, much less one that performsDolby Digital (AC -3) decoding, HomeTHX signal processing, and Dolby ProLogic decoding, all executed digitally.

The key to the KC-Z1's operation isshown at the top of our picture: a re-mote control of unusual design and re-markable abilities. Kenwood's namefor it, "TouchPanel," gives part of thesecret away. Most of its surface is cov-ered by a touch -sensitive displayscreen such as you might find in anautomated teller machine. The displayitself is of the back -lit liquid -crystalvariety found in laptop computers.Together they offer at least as manycontrols as the most button -packed in-frared handset. But here those controlsare logically organized into different

DIMENSIONS: 17 inches wide, 61/4 incheshigh, 17% inches deep (without TouchPanel)

WEIGHT: 27 pounds

PRICE: $2.8(0

MANUFACTURER: Kenwood, Dept. SR,P.O. Box 22:45. Long Beach, CA 90801;telephone. 1-800-453-6966

display screens, each with its own setof clearly labeled touch -control "but-tons." Using the TouchPanel is verymuch like using an automated tellermachine or a computer with a menu -based operating system (Macintosh orWindows); it will be almost intuitiveto users familiar with either.

The TouchPanel's versatility doesn'tstop with controlling the KC -Z 1 's op-eration. It is programmable and can beused to operate many other types andbrands of infrared -controlled compo-nents. Infrared commands for hun-dreds of AN components are alreadystored in the KC -Z1, and a set is re-called for active duty by TouchPaneloperations that associate the com-mands for a particular component -say, a CD player - with the Touch -Panel control display for that type ofcomponent. Once this relationship hasbeen established, pressing the play"button" on the TouchPanel's CD con-trol display will cause the KC-Zl"mother ship" to transmit the ap-propriate memorized infrared com-mand. The command emerges througha supplied infrared repeater, a smalldevice that attaches through a long,thin cord to a repeater output on theKC-Z1's rear panel. You position therepeater where it can be "seen" by theoutboard component you wish to con -


TEST REPORTStrol. The preamp has threeidentical repeater outputs incase you need to spread thatmany around to control yoursystem.

Types of components thatcan be controlled include CDand laserdisc players, analogtape decks, MiniDisc machines,VCR's, televisions, satellite re-ceivers, and cable boxes. Un-fortunately, there are no storedcommands for DAT decks, andthe KC -Z1 is unable to memo-rize externally supplied in-frared commands. Also, not allcommands for all componentsare supported, just the main ones.

Communications between the Touch -Panel and the mother ship are two-way: The TouchPanel issues com-mands, and the KC -Z1 intermittentlyupdates the TouchPanel on its operat-ing status in case you've changedsomething using the front -panel con-trols. There are only four of those be-sides the input selectors: an on/stand-by switch, the continuously rotatingvolume knob, a mute button, and aPage button. Pushing Page causes theTouchPanel to emit a beep that helpsyou find it if it has wandered under thecouch cushions. Even if the TouchPan-el has made its way into a nearbyroom, the Page feature as well as theTouchPanel commands will still work,for they both operate via 900 -MHz ra-dio links. Kenwood claims an approxi-mately 100 -foot range for the Touch -Panel, which obviously doesn't haveto be in the same room as the KC -Z1to work, much less pointed in any par-ticular direction.

Further innovation is foundin the TouchPanel's powersource: a rechargeable nickel/metal -hydride battery of a type

commonly used in portable computers(Duracell DR -17). You get two withthe KC -Z 1 so that one can be recharg-ing - in a charging station hiddenbehind a slide -up door at the bottomright of the KC -Z 1's front panel -while the other is being used in theTouchPanel. Kenwood claims 4 to 5hours of continuous TouchPanel oper-ation per charge. That can be greatlyextended if you reset the panel back-lighting so it isn't always on. Eachbattery has a life expectancy of around250 charge/discharge cycles. If youare caught with no charged batteries,you can still fully operate the KC -Z1by docking the remote onto the front

while charging a battery in the batterycompartment. The TouchPanel attach-es to the center of the KC -Z 1 's frontpanel and is held in place by the smalltriangular latch visible in the photoon page 35.

Oh, yes, the KC -Z1 is an advancedaudio/video preamp, too! Its rear panelcontains A/V connections for twoVCR's, a laserdisc player, a cable boxor satellite TV tuner, and signals froma TV set. There's a single TV -monitorvideo output and a front -panel A/V in-put hidden behind a slide -up door onthe lower left, next to the master pow-er button. Both composite -video andS -video jacks are supplied for all vid-eo connections. There are rear -panelaudio connections for a CD player,two analog tape decks, a MiniDisc re-corder (also usable for a DAT or DCCrecorder), and a turntable with a mov-ing -magnet cartridge. The setup man-ual mistakenly says that a DVD play-er, if these ever come out, should con-nect to the CD inputs. Actually, itshould connect to the laserdisc inputs,or else you won't get any video.

Several of the inputs are also pro-vided with optical and coaxial digitalaudio S/PDIF connections: the Mini -Disc recorder, the CD player, the ca-ble/satellite box, and the laserdiscplayer. The latter two digital connec-tions will also handle Dolby Digital(AC -3) S/PDIF signals, but there is al-so an AC -3 RF input for laserdiscplayers equipped with the appropriateoutputs. For those sources with morethan one type of output, the KC -Z1will automatically select one set ofsignals, in this order: 1) AC -3 RF, 2)digital coaxial, 3) digital optical, 4) an-alog. The selection can be overridden.

Line -level audio outputs are provid-ed for front left/right, center, surroundleft/right, and subwoofer, plus an aux-iliary stereo feed for a second room

(which can come only from an-alog source signals). There isalso a DB-25 connector forhooking up the Kenwood Stage3 power amplifier or anotherTHX-type multichannel amp aswell as antenna hookups (F -connector for FM, spring clipsfor AM) and three switched ACconvenience outlets.

In our lab tests, except for thesolidly average tuner section(with typically abysmal AMfrequency response), the KC -Z1 did very well indeed. Con-sidering the amount of digitaland radio -frequency "hash" that

must be bouncing around the interior,it was amazing to find such low noiselevels from phono to CD (in source -di-rect mode from the analog inputs) andin all operating modes from stereothrough Dolby Pro Logic/THX to Dol-by Digital. In fact, except for somevery low-level hiss from the phono in-put, the lack of any audible back-ground noise at normal playback vol-umes was one of the most outstandingsonic characteristics of the KC -Z1. Inthe Dolby Pro Logic/MX modes, thehigh channel separations and lownoise levels we measured show the ad-vantages of the digital processing em-ployed. Surprisingly, the surround -channel noise calibration was way offthe THX spec, though we were told byLucasfilm that this is a problem withthe version of the Zoran AC -3 chipused to perform Dolby Pro Logic de-coding. This degree of miscalibrationmay be audible with some soundtracks.

The Dolby Digital results wereamong the best we have measuredsince we obtained a Dolby AC -3 testdisc. That disc's frequency sweeps, bythe way, are too rapid for our testequipment to keep up with, which iswhy our measured Dolby Digital fre-quency responses all stop short of20 kHz. The subwoofer output con-formed to THX specs (80 -Hz low-passcrossover on the subwoofer output,80 -Hz high-pass filtering on the mainoutputs).

The number of digital inputs in theKC -Z 1 encouraged us to measure thepreamp as if it were a CD player, test-ing the abilities of its internal digital -to -analog (D/A) converters using thearray of special CD player tests we'vedeveloped. The results are grouped to-gether at the end of the Stereo Perfor-mance section of the measurements.They were generally fine except forthe linearity and related excess -noise



Ace Ventura, Aladdin,Night of the Living Dead.

This is serious stuff.

TOar $999 CR Home Theater Package

includes: a pair of CR7 mains, a CF1

center channel speaker, CR6 surrounds

with brackets and a CR400 powered

subwoofer.

Micro Reference SeriesBig theater sound from small,

sculpted satellites.

0 Compact Reference SeriesIncredible sound from compactspeakers.

Lynnfield VR SeriesAudiophile sound with the fullimpact of Dolby' Digital.

Boston Acoustics THX® SystemDubbing studio quality sound.

If you take your movies seriously, this is for you: the Compact Reference Home Theater Package.

It features our much -touted CR7 main speakers. They impressed Audio magazine enough to call them

"Great Performers." Plus, they said, "[The CR7's] sound is smooth ane well balanced, and their bass

competes with that of larger speakers." In the center: the CR1 center channel. Its tweeter is identical

to the CR7's, and both speakers' bass units are tonally matched. So left/right pans are seamless, tonal

balance is smooth and dispersion is broad. For surrounds, choose between our compact, flexible

CR6 monitor with swivel -mount bracket or our award -winning CRX diffuse -field surround. Finally,

there's the newest CR family addition: the CR400 powered subwoofer. It's a serious subwoofer .n a

compact package. The CR400's 75 -watt amp and 8 -inch DCD bass unit produce remarkable bass effects

down to 35Hz (-3dB). And it offers volume control, a variab e crossover and a polarity switch-

features you'd only expect to find in larger, more expensive subs. Test -listen the CR Home ThEa:er

Package at your local Boston dealer. You won't hear anything else like it. Seriously.

BostonAcoustics300 Jubilee Drive, Peabody, MA 01960 (508) 538-5000. wwwbostonacoustics.com

Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. THX is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd.

TEST REPORTStests, which showed only average per-formance. This is the first componentwe've found with a negative excess -noise figure (EN16 without signal),which is just as "bad" as a positive re-sult, the ideal being 0 dB. We weren'table to reliably hear audible effectsfrom these behaviors with speciallydesigned test signals, but we're deal-ing in any case with phenomena thatoccur right at the hearing threshold.They weren't audible with music.

The KC -Z1 sounded just fine withmusic and with standard movie sound-tracks, but it delivered simply spectac-ular performance with Dolby Digitalrecordings. For the first time we couldlisten to the effects of THX processingon AC -3 signals. THX re -equalizationproduced the most obvious difference,reducing the harshness of some overly

bright mixes, such as in True Lies. It'sa useful adjunct to Dolby Digital de-coding, but it makes less of a differ-ence than it does with Dolby Surroundsoundtracks.

Kenwood has learned much fromthe nearly disastrous mistakes madeby other companies that have attempt-ed some sort of computer -like remote -control system. Other systems usuallyrely on an on -screen display, forcingyou to turn on the TV to figure outwhat your system is doing. TheTouchPanel's integral display makesuse of a TV monitor to show systemstatus unnecessary. The KC -Z1, there-fore, includes no on -screen display,keeping your movies free of annoyingvideo graffiti at all times.

One competing remote -control sys-tem has an egg -shaped radio -frequen-

cy remote with a seemingly elegantsingle button. But that system not onlyrequires your TV to be on, it forcesyou to enter an on -screen menu sys-tem just to perform the fundamentaloperations of volume control and mut-ing. In the KC -Z1, the three "real"buttons on the TouchPanel are used forvolume control (up/down) and muting,and these always take precedence overother TouchPanel controls.

Like much else in the KC -Z1, that isthe way it should be. The TouchPanelmakes the KC -Z1 the easiest home -theater product to set up and use thatwe have yet encountered. The circuitrymakes it one of the best sounding. Inall, the KC -Z1 is an outstanding de-sign in terms of looks, performance,convenience, and versatility: an extra-ordinary achievement.

DOLBY DIGITAL (AC -3)PERFORMANCE

All data obtained with AC -3 signals from DolbyAC -3 test disc; no-subwoofer speakerconfiguration, output volume at 0 -dB setting.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE (see text)front left 20 Hz to 18.7 kHz +0.17, -0.13 dBfront right 20 Hz to 17.1 kHz +0.25, -0.1 dBcenter 20 Hz to 18.1 kHz +0.18, -0 dBsurround left...20 Hz to 17.1 kHz +0.11, -0.27 dBsurround right .20 Hz to 18.6 kHz +0.15. -0.15 dB

NOISE (A-wtd)front left/right -85.1/-85.1 dBcenter -85.2 dBsurround left/right -85.6/-85.3 dB

DISTORTION (THD+N. 1 kHz, -20-dBFS* input)worst case (right front) 0037%

CHANNEL SEPARATION (1)-dBFS* input)worst case (lett out. right driven) >73 dB

* decibels referred to digital full-scale

DOLBY PRO LOGIC PERFORMANCEExcept where noted, all data for analog inputsignals; no-subwoofer speaker configuration,output volume at 0 -dB setting.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE("large" center -speaker setting)left, right 20 Hz to 20 kHz +0.1, -0.15 dBcenter 20 Hz to 20 kHz +0, -0.22 dBsurround 20 Hz to 7.02 kHz +0, -3 dB

DIGITAL INPUT NOISE \ -wId)front lett/right -80.8/-81 dBcenter -79.75 dBsurround left/right -82.2/82.3 dB

DIGITAL INPUT DISTORTION (THD+N, 1 kHz)left, right 004%center 0 05%surround 0 11%

SURROUND -DECODER INPUT -OVERLOADMARGINS (at 1 kHz)left, right (re 2 -volt input) +0.2 dBcenter (re 1.4 -volt input) +3.2 dBsurround (re 1.4 -volt input) +3.2 dB

MEASUREMENTSSURROUND -CHANNEL NOISE -REDUCTIONCALIBRATION ERRORre Dolby level (247 mV/ -15 dBFS*) +1 dBre TIIX level (141.4 mV/ -23 dBFS*) +6 dB

CHANNEL SEPARATION (worst case)center out, lett driven >57 dB

THX RE -EQUALIZATION ERRORworst case at 4 kHz

THX SURROUND -EQUALIZATION ERRORworst case +0.8 dB at 1.6 kHz


STEREO PERFORMANCE

Except where noted, all data for analog inputsignals.

OUTPUT AT CUPPING (I kHz)analog inputs (volume at +16 dB) 9.9 voltsdigital inputs (volume at +15 dB) 8 1 volts

DISTORTION (I kHz. 0.5 -volt output)analog inputs (0.5 -volt input) 0 010%digital inputs (-12 dBFS* input) 0 017%

SENSITIVITY (for 0.5 -volt output)CD/laserdisc 99.7 myphono 1 3 mV

INPUT -OVERLOAD LEVEL (re 2 -volt input)CD/laserdisc (source -direct mode) 10.3 dB

NOISE (re 0.5 -volt output)CD (500 mV input) -95.6 dBphono (5 mV input) -75.9 dBdigital (-12 dBFS* dithered input) -90.7 dB

RIAA PHONO-EQUAUZATION ERROR(20 Hz to 20 kHz) ±0.16 dB

ANALOG INPUT FREQUENCY RESPONSEsource -direct 20 Hz to 20 kHz +0, -0.29 dB

TONE -CONTROL RANGE100 Hz +10.7, -11 dB10 kH, +10.6, -10.8 dB

DIGITAL INPUT LINEARITY ERROR-90 d1.31 -S -3 dB

DIGITAL INPUT DISTORTIONre 0/-20 dBFS 0 029/0.024%

DIGITAL INPUT EXCESS NOISE(without/with signal)EN16 -6.4/+2.7 dBEN20 +14.7/+I5.2 dB

DIGITAL INPUT NOISE(0-dBFS*, 2 -volt output, A-wtd)de -emphasis offde -emphasis on -104.9 dB

DIGITAL INPUT FREQUENCY RESPONSE(20 Hz to 20 kHz range)de -emphasis off +0.2, -0.12 dBde -emphasis on +0.15, -0.48 dB


-102.4 dB

TUNER SECTION

All data for FM only except frequency response.

SENSITIVITY (50 -dB quieting)mono 13 dBfstereo 23 dBf

NOISE (at 65 dBf)mono -75 dBstereo (mostly pilot -carrier leakage) -38 dB

DISTORTION (THD+N at 65 dBf)monostereo (including pilot -carrier leakage)

CAPTURE RATIO (at 65 dBf)

AM REJECTION

0 77%1%

1 dB

51 dB

SELECTIVITYalternate -channel 62 dBadjacent -channel 11 dB

PILOT -CARRIER LEAKAGE19 and 38 kHz -33 dB

HUM -80 dB

CHANNEL SEPARATION100 Hz 41 dBI kHz 57 dB101,1-11 38 dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSEI \ 1 30 Hz to 15 kHz +0.5, -2 dB\\I100 Hz to 3 kHz +0, -6 dB


Packed stadiums. Crowded movie theaters. Sold -out events.

With the Mitsubishi 40 -inch direct -view TV,there's no ticket shortage for the

best seats in the house.When the first 40 -inch direct -view television

was introduced in 1993, we envisioned bringingour Diamond Vision° stadium -sized screen intoyour living room. Mitsubishi is proud to introduceits complete family of 40 -inch televisions.

The Mitsubishi giant 40 -inch sets deliver thehighest possible picture quality with a screen sizerivaling that of a big screen projection television.

The 40 -inch models offer surround or levelsound audio systems, creating realistic, top-qualitysound to complement the high-performance picture.

Mitsubishi's new 40 -inch models incorporatethe high -end features you would expect to find ina discriminating home theater system.

For tickets to the lest seat in the house, call1-800-937-0000, Ext. 945 for the Mitsubishidealer near you.

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Home Theatermagazine

This Powerful Home Theater stem With5 Satellites, Subwoofer & Pioneer of Pro LogiCReceiver Will Change How You Watch Forever!

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You Can Spend Less.But You'll Get Less.

There are lots of stereo stores that can sellyou a cheap Pro Logic sound system - or sellyou a receiver with "free" home theaterspeakers.

But do yourself a favor, and listen before youleap. Most systems in this price range don'tapproach this one's performance.

The Pioneer VSX305 Receiver.lust a few years ago, this receiver would hay ecost hundreds more. It features:

Even power output - 60 watts each toleft, center, right & surround channels.

Discrete output amplifier design for aclean, undistorted sound.

Dolby Surround Pro Logic, and simulatedsurround for non -Dolby sources.

5 audio inputs, 1 video input & 1 videooutput - the heart of an NV system..

A system remote control.

Ensemble' IV Home Theater SpeakerSystem By Henry Kloss.

The Cambridge SoundWorks' Ensemble IVHome Theater system was designed by AudioHall of Fame member Henry Kloss (founderof AR, KLI-I & Advent). It consists of 5magnetically shielded satellite speakers and acompact subwoofer. It has a natural, wide -range, accurate sound with very smoothoctave -to -octave tonal balance and precisestereo imaging. And it will tit into any room.

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TEST REPORTS

Klipsch Rebel KSS-3Sub/Sat Speaker SystemJULIAN HIRSCH HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES

The Klipsch Rebel KSS-3 is athree-piece speaker systemconsisting of a pair of KSS-2satellites and a K-RSW pow-

ered subwoofer. Each of the satellites,which have sealed plastic enclosures,is a small two-way speaker with a 4 -inch woofer crossing over to a 1 -inchdome tweeter at 2.1 kHz. The tweeter,which is loaded by a relatively shallowhorn section, is mounted about 11/4inches in front of the woofer andslightly above it. Each satellite has anominal impedance rating of 8 ohms

DIMENSIONSKSS-2 satellites: 51/4 inches wide, 51/4inches deep, 81/2 inches highK-RSW subwoofer: 9 inches wide, 211/2inches deep, 15 inches high

WEIGHTKSS-2 satellites: 4 poundsK-RSW subwoofer: 31 pounds

FINISH: black

PRICE: $749

MANUFACTURER: Klipsch, Dept. SR, 8900Keystone Crossing, Suite 1200, Indianapolis,IN 46240; telephone, 1-800-554-7724


and a rated frequency response of 115Hz to 20 kHz.

The satellites can be mounted onshelves or stands, or they can be in-stalled on wall brackets with the slotsand threaded inserts on their rearpanels. The input terminals are spring -loaded insulated clips that acceptstripped wire ends.

The K-RSW subwoofer is ratherlarge and heavy compared with thebass modules in some other three-piecesystems we have tested. It is a band-pass system containing a single 61/2 -inch cone driver and an amplifier ratedat 50 watts into a nominal 4 -ohm im-pedance. The acoustic output of the K-RSW exits through two ports on oneend of the enclosure.

On the other end of the bass moduleare its controls and signal connectors.Two sets of spring -clip connectors ac-cept speaker -level outputs (via strippedwires) from a receiver or integratedamplifier and pass them on to the sat-ellite speakers. The mono sum of thestereo signals is channeled to the sub -woofer's power amplifier. Two pairs ofline -level RCA -jack connectors pro -

C

vide similar interconnections for sys-tems with separate preamplifiers andpower amplifiers.

Two knobs on the K-RSW's controlpanel permit continuous adjustment ofits output level and low-pass cutofffrequency. The low-pass control is cal-ibrated at seven points from 40 to 140Hz, and the level control is calibratedfrom 1 to 11! There is also a phase -re-versing slide switch, which may insome cases allow a closer phase match(at the listening position) between theoutputs of the subwoofer and the satel-lites. Finally, the K-RSW has a powerswitch with auto and off settings. Inauto mode, which is recommended,subwoofer power is turned on auto-matically by the presence of a signal.

We measured the satellites and thesubwoofer separately. The satelliteswere placed on 26 -inch stands, about8 feet apart and 3 feet in front of thewall behind them, and their room re-sponse was measured with the micro-phone about 12 feet from the leftspeaker. The averaged measurementfor the two channels was ±5 dB from100 Hz to 20 kHz. The MLS quasi-anechoic response (at 2 and 3 meters)was ±3 dB from about 400 Hz to 20kHz. The satellites' horizontal direc-tivity over a ±45 -degree angle wastypical of 1 -inch drivers, with thehigh -frequency output falling off byabout 6 dB between 3 and 20 kHz.

We measured the output of the sub -woofer with the microphone locatedbetween and close to its two ports, us-ing low-pass frequency settings from40 to 100 Hz. The low-pass adjust-ment had a relatively minor effect onthe actual bass frequency responserelative to the midrange and high -fre-quency levels, which were stronglyaffected by the level setting.

Since these two controls essentiallydetermine the low -frequency perfor-mance of the system, we spent consid-erable time in experimenting and lis-

Back panel of the Klipsch K-RSWpowered subwoofer

218 stereo power amplifier

worth looking intoThe NAD 218 THX stereo power amplifier

is one of the most sophisticatedfi components we have ever

produced. Yet for all its brilliantfeatures and as=onishing levels ofoerformance, i= remains true to theMAD ^no nonsense" design philosophy.

lie very first feature yowl no:ice istie weight of the 213 THX. duepartly to :he heavy construction oftie chassis and f TO pane.cesignec for rack mpurtin g. (its

anlvar ced specificat on maces the2-8 THX deal for pofes sic nalstudio use). But :he increase nweigt. t is largely due to the massiveH3Imgren toroidal mainst-9nwormer.

IIIHY SO LARGE ANC.HY HOLMGREN?

Apart from being the ideal design fort -e huge amounts cf power it isI tely to handle. the Hotricren offerso her advantages:A conventional tiaisformer can beElected n AC me rs to producehum or even buzz' lg. Aieeas alfzikrigrei transferrer isn".. Flus, aHfolmgrei transferrer because of its

lich..e cesign, win lot affect othera Jjacent components.

A feature which Joesn' addruck to the weight of tie 218 THXbit certainly adds to the weight ofi:3 performance is tie ban( of eightcapacitors, rathe -t an 3 s ngle pair.This s a comparatively low costbenwit which makes a peter power

17

supply because several smallercapacitors have a faster recoverytime and have ess equivalent seriesinductance an: resistance IhEn asingle pair.

The 218 THX ncorporates fullybalanced XLR louts, allow ng tieuse of long rurs of cable betweei

pre aid pin/E.sbges,wthoutthe

risk cfinterference. Th s thoucht-JI yetsimple feature 3ffees the opportunitYto set your system up more flexiblyand of course it's E benefit f .0.1 arebridging two 8 T -X's -or nen3and locating them -earer you.speakers.

The circuitry includes left a lc rightchannel pcb's oler ng hats orbenefits. They include lasscomplicated pcb's mar ing e dna

relia3iliti, moreseparation ofcircuits, so Ilethe Hc Inngren

transformer.less

interferencegoing out orcoming r. A Ithis, plus lowerbuild cos- toe.,

means more savings air tcavardsthe specification of bettercomponents.

Any amp which is overdriven.(unlikely on the 213TH).beca use itis so powerful; can producedistortion or 'cipp ng'. The NADSoft Clipping circuit gentlytransforms the waveform, rounding

NAD, 89 DOUG BROWN WAY, HOLLISTON, MA 01746 TELEPHONE 508 429 2525

offthe

peaks,

preverting-cynarnicoverload" andheadir g off

damace to oi_r

ears aid yoirspeakers, without los ng the senseof musical era rm.

Hard Clipping

POWER

SUPPLY

Soft C ipping

There are other wore hid& nfeatures too nh ch o °Tick specificbenefits. Typical y, tie 21E THXincorporates exbns te icor intrusiveprotection circuiry. -hs preventsdamage from ac:iderla Nerload ormisuse which can lead ooverheating or circuit failure.

Finally for those for %lam theletters THX are somewhat of arryste-y. let us thief y ecpb. in.

George Ltsas. sea or of the'Star Wars' ap cs, welttc extiaordiie-y lercthstc ensure that the soon Jq Alit, of his Iilnsexcee Jed anythiigHollywood had

NAD

previouslyproduced and he

laid down exactingspecifications covel-g

distortion, noise. power etc. toencourage manufacturerso develop products which w II'eproduce his sound tracks b thestandard they deserve.

NAD was first with aDower amplifier whichYet these challenging

standards and won the right tc carry-he THX badge. The 218 THX

continues this principle of guar/ frst.

So what do you get for your lotnsubstantial investment at the er dof the day?

A thoughtfully designed. utter y-eliable, acoustically stunning 2 >200 watts, bridgeable to a mor: thanyou'll ever need 700 watts mono,with more headroom than yourwindow frames will thank you forwhich could even change the wanyou perceive music.

But with all this capabiliy noteof it is a fashion statement. -he :18THX is designed, not designerEvery feature of the 218 THXenhances performance and

That's why our slogan "Rye andsimple" is as relevant today -equipment as advanced as the 218THX as it was when NAD wascreated more than 20 years ago.

rure.andsim le.

CIRCLE NC 70 ON READER SERVICE CARD

TEST REPORTStening. It was soon apparent that thecontrols required only a light touch torealize the system's full performance.And, since in most cases the adjust-ment must be done by ear, we'd rec-ommend having at hand some pro-gram sources with deep bass content.

The manufacturer points out that theKSS-3 system covers nearly the entireaudible frequency range between 40Hz and 20 kHz, and that it is capableof providing more bass output thantypical pairs of traditional loudspeak-ers in the same general price/sizerange. This claim is probably accurate,but only if the adjustments of the low-pass and level controls are made care-fully. It's helpful for powered sub -woofers to have a degree of flexibilityto achieve the best possible perfor-mance in a variety of listening rooms.But in our room, at least, the K-RSW's controls could easily be set todeliver an overpowering, muddy orboomy bass - the antithesis of thesystem's intended performance.

After what I considered proper set-up adjustment, I listened to some re-cordings whose bass credentials wereimpeccable. The results were all thatcould have been wished, with power-ful and natural bass down to about 40Hz and a very good, balanced overallsound from the satellites, including anexcellent stereo stage.

When it became obvious that theKlipsch system was indeed all that itwas claimed to be, I was curious tocheck it out against a different butcomparably priced loudspeaker thathappened to be in the lab, which Icombined with my favorite subwoofer(by itself it costs roughly as much asthe entire Klipsch KSS-3 system).

Just about the only respect in whichthe Klipsch KSS-3 did not match upto this one-time "reference" systemwas in its bass extension. The KSS-3is rated down to 40 Hz, and it does afine job down to there and a bit lower.But if you are seeking that almost sub -audible, tactile "skin massage" youcan get from speakers that performdown to near 20 Hz, you will have tolook (listen?) elsewhere.

As a final note, Klipsch also offersthe KSS-1 magnetically shielded cen-ter -channel speaker ($199) and a pairof KSS-2 satellites supplied with wallbrackets for surround -speaker place-ment ($299). If the KSS-1 and theKSS-2 surrounds are added to theKSS-3 sub/sat system, the six shouldmake a potent suite of home -theaterspeakers.

Linaeum Extreme SpeakerJULIAN HIRSCH HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES

All five of the loudspeakersmade by Linaeum share aunique feature, the propri-etary "True Line Source"

tweeter after which the small Portland,Oregon -based company is named (lin-ea is Latin for line). Invented in theearly 1980's by Paul Paddock, whofounded Linaeum and today is its headof research, the unconventional de-sign, which is claimed to provide ex-ceptionally low distortion and high -detail resolution, uses a miniatureetched "voice -coil" circuit held be-tween a pair of pliable co -polymer di-aphragms. The thin plastic diaphragmsare suspended in a magnetic structurethat allows them to flex when an audiosignal is applied to the voice coil. Ac-cording to the manufacturer, the soft,pliable diaphragms make the tweeterinherently free of breakup within itsrated frequency range.

Although it is difficult to appreciatethe structural simplicity of the Linae-um design from a brief verbal descrip-tion, its operation becomes clear whenyou see (and hear) it in action. TheLinaeum tweeter is manufactured inmonopole (conventional forward -radi-ating) and dipole (bidirectional) ver-sions. Linaeum also licenses its tweet-

er to other speaker manufacturers,such as Radio Shack, whose OptimusPro LX5 (reviewed here in May 1995)uses the dipole version.

The new Linaeum Extreme, despiteits rather unusual name, is a relativelysmall, light, and inexpensive speaker.Its monopole tweeter crosses over to a(nominal) 7 -inch woofer at 3 kHz,with a 6 -dB -per -octave slope. Themanufacturer's ratings include a fre-quency range of 60 Hz to 30 kHz, sen-sitivity of 90 dB sound -pressure level(SPL) with a 2.83 -volt input, and im-pedance of 4 ohms.

The system enclosure, finished inblack woodgrain vinyl, is vented witha 11/8 -inch -diameter port in the rear.The input connectors are gold-platedbinding posts recessed into the rear of

DIMENSIONS: 14 inches high, 8 incheswide. 101/2 inches deep (with grille)

WEIGHT: I I pounds

FINISH: black woodgrain vinyl, removableblack cloth grille

PRICE: $379 a pair

MANUFACTURER: Linaeum. Dept. SR,820 S.E. Division Place. Portland.OR 97202; telephone, 503-235-1870


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We did leave out a few hundred seats, some plush carpet and the kidscreaming in the 13th row. But what we've given you instead is somethingno home theater owner has ever heard before. The theater. It's theexpansive acoustic environment that gives a trip to the movies its sense ofgrandeur. And until recently, it just wasn't possible from a sound system

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TEST REPORTSthe cabinet. Although they accept sin-gle banana plugs or wires, their spac-ing is too wide for dual banana plugs.A removable black grille protects thedrivers.

The averaged and smoothed roomresponse of the left and right speakerswas flat within ±3 dB from 60 Hz to14 kHz, consistent with the manufac-turer's rating (the higher frequenciesare subject to unpredictable absorptionby room boundaries). MLS (quasi-anechoic) frequency -response mea-surements at distances of 1, 2, and 3meters produced virtually identical re-sults. In each case there was a notch ofabout 8 dB at 3 kHz, the crossover fre-quency. The response at higher fre-quencies was also identical at all threedistances, within about 4 dB overallfrom 4 to 11 kHz, and falling off byabout 6 dB from there to 20 kHz.

The close-miked woofer distortionat 2.83 volts input (equivalent to therated 90 -dB SPL output) was typicallyabout 0.5 percent between 150 Hz and3 kHz. It rose to 1 percent at 100 Hzand 3 percent at the rated 60 -Hz lowerlimit. Distortion was still only 10 per-cent at 30 Hz, although the outputlevel was too low to be useful at thatfrequency. This is very good perfor-mance for a speaker of the Extreme'ssize and price.

The manufacturer's literature statesthat the Linaeum tweeter has no reson-ant frequencies in the high -frequencyspectrum and that its impedance hasno shift of magnitude or phase at itscrossover point. Although we did notremove the tweeter or attempt to mea-

sure its impedance alone, the system'smeasured impedance characteristicwas fairly conventional. Impedancewas 5 ohms in the 30- to 60 -Hz rangeand from 100 to 400 Hz. The curvehad three distinct peaks: 12 ohms at23 Hz, 15 ohms at 85 Hz, and 32ohms at 3 kHz (the crossover point).The phase angle of the impedance wasrelatively uniform, however, remain-ing between ±45 degrees over the fullaudio range.

Listening tests showed that the 3 -kHz crossover notch was inaudiblewith any of the music programs weplayed through the Linaeum speakers.That was not surprising given the nar-row bandwidth of the notch (a fractionof an octave). The overall sound of thesystem was excellent with any musicthat did not have prominent deep bass,which includes most pop recordings.Even with bass -heavy music, therewould be no reason to notice the ab-sence of the lower octaves unless youknew they were supposed to be there.

In evaluating a small, relatively in-expensive speaker, it is necessary tomaintain a rational perspective; judgedby inappropriate standards, all suchspeakers would seem disappointing.The Linaeum Extreme is a very goodspeaker in its class, with no significantaudible (or unexpected) idiosyncrasiesthat we could find. Its frequency re-sponse, clarity, smoothness, and bal-ance are everything they should be atits price. Coupled with a good sub -woofer, the Linaeum speakers sound-ed very close to some of the bestspeakers we have tested recently.

"Your honor, since my client is obliged to accept a 'Solomon -like' decision (the disposition of the late John Campbell's speakers, he feels that

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0Officers responded to call from concerned citizen regarding shocking

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1996 Pioneer E

lectronics (US

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TEST REPORTS

Magneplanar MVIG SpeakerJULIAN HIRSCH HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES

In the great majority of loudspeak-ers the audio signal creates a vary-ing magnetic field that interactswith a fixed magnetic field in the

speaker. The interaction of the twofields creates a force proportional tothe signal amplitude, which moves avoice coil that is attached to a cone(usually made of paper or plastic). Thecone's movement in turn creates asound wave that is propagated throughthe air to our ears.

This seemingly Rube Goldberg -likesequence of events, which has been themainstay of audio devices from tele-phones to tweeters for over a century,is not the only way to create sound.Anything that can move air can do thatjob, as demonstrated by the extraordi-

nary variety of loudspeakers, head-phones, bells, whistles, and musicalinstruments.

Readers of STEREO REVIEW maybe aware of the existence of planarspeakers, most of which are driven by

DIMENSIONS: 48 inches high, 141/4 incheswide. 11/4 inches deep (excluding feet)

WEIGHT: 16 pounds

FINISH: natural or black solid -oak trim withoff-white, gray, or black fabric grille

PRICE: $500 a pair (factory -direct only)

MANUFACTURER: Magnepan, Dept. SR,1645 Ninth St., White Bear Lake. MN55110; telephone, 1-800-474-1646

electrostatic forces. Although suchspeakers are capable of excellent sonicperformance because of their fast re-sponse to transients and their consider-able radiating surface, they tend to belarge and expensive. In addition, elec-trostatic speakers of a practical sizeand relatively moderate cost may notprovide adequate performance at thelower frequencies; they must often beused with cone woofers to achievegood bass response.

There is another alternative, howev-er - the planar magnetic speaker.Surprisingly, to my knowledge there isonly one maker of full -range planar -magnetic speakers, Minneapolis -basedMagnepan. This company's broad lineof Magneplanar speakers has been apart of the audio scene for many years,and many discerning audiophiles swearby them.

Unlike electrostatic speakers that de-pend on a separate cone driver for thebass register, all Magneplanar speakersare considered full -range planar sys-tems, though some of them do go low-er than others. Also unlike electrostat-ics, Magneplaners do not have to beconnected to a power outlet.

The Magneplanar MMG is thesmallest and least expensive model inMagnepan's line. It is sold factory -direct (U.S. and Canada only) andcomes with a sixty-day money -backguarantee. Buyers can also apply theentire purchase price to an upgrade ifthey replace it with one of severallarger models within four months.

The MMG's slender rectangularpanel, only 4 feet high and 3/4 inchthick, looks more like a small floor -standing screen than a speaker. Thepanel is supported by inconspicuoussteel feet that normally tilt it slightlyback, but the angle can be changed toan upright setting if desired.

At the bottom of the panel's rearsurface are the input terminals, whichaccept stripped wires, lugs, and singleor dual banana plugs. A second pairof terminals, normally joined by ajumper, lets you reduce the tweeterlevel by 1 to 4 dB by inserting a 1- or2 -ohm resistor (supplied). Accordingto the manufacturer, the combinationof certain bright pop or rock record-ings and a "hard" or reflective listen-ing room can sometimes result in anexcessively brilliant high end, whichcan be tamed by using one of the sup-plied resistors. There is also a fuse thatprotects the tweeter from excessivesignal levels.

The MMG is a dipole radiator, with


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TEST REPORTSequal outputs (in opposite phase) fromthe front and back of the panel. It isactually a two-way system, with sepa-rate treble and mid/bass planar drivers.As with all Magneplanar speakers,each driver consists of a number oflong, aluminum conducting elementsthat extend most of the vertical lengthof the system and through which thesignal current passes. The tweeter con-sists of quasi -ribbon elements 11/4inches wide, and the rest are roundwires. The supporting structure, mean-while, contains a number of smallmagnets, and the interaction betweenthe signal current and the magneticflux produces a front -rear movementof the planar diaphragm (0.5 -millime-ter Mylar) attached to the conductingelements.

Most speakers are designed to givetheir best performance when placedseveral feet from the wall behind them(and generally several feet from theside walls as well). We use that place-ment for any speaker not specifically

The Magneplanar MMG

sounded balanced and

natural no matter where in

the room I listened from.

designed to be placed against a wall,and it is a fundamental requirementfor dipolar and bipolar speakers, in-cluding all the Magneplanar models.As Magnepan recommends, we alsoangled the speakers slightly in towardthe center line of the room with thetweeter elements of the mirror -imagepair on the inside.

The MMG has a relatively low sen-sitivity rating of 86 dB, and we mea-sured an 85 -dB sound -pressure level at1 meter from the speaker with an inputof 2.83 volts. The speaker's imped-ance characteristic was unusual, beingessentially resistive over most of theaudio range. A resistive load is easiestfor any amplifier to drive (it is normal-ly used for amplifier tests). Impedancemeasured about 5 ohms from 20 toover 100 Hz, reached a maximum ofjust under 14 ohms at 750 Hz, anddropped to between 3 and 4 ohms from3 to 20 kHz.

The averaged room response for thetwo speakers was within ±3 dB fromabout 60 Hz to 15 kHz and down 6 dBat 20 kHz. The MLS quasi-anechoic

response at 2 and 3 meters was ±4 dBfrom 300 Hz to 20 kHz. Bass distor-tion at 1 meter with a 2.83 -volt inputranged from 0.2 percent at 500 Hz to5 percent at 100 Hz and 9 percent at80 Hz. We consider the manufactur-er's low -frequency limit of 50 Hz tobe realistic.

Testing and listening to the Magne-planar MMG was a pleasant and in-structive experience. It had the basicvirtues of any good planar speaker:not only freedom from the colorationstypical of cone drivers but also a re-freshing absence of the colorationstypical of any speaker operating in abox enclosure. Honk, boom, tubbinessand the like are not attributes of plan-ars in general, and they were delight-fully absent from the MMG. After all,how could you get a box resonancewithout a box?

Another characteristic of a full -range planar speaker like the MMG isthat it can be listened to from any dis-tance, from a foot or two away to a po-sition on the other side of the room,without any significant change in thesubjective volume level or tonal bal-ance. I found the MMG's sonic natu-ralness undiminished no matter whereI listened from, though of course thedegree of stereo effect varied with thelocation.

Like other Magneplanar speakers,the MMG had distinctive imaging andspatial qualities. While it is less likelyto create the pinpoint localization char-acteristic of good cone drivers, it pro-duced a clean and effortless sound.

Frankly, those characteristics arepretty much what I would have ex-pected from almost any good planarspeaker. What I would not have ex-pected is a system price tag of just$500 a pair, or such a compact and un-obtrusive package as the MMG. Al-though it has relatively low sensitivityand won't generate room -shaking lev-els or hit the very lowest bass notes, itshould satisfy many listeners willingto trade off deep bass and high volumefor its other strengths. It could alsobe matched with a good subwooferwith excellent results. In any case, thespeaker gave no indication of fragility,and, as we learned during some enthu-siastic listening, the fuse protecting itstweeter is very effective!

Like other planar speakers, theMagneplanar MMG fills the roomwith sound without calling attention toitself. Though not exactly invisible, itis certainly an above -average speakerat a bargain price.

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TEST REPORTS

Energy C-2 SpeakerJULIAN HIRSCH HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES

Energy's Connoisseur speakerseries consists of five models,Ringing from the compact two-way C-1 to the floor -standing

three-way C-8. Each of them uses asingle 1 -inch aluminum -dome tweeterand one or two 51/2-. 61/2-, or 8 -inchwoofers in a vented enclosure.

The two-way C-2 is one up from thesmallest and least expensive speaker inthe line. Our test samples were fin-ished in a piano -like glossy black;high -gloss rosewood (see photo) is al-so available. Four gold-plated termi-nals are recessed into the C -2's rearpanel - two for the woofer and twofor the tweeter. They are paralleled bygold-plated jumper straps, which canbe easily removed for biwired or bi-amplified operation.

The injection -molded woofer coneis made of a polypropylene materialwith embedded aluminum flecks thatgive it a metallic appearance. Accord-ing to the manufacturer, this construc-tion results in an extremely high stiff-ness -to -weight ratio compared withmore conventional cone materials.

The C-2 has a unique front -panelstructure, which Energy calls Spherex.Removing the grille reveals that theentire front of the cabinet is coveredby a contoured gray panel with a vel-

vet-like feel (though it's obviously sol-id). The panel is divided roughly intothirds, with the tweeter at the top, thewoofer in the middle, and the bassport in the bottom third. Energy saysthat the rigid but nonresonant Spherexpanel provides complete mechanicalisolation between woofer and tweeter,resulting in improved spaciousness,imaging, and detail. "Interloc" bracingis used within the cabinet to minimizeresonances and the resulting soundcoloration.

Energy suggests placing the C -2'son stands positioned at least a footaway from any room boundary, andwe followed that recommendation, us-ing a pair of very sturdy 22 -inch ironstands (not a part of the C-2 system)that were provided for our tests.

The C -2's measured room response,

DIMENSIONS: 91/4 inches wide, 171/4 incheshigh, 9'/4 inches deep

WEIGHT: 181/4 pounds

FINISH: glossy black or rosewood

PRICE: $600 a pair

MANUFACTURER: Energy Loudspeakers,Dept. SR, Audio Products International,3641 McNicoli Ave., Scarborough, OntarioMIX 1G5; telephone, 416-321-1800

averaged for the left and right speak-ers, was exceptionally uniform, vary-ing less than ±3 dB from 60 Hz to20 kHz. The close-miked woofer re-sponse, including the contribution ofthe port, was within ±6 dB from 30 Hzto 1.8 kHz (the tweeter's nominalcrossover frequency).

Impressive as that measurementwas, it was eclipsed by an MLS quasi-anechoic response that was flat within±1.25 dB from the lower measurementlimit of 300 Hz up to 20 kHz exceptfor a slight resonant peak at 17 kHz,which boosted the response 2 dB be-fore it returned to the average 0 -dBlevel at 20 kHz.

That is outstanding performance forany speaker, let alone one in the pricerange of the C-2. Does it have a corre-sponding effect on the audible qualityof the speaker's sound? Stay tuned ....

The nominal impedance of the C-2is 6 ohms. Our measurements con-firmed the validity of the rating, al-though the impedance dipped slightlyat 30 and 180 Hz, reaching a mini-mum of around 4 ohms. The maxi-mum impedance was between 15 and18 ohms, and at most frequencies itwas between 6 and 8 ohms. Most am-plifiers won't have a problem drivingthis speaker.

The system's horizontal dispersionwas excellent, with only about a 5 -dBdrop in output in the octave above 10kHz at 45 degrees off the forward axis.In other words, the highs don't disap-pear when you move off center. Theoff -axis response also roughened some-what, with a noticeable dip in thecrossover region. The rated sensitivityof the C-2 was 88 dB sound -pressurelevel (SPL) at 1 meter with a random -noise input of 2.83 volts (1 watt into 8ohms). Our measurement of 87 dB es-sentially confirmed this specification.

We measured distortion at our stan-dard 90 -dB SPL, which the speaker at-tained with a 4 -volt drive level. Distor-tion was inaudibly low throughout thespeaker's frequency range down toaround 100 Hz, where it reached the1 -percent level. Below 100 Hz distor-tion increased rather rapidly, thoughit only hovered around audibilty withtest tones and was never audible assuch with music. Measured distortionalso increased rapidly as the drive lev-el was raised. While this performanceis good for a speaker of the C -2's size,the C-2 would obviously be better offin smaller listening rooms where itwon't have to be pushed hard to pro-duce loud volumes with music.


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TEST REPORTSOn the other hand, the speaker's

measured performance at higher fre-quencies suggests that it would soundexcellent if supplemented with a pow-ered subwoofer. To obtain any distor-tion -lowering benefit from such ahookup, you must use a powered sub -woofer with built-in high-pass loop -back filtering and somehow hook thisfiltering into the system -amplifier chain(some high -end amplifiers alreadycontain such filtering). Ideal for suchhookups are amplifiers and receiverswith pre-out/main-in connections. Thehigh-pass filtering will remove the lowbass from the signals feeding the C-2and shunt it to the subwoofer, whichwill greatly reduce the C -2's distortioncontribution, increase its power -han-dling capability, and extend the systemamplifier's headroom. When we triedsuch a hookup, we found it had all thebenefits we expected.

Following our usual practice, welistened to the C-2 speakers daily(without a subwoofer) for a couple ofweeks before making any measure -

The Energy C-2 speaker

consistently delivered

clean, well-balanced sound

with no audible

performance anomalies.

ments so that we could become fa-miliar with their sound quality and itspluses and minuses. Our impressionwas overwhelmingly positive. I foundthe Energy C-2 to be one of the moreappealing speakers I have used.

With a variety of recordings and FMbroadcasts, the C-2 consistently deliv-ered clean, well-balanced sound, withnone of the audible anomalies that candetract from a speaker's performance(tubbiness, shrillness, and so forth).

These desirable qualities have notbeen achieved at the price of bass re-sponse - quite the contrary! The basswas solid and strong when required,without being boomy. By the same to-ken, without a hint of harshness, thehighs produced by the C-2 extended tothe limits of human hearing. The C-2had the flattest measured on -axis re-sponse I have yet found in a conven-tional full -range speaker. All of thiscomes in a handsome and affordablepackage, too.

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TEST REPORTS

RFC V-504 SpeakerJULIAN HIRSCH HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES

The V-504 bipolar speaker sys-tem, from 13.1C America, is arecent addition to the compa-ny's Venturi Series. Like its

slightly larger companion, the V-604,it is a two-way, ported system designedin the popular columnar format.

The V-504 contains two identicalspeaker groups, each consisting of a 5 -inch cone woofer and a -1/4-inch dometweeter crossing over at 5 kHz. Thetwo sets of drivers are located near thetop of the cabinet, one facing front andthe other to the rear. Since the V-504 isbipolar, its driver sets operate in phase,

unlike a dipolar speaker, which is sim-ilar in basic design but has two groupsof drivers operating in opposite phase.

Both groups of drivers are covered

DIMEN9ONS: 7 inches;lc les high, 13 irclm deep

WEIGHt 32 pounds

FINISH: oak or black wmcgrain vinyl

PRICE: $.550 a pair

MANUFACTURER: 13.1C '1/2.1 erica.Dept. SF, 887-B Hampsh !--_! Rd.. Stow,OH 442:4; telephone, 33R-428-2011

p

O

by identical black cloth grilles, whichare retained by rubber fittings andeasily removable. The entire cabinet,whose front side edges are beveled,is finished in an attractive oak -grainvinyl veneer (black is also available).The dual binding -post connectors, re-cessed into the rear of the cabinet,accept single or dual banana plugs,wires, or lugs. The V-504 comes withspikes, but their use is optional andthey can be removed.

At the bottom of the rear panel is asingle port serving both woofers. Al-though the opening is 3 inches in di-ameter, the effective internal diameterof the bass duct is reduced by a patent-ed plastic structure that is said to cre-ate a venturi effect, keeping the airpressure in the bass -reproducer systemconstant. According to the manufac-turer, the audible benefit of this featureis reduced distortion in the low bass.In any case, the insertion of a venturitube in the bass duct path presumablycreates a more desirable acoustic loadfor the woofers.

Following 13.1C's recommenda-tions, we placed the V-504 speakers atthe front of the room, about 8 feetapart, 3 to 4 feet from the wall behindthem, and 3 to 4 feet from the sidewalls. Although the ultimate sound ofany speaker is influenced by roomboundaries, placement is especiallyimportant for a bipolar (or dipolar)speaker. Because a substantial portionof its output is reflected from the wallbehind it before reaching the listener,the distance from that wall affects thespaciousness of the overall sound. For-tunately, although the reflected soundis important, it is only a part of the to-tal output of the system, which willfunction well as long as the speakersare at least 8 inches in front of thewall. We did not use the V -504's op-tional spikes for our tests.

We measured the room response ofthe two speakers with the microphoneabout 12 feet in front of the left speak-er. The responses of the left and rightspeakers, which were quite similar,had the unavoidable fluctuations re-sulting from the speakers' interactionswith the room boundaries, but theiraverage was an unusually uniform ±5dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

The close-miked bass response ofthe system, with the microphone closeto the woofer cone, was flat within ±4dB from 60 Hz to 3 kHz. The contri-bution of the port extended down to 20Hz, although its magnitude was obvi-ously reduced. A better indication of


the system's bass performance camefrom measuring its bass distortion atthe input level (2.83 volts) that pro-duced a 90 -dB sound -pressure level(SPL) at 1 meter. The distortion wasabout 1 percent or slightly less from150 Hz to 1 kHz and fell to 0.6 per-cent at 3 kHz. It rose to 2 percent at 80Hz and was only 5 percent at 35 Hz.That's excellent performance for anyspeaker, especially considering the V -504's size and driver complement.

The nominal impedance of the V-504 is 6 ohms. Its measured imped-ance was about 3.5 ohms from 20 to30 Hz and from 150 to 300 Hz, withimpedance peaks of 5.5 ohms at 25 Hzand 12 ohms at 75 Hz, and it rosesteadily to the maximum of 30 ohmsat 4 kHz before dropping to 5 ohms at

The BIC V-504 produced

the spacious sound

quality typical of bipolar

speakers as well

as clean, deep bass.

20 kHz. Although there were very fewfrequencies at which the impedanceactually was 6 ohms, that appears tobe a reasonable rating.

Listening tests of the V-504 weregenerally consistent with our measure-ments. Not only did the system pro-duce the airy, spacious quality typicalof bipolar speakers, but its freedomfrom coloration was evident whenplaying a variety of music.

Although the &IC V-504 is a rela-tively compact tower speaker, it pro-duced clean, deep, and non-boomybass when that was called for. Playingthe subwoofer evaluation track of theDelos "Surround Spectacular" test CD(DE3179), which spans the range from160 to 20 Hz in a 1 -minute sweep,confirmed that the speakers delivereda palpable fundamental bass outputdown to the 30 -Hz region or below.That performance is not typical ofspeakers of similar size and drivercomplement that we have tested. Bestof all, the bass was not plagued by thetubbiness or muddiness that can occurwhen the low -bass output of a smalldriver is extended beyond its reason-able limits. All in all, the [WC V-504is an impressive speaker for its sizeand price.

We hope you'll come visit Tennessee this year. And if you do, we hope you'll include a stop ig Lynchburg.

AT JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY, we'vebeen rolling barrels of Tennessee Whiskey forlonger than anyone can remember.

It was 1866 when Jack Daniel founded hisdistillery here in the Tennessee hills. And hereis where we have always remained, makingwhiskey in the painstaking mannerhe perfected. "Let's make it the bestwe can, every day we make it',' iswhat our founder always said. And,we promise, we're still saying thatin Jack Daniel's Hollow 130years later.

SMOOTH SIPPIN'

Tennessee Whiskey 40-43% alcohol by volume (80-86 proof) Distilled and Bottled byJack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, Proprietor, Route 1, Lynchburg (Pop 361), Tennessee 37352

Placed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Government.

a Ofr;

TENNESSEE WHISKEY7/'I

4

PREMIER TESTING SITEMEW

Trespassers will be cooked,vibrated, humidified, droppedand reduced to the point ofwhimpering "Mommy" toour sound.

1996 Pioneer bectronics (USA) Inc, Long Beach,CA.

Premier is the car stereo (ha pain built. If the sound

gets a j iressive at times it because our merciless testing

hamrres something ca lec steno angst into the soul of

each urit. Most of you -eve head this condition referred

to as t 14h -quality sourc'. It answers to either one.

Aft the headunits ae hakrn like they're out of their

minds operated in 95 percent h imidity, subjected to tem-

peratuns from -40 to "",6 ceg-eas and dropped from nail-

biting heights, they're atie b barn wrestle your car and win.

Oui 'remier' speakees wish trey could be so lucky.

Thei hell consists of acaustiGal analysis tests, strength

tests, ulraviolet radiation tests, more extreme temper-

ature E sts and weathe ab lit7 eradiation tests, which

force nem to belt out 11 cosce le amount of volume for

150 hE z -d -kicking hours

Whew! (Wipe sweat from'crehead and flick.)

Sp dal robotics and :onpubr-aided design and man-

ufactus ng techniques very buit by our own hands to

ensure a nod from our furow-hrawed engineers.Then to

keep to obsessive-coropasive dedication to sound

gualit i consistent, we Ells pled premier dealers from the

same .1313 of concrete as the engineers.

Hopefully the headu tits in le rit some of our approach-

me-ar c -get-racked ettluee. But we felt the fools lurking.

So Pre -vier invented De aciabli Face Security 'and then

added E car alarm, built int tie unit itself, that blasts its

warni i j inside the car to terror ze the thieving rodents

into scampering away without your beloved stereo.

These premises, the.5r co iditi ms, these posture -perfect

enginws exist solely to be dyg aard the reliability and

ultimeb sound perforrr an :e ofyour Premier system. But

if you' E able to create a more uilikely condition in your

own o- than our test :inflate (good luck), and the

stereo Starts to cower, oar !ram nty will be idling for two

long r its, anxiously await ng t le chance to participate.

Its i sappointment quit kly 9 enced by an earful of

soul-R9rching sound.

Cal "-800-746-6337 rc r ti e F remier dealer nearest you.

r- 'I -.

9 RN r.t

ugh Voltage output seeds inprc.ved dynamic range input to. mplifiers with less w2 -floe a idelistortion.

_ssembled with high -culitrorr pcnants by bare hands, these. mplifiers have a built-ir crosover cid come dressed in purple.

eepending on the spealer's tegt me demands, Rigilite-Com-- osite Cones contain the .erfet to lo-Mended mix of maximum-

erformance materiels it ord.r to be Loth rigid and light.

REAMER

Are you,React)7

1%According to its proponents, theDVD will be the greatest con-sumer product ever invented.

It will be the engine that propels thedoctrine of "convergence" into house-holds and businesses around theworld. The entertainment and comput-er industries will be merged as digitalaudio, video, and multimedia are giv-en a fast storage medium with massivecapacity. The CD will be a mere ripplein the pond compared to the tidal waveof changes engendered by the DVD.

According to its detractors, theDVD will be a dud. It will be doomedto a short and tormented life filledwith corporate hesitation, consum-er confusion, format incompatibility,copyright and copying controversy,and governmental legislation. The CDsucceeded because all parties under-stood and were in agreement with itsapplications. The DVD will drown inits own all -things -to -all -people hypeand end up as a costly boondoggle.

The truth probably lies somewhere

between these opposing views. TheDVD format is a technological inven-tion of impressive dimensions, but thevast number of potential applicationsfor that technology will surely createsome market confusion. Just hewmuch remains to be seen.

DVD BasicsThe compact disc revolutionized themusic business, so it's not surprisingthat its success encouraged electronicsmanufacturers to seek a similar revo-lution in video. They dreamed of asmall optical disc, encoded with bothdigital video and audio, that couldhold an entire motion picture. Numer-ous manufacturers pursued the dream,but early in 1995 two technologiesemerged: Toshiba's Digital Video Discand the Sony/Philips MulriMediaCompact Disc. The formats were simi-lar but incompatible, and throughoutthe year the two sides, under pressurefrom the computer industry in particu-lar, sought a single standard. The rec-

onciliation was achieved in September1995, and in December the unifiedDVC format was announced.

Ore DVD disc can hold a full-lengthmovie in digital video with multiple5.1 -channel digital soundtracks. Alter-natively, a DVD can hold many hoursof high-fidelity music or several giga-bytes (GB) of computer data. Becausethe scope of its applications far ex-ceeds digital video, the unified formatwas originally dubbed Digital Versa-tile Disc, though the name was weaklyreceived, and today the format is sim-ply referred to by its initials. Whateverthe jargon, DVD's mission will be tochalLnge the CD in both the musicand computer software markets andVHS tape in the video market - andultimately to replace these formats.two 4 the world's most widely usedtechrologies.

At first glance, a DVD disc looks a .3lot Ike a CD. In fact, it has the same Ediarreter (120 millimeters. or about 5inchcs), the same thickness (1.2 mm).

and the same brilliantly shiny surface.But closer physical examination showsthat where a CD uses a single polycar-bonate substrate, a DVD actually hastwo 0.6 -mm substrates bonded togeth-er. In a regular "single -layer" DVD,one substrate holds the data layer, andthe other is blank.

There are other differences as well.For example, data tracks on a DVDare a mere 0.74 micrometer (pm) apart,compared with 1.6 pm apart on a CD.Moreover, the pits and lands that storethe binary data can be as short as 0.4to 0.44 pm (depending on the disctype), compared with 0.83 pm on aCD. These small dimensions are pos-sible because the laser beam used toread DVD's has a wavelength of 635to 650 nanometers, versus the 780

the gold, semi -reflective layer first.Depending on where it's focused, thebeam can be made to bounce off thislayer, in which case its data will beread, or to pass through the gold layerto the aluminum layer beyond. Thelaser can quickly switch from one lay-er to another, and a buffer memorymakes the transition indiscernible.

Applying this concept to a two-sideddisc will allow future DVD's to holdup to 17 gigabytes of data. In addition,the DVD standard also calls for asmaller disc that's 8 centimeters, or ap-proximately 3 inches, in diameter andcan hold either 1.4 or 2.6 GB. To makethe most of this complex disc real es-tate and to protect the data, the DVDsystem employs a new channel -mod-ulation code called 8/16 modulation

RCA's RC5500P DVD player IyS919 to c:)4st,1 wui nave a auilt-in Dolby Digital ,Atdecoder. The less expensive RC5200P ($499 to $549) is pictured on the previous page.

nanometers for a standard CD laser.All of these factors add up to a hugestorage capacity. A single -layer DVDholds 4.7 GB of data, about seventimes the capacity of a CD.

Moreover, the DVD standardallows data to be placed ontwo layers, one embedded

beneath the other, to allow storage ofup to 8.5 GB of data. These "dual -lay-er" discs are cleverly constructed byfirst molding a 0.6 -mm substrate andmetalizing the data -layer surface withopaque aluminum, similar to a regularCD. A second substrate is then mold-ed, and its data layer is coated with agold "semi -reflective" layer that issomewhat transparent. Finally, the twosubstrates are bonded together. An al-ternative method calls for coating thefirst substrate with a semi -liquid layerof "photopolymer" resin. The extradata pits are pressed into the resin witha mold, then the layer is hardened withUV light and metalized.

Either way, the beauty of a dual -lay-er DVD is that both layers can be readfrom just one side of the disc simplyby refocusing the reading laser. Whenthe beam hits the DVD, it encounters

(replacing the CD's EFM code) and anew error -correction code called RS -PC (replacing the CD's CIRC code).

DVD hardware will come in a vari-ety of guises. Most home DVD play-ers will be used in a home -theater sys-tem for playing movies stored onDVD's, just as today's laserdisc play-ers do. And like laserdisc players,DVD players are expected to play au-dio CDs, though DVD's, at least intheir first incarnations, will not beplayable on conventional CD players(see "Hail the Son of CD" on the lastpage of this article). It's important tonote here that, though virtually allDVD players will be able to playCD's, hardware manufacturers are notrequired to include this feature.

DVD-ROM drives, meanwhile, willbe connected to personal computersand function much the way today'sCD-ROM drives do. The DVD-ROMdrives are expected to play DVD mov-ie discs and CD-ROM's. (It is possi-ble, however, that some older CD-ROM's will not be playable on thenew drives.) Existing CD-ROM driveswill not play DVD's. All first -genera-tion DVD players and drives are ex-pected to play both single- and dual -

layer discs (see "DVD's First Act"by Joseph Palenchar in this issue).

The Eyes and Ears Have ItAnyone who ponders a 5 -inch DVDand a 12 -inch laserdisc side by sidecan't help but wonder how they squeezethe same Hollywood blockbuster thatfills two or more sides of a laserdisconto such a small DVD disc. Althoughthe 4.7 -GB capacity of a DVD is im-pressive, it does not completely an-swer this question. A full-length mov-ie may comprise over 300 gigabytes ofdata; a DVD would hold less than 2minutes of it. Therefore, the DVD alsorequires a powerful data -reduction al-gorithm.

The DVD standard uses the MPEG-2 data -compression algorithm to en-code its video program. This algo-rithm, developed by the Motion PictureExperts Group, analyzes the digitalvideo signal based on psychovisualmodels of how viewers perceive im-ages. Image information that is deemedredundant from frame to frame, wouldnot be perceived by the human eye, orwould be only marginally perceived isthen removed from the signal beforethe movie is stored on the disc. Duringplayback, an MPEG-2 decoder in theDVD player uses encoded data to re-constitute the video signal. Using thismethod, as much as 95 percent of theuncompressed digital video data can bewithheld from the disc without causingsignificant degradation of the picture.

Because some pictures are moredifficult to encode than others, theMPEG-2 standard allows for a vari-able bit rate. To optimize disc space,simple pictures, such as static framesor low -motion sequences, are given alow bit rate, while complex pictures,such as high -motion sequences, aregiven a high bit rate. DVD's maximumoutput bit rate for video, audio, andauxiliary data is 10.08 million bits, ormegabits, per second (Mbps), whilethe average bit rate is 4.692 Mbps. Incontrast, the CD has a fixed bit rate ofjust 1.41 Mbps. When all is said anddone, a single -layer DVD can store upto 133 minutes of high -quality digitalvideo with several multichannel digitalaudio soundtracks. That's enough toaccommodate over 90 percent of allfeature films, and longer movies canbe put on dual -layer discs.

The MPEG-2 algorithm is widelyused for a variety of applications, in-cluding professional video equipmentand digital satellite television trans-mission, where it delivers outstanding


picture quality. In fact, DVD will use ahigher bit rate than is currently used insatellite TV applications, so its pictureshould look even better. And DVD'spicture will improve over time: TheMPEG-2 algorithm is specifically en-gineered so that refinements can bemade to the encoding process whileretaining complete compatibility withexisting decoders. The look of videosoftware titles will get better and bet-ter, with the improvements visible onall current and future DVD players.

Of course, even the best algorithmcan be wasted in the hands of thewrong engineer. Just as the soundquality of a music CD depends largelyon the skills and talents of the techni-cians in the recording studio, DVDpicture quality is ultimately deter-mined by the care and expertise of thepicture encoding -a multipass proc-ess that requires both engineering andartistic know-how. Encoding studioscharge up to $100 per minute forMPEG-2 coding, and only the beststudios can do a truly outstanding job.In other words, some DVD titles willlook great, but others may not.

Assuming you start with goodsoftware, some high -end DVDplayers will also allow an ad-

ditional boost in picture quality by of-fering a component -video output. Thisformat, used in professional video re-corders, provides higher resolution byavoiding the carrier frequencies usedin composite -video signals. But witheither component- or composite -videooutput, most critics find that the digi-tal picture quality of DVD rivals orsurpasses the picture from the analoglaserdisc.

To match its video capabilities, theaudio portion of the DVD standardoffers similarly high signal quality andtremendous flexibility. Compared withdigital video, digital audio requiresonly a small amount of storage capaci-ty. Thus, DVD movie recordings cancarry three independent 5.1 -channel

flAr.#7`

zttei.l.s

Toshiba's least expensiveDVD player will be the SD -1006 ($599).

soundtracks comprising five mainchannels plus a subwoofer channel.

The DVD standard recognizes twodifferent 5.1 -channel formats: DolbyDigital (formerly known as AC -3) andMPEG-2 surround sound. Titles re-leased in the U.S. will generally useDolby Digital, and those released inEurope will use MPEG-2 audio cod-ing. Both systems have an output bitrate of 384,000 bits, or 384 kilobits,per second (kbps) and provide excel-lent sound. A two -channel surroundsoundtrack compatible with Dolby ProLogic decoders can also be derivedby the DVD player from the DolbyDigital 5.1 bitstream. In total, theDVD standard allows a movie disc'saudio capacity to be broken into eightdata streams containing Dolby Digitalor conventional PCM audio, allowing,for example, soundtracks in multiplelanguages.

The DVD standard also throws ina number of other special features.There is a parental lock -out functionto prevent little Jimmy from watchingan R-rated movie. Movies could evenbe coded to play different versions,skipping potentially offensive scenesand plugging in alternate camera an-gles and dialogue tracks according tothe lock -out level. Similarly, a titlecould be released with both a theatri-cal and director's cut of the film on thesame disc. DVD also supports bothnormal (4:3) and widescreen (16:9)aspect ratios. Of course, these featuresare options, and implementation is leftto the film studios. Chapter divisionand forward and reverse scanning, fea-tures that are familiar to laserdisc afi-

Sony plans to participate in the launch of DVD but at press time had not announcedproduct or pricing information. A prototype Sony DVD player is shown here.

cionados, are supported in the DVDstandard as well.

The Politics of DVDWithout question, DVD picture andsound quality are superb. Nothing intoday's world is simple, however. Casein point: At this writing, no one knowsexactly how DVD will ultimately bepresented to consumers. Indeed, thepolitical questions surrounding DVDare probably more complex than thetechnological issues that had to be sur-mounted to make it a reality.

The economics of the movie -rentalbusiness is being redefined as directsatellite pay -per -view comes to mil-lions of homes. The question is, howwill DVD movies fit into this new en-vironment? One camp argues that con-sumers will want to buy and ownDVD's, so DVD releases should besold cheaply, for $20 or so. The op-posing view argues that DVD moviesshould be priced high and rented toconsumers through the traditional sys-tem used for videocassettes.

For example, a typical movie video-cassette today sells for $60; that pricefactors in the studio's "share" of prof-its from rentals. Most film -industryprofits come from a relatively few suc-cessful movies, and studios chargemore for the most desirable ones. Willthis be the model followed for DVD?Or will the studios try to turn con-sumers into DVD collectors with low-priced blockbusters, as some are nowleaning toward?

Copy protection is another burningissue for DVD. The format's extremelyhigh quality makes it eminently tempt-ing to copy movies. Consumer -elec-tronics manufacturers, movie studios,and computer concerns are thus cook-ing up the Video Home Recording Actfor forwarding to Congress. Somemovie companies have flatly statedthat they will not release DVD titlesuntil this law is in place.

As a consequence of the legislation,it is expected that something called theCopy Generation Management Sys-tem (CGMS) will block digital dub-bing of DVD's, while a version of the


No Magic Formula.No Secret Ingredients

No Mumbo Jumbo.Cambridge SoundWorks' new dower series speakers combine ni, cical accuracy, very natural tonal balance,

precise stereo imaging and an incredibly dynamic presence - all without reinventing the laws of physics.

In 1988, we changed the way people

bought loudspeakers when we introduced

our Ensembles subwoofer/satellite speaker

system by Henry Kloss (founder of AR, KI1-1

Advent) - selling it factory -direct, with no

expensive middlemen.

In 1996, we're changing things again...by

introducing a series of ultrahigh -performance

& speakers by Henry Kloss - selling them

factory -direct, with no expulsive middlemen.

Introducing Tower ByHenrylcloss.

The Tower three -wry, dual -woofer,

bipolar speakersystem in black

ash or lacqueredwalnut veneers.Factory -direct

price: $1,499 pr.

No Mumbo Jumbo.Unlike many companies in the ultra -high-

performance category, we do not claim to have

based our design on some amazing scientific

breakthrough.

No mystery materials. No magical formula.

No revolutionary technologies. No mystical

shapes.

What we offer instead are very carefully fine-

tuned designs. These designs are based on

years of experience, using the best materials

available today But we aren't obsessed with

materials. We're obsessed with sound.

Our new Town -`"series features the wide

range, precise stereo imaging and natural tonal

balance of our acclaimed Ensemble systems -

and adds subtle -but -noticeable improvements

in efficiency; dynamic range and "presence."

The result is somewhat unusual - speakers

that combine the dynamic presence normally

associated with high -efficiency studio monitors,

and the precise musical accuracy and pinpoint

stereo imaging of low -efficiency "reference"

speakers.

With our Tower speakers, you get goose

bumps and precise musical accuracy.

7bwer III by Henry Kloss"Totter III is a two-way design using a wide -

dispersion tweeter and a single 8" woofer very

similar to those used in Tower and Tower II.

Like the more expensive models in the Tower

series, it combines high sensitivity and

outstanding dynamic range with the natural,

wide -range sound (including extended deep

bass) that results from a generously -propor-

tioned cabinet. It has been meticulously

"voiced" by Henry Kloss for superb octave -to -

octave tonal balance and precise stereo

imaging. Its comparatively high sensitivity

makes it ideal for use with moderately powered

amplifiers and receivers, while its robust

construction makes it suitable for use with the

most powerful amplifiers designed for home

use. These benefits have been realized at

significantly lower cost than other,

"Selling direct allows Cambridge SoundWorks to

price speakers hundreds of dollars below the

competition." - Inc. magazine

superficially similar models through a combin-

ation of Henry Kloss' unique speaker design

expertise, plus Cambridge SoundWorks' highly

efficient direct -to -the -consumer sales policy.

Tower III is the most affordable high-

performance tower speaker we know of.

Like other models in the series, Tower Ill

features removable black grilles and fully -

finished cabinets (front and rear), to permit

operation without grilles in place. It also

includes gold-plated

binding posts.

Magnetically shielded,

Tower III is ideal for

use in the best home

theater systems. It is

finished in black ash

vinyl. Factory -direct

price: $599 pr.

Tower IIly Henry Klog

Tower II is a three-

way system that is

substantially larger

than Tower lll. It features

two 8" woofers with polypropy-

lene cones and rubber surrounds, a 51/4"

midrange driver with polypropylene cone and

rubber surround, and a 1" soft -dome fabric

tweeter. A flared low -frequency vent is located

at the lower rear of the enclosure.

Tower II

The large cone area of Tower ll's multiple

drivers contributes to an "effortless" sound

quality, giving music a strong feeling of

"presence" that is easier to hear than to

describe. That presence, together with

Tower ll's smooth, musical octave -to -octave

tonal balance and precise stereo imaging,

produces what we think is the finest speaker

system ever offered for under $1,000.

Tower ll is finished in vinyl that simulates

black ash or Vermont walnut. It is bi-wire/bi-

amp capable and features gold-plated binding

posts. Factory -direct price: $999 pr.

Tower t7 Hew Mos(The flagship of our new series is a three-

way, bipolar model named Tower by

Henry Kloss. The bipolar disper-

sion pattern helps eliminate the

usual "point source" effect of

direct -radiator speakers - and

ensures a proper stereo effect at

the widest variety of listening positions.

Tower features two forward -facing 8"

woofers with polypropylene cones and rubber

surrounds; a forward -facing 51/4" midrange

driver with polypropylene cone and rubber

surround; a 1" soft -dome fabric tweeter; and

separate rearward -facing midrange and

tweeter units identical to those used in front.

A flared low -frequency vent is located at the

lower rear of the enclosure.

Because it has even more cone area,

Tower's feeling of

"presence" is, if

anything, stronger than

that of Tower II. That

presence, when

combined with the

three-dimensional

sound of Tower's bipolar

design, and its smooth

octave -to -octave

tonal balance,

results in

sound that's

nothing

short of

incred-

ible. It's spectacularly realistic. Available in

lacquered walnut or black ash veneers, we

believe that Tower is one of the finest spea-

kers ever offered. It is bi-wire/bi-amp capable

and features gold-plated binding posts.

Factory -direct price: $1,499 pt

CenterStage by Henry Masi"Complementing the new Tower models is

CenterStage, a two-way, three -driver center

channel speaker for use in home theater

systems. With its two 51/41" bass/midrange

drivers and 1" soft dome tweeter, CenterStage

perfectly matches the tonal balance of all three

Tower models. Bass reach of the system is

significantly greater than most center channel

speakers, thanks to its dual -vent enclosure.

The dynamic range of the long -throw drivers is

enough to handle the most demanding of

video soundtracks, while their dispersion is

broad enough to include all listening

positions. In the most elaborate home theater

systems, two CenterStage units can be used

vertically (one to each side of the W) for

optimum dispersion - and an audio focus

perfectly centered on the picture. It is finished

in black vinyl. Factory -direct price: $349.

Satisfaction Guaranteed.All three Tower speakers and CenterStage

are backed by our seven year parts and labor

warranty and our 30 Day Total Satisfaction

Guarantee. Audition them in your home, with

your music, with no sales person hovering

nearby. If you aren't absolutely thrilled with

them, return them for a full refund. We'll even

refund your original UPS ground shipping fee.

You just can't lose.

To Order, For a Free Catalog, Or ForThe Nearest Store Location, Call

1-800-FOR-HIFI(1-800-367-4434)

If you want to talk to one of our AudioExperts, call between 8AM and midnight, ET.

CAMBRIDGESOUNDWORKSCritically Acclaimed. Factory -Direct.

311 Needham Streci. \ evil( di, NIA

Ti 1, I -800.367-443.r Fax: oi--332.9229Cinada: 1-800-525-4-04 www.hifi.comOutside C.S. or Canada: 6r-332-5936

C t.tc famtnidge SoandWorks SE nramble is a registered tmdemark of Cambndge SoundWorks.Inc 5LH ts a trademark of KLH. Inc AR and Ade ent are trademarks of International Jensen Inc

EMI,' and Zr,, I odic are revsteredlrademarks of PnIk laboratories Licensing CorpCamteildge Soun,atki, ` ,`" .r In continentally


Macrovision technology now used tohamper videocassette copying willprevent analog dubbing. In otherwords, through a combination of fed-eral law and copy -guard technology,you will not be able to make a copy -analog or digital - of any DVDmovie. Ironically, this makes digitalsatellite broadcasts even more attrac-tive, because those MPEG-2 digitaltransmissions can be recorded on ana-log VHS cassettes or perhaps even onfuture digital D -VHS recorders. An-other note: Under the current law(which was heavily lobbied for by therecording industry), American con-sumers are allowed to make one direct

copy at a time of the digital data ontheir CD's, and, in fact, we pay extrataxes and tariffs to the recording in-dustry for that right. Is it now fair tochange the rules for DVD?

Recordability raises other issues aswell. Movie studios are clearly un-comfortable with the idea of con-sumer -electronics manufacturers sell-ing DVD recorders that will allow youto make your own DVD discs. But thecomputer industry very much desiresrecordability. For now, at least, it's amoot point. Whereas MPEG-2 de-coders are relatively simple, the en-coders certainly are not. These are so-phisticated circuits, and it will be

The first DVD products to hit the market will be DVD movie players andDVD movie discs. In the minds of its corporate fathers, this is DVD's targetmarket. But the availability of a storage space that is seven times

as great as that of a regular CD is an appetizing prospect for the music industry,too. Relieved of the need to accommodate video data, a DVD could hold upto 9 hours of stereo music. The question is, exactly what kind of music format ismost appropriate for such a disc?

Several music -only DVD proposals have been advanced. Most of them arguefor a quantization word length and sampling frequency that exceed the CDstandard's 16 bits and 44.1 kHz, and they also call for surround -sound playback.For example, one group of audio industry professionals calling itself the AcousticRenaissance for Audio has proposed the High -Quality Audio Disc (HQAD). Thisformat would dictate a word length of up to 24 bits and a sampling frequency of96 kHz. The HQAD would support 5.1 -channel sound using PCM coding with"lossless" data compression, in which data is efficiently packed on the disc withoutthrowing any away. In addition to high -density audio tracks, the HQAD wouldalso contain regular CD tracks on the outermost layer so that these tracks could beplayed on existing CD players. This eliminates the need for record stores to carrydual inventory - something they would welcome. With this sort of implementation,a multichannel HQAD would have a playing time similar to that of a CD.

Other manufacturers, such as Sony with its Direct Stream Digital (DSD) format,have argued against using good old PCM coding and instead maintain that abitstream (or 1 -bit) coding method would provide higher fidelity. In some ways,this coding method is appealing because of its relative simplicity. Using bitstream,audio data could be coded with 1 -bit words at a very high sampling rate,

yielding an audio bandwidth of 100 kHzand a dynamic range of 120 dB. A PCMchannel with similar sound quality usesonly about one -quarter as much storagecapacity, however, so bitstream coding isrelatively inefficient. Consequently, itwould be difficult for a bitstream audio

DVD to store all the information required for surround -sound channels, evenon a double -layer disc. In addition, bitstream coding may be more sensitive tojitter problems.

One question that remains to be answered is whether DVD movie players willbe able to play music -only DVD's. The answer is a definite "maybe." Becauseno one knows yet what the specifications of the audio DVD will be, it's impossibleto know whether it will be compatible with DVD movie players or whether it willrequire the engineering of special DVD audio players. Currently, the Japan AudioSociety is evaluating proposals for DVD audio and will make a recommendation tothe DVD corporate forces. They will ultimately decide on an audio -only format andinclude it in the overall DVD standard. The current impetus is to get DVD moviesinto the consumer market as quickly as possible, so the audio DVD is of secondaryconcern. But sooner or later we'll get our first glimpse of this son of CD. - K.G.P.

Flail theonofcii

many years before DVD recorderseven begin to approach consumer af-fordability. And that raises anothertough question. Consumers are used tothe utility of their VCR's, and the vastmajority are probably satisfied withVCR picture and sound quality. Willthe mass market buy into a new formatthat cannot record, regardless of howgood it looks and sounds?

Wait - there's more. Hollywooduses an ingenious release schedule tomaximize film profits. As you've prob-ably noticed, films released in the U.S.only appear on tape, laserdisc, cable,or satellite after the theatrical run isover. Then the same films are theatri-cally released in Europe and other for-eign markets. Since the Europeans usethe PAL television system, which isincompatible with the NTSC systemin the U.S, any video sold here is use-less in Europe. Until new films are re-leased on PAL media, Europeans cansee them only in theaters.

This timetable would be upset ifDVD's were released in a worldwidecompatible format - easy to imple-ment for a digital disc. Consumers inBritain, for example, might buy (orrent) U.S.-released DVD's instead ofgoing to the theater. The answer, tosome, is to build incompatibility intoDVD; flags would be inserted intothe data stream so that a U.S. playerwould only play discs intended for theU.S. market. Will DVD sales sufferfrom this contrived incompatibility?

Because of these many unansweredquestions, no one can predict how suc-cessful DVD will be. At best, it willeclipse the CD, CD-ROM, and VHSmarkets, creating a new universal car-rier for all types of digital data and en-tertainment. At worst, it will probablyride on the coattails of CD, slowlyfinding an audience as its greater utili-ty comes to be appreciated. In thatcase, DVD would end up as a small -diameter laserdisc, successfully occu-pying an obscure niche market.

One thing is certain, though. From atechnology standpoint, DVD is a wor-thy successor to CD and absolutelyembarrasses the sadly obsolete VHSmedium. The opportunity to enjoymovies via high -quality digital videoand multichannel audio, on a single5 -inch disc, will win DVD many ad-mirers. Whether its enthusiasts num-ber in the millions, or the hundreds ofmillions, will ultimately depend not onthe technology, but on the business-men, politicians, and fickle consumerswho now control its fate.


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by Joseph Palenchar

innovative DVDplayers are waiting

wingsIf DVD performs as advertised, fewhome -theater enthusiasts will thinktwice about making room for a

DVD player in their audio/video cabi-nets. The new video format will dazzletheir eyes with high -resolution imagesthat are almost as sharp as film studiomasters, delight their ears with six dis-crete channels of Dolby Digital (AC -3) surround sound, and deliver re-markable options for picture aspect ra-tio and other parameters.

But with so many impressive quali-ties written into the DVD standard,some enthusiasts might legitimatelywonder if there's any reason, otherthan discounts or retail promotions, tofavor one model of player over anoth-er. Rest assured, however, that not allDVD players will be created equal.

For example, eight manufacturershave publicly pledged to participate inDVD's U.S. launch, but among themonly Toshiba and Samsung have an-nounced plans to offer models with"component -video" outputs that pushpicture quality to the extreme. Whenmated with a compatible high -endvideo display, these outputs take a dra-matic step toward taming dot crawl,moire effects, and other artifacts com-

mon to sets using the North AmericanNTSC TV standard.

Thomson Consumer Electronics(maker of RCA and ProScan gear) andPanasonic will also contribute toDVD's diversity by building DolbyDigital surround decoders into select-ed models. If linked to A/V receiversor other components with the requiredinputs, the players will deliver five dis-crete full -range audio channels and alow -frequency effects channel withoutrequiring the purchase of a separateDolby Digital decoder.

Pioneer, meanwhile, expects to givepeople something to talk about when,in a nod to consumers who alreadyown substantial laserdisc libraries, thecompany delivers a pair of DVD play-ers that can also play back 12 -inchlaserdiscs. Pioneer reckons that it'll besome time before the selection ofDVD discs rivals the 8,500 -title cata-log of laserdiscs, giving these ma-chines additional appeal.

Most of the DVD players due fromPioneer, RCA, Toshiba, Panasonic,and Samsung will cost from $499 to$699 after retailers' discounts, al-though Pioneer's top model is expect-ed to sell for around $1,599. Philips

ctand Sony have also pledged to partici-pate in DVD's launch, though at ourpress time they hadn't announced priceor product details because of continu-ing uncertainty over the timing ofDVD's debut (see "Waiting for DVD"on the next page). Zenith, which saysit will also be among the first DVDmanufacturers, had not released de-tailed information about the two mod-els it has announced, the DVD2000(about $499 after discounts) and theInteq IQ2100 (about $599 after dis-counts). Other manufacturers whohave shown DVD prototypes at tradeshows include Fisher, Onkyo, Gold-star, and Denon, which has previeweda unit it developed with Hitachi.

All the players announced thus farshare some basic attributes. In termsof picture quality, all of them - givenan adequate display monitor - willachieve 480 horizontal lines of videoresolution, exceeding both the 240 -line resolution of a VHS VCR and thealready crisp 425 -line image put outby laserdisc players. They will playboth single- and dual -layer DVD's,and, though it is not a mandatory fea-ture for DVD players, all the new ma-chines will also play existing musicCD's. They will offer line -level stereoaudio outputs, composite -video and S -video outputs (to increase brightnessand enhance color separation), and aDolby Digital bitstream output to feedan outboard Dolby Digital decoder.

Parental -control functions will bestandard on all DVD players as longas discs are encoded by the movie stu-dios for this feature, as will be interac-

STEREO REVIEW OCTOBER 19% 75

tive capabilities that might allow, forexample, multiple endings or cameraangles for a movie or access to exten-sive filmographies or other encodedinformation. Similarly, chapter andtrack breaks for navigating movies andmusic recordings will be accessiblewith search controls found on all DVDplayers.

Also standard for all players, but de-pendent on the disc content, will bethe ability to select up to thirty-twodifferent subtitle tracks, eight differentaudio dialogue tracks, and multiple as-pect ratios. A movie encoded in itsoriginal widescreen version, for exam-ple, could be switched betweencropped 4:3 pan -and -scan mode (inwhich scenes are reframed to fit theTV screen), 4:3 letterbox, and a true16:9 widescreen format that delivers afull -screen picture to a 16:9 monitorwithout the distortion and loss of reso-lution found when 4:3 letterbox pic-tures are digitally expanded to fill thescreen. Both the widescreen and pan -and -scan versions of a film could be

Launch Update

qitinof°rD VD

hik DVD has broadsupport amongconsumer -electronicsmanufacturers,

the movie community, and personal -computer makers, the format'slaunch date has hinged on theprogress of copyright negotiationsamong the three groups as well aslicensing discussions among the tenor so companies that hold patentson DVD technology. While thelicensing issues should be resolvedin a timely fashion, at press time thecopyright talks were dragging on.

Panasonic's DVD-A300 player will have an on -board Dolby Digital (AC -3) decoder, a jogshuttle, microphone and echo controls for karaoke c iscs, and a universal remote.

stored on separate layers or sides of aDVD, though a dynamic pan -and -scancapability that will also be found inevery DVD player means that a pan -and -scan version could be generatedby the player itself if the widescreenversion is encoded on the disc alongwith pan -and -scan instructions.

Beyond these common features,DVD manufacturers plan to offer theusual bells and whistles and a few ex-tras to boot. For example, RCA willintroduce the RC5200P ($499 to $549after discounts), which will be com-patible not only with audio CD's butalso with VHS -quality Video CD's. Itwill have a bright fluorescent display,a dedicated remote control, a frontheadphone jack with volume control,and programmable playback, whichcan identify a disc when it's insertedand automatically play back chapters

and several electronics companieswere backing away from earlierpronouncements of a late -1996rollout. Many feared they would haveto delay the launch until sometimein the first half of 1997.

Negotiators have been debatingvarious encryption systems andother technologies that would enablestudios to prevent the copyingof movies from DVD discs to analogvideotapes or to future digitalmedia such as digital videotape andrecordable DVD's. Without acopy -protection system in place,the studios fear that video pirates willflood the market with high -qualitycopies duplicated illegally frompristine DVD's.

Terms of an eventual agreementare expected to be written intoproposed digital -video copy -

protection legislation that would,along with its DVD provisions,also bar consumers from makingcopies of digitally deliveredpay -per -view programming andpermit only one copy of adigital premium -cable program.

At press time, the hardware andsoftware communities were alsoworking out the details of aregional -coding scheme sought bythe movie studios to gain greatercontrol over distribution. Regionalcoding would prevent discs intendedfor sale in one part of the world frombeing played back on DVD playerssold in another. The solution wouldease studios' concerns that DVDmovie discs intended for sale in theU.S. would find their way to aforeign market before or during thefilm's theatrical release there,knocking box-office sales for a loop.

As of this writing, however, therewas only preliminary consensusamong the three industries on whichof several proposed encryptionsystems should be used for DVD,and Congress had gone into recess,making it doubtful that a new copy-right act could be placed on thebooks in 1996. Even if an agreementis reached, it's questionable whetherthe movie industry would participatein a launch this year without acopyright law in place.

Regardless of whether the rolloutoccurs this year or next, it's notclear just how many titles will beavailable for DVD's launch. Oncethe industries are in accord onan encryption technology, the studiosshould begin digitizing selectedfilms for discs, which are expectedto carry suggested retail prices of upto about $24.95. If the discussionswrap up quickly, companiessuch as Panasonic, RCA, Toshiba,and Philips have said they'reprepared to deliver players this fall.But that wouldn't give the studiosmuch lead time to deliver manydiscs to coincide with the hardware


introductions - certainly not the250 titles that the hardwarecompanies had originally countedon to usher in the DVD era.

And even after the format's debut,it's not certain how quickly newmovie titles will make their way intostores. Only two companies, Warnerand Columbia/Tri-Star Home Video,have publicly acknowledged plansto ship discs to coincide with DVD'slaunch. Other software companies,including Turner Domestic andMCA/Universal Home Video, havedeclined to comment on their plansuntil the copyright issues areresolved. And home -video studiosand labels such as Disney, Fox,LIVE, and Paramount have made itclear that they won't release DVDmovies until a market has beenestablished. Depending on yourdefinition of an "established market,"that could be a long time.

Despite the reluctance of somesoftware companies to commit,though, consumer -electronicsmanufacturers remain confident.Panasonic, in particular, hasannounced that it expects 1,000 DVDtitles to be released annually in theU.S. and that annual sales will exceed400 million discs by the year 2000.

No matter which studiosparticipate in the initial launch,Warner Home Video executivesexpect the first DVD's to includea diverse mix of movie genres -classics, family entertainment, come-dies, and action/adventure - drawnfrom both new releases and popularmovies already available on tape. Forits own initial releases, Warner ishinting at the blockbuster Twister andis considering movie collections inwhich a different film might appearon each layer of a dual -layer disc oron each side of a two-sided disc.

Whichever movies accompanyplayers to the DVD debut ball,however, don't expect the first discsto take advantage of all of theformat's most intriguing capabilities.As Warner executives explain it, alimited number of facilities forencoding movies will force studiosto concentrate initially oncranking out as many titles as theycan as quickly as they can. Untilproduction capabilities expand,studios will have little time to addelaborate options to many discs.

On the other hand, many of DVD'sunique features will appear in theinitial wave of movies. Warner

expects "a great many" of thefirst discs to deliver Dolby Digital5.1 -channel soundtracks as well astwo -channel audio encoded inconventional Dolby Surround forthose who haven't yet traded up toDolby Digital decoders. Someof the first discs will also containsoundtracks in more than onelanguage, subtitles in multiplelanguages, and the laserdisc'sfamiliar menu -and -chapter structure.Some might also carry a digital codereflecting a movie's MPAA ratingto allow a degree of parental control.Future discs might contain a versionthat could be automatically editedby the player for different ratings.

For movie buffs, one of theformat's most desirable options ismultiple aspect ratios. Warnerexpects the initial round of releasesto include a handful of discs with thisoption, some featuring the 4:3pan -and -scan version on one datalayer and the 4:3 letterbox and 16:9widescreen versions on either asecond layer or the flip side. A few ofthe first discs may also takeadvantage of DVD's dynamicpan -and -scan feature, which "fits"multiple versions on a single discmastered with a widescreen picture.Warner admitted, however, that somemovie directors will balk at dynamicpan -and -scan because it limitstheir creative control over the finalcomposition of a 4:3 frame.

Although DVD allows forinteractive movies, which would giveviewers the freedom to choose plotlines or camera angles, movie studiosdon't expect to offer them early on- if at all. But if these interactivemovies do become available, restassured that even the lowest -pricedDVD players, as a condition forwearing the DVD logo, will deliverthem to your TV. - J.P.

in the user's preferred order. The fea-ture is intended mainly for customiz-ing the sequence of songs on musicvideos.

RCA's more expensive RC5500P($599 to $649 after discounts), on theother hand, will feature an on -boardDolby Digital decoder and digital -to -analog converters to funnel DolbyDigital 5.1 -channel soundtracks to anA/V receiver's line inputs. Severalnew receivers from Denon, Marantz,Technics, and Yamaha, for example,come equipped with the required fiveor six line -level inputs, as will RCA'sRV3798 Dolby Pro Logic AN receiv-er ($499 to $549 after discounts),which the company plans to introduceto accompany the RC5500P player.With Dolby Digital receivers currentlystarting around $1,200, the RC5500P/RV3798 combo is billed as a slightlyless costly alternative to buying aDVD player without a decoder plus aDolby Digital receiver.

The RC5500P will also have auniversal remote control, a front -panel shuttle control for precise

control of forward and reverse func-tions, and digital processing for clean-er search, freeze-frame, slow-motion,and frame -advance special effects.Thomson's ProScan PS8600P, whichis expected to cost from $649 to $699after discounts, will offer the samefeatures as the RCA RC5500P butadds back -lighting to the remote, gold-plated line -output jacks, and a packageof 5 -foot -long A/V and S -video Mon-ster Cables.

Pioneer will contribute to the DVDmix with a trio of players, includingthe industry's first two laserdisc-com-patible DVD players: the DVL-700,expected to be on store shelves atabout $999, and the Elite series DVL-90, expected to cost about $1,599. Keylaserdisc features will include two-

laserdisc collectcrs won't be left out in the cold wi.h Pioneer's DVL-700 (about $999n stores), which will ploy 12 -inch ID's along with 5 -inch DVD's and music CD's.


sided playback, an RF output to deliv-er a laserdisc's Dolby Digital sound-tracks to a decoder, and digital fieldmemory, which delivers crisp freeze-frame and other special effects withextended-play CLV laserdiscs. Forconvenience, laserdiscs will loadthrough one tray, DVD's and CD'sthrough a second tray.

Pioneer's third announced DVDplayer, the $599 DV -500, won't playlaserdiscs but will share a host of otherfeatures with its companions. Theseinclude "condition" memory, whichrecognizes an individual disc, remem-bers the way you like to watch it, andautomatically selects the right aspectratio, language, rating version, and soon. A Cinema/Animation mode willoptimize picture settings to punch upthe color in animated programs andenhance black tint for improved detailand clarity in movies. To enhance pic-ture quality further, Pioneer's three-some will also use 9 -bit digital -to -ana-log (D/A) video converters, exceedingthe required 8 -bit minimum, and thecompany's 20 -bit Hi -Bit D/A convert-er for DVD, laserdisc, and CD audioplayback.

To the basic DVD and LD featuresof the DVL-700, the Elite DVL-90will add a variety of video/audiophilefeatures, including Pioneer's propri-etary digital video noise -reductionsystem to improve color accuracy andminimize picture flicker. It will alsohave Legato Link digital audio proc-essing, which is said to eliminate thehigh -frequency "ringing" that can oc-cur on some audio CD's and digital la-serdisc soundtracks and to reconstitutehigh frequencies (20 kHz and up) lostin the CD recording process. Pioneerwill finish off the Elite model with acopper -plated chassis said to reject RFnoise, rosewood side panels, and ahigh -gloss black finish.

Delivering on DVD's full potentialis the rationale behind the inclusion of

Zenith is expected to offer two DVD players: the DVD2000 shown here (about $499in stores) and the 102100 (about $599) under its high -end Inteq brand.

a "component video" output in one ofToshiba's two DVD players. DVDmovies will be mastered on discs in"color -difference" form, a type of vid-eo signal that breaks down the pictureinformation into three separate com-ponents carried on different channels.Players with conventional video out-puts will mix down the color -differ-ence channels either to one band-width -limited composite -video signalconforming to broadcasting's NTSCtransmission standard or to a two -channel S -video output, both of whichsacrifice significant color detail com-pared with the color -difference signal.

But Toshiba's top -of -the -line SD -3006 DVD player ($699 suggested re-tail) will intercept the video signal be-fore it's converted and spit out thethree channels of information througha component -video output that candeliver a highly detailed picture withsuperior color purity on monitors orsignal processors that have an appro-priate interface. Most data -grade vid-eo projectors, "line -doubler" videoprocessors, and two new Toshiba rear -projection 16:9 widescreen TV's (with40- and 56 -inch screens) have therequisite inputs to take advantage ofthis innovation.

Other SD -3006 features will includestandard composite -video and S -videooutputs, a fluorescent display, and auniversal remote control. For $100less, Toshiba will offer the SD -1006($599 suggested retail), which will

Samsung's DVD-760U DVD player will have a switchable component -video output foreither color -difference or RGB signals and a stylish anodized -aluminium front panel.

lack a component -video output, substi-tute LED function indicators for theSD -3006's more detailed fluorescentdisplay, and come with a dedicatedDVD remote.

Samsung will court the high -end au-dio/video enthusiast with the DVD-760U, which the company hopes tosee priced at $699 after retail dis-counts. Like Toshiba's top model, itwill deliver color -difference signals tohigh -end video gear, but it will alsomatrix that signal into RGB form, an-other type of component -video signalin which each primary color has itsown circuit path. This additional op-tion will make the DVD-760U com-patible with high -resolution RGB pro-jectors and monitors.

Samsung's model will also playback Video CD's and CD+G discs,usually used for karaoke, and comewith a fluorescent display, a universalremote, and a stylish anodized -alumi-num front panel. A high -mass, low -vi-bration steel chassis will help stabilizethe laser mechanism so that it readsdigital data from a disc as accuratelyas possible.

Panasonic's DVD duo, which werenot priced at press time, will includethe DVD-A100 and DVD-A300. Bothwill play back Video CD's and offerS -video outputs, but if you opt forthe A300, you'll get built-in DolbyDigital decoding, a front -panel shuttlecontrol, and a universal joystick re-mote control in place of a dedicatedDVD remote. Two basic karaoke fea-tures include a microphone input anddigital echo control.

In the future, competition will un-doubtedly force DVD equipmentmakers to do more to differentiate

their products than simply building ina Dolby Digital decoder or a com-ponent -video output. Technologicalbreakthroughs such as DVD tend tolevel the playing field for all manufac-turers, but they also give innovativecompanies the opportunity to surpriseus with their ingenuity. Stay tuned. o


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C RCLE NO 22 ON READER SERVCE CARD

A

Unalrilt*UNDO THE COVER of any home -theater component containing a DolbyDigital surround -sound decoder, andsomewhere inside you're likely to finda scene resembling the photo at thelower right. It shows a Dolby Digitaldecoder integrated -circuit chip embed-ded in its natural environment, a cir-cuit board. The chip itself is a relative-ly plain -looking device, in this casethe first Dolby Digital decoder chip,made by Zoran. From the outside, itresembles many of the chips you'dfind if you opened up a personal com-puter. That's because a Dolby Digitaldecoder chip is a digital computer,preprogrammed to execute the com-plex mathematical operations thatwill be the foundation of the next fewgenerations of home -theater audioequipment.

Why Dolby Digital?In order to answer that question, wehave first to clear up a little termino-logical disorder. If you've been read-ing STEREO REVIEW steadily over thepast couple of years, you will proba-bly already have heard of Dolby Digi-tal, but you may know it as AC -3. Dol-by Laboratories, in an effort to reduceconsumer confusion, is now limitingthe use of the term "AC -3" to the spe-cial audio -encoding method used bythe Dolby Digital system. "Dolby Dig-ital," on the other hand, refers to an ar-ray of Dolby -developed systems, allincorporating AC -3 processing, rang-ing from theatrical film prints to homevideo - laserdisc and the upcoming,eagerly awaited DVD digital videodiscand beyond.

Although Dolby Digital is nowpoised to enter the home -theater main-stream via DVD, the system owes itsexistence to a technology that also hasyet to reach consumers: high -defini-tion television (HDTV). More than tenyears ago. the first proposed HDTV

Amd1111111111.11111111111111111111.111111111111111.111.1111110110

An introduction to

the surround -soundsystem formerly

known as AC -3BY DAVID RANADA

systems utilized analog picture trans-mission coupled with some form ofmatrixed multichannel digital audiotransmission. Matrixing refers to theprocess by which additional channels- in the case of movie soundtracks,

Zoran's ZR38500, the firstDolby Digital decoderchip to be developed, in aworking circuit board. Photois about twice actual size.

the center and surround channels -are encoded into a two -channel re-cording. Dolby Surround is a verypopular matrixed multichannel sys-tem, but as a potential sound carrier ina leading -edge video technology itleaves a lot to be desired, even if itssignals are encoded digitally as theyare on Dolby Surround laserdiscs.

Dolby Pro Logic decoding of DolbySurround recordings, as spectacular asit can sound under optimum condi-tions, has at least the following signifi-cant shortcomings:

Channel separation is limited bythe mathematics of the encoding proc-ess, and it is necessary to use sound -steering circuitry (Pro Logic) to en -

0 0STEREO REVIEW OCTOBER 1996 81/

hance apparent separation. But steer-ing actually prevents certain types ofeffects that filmmakers might want toachieve, such as having dialogue in thecenter channel and music at the samelevel in the front left and right speak-ers. Dolby Pro Logic playback wouldsteer both the music and the dialogueto the center.

The surround channel is monoeven though it is played over twospeakers in a normal home -theater set-up. In a theater with multiple surroundspeakers the mono nature of a sur-

LEFT

FRONT

CENTER

FRONT

RIGHTFRONT

0the bass rolled off below 100 Hz andthe treble cut off sharply above 7 kHz.

These long -recognized problems areinherent in the Dolby Surround/DolbyPro Logic system and stem ultimatelyfrom the limitations of the optical filmsoundtracks for which the system wasdeveloped.

Fortunately, by 1990 the basicHDTV scheme had moved to an all -digital one for both pictures and dis-crete multichannel audio, where everychannel is recorded as a separate sig-nal. The key to the technical success

LOW-FREOUENCTEFFECTS

round signal is not immediately appar-ent, but in a home setting it is hard toget a theaterlike sense of envelopmentfrom the surround channel unless spe-cial means are used to scramble themono-ness of the signal, such as the"decorrelation" used in Home THXequipment. In any case, movie sound-tracks with stereo surround channels(called "split surrounds" by Holly-wood) are now the norm, and they arenot playable in that form with a four -channel matrixed system.

The surround channel's frequencyresponse is deliberately restricted dur-ing Dolby Surround encoding, with

RIGHTSURROUND

LEFT

SURROUND

Figure 1. Relative data ratesof a six -channel digitalaudio soundtrack (left) andthe same soundtrackafter AC -3 encoding (below).AC -3 transforms thenature of the encoded data.

MANTISSAS

EXPONENTS COUPLING

MISCELLANEOUSCOORDINATES

DATA

of an all -digital HDTV system re-mains the huge reduction in theamount of video and audio data neces-sary to provide superior picture andsound quality. In the HDTV world, alower bit rate leads to a signal that iseasier to transmit, receive, and decodeand thus, what is most important tobroadcasters, a signal that takes lessspace on the airwaves or over cable,maximizing the possible number ofHDTV channels. For new digital me-dia, such as DVD, a lower audio bitrate means that a DVD recording hasspace for several multichannel sound-tracks, enabling one pressing of a

movie to be sold in many countries.Advanced home -theater enthusiastshave already seen the advantage of areduced bit rate with Dolby Digital la-serdiscs. With the sacrifice of only oneof the two FM -audio sound channels,such discs can carry a mono FM -audiosoundtrack, a digital Dolby Surroundmatrixed multichannel soundtrack.and a "5.1 -channel" Dolby Digitalsoundtrack.

Time for another explanation. The"5" in "5.1 -channel" refers to the fivediscrete main channels: front left, cen-ter, and right and surround left andright (that's right, stereo surrounds).The ".1" refers to a separate audio sig-nal commonly known in the trade asthe LFE (low -frequency effects) chan-nel. It contains only very low -frequen-cy signals and is used in movie sound-tracks to carry such things as high-lev-el explosions, reproduced in theatersby subwoofers. Since the LFE channelcovers a frequency range originallylimited to about one octave of the ten -octave range of human hearing, it isreferred to as a point -one channel. Thenomenclature is somewhat confusing,since for the most part a circuit de-signer actually has to cope with sixdifferent signals traveling six discretesignal paths. In any case, Dolby Digi-tal is a multichannel system in whichthe signals are recorded discretely,with no channel derived from combi-nations of the others. To manage thisDolby Digital uses AC -3.

AC -3 ProcessingAC -3 is Dolby Labs' name for its mul-tichannel coder, or system of reducingdigital audio data rates. Surprisingly,considering the confusion of "5.1," theterminology is quite logical: "AC"stands for "audio coder," and the "3"indicates Dolby's third coder design.The task the encoder portion of an au-dio coder like AC -3 must perform isdifficult: It must reduce the number ofbits needed to carry six high-fidelitydigital audio signals to a manageableamount. The 3-D pie charts in Figure1 show what AC -3 accomplishes.

The towering pie on the left repre-sents the amount of data per secondthat is fed into an AC -3 encoder by atypical surround -sound soundtrack. Itsheight represents a 4,608,000 -bit -per -second combined data rate (six chan-nels x 16 bits per sample x 48,000

ir82 STEREO REVIEW OCTOBER 1996ri"-)0 0 C

)samples per second). On the right isthe pie representing the result, theencoded AC -3 signal, with a data rateof 384,000 bits per second, or one -twelfth the original bit rate! The dra-matic difference in before and afterdata rates suggests that AC -3 process-ing is a rather complex operation. Ithas to be, for it must preserve high au-dio quality by keeping the unavoidabledeleterious effects of data -rate reduc-tion inaudible during playback by hid-ing them underneath the signals thatare preserved.

One gauge of the complexity of AC -3 is the amount of computer program-ming, as measured in lines of programtext, used to command theoperation of the encoder anddecoder. If you wanted towrite your own AC -3 en-coder program, you wouldneed to generate around14,000 lines of program-ming in the C computer lan-guage. A decoder would re-quire around 7,000 lines ofC programming. AC -3 can-not be reverse -engineeredover a weekend by a coupleof computer hackers.

Even if it could be, youcouldn't run a home-madeAC -3 decoder program on ahome PC. An AC -3 decoderprogram is so math -intensivethat a top -of -the -line 166 -MHz Pentium PC could notkeep up without devotingnearly its full attention to thetask. Right now, the hardpart of AC -3 decoder design is gettingthe program to run in a low-cost mass-produced chip, not a general-purposemicroprocessor like a Pentium, whichalone may cost several hundred dol-lars. Motorola is only the second chipmaker to accomplish this feat, andthe results are shown in the photomi-crograph on this page of Motorola'sDSP56009 AC -3 decoder chip. Its cir-cuitry is programmed to perform allthe core AC -3 calculations and more ata maximum rate of 40.5 million opera-tions per second.

With that amount of processing in-volved, we couldn't fully explain theactions of AC -3 if we devoted an en-tire issue to it. It gets real complicatedreal quick. That's because AC -3 en-coding produces a radical metamor-

phosis of the audio data. Six streamsof binary numbers describing six au-dio waveforms are transformed into asingle data stream describing the mo-ment -to -moment spectrum (frequencycontent) of the original signals. Thereverse transformation occurs duringAC -3 decoding. Referring again to thedata pie at the right in Figure 1, AC -3describes the spectra in an exponentialnumber system consisting of mantis-sas and exponents. For example, in theexpression 32 (three squared), the 3 isthe mantissa and the 2 is the exponent.

Bits are assigned to record thesemantissas and exponents, with eachnumber receiving the minimum num-

Motorola's DSP56009 Dolby Digital decoder chi,enlarged. Most of the large featureless areas at the topand right side are digital memory (RAM or ROM). The actualprocessing takes place in the lower -left quadrant.

ber of bits deemed necessary by a bit -allocation program for accurate repro-duction. Bits are drawn as necessaryfrom a common "bit pool." When thegoing gets tough and the coder startsto run out of bits to encode individualchannel spectra, the high -frequencydemands of pairs of channels are cou-pled together since, as a Dolby engi-neering paper puts it, "the ear is notable to independently detect the direc-tion of two high -frequency signalswhich are very closely spaced in fre-quency." These data are recorded ascoupling coordinates.

As we said: real complicated, realquick. Far less complicated is a chartshowing the signal flow in a DolbyDigital component containing an AC -3decoder chip (Figure 2), which will

0help you begin to understand some ofthe important new features Dolby Dig-ital is bringing to market.

New FeaturesThe introduction of a new audio signalformat always presents an occasion forthe introduction of new features toimprove performance or convenience.Just consider what the audio CD's cue-ing data made possible: programmedplayback, rapid and accurate cueing,repeat modes, preview modes and soforth. That the advent of Dolby Digitalpresents a golden opportunity for sim-ilar innovations was not lost on DolbyLabs. In fact, a Dolby Digital playback

device can contain quite anumber of such features.

Bass management. Themost important new feature,at least in deluxe Dolby Dig-ital components, is the re-quired bass -management cir-cuitry. The most elaborate ofthese circuits perform high-pass filtering on the fivemain channels and low-passcrossover filtering on a sub-woofer/LFE output. Such fil-tering is necessary becauseof the huge amount of lowfrequencies a Dolby Digitalrecording generates, espe-cially in the LFE channel.Bass -management circuitsallow you to shunt the low-est frequencies from all ofthe channels to the speak-er(s) that can best handlethem, which is normally a

separate subwoofer. Center delay. In an ideal home -

theater speaker system, signals emittedfrom all of the speakers simultaneous-ly would also reach the listener atthe same time. Dolby calls this effect"coincident arrival," and it providesfor the sharpest and most stable sonicimages. But the vagaries of speakerplacement have made coincident ar-rival unattainable with most home -the-ater systems utilizing typical DolbyPro Logic decoders, and it would alsobe expensive to achieve using add-oncircuits. Besides, Dolby Pro Logicplayback actually requires a relativelylong delay line for the surround -chan-nel speakers so that their output reach-es the listener after that from the frontspeakers.

0STEREO REVIEW OCTOBER 1996 83

The all -digital nature ofAC -3, however, allows forthe simple incorporation ofdigital delay lines into thedecoder programming sothat all signals can be time -aligned for coincident ar-rival. A typical Dolby Digi-tal system accomplishes thisby providing delay settingsfor the center channel (forthose setups where the cen-ter speaker is closer to thelistener than the front left/right speakers) as well asadjustable surround -channeldelays.

Dialogue normaliza-tion. Included among themiscellaneous data in anAC -3 data stream is infor-mation describing the aver-age dialogue level of theprogram. This informationcan be used by an AC -3 de-coder to keep the dialogueat a constant volume eventhough it may be embeddedin different programs ofwidely varying overall dy-namic range. That is not tooimportant now, when mostDolby Digital programmingoriginates in Hollywood andits well -controlled studio op-erations. In the future, how-ever, dialogue normalizationwill become more importantas other media using DolbyDigital technology come online, such as HDTV andDVD-ROM.

Dynamic -range control. The AC -3 encoding process also discoversenough about the contents of the audiosignals to produce two auxiliary datastreams within an AC -3 signal (part ofthe miscellaneous -data portion of theAC -3 signal pictured in Figure 2).These data streams can be used to au-tomatically control the dynamic rangeof the output of an AC -3 decoder - tocompress programs with very widedynamic range, such as soundtracksfrom action/adventure movies, so thatyou can lower the overall playbackvolume while preserving the audibilityof the softest passages. Reduced -levelplayback suits situations where youdon't want to disturb other familymembers or the neighbors.

DIGITAL

SIGNAL

SOURCESDIGITAL SIGNAL

SELECTOR

S/PDIFRECEIVER

ANALOG

ANALOG SIGNALSIGNAL

SOURCESSELECTOR

2 -CHANNEL A/DCONVERSION

BITSTREAM

SELECTOR

AC-3/PRO LOGICDECODER

CROSSOVER

FILTERS

OUTPUT

TIME DELAY

6 -CHANNEL

D/A CONVERSION

vir

BALANCE AND VOLUME

CONTROLS

OUTPUT TO AMPLIFIERS

Figure 2. The signal flow in a typical Dolby Digital component.The four central steps can be performed by a single chip.

Down -mixing. Listening to a Dol-by Digital program over a system withfewer playback channels - such asplaying a surround -sound soundtrackthrough headphones - requires amix -down operation on the decodedmultichannel signals. An AC -3 de-coder can perform this operation, andthere's even some provision, throughyet another miscellaneous -data bit -stream, for the program's producer tocontrol the mix -down process in termsof the relative contributions of the cen-ter and surround channels to a stereoor even mono mix.

Dolby Pro Logic compatibility. Inthe early days of Dolby Digital, whichwill last for at least the next couple ofyears, much video programming willstill come from older surround -sound

movies whose soundtrackswere originally intended forthe theatrical version of Dol-by Pro Logic decoding thatis known as Dolby Stereo.Most program suppliers willnot take the time or troubleto entirely remix such ma-terial to provide a true 5.1 -channel AC -3 signal; theymay just encode it as a two -channel matrixed Dolby Sur-round soundtrack intendedfor Pro Logic decoding athome. Luckily, both AC -3chips presently available areable to perform Dolby ProLogic decoding and are usedto do so in most of today'sDolby Digital decoders.

The opposite situation istaken care of, too. An AC -3decoder can turn a 5.1 -chan-nel soundtrack into a pseu-do -Dolby Surround signalfor decoding by an exist-ing Dolby Pro Logic system.This feature, an example ofthe down -mixing discussedabove, will also be very sig-nificant over the near term ashome decoding equipmentmoves from Dolby Pro Log- 0is to Dolby Digital.

Of course, not all of thesefeatures will be available inevery Dolby Digital compo-nent. Manufacturers havewide leeway as to how muchversatility they can provideeven while using the same

AC -3 decoder chips. Some of theabove features, in fact, are program -dependent: The recording must beencoded with the relevant data forthe decoder to perform dialogue nor-malization, certain types of down -mix-ing, and dynamic -range control. Andwhether a recording carries such datais under the control of its producer.Most of those three features are avail-able as part of any AC -3 decoder chip,but bass management can be per-formed either on -chip or with externalcircuits, depending on the overallproduct design. Each approach has itsown advantages.

In a future issue we'll discuss thefull rationale behind several of thesenew features and, for those that are ad-justable, how to set them up. o

0 0 C84 STEREO REVIEW


Micro Reference Series

Dolby Digital really gives Big theater sound from small,

sculpted satellites.

Compact Reference Series

speakers a workout. Luckily, Incredible sound from

0 Lynnfield VR Series

we've had time to train. Audiophile sound with the fullimpact of Dolby' Digital.

Boston Acoustics THX' SystemDubbing studio quality sound.

This Lynnfield VR system includes our

award -winning VR40 mains and VR12

center channel, plus our new VRS Pro

surrounds and VR2000 350 -watt powered

subwoofer. (This system reproduces

21-20,000Hz ±3dB and an astounding

105dB at normal listening position.)

INTRODUCING THE NEW DOLBY DIGITAL -READY HOMETHEATER SYSTEM FROM BOSTON ACOUSTICS.

When we started working with the specs for Dolby Digital, the new digital home theater format from Dolby

Labs, two things were apparent: One, Dolby Digital is nothing short of spectacular. And two, to fully realize

its advantages, speakers must work a lot harder than before.

First, Dolby Digital's improved definition means if your front stage speakers aren't tonally matched, your

ears will know it. That's wily both our Lynnfield mains and center channel speakers use identical yR tweeters

and matched midranges for uniform tonal balance and dispersion. So they easily reproduce the dialog

clarity and stunning front soundstage effects that Dolby Digital promises.

Another consideration: Since all speakers may be fed bass extending to 80Hz, centers and surrounds must

play low. Good thing our VR10 and VR12 center channels and new Lynnfield VRS Pro surrounds. were built

to handle this very spec. Finally, a subwoofer must cleanly reproduce five discrete bass channels, plus the

thunderous LFE (low frequency effects) channel - something our new VR2000 350 -watt powered subwoofer

can do without breaking a sweat. Get the whole scoop on our new Dolby Digital -capable speaker sys-

tem. Call 508 538-5000. Just remember to do some stretches before dialing.

BostonAcoustics300 Jubilee Drive, Peabody, MA 01960 (508) 538-5000. viNinv.bostonacoustics.com

Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. THX is a -egistered trademark of Lucasfilm Lid.

SPE E

1

COMPARISON TESTS BY TOM NOUSAINE

pactically every home corn-?uter sold today is "multi-media -ready?' - that is, it:ncludes a sound card, aCD-ROM drive, and usual-

ly a couple of powered speakers. Un-fortunately, whether you're blowingaway thugs in Doom //, creating amasterpiece on CD -R, or simply play-ing a music CD while crunching somenumbers, most of the speakers thatcome bund ed with PC's sound aboutas good as a cheap clock radio. That'swhy a m.mbet of companies - manywith names well knowr in home audio- now ofer a variety of two- andthree-piece powered co-nputer-speakerpackages a: prices ranging from lessthan $100 to well over $500.

Naturally, as audio enthusiasts, wewant to kncw how these special -appli-cation speakers sound. Is audiophile -level fidelity too much to expect fromthem while playing a CD or transfer-ring a recording from digital tape toCD -R? Are the new games with ad-vanced sound effects more thrillingwith any of these speakers? To answersuch quest:ons, we asked ten majormakers of computer speakers to sendus their be;t-sounding systems for ahands-on showdown.

Of the tei systems we received, allare powered and have magneticallyshielded satellite speal.ers. JBL, Ad-vent, Bose. Altec Lansing, Yamaha,Atlantic Technology, and CambridgeSoundWorks sent three-piece comboscomprising a pair of satellites and a"subwoofer." Micro Multimedia Labs

sent a bur -piece system hat adds anintegrated amp/equalizer to the mix.And Labtec and Roland entered thefray witi two -speaker systems.

All but the Roland include all cablesand coniectors needed for hookup to acomputer. Six systems have a secondstereo input and five have headphonejacks that mute tie main -speaker out-puts when phones are plugged in (fea-ture highlights appear with the indi-vidual photos starting on page 88).

Test ProceduresMy evaluation comprised a few objec-tive measurements followed by a sub-jective istening session. Each systemwas installed in a typical home -com-puter environment, with _he satellitespeakers placed an a computer tableflanking a 15 -inch monitor linked toan IBM PS -1 DX2. For the three-piecesystems, I put the bass module on thefloor under the table, as close to thewall as tie supplied cable permitted.

I placed a microphone 21 inchesfrom the satellites (at seated ear level)and used a DRA Labs IVLSSA ana-lyzer to measure: 1) full -system fre-quency response, 2) low -frequency ex-tension with a limit of 10 percent dis-tortion at selected third -octave fre-quenciei, and 3) maximum "cleanmusic" output. TY.e last figure was ob-tained by calibrating the system to gthe highest gain setting that producedsubjectively clear sound (io buzzing, 7,rattling, or other audible signs of dis-tress) ard measuring the sound -pres-sure level (SPL., while the system

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86 STEREO REVIEW OCTDBER 19%

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played a highly dynamic big -band re-cording. These measurements provid-ed a reasonably good indication of thesystems' relative dynamic capability.

For the listening sessions, I used ahigh -quality home CD player to insurea level playing field and that thesource component did not limit overallsound quality. The test material in-cluded stereo, Dolby Surround -encod-ed, and Spatializer-encoded musicalselections, which I played in the sameorder on each system. Using the com-mon A through F grading scale, I ratedeach system in three key performanceareas: 1) spectral balance and defini-tion, the ability to play cleanly and re -

Advent Powered PartnersAV370DRIVER COMPLEMENTSATELLITES leash): 3 -inch wide -range driverBASS MODULE:61/2 -inch woofer in handpass enclosure

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSFREQUENCY RESPONSE:50 Hi to 20 kHz ±3 dBAMPLIFIER: 10 watts per channel (satellites).

anslbass module)

KEY FEATURESSATELLITE (left): volume, bass/treble, andbalance controlsBASS MODULE: active high-pass crossoverand mini -jack stereo input

FINISHSATELLITES: black plasticBASS MODULE: black vinyl

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D)SATELLITES 51/2 x 71/2 x 51/2 inchesBASS MODULE: 71/2 x 14 x 123/4 inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: 2 pounds eachBASS MODULE: 20 pounds

WARRANTY: 2 years, parts and labor

SYSTEM PRICE: $299

MANUFACTURER: Advent, Dept. SR,25 Tri-State International OfficeCenter, Suite 400. Lincolnshire. IL 60069;telephone, 1-800-323-0707

produce voices and instruments with anatural quality; 2) spatial rendition, orimaging, the ability to locate soundsaccurately while conveying a naturalsense of ambience; and 3) dynamics,or the ability to play loudly and softlywithout noise or distortion.

To insure that my subjective impres-sions were as consistent as possible,I used a pair of high -quality, two-waybookshelf speakers as an anchor. Out-put of the reference system wasmatched to within 0.5 dB of the sys-tem being tested, and both systemswere connected to a switch box so thatI could make instant comparisons.

I also listened to each system boththrough a Turtle Beach Tropez Plushigh-performance sound card I in-stalled in my IBM PC and through thestandard sound card in my Texas In-struments TravelMate 4000 laptop inorder to confirm my subjective im-pressions and to verify that each sys-tem could be driven adequately by asound card. The cards' maximum out-puts are 3.2 and 2.2 volts, respectively.

Advent Powered PartnersAV370 SystemThe AV370 Powered Partners system($299) from Advent includes twowedge-shaped satellites and a bassmodule that's among the largest in thegroup. All of the controls - volume,bass/treble, and balance - are on theleft speaker instead of the right, wheremost manufacturers put them.

Installing the AV370 was a simplematter of connecting a power cordfrom the bass module (which plugs in-to a wall outlet) to the left satellite andrunning three signal wires from theleft speaker to the computer, the rightspeaker, and bass module. While thecables are fairly short, restricting bass -module placement in some instances,it was nice not having a bulky "wallwart" power supply for the satellites.

Frequency -response measurementsrevealed a large notch at 160 Hz,which tended to make the bass sounddetached from the main presentation.There was a sizable notch at 6.6 kHzas well. Measurements also showedthat the AV370's "bass/treble" knobis really a flexible bass control thatprovides a maximum cut of 12 dB(referred to 100 Hz) in its "treble"(pulled -out) position and a maximumboost of 10 dB in its "bass" position.

I found it hard to achieve an optimalspectral balance using the bass/treblecontrol, which forced me to choose ei-ther honky horns or too much hiss and

Altec Lansing ACS500DRIVER COMPLEMENT

SATELLITES (each): one 11/4 x 21/2 -inchwide -range driver, two 3 -inch midrangedroer,. one 1/2 -inch dome tweeterBASS MODULE: 61/2 -inch ported woofer

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSSATELLITES: bandwidth, 250 Hz to 20 kHz;amplifier (in right speaker), 22.5 watts perchannelBASS MODULE: bandwidth, 35 to 250 Hz;amplifier, 40 watts at 0.8 percent distortion;crossover frequency, 250 Hz

KEY FEATURESSATELLITE (right): Dolby Pro Logic decoder:master volume control; center, surround.and subwoofer level controls; two mini -jackstereo inputs (RCA adaptor cable supplied);left/right stereo, center, surround, andsubwoofer mini -jack outputsBASS MODULE: level control

FINISH: light -gray plastic

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D)SATELLITES: 5 x 18 x 61/2 inchesBASS MODULE: 13 x 6 x 10 inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: 6 pounds (right),4 pounds (left)BASS MODULE: 10 pounds

WARRANTY: 1 year, limited

SYSTEM PRICE: $399

MANUFACTURER: Altec Lansing, Dept. SR.P.O. Box 277. Milford, PA 18337-0277:telephone. 1-800-648-6663

sizzle. Spatially, the image was tightlyfocused but uncomfortably low, wellbelow eye level. The AV370 systemturned in a respectable 97.9 dB SPLwithout distress, though, and there waseven a hint of infrasonic content.Pushed beyond that level, vocalsturned fuzzy and the woofer rattled.

Altos Lansing ACS500A built-in Dolby Pro Logic decoderand distinctive looks set Altec Lan-sing's ACS500 system ($399) apart


from the crowd. Inside each 18 -inch -tall satellite is a primary driver com-plement comprising a 3 -inch midrangeand 1/2 -inch tweeter, an inward -angled11/4 x 21/2 -inch wide -range speakerthat handles the center -channel signalfrom surround -encoded programs, andan outward -angled 3 -inch driver at thetop of the enclosure that handles thesurround signal. Of course, you'll needsurround -encoded software to take ad-vantage of the Dolby technology -still scarce on the CD-ROM front. Inaddition to a level knob on the bassmodule, there are controls for mastervolume and center, surround, and sub -woofer level on the right speaker.

Installation was straightforward be-cause a multipin DIN cable shuttlesmain, center, and surround signals to

Atlantic TechnologyM110/M105DRIVER COMPLEMEN ,M110 SATELLITES 1e.,3 -inch wide -range this c,M)05 BASS TOASTER:6'/2 -inch dual -voice -coil SSnnler

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSSATELLITES. amplifier. 3 watts per channelBASS MODULE: amplifier. 18 watts at 0.2%distortion

KEY FEATURESSATELLITES: volume. bass, and treblecontrols and headphone mini -jack output onfront panel, Iwo mini -jack stereo inputs onrear panel. dynamic bass -equalization circuitBASS MODULE: level control. 130/100 -Hzcrossover button

FINISHSATELLITES: light -gray or black plastic.metal grilleBASS MODULE: light -gray or black plastic

DIMENSIONS (w x H x D):SATELLITES: l \ 7 x 41/4 inchesBASS MODULE: 7 x 61/2 x 101/4 inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: I 1/4 pounds (right),

I ' pounds (left)BASS MODULE: 81/2 pounds

WARRANTY: 2 years, parts and labor

SYSTEM PRICE: $199

MANUFACTURER: Atlantic Technology.Dept. SR. 343 Vanderbilt Ave.. Norwood.MA 02062: telephone. 617-762-630(1

the left satellite. Beyond that, you plugthe bass module's power cord into awall outlet and run a dual -connectorpower/signal cable from the module tothe right tower and a wire from thetower to the computer. Setting levelsfor surround playback was easy thanksto a "noise" mode that circulates pinknoise through all channels.

The ACS500's frequency responsewas flatter than that of any otherspeaker in the group, although its ex-treme treble output was limited. The"subwoofer" turned out to be the sys-tem's limiting factor: While it wentdown to 63 Hz with less than 10 per-cent distortion, output was a mere 78.8dB SPL. Even at moderate levels, theplastic case of the bass module rattledand buzzed. As a result, maximumclean output for the system was re-stricted to 90.1 dB SPL - the lowest

in the group.Although the Altec

system fell short on bass,it was head and shoul-ders above the competi-tion in overall soundquality. Spectral balancewas pleasing and natural- in fact, the ACS500came closer to approxi-

mating the sonic qualities of the refer-ence speakers than any of the othercontenders. Spatial rendition was ex-traordinary. The system produced awide soundstage with stereo sources.and it extended even further - espe-cially in depth - with Dolby Sur-round -encoded material. Last but notleast, the ACS500's sound plane wasat eye level. right where it belongs.

Atlantic TechnologyM1 1 0/M105 SystemThe M 1 10/M105 system ($199) fromAtlantic Technology is the least ex-pensive three-piece package in thegroup and has one of the smallestbass modules. The M105 Bass Toast-er sports a level control, a crossoverswitch that effectively reduces basslevel by 5 dB below 130 Hz, a nicelong AC power cord, and a built-in DCpower source for the M110 satellites.The right speaker has a headphonejack, a volume knob, and a treble con-trol that produced a 6 -dB boost at 10kHz and a 2 -dB cut below I kHz whenfully rotated.

Setup was uneventful. Once theBass Toaster is plugged in, you run aDC cable from it to the right speaker(eliminating the need for an AC adap-tor) and a Y -type signal wire from the

IIBose AcoustimassMultimedia SystemDRIVER COMPLEMEN,SATELLITES (each):2' '2- inchwide-range driverBASS MODULE: 51/4 -inch woofer

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSAMPLIFIER (in bass module): satellites,20 watts per channel: bass. 50 watts

KEY FEATURES

BASS MODULE: volume, bass, and treblecontrols; two stereo pairs of RCAinputs (mini -plug adaptor cable supplied);active equalization, auto-on/off, auto -protection circuits

FINISHSATELLITES: light -gray plastic, cloth grilleBASS MODULE: black vinyl and plastic

DIMINSIONS (NV x H x D):SATELLITES: 3 x 3 x 41/4 inchesBASS MODULE: 71/2 x 181/2 x 81/2 inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: I pound eachBASS MODULE: 19 pounds

WARRANTY: I year. limited

SYSTEM PRICE: $599

MAN UFACTURER: Bose, Dept. SR.The Mountain, Framingham.MA 01701-9168; telephone. 1-800-444-2673

right speaker to the left speaker andthe bass module.

The Bass Toaster's cabinet buzzedseverely when I pushed the system be-yond moderately loud volumes. Thisfault reduced its dynamic capabilitiesand limited its clean output to the samelow 90.1 dB SPL as the Altec Lansing,or nearly 8 dB lower than the groupaverage. Bass response was also limit-ed to 80 Hz at 10 percent distortion.

Spectrally, male and female vocalshad a fuzzy, robot-like quality. Thespatial presentation was tightly clus-tered in, or slightly below, the monitorarea, and what little ambience therewas had a recessed, cavernous quality.

Buse AcoustimassMultimedia SystemAt $599, the Bose Acoustimass Multi-media System is the most expensive


package I tested. All operating con-trols - volume, bass, and treble -are located on the bass module, whichis the group's biggest. The two verysmall cube satellite speakers are eachwired directly to the bass module

Cambridge SoundWorksSoundWorks by Henry KlossDRIVER COMPLEMENTSATELLITES (each): 2 -inch wide -range driverB ASS MODULE: 4 -inch woofer in bandpassenclosure

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSSATELLITES: bandwidth. 150 Hz to 20 kHz;power (amplifier in bass module), 4.1 wattsper channel at I% distortionBASS MODULE: bandwidth, 30 to 150 Hz;amplifier. 10.3 watts at 1% distortion

KEY FEATURES

SATELLITES: pedestals and wall -mountinghardware suppliedB ASS MODULE: bass -level control, mini -jack stereo input (cable with in -linevolume control supplied), 12 -volt DC inputfor portable applications

FINISHSATELLITES: off-white or black plastic:perforated metal grilleBASS MODULE: light beige or black vinyl

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D):SATELLITES: 11'. -inch cubesBASS MODULE: -,`is x 8 x 9% inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: pound eachBASS MODULE: '1/4 pounds

WARRANTY: I sear, parts and labor

SYSTEM PRICE: $220

MANUFACTURER: Cambridge SoundWorks.Dept. SR, 311 Needham St., Newton,MA 02164; telephone, 1-800-367-4434

(which contains all power amps) via agenerous length of speaker cable. Tocomplete the installation, you simplyplug in the bass module's AC powercord and use the supplied RCA cables(and mini -plug adaptor) to get the sig-nal from the computer's sound card to

the bass module. When you turn thepower switch on, the system goes intoa signal -sensing auto on/off mode. Ofall the systems reviewed, I found theBose system to be the most user-friendly in terms of setup.

The system sounded best with thebass and treble controls set to maxi-mum, which boosted response 6 dBbelow 125 Hz and above 3 kHz. Spec-tral balance was fairly good. Malevoices were clean but faintly hollowsounding, with a trace of spit, and fe-male vocals sounded a little husky.Definition was quite good, with detailapparent even in heavily layered stu-dio recordings of pop music.

Spatially, the Bose system was oneof the better -performing packages.The soundstage was generally boundto the outer edges of the speakers, butthere was a good sense of depth andthe stage widened somewhat with Dol-by Surround -encoded programs. Thesoundstage also remained at eye levelfor the most part, although male vo-cals occasionally wound up near thedesktop.

The Bose system also had excellentdynamics. It was the only system ca-pable of reproducing an honest 40 Hzwith less than 10 percent distortion (at75.7 dB SPL). Credit goes to the ro-bust bass cabinet and its proprietaryAcoustimass design. In any event, theMultimedia system kicked butt with amaximum clean output of 104.4 dBSPL, the second highest in the group.

Cambridge SeundWerksSoundWorks by Henry MessLike Bose, Cambridge SoundWorksputs all the electronics in the bassmodule of its SoundWorks system($220), which also includes a pair oftiny cube satellites. The satellites comewith snap -on table stands, screws forwall mounting, and Velcro strips forattaching the cubes directly to thecomputer monitor. Even though mostusers will use sound -card software toadjust volume, Cambridge provides athumb -dial volume control (with aVelcro strip) that's wired into the 12 -foot cord running between the com-puter and bass module. The system'sonly other control is a bass -level knobon the back of the woofer module.

The SoundWorks was one of theeasier systems to install. Once the sig-nal wire/volume control is in place,you simply plug the bass module intoa wall outlet and run a 12 -foot wire toeach satellite.

Up and running, the Soundworks

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J131. Media Design/MediaSub SystemDRIVER COMPLEMENTMEDIA DESIGN SATELLITESteach): 3 -inch wide -range driverMEDIA SUB BASS MODULE:51/4 -inch woofer in handpass enclosure

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSSATELLITES: bandwidth, 90 Hz to 20 kHz;amplifier (in right speaker), 4 watts perchannel at 10% distortionBASS MODULE: bandwidth. 40 to 180 Hz;amplifier, 25 watts at 10% distortion

KEY FEATURES

SATELLITES (right): volume and basscontrols, mini -jack stereo input, mini -jacksubwoofer and headphone outputs, activeequalization circuitBASS MODULE: level control, line -levelmini -jack stereo output, active equalizationand auto on/off circuits

FINISHSATELLITES: beige plastic with cloth grilleBASS MODULE: medium -gray vinyl withbeige plastic front panel

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D):SATELLITES: 41/2 x 81/4 x 43/4 inches

BASS MODULE: 71/4 x 101/4 x 12 inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: 2 pounds (total)BASS MODULE: 16 pounds

WARRANTY: I year. limited

PRICE: Media Design satellites, $80 a pair:Media Sub bass module, $150

MANUFACTURER: JBL, Dept. SR, 80Crossways Park W., Woodbury, NY 11797;telephone, 1-800-336-4525

system went down to 63 Hz with anoutput level of 78.5 dB SPL and lessthan 10 percent distortion. But the tre-ble turned screechy at moderately highlevels, and the bass port grunted andsquawked. Maximum output levelwithout audible distress was only 91dB, second -lowest in the group.

Spectral balance was hampered by aresponse notch at 200 Hz. Male vocalscame across as harsh and colored, andfemale vocals sounded veiled andcloudy. The overall sound was overlywarm and in -your -face; at times it wasalso fuzzy and lacking in detail. As forspatial rendition, the soundstage was


average in width but came up short inambience and depth.

JBL Media Design/Media SubSystemJBL sells the components for this styl-ish -looking setup separately: The Me-dia Sub goes for $150, and the MediaDesign satellites are $80 a pair. Theright satellite contains power for bothsatellites as well as master volume andbass controls on its front panel and aheadphone jack around back. The onlyother system control is a power -on/level knob on the bass module; in theknob's on position, the module goesinto an auto on/off mode.

JBL's Media Design/Sub system wasa snap to set up and use. In addition torunning signal wires from the rightsatellite to the computer, left satellite,and bass module, you need to plug

Labtec LCS-3210DRIVER COMPLEMENT(each): 31/4 -inch woofer in transmission -lineenclosure, 5/14 -inch dome tweeter

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSBANDWIDTH: 48 Hz to 20 kHzAMPLIFIER (in right speaker): I I watts perchannel into 4 ohms at 10% distortion

KEY FEATURES

(in right speaker): defeatable Spatializer 3Dambience -enhancement circuit; volume,bass, and treble controls; mini -jackmicrophone input and headphone outputon front panel; mini -jack stereo input andsubwoofer output on rear panel

FINISH: light -beige plastic with dark -browncloth grille

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D):31/2x 111/4 x 9 inches

WEIGHTS 21/4 pounds each

WARRANTY: I year, parts and labor

SYSTEM PRICE: $140

MANUFACTURER: Labtec. Dept. SR.3801 NE 109th Ave., Suite J. Vancouver,WA 98682; telephone, 360-896-2000

in both the bass module and the rightsatellite (an AC adaptor is supplied).

In the bass department, the systemplayed down to 63 Hz with less than10 percent distortion, which was fairlytypical of the three-piece systems inthe group. Maximum clean output reg-istered a respectable 99 dB SPL, anotch above the group average. Be-yond that volume the satellites sound-ed strained and scratchy.

Spectrally, the JBL systemsounded smooth yet some-what rounded off at veryhigh frequencies. Vocals wereclean and sax was smooth,but the bass tended to thun-der and drone at times. Thesound was natural overallbut light on detail. Spatially,the soundstage was mostlyconfined to a tight space infront of the listener.

Labtee LCS-3210SpeakersAt $140, Labtec's LSC-3210 two-piece system is the least expensivepackage in the test group. It's also theonly system to feature Spatializer 3DStereo sound processing. A button onthe right speaker engages the circuit,which is designed to create a sur-round -sound experience using a stereosource and only two speakers. Joiningthe Spatializer button on the rightspeaker are volume, bass, and treblecontrols as well as microphone andheadphone jacks. To install the Lab-tecs, you plug the right speaker into awall outlet using the supplied AC adap-tor and run one signal wire to the com-puter and one between the speakers.

The Labtecs were simply unable todeliver any real bass - even with thebass control pegged. Although theywere able to hit 96.2 dB SPL withoutaudible overload, they could not playbelow 100 Hz (with less than 10 per-cent distortion) under any set of condi-tions. Beyond about 96 dB, the speak-ers produced splats and rattles thatmade them irritating to listen to.

On the spectral side, the systemsounded dull, harsh, and muddled,with no significant output above 2.5kHz. Things sounded considerablycleaner, however, with the Spatializercircuit switched in. Although the proc-essing accentuated system hiss andadded a dose of squeaky brightness, itdid make vocals sound more natural.The Spatializer processing also signifi-cantly "opened" up the stage, at leastin terms of width, giving the LCS-

3210's a spatial quality approachingthat of the reference system.

Micro Multimedia Labs TC1490.8SUB SystemThe four -piece TC 1490-8SUB systemfrom Micro Multimedia Labs is essen-tially a compact stereo system de-signed to be used with a computer. It

Micro Multimedia LabsTC 1490-8SUBDRIVER COMPLEMENT

SP508AD SATELLITES(eact». 4 -inch woofer. I -inch dome tweeterSP7001X BASS MODULE:6 -inch ported 0001ei

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSSATELLITES: bandwidth. 150 Hz to 20 kHzBASS MODULE: amplifier. 25 watts at I%distortion; crossover point. SO HiTC I400/A INTEGRATED AMP:40 watts per channel into 8 ohms from 20 Hzto 20 kHz at I% distortion

KEY 'EATURESINTEGRATED AMP:five -band graphic equalizer; built-in(defeatable) microphone; volume, balance.subwoofer level, and mic-gain (mixing)controls; 1/4 -inch microphone input and 1/4 -inch headphone output jacks on front panel;two stereo pairs of RCA line inputs on rearpanel (mini -plug adaptor cable supplied)BASS MODULE:ICk el control, crossover switch

FINISHSATELLITES: light -gray plastic, black clothgrilleBASS MODULE: light -gray vinyl, dark -graycloth grilleINTEGRATED AMP: beige plastic front panel

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D)SATELLITES: 41/4 x 6 x 5 inchesB ASS MODULE: 61/4 x 12 x 10 inchesINTEGRATED AMP: 13 x I1/2x II inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: 81/2 pounds (total).B ASS MODULE: 121/4 pounds.INTEGRATED AMP: 121/2 pounds.

WARRANTY: UII days

SYSTEM PRICE: 5240

MANUFACTURER: Micro MultimediaLabs. Dept. SR. 458 Main St., Reisterstown.MD 21136; telephone, 410-429-4300


includes a pair of SP508AD satellitespeakers, the TC 1490/A integratedamplifier, and the SP7001X poweredbass module. Except for a level con-trol and crossover switch on the bassmodule, all system controls are locat-ed on the amplifier. Front -panel fea-tures include volume and balance con-trols, a five -band equalizer with a sep-arate slider for bass level, an internalmicrophone (with gain control) for usewith voice -recognition systems, and1/4 -inch jacks for headphones and amicrophone. The rear has standardRCA input and output jacks and push -type terminals for the satellites.

To install the system, you run themini -plug -to -RCA adaptor cable fromthe computer to the amp, wire up thespeakers, and run a cable from theamp's sub out to the bass module. Theamp has a standard AC line cord, thesub a wall -mount power supply.

Roland MA -12(DRIVER COMPLEMENT(each speaker): 4 -inch wide -range driver

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSAMPLIFIER (one in each speaker): output.10 watts

KEY FEATURES(on each speaker): volume, low -boost, andhigh -boost controls ; 1/4 -inch microphone,instrument, and line input jacks (RCAadaptors supplied)

FINISH:light -gray plastic with metal mesh grille

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D):51/4 x 81/2 x 61/2 inches

WEIGHT: 51/2 pounds each

WARRANTY: I year pans, 90 days labor

SYSTEM PRICE: $259

MANUFACTURER: Roland, Dept. SR,7200 Dominion Circle, Los Angeles,CA 90040-3696; telephone, 213-685-5141

The equalizer provides ap-proximately 12 dB of boost/cut action per band (60 and250 Hz and 1, 3.5, and 12.5kHz), but in reality you'rerestricted to a maximumboost of about 3 dB at 60 Hzbecause of the system's lim-ited low -frequency response.The equalizer's usefulness isfurther limited by the widebandwidth of most of thecontrols, about three octaves.I found that setting the 60 -Hz sliderto its maximum position and movingthe 3.5 -kHz slider up about halfwayprovided the best octave -to -octavebalance.

With the equalizer tweaked as not-ed, the system exhibited good spectralbalance. Vocals were reasonably accu-rate, with only moderate colorations,but the boost at 3.5 kHz made percus-sion a touch jangly and accentuatedhiss in the program material. Defini-tion of instruments was decent.

The soundstage was narrowly con-fined to the width of the speakers andtended to droop somewhat below eyelevel. That can be distracting if you'relistening to music that has no accom-panying video.

When it came to dynamics, the Mi-cro Multimedia system was the cham-pion. The sturdy particleboard bassmodule was able to play very loudlywithout making rude noises. The sys-tem played down to 63 Hz with lessthan 10 percent distortion and regis-tered a maximum clean output of108.1 dB SPL - about 4 dB higherthan the nearest competitor and 10 dBabove the group average.

Roland MA -12C SpeakersFrom their tough "throw me down thestairs, I dare you" plastic cabinets totheir 1/4 -inch jacks to their thick powercords, Roland's MA -12C speakerslook and feel pr0000fessional. (What'dyou expect from a company thatmakes professional keyboards?) Eachspeaker in this two-piece set is a self-contained system with its own poweramplifier and volume, bass, and treblecontrols.

Setting up the speakers is somewhatof a hassle because you need to layyour hands on a mini -plug -to -dual -RCA adaptor cable (available at RadioShack) and then use the suppliedphone -plug adaptors to get the signalinto the speakers. Dealing with twothick power cords is also cumbersome.

Except for a trace of extra shine that

Yamaha YST System 45DRIVER COMPLEMENTYST-M15 SATELLITES(each): 3 -inch wide -range driverYST-MSW10 BASS MODULE:61/2 -inch woofer

MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONSSATELLITES: frequency response, 70 Hz to20 kHz ±3 dB; amplifier (in right speaker).10 watts per channel at I kHz into 4 ohmswith 109 distortionBASS MODULE: frequency response, 35 to250 Hz ±10 dB: amplifier. 25 watts rms

KEY FEATURES

SATELLITES (right): Yamaha Active ServoTechnology (YST) bass -enhancing circuit,front volume and tone controls andmini -jack headphone output, rear input -levelcontrol and two mini -jack stereo inputsBASS MODULE: YST circuit, level control,high/low-cut crossover switch, auto on/offcircuit

FINISHSATELLITES: light -gray or black plastic, clothgrilleBASS MODULE: light -gray or black vinyland plastic, cloth grille

DIMENSIONS (W x H x DSATELLITES: PA x 95/t x 61/4 inchesBASS MODULE: 11 x 8 x 101/4 inches

WEIGHTSATELLITES: 21/4 pounds (right).

pounds (left)BASS MODULE: 12 pounds

WARRANTY: I year, parts and labor

SYSTEM PRICE: $250

MANUFACTURER: Yamaha, Dept. SR, P.O.Box 66(X). Buena Park, CA 90622-6600;telephone, 714-522-9011

came across as excess sibilance on fe-male vocals, the MA-12C's soundedfairly neutral. I found that setting thebass control (which provides about 5dB boost or cut) to about 2 o'clockand leaving the treble control (whichhas a range of ±6 dB) in its flat settingproduced a pleasing overall sound.The soundstage was at eye level andextended slightly beyond the edges ofthe speakers, but it had no real depth.

Even without a separate bass mod-ule, the Rolands played down to 80 Hzat 78 dB SPL with less than 10 percentdistortion, only slightly below par for


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When you're ready to experience the brilliant picture and the extraordinarysound that DVD delivers, won't it make sense to get the technology from itssource? Toshiba is the source of DVD technology. And DVD is the future.

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MEASUREMENTS AND LISTENING EVALUATION

FREQUENCYRESPONSE

LOW -FREQUENCY MAXIMUM SPECTRALEXTENSION CLEAN OUTPUT BALANCE AND

(at 10% distortion) (SPL) DEFINITION

SPATIALRENDITION DYNAMICS

ADVENT POWERED PARTNERSAV370 SYSTEM

ALTEC LANSING ACS500 SYSTEM

ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGYM110/M105 SYSTEM

BOSE ACOUSTIMASSMULTIMEDIA SYSTEM

CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKSSOUNDWORKS BY HENRY KLOSS

JBL MEDIA DESIGN/MEDIASUB SYSTEM

LABTEC LCS-3210 SPEAKERS

80 Hz to 20 kHz±13.5 dB

106 Hz to 12.5 kHz±4.5 dB

80 Hz to 20 kHz±7.6 dB

50 Hz to 20 kHz±10.8 dB

80 Hz to 20 kHz±9.8 dB

63 Hz to 15.5 kHz±8.25 dB

100 Hz to 20 kHz±8.5 dB

63 Hz

63 Hz

80 Hz

40 Hz

63 Hz

63 Hz

100 Hz

C-

B+

C-

C- C+

B+ C-

C D

B- B- B+

C-

C

C

C C-

C C+

B+

MICRO MULTIMEDIA LABSTC 1490-8SUB SYSTEM

92 Hz to 18.5 kHz±I1.2 dB

63 Hz 108.1 dB B- C A-

ROLAND MA -12C SPEAKERS

YAMAHA YST SYSTEM 45

115 Hz to 12.5 kHz±8.8 dB

80 Hz 102.3 dB C+

70 Hz to 15.5 kHz±7.2 dB

63 Hz 100.8 dB C B+

PERFORMANCE SIMILARITIES

In tenns of performance, the speaker systems we tested exhibited a num-ber of similarities. The measured response for all of the systems exceptthe Altec Lansing had a double bump in the high -frequency range, whichreflects (no pun intended) the effect of placing the satellites on a table.Typically, the first bump was at least 6 dB, centered around 2 kHz, and alittle over an octave wide, and the second bump was about 6 dB, fellbetween 7 and 10 kHz, and spanned about an octave. Response below IkHz was often flat and smooth down to about 100 Hz, although some

this course. And on the dynamicsfront, they performed very well. Al-though there was no real bass, thedrivers were well controlled and ableto play very loudly and cleanly, hittinga maximum SPL of 102.3 dB.

Yamaha YST System 45In my book. Yamaha's YST System 45is one of the group's better -lookingpackages. It combines a pair of YST-MI5 satellites with the YST-MSW 10bass module. System controls includevolume, tone, and headphone level onthe right satellite and bass -level and ahigh/low-cut (150/100 -Hz) crossoverswitch on the woofer module. Bothcomponents incorporate the YamahaActive Servo Technology (YST) cir-cuit, which is said to essentially "cor-rect" woofer -cone movement on thefly to improve bass performance.

As with most of the systems re-

models had a suckout between 100 and 200 Hz. These effects addedcoloration most noticeable on vocals and acoustic instruments.

All of the systems produced adequate volume. Even the weakestperformer delivered 90 dB of clean SPL in its direct field. The bettersystems were generally able to belt out 100 dB SPL without audiblestrain as long as there was no deep bass in the program material.

With a few notable exceptions - the Altec Lansing, Bose, and Labtecsystems - most of them were limited in spatial extension. Typically, thesoundstage was confined to the speakers' outer edges, with little sense ofdepth. On the other hand, most delivered a tight center image that wasmore robust than the one produced by many home speakers. -T.N.

viewed here, setting up the Yamahacombo was uncomplicated. You runsignal wires from the right satellite tothe computer, left satellite, and bassmodule and plug the bass module andright satellite into an AC outlet. Likethe Bose and JBL systems, the Yama-ha features an auto on/off mode.

The MSW 10 bass module playeddown to 63 Hz with less than 10 per-cent distortion - not bad for a smallbox. In terms of overall clean output,the system cranked out a healthy 100.8dB SPL without buzzing or other audi-ble distress. Subjectively, the bass wasfull, loud, and sounded great withrock-and-roll. In terms of bass charac-ter, the Yamaha was my favorite.

Spectral balance was quite good,too, although there was a slight nasalquality to male and female vocals, andultra -high frequencies were a bit sub-dued. Definition was a little on the

coarse side but still acceptable. Spa-tially. the soundstage was a tad lowbut had decent width and some depth.

The Bottom LineThe computer speaker systems evalu-ated here provide a range of upgradeoptions at a variety of prices. They allplay louder and sound better - warbetter in most cases - than the stan-dard -issue speakers from computermanufacturers, but even the best ofthem still falls short of delivering au-diophile -quality sound. Every three-piece system calls its bass module a"subwoofer," for instance, yet onlyone came close to producing even 50Hz with authority. So if studio -qualityfidelity is what you desire, look else-where. But if you simply want decentsound when you pop a music CD or agame CD-ROM in your drive, there'ssomething here for you.

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CURRENT RELEASES

Beck: A Cutup and His CollagesWhen you get right down toit, many contemporary mu-sicians turn to samplingbecause they simply can't

write or play. Beck Hansen, however,plays a wide range of instruments - gui-tar, keyboards, bass, drums, and more -and he can sing as well as rap. For him,

sampling is another tool in the musical ar-senal. His new album, "Odelay," playsthrough in such a casual way that the in-tricacy of its stitching won't be clear tothe casual listener. But if you stop andponder what goes into assembling suchcrazy but clever quilts, you'll have to giveBeck his due.

Most musicians have a single identifi-able style, but Beck has many. If you hadto pin him down to one, it would be fromthe world of art: collage. Working sam-ples and sound effects into the fabric ofhis material, he recontextualizes arcanebits of music, conversation, and noise tooften comic ends. No genre escapes hispurview, be it classic rock, gangsta rap,country-and-western, Blue Note jazz,screeching punk, fuzz -toned garage -rock,bottleneck blues, or Indian sitar music.It's one man's way of processing theinformation overload to which we allare subjected. What results, amazinglyenough, is an album of real songs, leav-ened with a healthy sense of the absurdand rocking like gangbusters.

On "Odelay," Beck's list of samples -from Sixties Irish rock band Them to jazzdrummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - isesoteric, to say the least. Juxtaposed in asong like Devils Haircut (a catalog of de-pressive complaints that could be as mi-nor as a bad snip job or as major as life it-self), they become ingredients in a recipefor inspired lunacy, a musical loony binwhere voices babble in different tonguesbut make a strange kind of sense. Beck'squasi -country songs, Lord Only Knowsand Sissyneck, are executed with the samemix of formal reverence and sly smirki-ness projected by the Rolling Stones intheir infrequent forays into twang -land.Both tunes are subverted by left -fieldscreams, hip -hop beats, electronic nonsequiturs, and lyrics that defy reason:"You only got one finger left and it'spointed at the door / And you've taken forgranted what the Lord's laid on the floor."Elsewhere, Derelict is a horrifying evoca-tion of its title character, from its bizarreimages to its dark -streaked music, whileNovacane describes a harrowing nightworld of trucks and turnpikes with an au-dio verite that suggests a merging ofWilliam S. Burroughs and Public Enemy.Then there's the party tune of the year,Where It's At, with a mighty helping ofhandclaps bolstering an infectious chant.

A literal cutup, Beck crafts a world ofsound and sensibility from the boundlessscraps of popular culture. He's a smartkid, and with those smarts comes a cer-tain droll detachment. Nobody will everaccuse him of having a heart of gold orpossessing a vision for a better future. In-stead, the inscrutable ironies and encodedennui in his music doubtlessly resonatewith all the disillusioned Gen Xers whowonder, "Is that all there is?" Finally, thefunky beats give them something to dobesides mope. Parke Puterbaugh

BECK: Odelay.Devils Haircut; Hotwax; Lord Only Knows;The New Pollution; Derelict; Novacane; Jack -ass;Where It's At; Minus; Sissyneck; Readymade;High 5 (Rock the Catskills); Ramshackle. DGC24823 (52 min).


BEST OF THE MONTH

Tchaikovsky's"Iolanta"Rediscovered

Tchaikovsky wrote a dozen operas,but only Pique Dame and EugeneOnegin have even a precariousfoothold on the international

stage. Too bad; all the operas deserve bet-ter. One problem is that they are in Rus-sian and do not fare well in translation.Another is that they can be dreadfullyidiosyncratic, as witness the mysteriousand little-known lolanta, his last opera,based on a Danish romantic one -act play.Fortunately, Valery Gergiev's new record-ing of lolanta on Philips with his KirovOpera chorus and orchestra providesgood solutions to both difficulties, and itturns out to be a striking work.

The story, which has nothing to dowith the plot of Gilbert and Sullivan'slolanthe, concerns a blind princess who isbrought up in isolation so that she doesnot realize that she is a princess nor thatshe is blind. Lack of knowledge is themotor of the piece, but this rather extraor-dinary conceit requires a substantial sus-pension of disbelief on the part of a mod-ern audience. The supporting cast in-cludes a heavy-handed father who keepsthe princess in captivity (we're just a fewyears ahead of Freud here), a sage Arabicdoctor who tries to cure her, and a gallantknight who, mad for all that virginal puri-ty, gives the game away but helps inspireher to cure herself. This is perhaps the ul-timate case of an operatic heroine as vic-

tim, but, lo, everything turns out happily;she falls so hard for her tattletale knightthat she wills herself to see!

Romantic twaddle? Perhaps, but thereis something touching about this story,and it moved Tchaikovsky to write anopera that is remarkable for its eloquenceand its variety: pseudo -rococo court mu-sic, orientalism for the good doctor,melodic sweetness in the title role, Wag-nerism in the unbroken hour -and -a -halfcomposition, orchestral pulse and color,and a good measure of chromatic and har-monic intensity. All this might have result-ed in a pastiche in the hands of a lessermaster, but Tchaikovsky put the diversityto work in a surprisingly unified manner.

What the work requires is an idiomaticand high -quality Russian performance,and Gergiev and his excellent cast pro-vide it. The much -maligned text, by thecomposer's brother Modest, actually hasits merits, and, as sung in Russian byRussians, it is evocative and moving. So-prano Galina Gorchakova may be just abit too knowing for this supposedly unso-phisticated heroine, but, musically andvocally, she creates an appealing and un-victimlike lolanta. The strong male cast isheaded by tenor Gegam Grigorian as anoutstanding Count Vaudemont, baritoneDmitri Hvorostovsky as his friend and ri-val, Duke Robert, and bass Sergei Alex-ashkin as Iolanta's father, King Rene. TheMoorish physician, Ibn-Hakia, could be adreadful caricature but is particularlysympathetic as sung by Nikolai Putilin.

Gergiev continues to elicit idiomatic,engaging performances from his Kirovforces. Not an eccentric or specialist con-ductor, he has a knack for bringing thecolorful and odd fringes of the Russian

Soprano Galina Gorchakova

repertoire right back into the operaticmainstream - normalizing them, so tospeak, and making them accessible toRussian and Western audiences alike. Inshort, this strange, beautiful piece is agenuine discovery. Eric Salzman

TCHAIKOVSKY: lolanta.Galina Gorchakova (lolanta), Sergei Alexashkin(King Rend), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (DukeRobert), Gegam Grigorian (Count Vaudemont),Nikolai Putilin (Ibn-Hakia); Kirov OperaChorus and Orchestra, Valery Gergiev cond.PHILIPS 442 796 (two CD's, 96 min).

Rodney Jones Transformedillazz guitarist Rodney Jones maynot be a household name, but hehas worked with some impressivetalents - Lena Home, Dizzy Gil-

lespie, Ruth Brown, Patti LuPone, MaceoParker, and Tony Bennett among them.He was recording under his own name asfar back as 1980, but if you take "WhenYou Feel the Love," an Impulse releasefrom that period, and compare it with hislatest album, "The 'X' Field," you willhear a striking difference in approach anda new virtuosity, brimming with energyand substance. Jones calls the transforma-tion a liberation of sorts, and it is: abreaking of the Wes Montgomery/GrantGreen mold he used to fit into so snugly.

Not all past influences have been aban-doned (indeed, Montgomery and Green

still echo in Mobius 3), but Jones moreoften swings his guitar off the beaten pathand into a developing area beyond bop.The supporting cast includes saxophonistGreg Osby, who himself is not afraid toventure out beyond the limits of guaran-teed acceptance (but who always does sotastefully). The young and remarkably co-hesive rhythm players are pianist KevinHays, bassist Kenny Davis, and drummerEric Harland. This quintet is not a work-ing group, but it has the unity of one.

Jones is now toiling on TV in the RosieO'Donnell Show band, but on "The 'X'Field" he's roaming free, taking the musicon daring detours. And lest you think thisis some inaccessible Albert Ayler-ishspace trip, let me assure you that the Rod-ney Jones quintet soars with its feet close


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RODNEY JONES: The "X" Field.Silent Darkness; Blues for the MonkeyWho Escaped; Little Melonae; The Call ofSoul; The "X" Field; Laura's Eyes;Mobius 3; Between Then and Now; BluesStandard; Uncle Willie's MoonshineBlues. MusicMAsTERs 65147 (56 min).

Finnish SoundSeetacles

Einojuhani Rautavaara, now in hislate sixties, is one of the most ver-satile and prolific Finnish com-posers of the post -World War II

generation. Having studied in the mid -1950's with Aaron Copland, Vincent Per-sichetti, and Roger Sessions, and subse-quently with Wladimir Vogal, a Busonidisciple and Schoenberg adherent, Rauta-vaara has achieved faultless command ofthe language of twentieth-century music.He has composed in virtually everygenre, his music ranging from the most

same recording has been issued by On -dine and BMG's Catalyst label).

The opening of Angel of Light emergesseemingly from nowhere, and over thespan of 12 minutes the music develops afeeling of limitless space permeated byspellbinding string sonorities that are ac-cented with nodes of metallic percussionand interwoven with triadic woodwindfigures and gently insistent tromboneproclaniations. It's all somewhat reminis-cent of another Finnish Seventh Sympho-ny, the more famous one by Sibelius. In-deed, I wonder if this whole work is notRautavaara's attempt to imagine what Si-

abaifdro-ned Eighth Symphonymight have been like.

The second movement is fiercely erup-tive, somewhat after the fashion of thethird movement of the Vaughan WilliamsSixth. "Like a Dream" reads the perfor-mance indication for the otherworldlythird movement, which leads into the ma-jestic finale and the realm shared by AlanHovhaness, Arvo Part, and John Tavener.It all adds up to a near -overwhelmingsonic and musical experience.

The 1976-77 Annunciations, a concer-to for organ, brass, and winds, showsRautavaara in his more aggressive and

virtuosic aspect. As in Angelof Light, the opening is slow,but it gradually develops intoa huge aviary punctuated bysome mighty horn whoops.The organ comes more andmore to the fore as the musicdevelops, with virtuoso fire-works displays worthy ofMessaien. Most spectacularis the climax for full organ,wind, brass, and percussion,during which the organ motoris turned off and sonority dis-integrates in truly weird fash-ion. A dazzling cadenza andfinale pave the way to theeerie conclusion. In short, thisis a blockbuster!

Conductor Leif Segerstamguides the Helsinki Philhar-monic through magnificently

convincing readings of both works in theacoustically ideal Finlandia Hall, with theorgan soloist, Kari Jussila, doing a knock-out job in Annunciations. The whole re-cording is demonstration quality fromstart to finish. Don't miss it! David Hall

S S

Conductor Leif Segerstam

accessible to the most recondite. The lat-est CD of his work from Finland's On -dine label, which has recorded all of hismajor pieces, demonstrates in most mov-ing and thrilling fashion the extent of hiscreative mastery and vision.

The CD features Rautavaara's SeventhSymphony, titled Angel of Light, from1994. This symphony has the same mysti-cal aspect that plays a major role in sever-al of his works, including the element ofpantheism found in his Cantus Arcticusfor orchestra and taped birds, a 1972work that remains his most popular (the

RAUTAVAARA: Angel of Light(Symphony No. 7);Annunciations (Concerto for Organ,Brass, and Winds).Kari Jussila (organ); Helsinki PhilharmonicOrchestra, Leif Segerstam cond.ONDINE 869 (65 min).

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POPULARBLOODSTONE: Natural High.RHINO 72460. Unreal. RHINO 72461.Old -school soul balladry, originallyreleased on London in 1973;

both albums feature bonus B-sides.

OALAXIS 1100.RYKODISC 10355 (four CD's). Theunderground Boston band's three originalalbums, plus rarities and previouslyunreleased tracks, in a deluxe set.

PAUL MeCARTNIT ANDWINOS: Red Rose Speedway.DCC COMPACT CLASSICS 1091.

Gold -disc version of the 1973 album,featuring the hit My Love and fourtracks from non -LP singles.

TOM SCOTT AND THE L.A.EXPRESS. ODE/EPIC/LEGACY 64959.From 1974, the best-selling MORjazz album led by Joni Mitchell's favoriteSo -Cal horn man.

CLASSICALRACK: Mass in B Minor.Soloists; Bavarian Radio Chorus andOrchestra, Eugen Jochum cond.

EMI 68640 (two CD's). "... thrilling"(July 1983).

DVORAK: Symphonies Nos. 7,8, and 9 ("New World"); CarnivalOverture; Scherzo Capriccioso.London Philharmonic and PhilharmoniaOrchestras, Carlo Maria Giulinicond. EMI 68628 (two CD's). "Aglowwith warmth" (September 1977).

FRANCK: Symphony in D Minor.RACHMANINOFF: SymphonyNo. 2. Detroit Symphony, Paul Paraycond. MERCURY 434 368. "LivingPresence" recordings from the late 1950'sby the renowned French conductor.

MUSSOROSKYI Boris Godunov.Ivan Petrov, others; Bolshoi TheaterChorus and Orchestra, Alexander Melik-Pashayev cond. BMG/MELoDivA 29349(three CD's). "[Petrov's] voice is a dark,powerful instrument" (August 1968).

100 STEREO REVIEW FoCTOBER 1996

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NEW RECORDINGS REVIEWED BY CHRIS ALBERTSON, FRANCIS DAVIS,PHYL GARLAND, RON GIVENS, BRETT MILANO,

ALANNA NASH, PARKE PUTERBAUGH, KEN RICHARDSON, & STEVE SIMELS

THE BLACK CROWES:Three Snakes and One Charm.\\ii ni 4110 2 (48 min)Performance: ResurgentRecording: Alive and lively

The Black Crowes' fourth album is ahuge improvement over their last one,

the parched, pedantic "Amorica." It synthe-sizes the best aspects of their first two re-leases - the choogling "Black Crowes"and the ambitious "Southern Musical andHarmony Companion" - into what maywell be their finest effort to date. SingerChris Robinson isn't so much preaching atthe world as he is talking to it, and the atti-tude adjustment is crucial to the new al-bum's success. All the same, there are bib-lical references aplenty, and the ongoingtension between damnation and absolution(think of Jerry Lee Lewis, a fellow Dixie-ite) gives the Crowes' music much of itssinuous intensity.

"Three Snakes and One Charm" beginswith one of those slow, Humble Pie -typegrinds at which the Black Crowes are so

(Only) Halfway to Everywhere to the right-eously raunchy Blackberry - a politicallyincorrect sex song to which you'll unapolo-getically shake your booty - the Crowescarry an Olympic -size torch for the sort ofno -frills, feel -good, fundamental rock thatmost bands have forgotten how to make.Combine that with some fanciful changesof pace, such as the quasi-psychedelia ofHow Much for Your Wings? and the hard-won emotional maturity of Better WhenYou're Not Alone, and "Three Snakes andOne Charm" becomes powerful musicalmedicine indeed. P.P.

a ep in,er a rountarn , t en lc stnfor real with Good Friday, a country -and -gospel -suffused breakup song whose back -porch drawl, big lazy beat, and pedal -steelmoan would make the Rolling Stones envi-ous of a genuine Southern upbringing. Andthe Crowes, especially Robinson, have re-covered their sense of humor. Lashed to asnaky riff, Nehakanezer opens with theamusing, head -scratching lines "Nebakan-ezer never knew / He left his Beetle outsidein the rain and it rusted through." The ab-surdist imagery seems to parody the moresuperstitious aspects of charismatic Chris-tianity - or maybe Robinson's just beingplayfully wack, like Bob Dylan circa "TheBasement Tapes." More easily readable isthe compelling character study Girl from aPawnshop, a richly detailed portrait similarin tone to She Talks to Angels.

Amid this resurgence, the best news ofall is that the Crowes are kicking seriousbutt again. From the Sly Stone -style funk of

SONNY BURGESS.ROUNDER 3144 (39 min).Performance: Another place, another timeRecording: Okay

n his hometown of Newport, Arkansas, in 1955, guitarist/singer Sonny Burgessopened for Elvis Presley - and was so tak-en with the Memphis Flash that he laterdrove 95 miles to Sun Records to lay downhis own tracks. He's been making musicever since (even if he didn't quit his dayjob), balancing country with rockabilly,blues, and boogie.

On his first album in four years, Burgesstackles material by left -of -center Nashvillewriters Radney Foster, Hank DeVito, andSteve Forbert, among others. But asidefrom Six Nights a Week, a bluesy shufflewritten by ex -Blaster Dave Alvin and ChrisGaffney, his heart seems more in the musicthat still hangs around Memphis. Hell Yes ICheated, a triplet -based confession in the

style of early Jerry Lee Lewis, is engagingboth instrumentally and lyrically ("And I'ddo it again"). Meanwhile, he wrings solosout of his electric guitar as if they werestubborn stains, counting on Steuart Smithor Garry Tallent to conjure the smootherpassages. That's fine: Burgess sounds bestjust honkin' it out.

Unlike myriad rockabilly nostalgists,Burgess is the real thing - and more oftenthan not, he'll give you chills. A.N.

CHER: It's a Man's World.Krrkisr 46179 00 nun)Performance: All over the mapRecording: Ditto

Whew! Is this a mess, or what? Takinga nod from Tina Turner, the unsink-

able Cher recorded "It's a Man's World"with a slew of producers, both British andAmerican. But at least Tina had a vision ofhow she wanted her album to sound - anda solid style from which to draw. PoorCher, a chameleon at best, had neither.

Admitting in her press bio that "Some-times I don't even sound like me," Cherdarts out of the chute with One by One, aslinky call for universal love and tolerancethat alternates the sotto voce stylings ofSade with full -tilt Anita Baker. By the nextcut, Don Henley's Not Enough Love in theWorld, she sounds like her old overwroughtself. From there, it's a total hodgepodge -and for the most part, wretchedness lurks(take a gag -rag to check out her version ofMarc Cohn's Walking in Memphis).

There's one big shock at the end, as Cherpulls off a dynamite rendition of JamesBrown's It's a Man's Man's Man's World.She gets lost in the lyric, suggesting thatshe's realizing its stark truths for the firsttime. The result is startlingly moving. A.N.

GIORGI CLINTONAND THE P -FUNK ALL-STARS:T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.550 \It sic/Epic 67144 (75 min).Performance: Steady as she goesRecording: Very goodII he Awesome Power of a Fully Opera-

tional Mothership (source of the titleabbreviation) truly is an amazing thing tobehold, as all who have gotten funked up toGeorge Clinton's Parliament and Funka-delic ensembles over the decades are wellaware. But awesome power is not exactlywhat Clinton and the P -Funk All -Stars dis-play on this disc, their first since disap-pointing efforts for Prince's now -defunctPaisley Park label. Instead of soaring intothe cosmos at full blast, they're warilycruising in low gear, carefully monitoringeach move.

Of course, a vigilant Clinton is an en-gaged Clinton, and this is his most cohesiveproject since (dare I say it) "ComputerGames." In fact, it purports to pick up thethread of the various characters he has di-vined on past masterworks such as "Moth-ership Connection" and "The Clones of Dr.Funkenstein." There's more Parliament thanFunkadelic on "T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.," mean-ing more throbbing, manicured groovesthan hard, guitar -oriented funk. Chants and


counterchants are woven into the keyboard -and -percussion -driven flow, as a veritablemothership's crew of singers and players(the booklet lists twenty-three, count 'em.twenty-three All -Stars!) work to seduce andhypnotize in standout tracks like SummerSwim, Hard as Steel, and the supremelyfunky title track. The calls to party are a lit-tle more subdued and automatic than usual,as Clinton has his eye on a larger agenda:deliverance as the end, with determinationas the key and a steady, rolling groove asthe means. P.P.

FINN BROTHERS.DISCOVERY 77043 (38 min).Performance: Almost grandRecording: Fine

Mothers Tim and Neil Finn joined eachother's groups (Split Enz and Crowded

House, respectively) at various points, andnow these like-minded lovers of brainy,brooding pop are together again as a duo,which makes perfect sense. "Finn Brothers"shows them honing their fraternal craft toits essence in thoughtful lyrics and sparebut striking settings, betraying a debt thatdates back to "Revolver" -era Beatles.

While it is all quite sublime and verymuch welcome, the album is nonethelessmissing some sort of vital spark -a traceof which is evident in only a handful oftracks, most notably Eyes of the World (apsychological tempest of a tune with de-spair and resentment at its core) and Kissthe Road of Rarotonga. The latter song, thecloser on this fairly brief disc, was recordedlive with notably diminished fidelity. Evenso, it kicks with a drive that sets it apartfrom the rest of the album - and the con-trast is glaring. P.P.

JOHN GORKA:Between Five and Seven.HIGH STREET 10351 (49 min).Performance: StreamlinedRecording: Very good

Folkie John Gorka has an irritating habitof overdramatizing his delivery, as if

he's a sanctimonious oracle who deigns todrop a pearl of wisdom on us when he'sfeeling generous. However, he keeps thattendency in check on "Between Five andSeven" (an album some folks might havecalled "Six"). Instead, Gorka serves up awell-rounded and extremely tuneful collec-tion of songs, including portraits of a pa-thetic short-order cook (Scraping Dixie), aman who plays entirely too much pool(Blue Chalk), and an ill-suited couple trav-eling life's rocky road together, if only fornow (Airstream Bohemians).

More than usual, Gorka fills his songs

with memorable lines. In Can't Make UpMy Mind he describes a frustrating relation-ship by noting that "she cannot fit my nameinside her mouth." Likewise, he zeroes inon the male character of Airstream Bohe-mians with "He was the type to look forwork / Although not the kind to find it."And when the antihero of Scraping Dixiesteams his face at the restaurant grill. Gorkaaffectingly reports "that grease got all up inhis dreams."

Not all of the profiles are this finelydrawn, and the songs of doomed love gen-erally fail to engage (Paradise, Once). ButJohn Gorka makes you think, and in thesensual Lightning's Blues, he may just stirmore than your brain. A.N.

JAN AND DEAN: Save for a Rainy Day.SUNDAZED 11035 (64 min).Performance: A bit of historyRecording: Good, consideringComething of a Holy Grail to collectors

of California music, "Save for a RainyDay" is a nice, obscure piece of pop historythat saw an extremely limited release in1966. It was one of the first concept al-bums: Every song is about rain, and thetracks are linked by rainfall (which actuallysounds like frying bacon). Although the

album is credited to Jan and Dean, onlyDean Torrence was involved, as Jan Berrywas slowly recovering from the horrific carcrash in which he suffered permanent braindamage. The record won't make the worldforget the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds," but ithas a likable, understated air and peerlessmusicianship to commend it. And this re-issue from Sundazed, available as a singleCD or a gorgeously packaged double LP,offers twenty-three tracks, supplementingthe original nine songs and one instrumen-tal with alternate takes, new stereo mixes.and backing tracks.

Dean has good vocal range but lackspresence as a lead singer, apparent in HereConies the Rain, where he's off-key, andWhen Sunny Gets Blue, where he's over hishead as a lounge crooner. With the poppiermaterial, he gets by on charm and overdub-bing, and this is where "Save for a RainyDay" shines. Yellow Balloon is a stone Cali-fornia classic: earnest bubblegum pop withan indelible vocal melody and an inventivearrangement that includes mandolin, glock-enspiel. and bass clarinet. Like a SummerRain is the other standout, showing offDean's falsetto in a moody setting thatmorphs into Theme from A Summer Placeat the end. Smaller pleasures abound. in -

LINDA THOMPSON: SONGSIN THE KEY OF EX

Her former husband, Richard, hasalways overshadowed her, but with

the twenty -song retrospective "DreamsFly Away," Linda Thompson finally getsher due. In performances that shimmerwith beauty, she stands quite tall on herown, thank you.

Many of the tracks do capture her induet with Richard, however. Amongthe most intriguing of these selectionsare First Light, whichappears here in its origi-nal demo version (withRichard's lovely acous-tic solo), and SometimesIt Happens, a 1972 trackthat was only recentlydiscovered on acetate.In fact, most of this col-lection uncovers Linda'smore elusive work (amere seven of the songsare available elsewhere),including other perfor-mances from the early Seventies andtracks from the "lost" album she recordedin 1987 with Nashville musicians. Thereare also studio outtakes (the dark anddesperate Walking on a Wire, a gorgeousversion of Dimming of the Day), live cuts(The Great Valerio), and previouslyunreleased songs, such as the pretty poptune Insult to Injury, which she co -wrotewith Betsy Cook (who also helpedher write Telling Me Lies, later coveredby Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris,

Dreams Fly 1.w.g,hotory of bfwla Thompson

and Doily Parton). And the album setsthe record straight on an importantsong: It was Linda and Richard, notRichard alone, who wrote the affectingthrill -killer opus Pavanne. But Linda isnever better than in her own Talking Likea Man, a naked confession of impendingadultery and divorce, in which sheproclaims she is "no more living a lie."Produced with muted guitar, cymbal, and

bass, it conveys arelationship dying bythe seconds.

Although this isLinda Thompson's firstalbum in a decade,it is also probably herlast. She suffers from acondition calledhysterical dysphonia,which prevents her fromsinging. "I alwaysfound [performing] apainful thing to do -

not physically, but emotionally,"Thompson has said. "It was quitedraining because I put so much into it."Which is precisely why "DreamsFly Away" is such a remarkable, albeitfinite, body of work. Don't miss it.

Alanna Nash

LINDA THOMPSON:Dreams Fly Away:A History of Linda Thompson.HANNIBAL 1379 (78 min).


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POI'l 1,All WSWcluding Pocket Full of Rainbows (great bassline, sweet vocal), Taste of Rain (whichcould pass for a lost nugget from the "PetSounds" sessions), and the title theme, aclosing instrumental that envelops the al-bum in a warm, rosy glow. Artful yet unpre-tentious, "Save for a Rainy Day" is a gemfrom a magical time. P.P.

THE LOUD FAMILY: Interbabe Concern.\I I v, 098 (57 mitilPerformance: SuperbRecording: NuancedI oud Family leader Scott Miller writesNM songs whose titles are often more cre-ative than most people's entire albums.Browse through the song list on "InterbabeConcern" - the third project he has re-leased under the Loud Family name, thoughit's now more his show than ever - andone finds such entries as Screwed Over byStylish Introverts, Not Expecting Both Con -tempo and Classique, Rise of the Choke -hold Princess, and Hot Rox Avec LyingSweet Talk. Those promise intrigue, smarts,passion, and surprise; the music delivers allthat and more.

Miller used to front Game Theory, asometimes inspired pop combo that hadboth a sweet side and an abstract side. Withthe Loud Family he has come into his own,writing material that's both wildly experi-mental and sublimely catchy; at his best,Miller shows how far the boundaries of gui-tar -based pop can be stretched. After 1994's"The Tape of Only Linda," a misguided at-tempt to give his bandmates the spotlight,"Interbabe Concern" finds Miller complete-ly in control. In fact, it's the hardest -edgedthing he's ever done, with sudden mood -shifts within songs, flashes of lyrical bitter-ness, a harsher tone in both his vocals andguitar playing, and a string of achingly sadclosing numbers. Don't let that scare youaway, however: The album's icy surfacemelts a little more with each listen, reveal-ing killer hooks and harmonies, tender bal-ladry, and exhilarating garage -rock, even acerebral joke or two (the chorus of SodiumLaureth Sulfate, which doesn't occur untilsong's end, sounds like a surreal answer toTommy James's Hanky Panky).

Deep but not depressing, "Interbabe Con-cern" is the work of a wounded but hopefulheart. It's also a brilliant album. B.M.

TRACY NELSON: Move On.it/ it ..111 Ii 3141146 min)Performance: SmashingRecording: Goodn lues goddess Tracy Nelson didn't cutMany albums in the Eighties, but she'smaking up for it now, as "Move On" is herthird record for Rounder. At age 51 she hasgained confidence in her own writing, withfour original songs here, including the odd-ly Bee Gees -like title track. She also packsa new vocal and emotional resonance (it'sthrilling to hear her reach way down or upinto her register to convey a certain nu-ance), infusing lyrics of love lost and won- particularly Dianne Davidson's wistfulballad Tonight I'll Dream - with a school -of -hard -knocks wisdom and an almost

Soundgorden: four to the floor

prayerful appreciation for the kind of ten-derness she might once have taken forgranted. Still, with her smoke -meets -satinpower delivery, she's no pathetic doormat;in (1 Was) Good to You Baby, a no-goodheel suffers a snaky assault he won't soonforget. Joined by Delbert McClinton, Bon-nie Raitt, Maria Muldaur, Phoebe Snow,wild -and -wounded guitarist Mike Hender-son, and Al Kooper on keyboards, Nelsonshifts adeptly between Stax-era soul, NewOrleans shuffle, and down-home countryblues and gospel. "Move On" is a realhead -turner. A.N.

PORNO FOR PYROS:Good God's Urge.WARNER BROS. 41)126 140 min).Performance: SpaceyRecording: Shimmers

As regards Perry Farrell and the secondalbum from his band, Porno for Pyros:

better a mystical, circumspect neo-hippiethan an insufferable, self-absorbed hedo-nist. The group - pictured as a trio, thoughlisted as a quintet and abetted, in any case,by numerous guest musicians - has takena giant step forward on "Good God's Urge,"a trippy album that tickles your conscious-ness like some lysergically embroideredWest Coast exotica from the Summer ofLove. An "Electric Music for the Mind andBody" for the Nineties, it bubbles up onwaves of ambient -textured guitar and per-cussive samples.

This sonic tidal pool of the psyche suitsFarrell's eerie, unearthly voice just fine. Hesounds as serene as a sea anemone singingabout sinking beneath the water's surface inPorpoise Head and Tahitian Moon, lapsinginto meditative reverie: "The sea is a veryeasy place to disappear, drift away, fallasleep, make your peace." Farrell and gui-tarist Peter DiStefano get downright cosmicin Thick of It All, in which one consciousorganism's role in the teeming whole ofcreation is pondered against a weblikebackdrop of sound as tantalizingly strangeas . . . well, life itself. It's almost blasphe-mous that an album this ethereal is creditedto a band with a name as unfortunate asPorno for Pyros. P.P.


I(14 STEREO REVIEW OCTOBER 1996

PATTI SMITH: Gone Again.\ I\74'1Sh min i.

Performance: Welcome backRecording: Intimate

y now everybody's no doubt aware that6 Patti Smith's new album is an event,an epiphany, a heroic comeback after thedeaths of Smith's husband, brother, and atleast one close friend. So am I being hope-lessly crass by admitting that I still wish itrocked a little more?

When "Gone Again" does rock, it's ener-gizing and moving. The old Patti SmithGroup nucleus - guitarist Lenny Kaye anddrummer Jay Dee Daugherty, with extraguitar power from Tom Verlaine - is backand sounding great, and Smith's voice,while notably gruffer that it was when shelast recorded, is more expressive than ever.The title track sets a memorial lyric to atune written by her late husband, the ex-MC5 guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith, and it'sone of the strongest elegies that rock hasyet produced, invoking the spirits withoutgiving in to sentiment. Here Patti soundstough, defiant, and open-hearted all at once.The other Smith -Smith collaboration, Sum-mer Cannibals, gets closest to the oldsound, its snotty tone a necessary balanceto the album's emotional generosity.

However, much of "Gone Again" is aquieter affair, sometimes intensely beautifuland sometimes, as in the lengthy Fireflies,just intensely personal. (One exception: TheKurt Cobain-inspired About a Boy is obvi-ously heartfelt, but it detracts from the al-bum's autobiographical tone). Since there'smore poetry than pop, the album echoesSmith's 1975 debut. "Horses," with quietwarmth replacing the punk of old. But"Horses" was a starting point that suggest-ed plenty of future possibility - and so, inits life -torn way. is "Gone Again." B.M.

SOUNDOARDEN: Down on the Upside.\ &NI S411 16(11111111

Performance: No surrenderRecording: Thunderous

Coundgarden's "Down on the Upside" isso dense and furiously overdriven that

it's almost too much of a good thing. But ifyou can't stand the heat, get away from thetailpipe; I find the whole disc to be an ex-hilarating workout for the ears, an engine atwhose power you can only marvel or mosh.

Whereas singer Chris Comell's RobertPlant -like agonies and the group's dinosaurwaddle were mostly an acquired taste ofcard-carrying grungeheads in the earlydays, Soundgarden has since moved up afew rungs on the evolutionary ladder. Thewah-wah whine and chordal crunch of Pret-ty Noose, bouncing up and down over unfa-miliar terrain, make for a torturously inter-esting ride. The band achieves maximumtorque in Dusty, a kind of speed -metal blue-grass hoedown. Throughout the album, thecombination of odd tunings and meters, art-ful filigrees, and combustible four -to -the -floor stampeding results in a play of shad-ows and light, of delicacy and power, thatsustains for all but a handful of songs.

If there's a band more captivating andintense than Soundgarden at the moment,

I haven't heard it. Jack up the volume andprepare to blister. P.P.

NEIL YOUNG WITHCRAZY HORSE: Broken Arrow.REPRISE 46291149 nun I.

Performance: Neil YoungRecording: LikewiseWou don't have to be Neil Young to pullMI off an album like "Broken Arrow," but

it helps. It sounds as if he simply led CrazyHorse into the barn and let them cut loose

on songs they hadn't finished learning andhe hadn't finished writing (hey, it's not likehe's never done that before). The result isstronger on noise than it is on tunes, but it'sa heck of a noise.

The good stuff is all in the first half,three tracks that run between seven and tenminutes each. Loose Change is the longest,but Young and Co. get the actual song outof the way early and head for a poundingone -chord jam. Slip Away makes good useof the whiny, post -teenage falsetto that

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POPULAR MUSICYoung is still able to access at age 50 (it al-so has the disc's most haunting tune -which the band gladly trashes). In Big Timehe sings about how he's still living hisdreams from the Sixties, but never specifieswhich dreams (Changing the world? Form-ing Buffalo Springfield? Making lots ofmoney and meeting girls?). Then again, ithardly matters, because when the bandswings into gear, it's still grungier thanYoung's last backup outfit, those youngstersfrom Pearl Jam.

Unfortunately, "Broken Arrow" takes asomber turn midway through. After the too -short rockabilly of Changing Highways,there's a string of ominous slow numbersthat would have fit better on the doomyconcept album "Sleeps with Angels." Theclosing cover of Jimmy Reed's Baby WhatYou Want Me to Do - sloppily played andmiserably recorded in a small club with au-dible chat and clinking glasses - is down-right perverse. But that isn't necessarily acomplaint. B.M.

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JAZZRAY BROWN TRIO: Some ofMy Best Friends Are ... the Sax Players."I \k( .1 v7. 83388 (72 mint.Performance: Lots of good saxRecording: Excellent

set the past live decades, bassist RayBrown has appeared on more record-

ings than you are likely to find in most col-lections. The remarkable thing is that he hasnever performed less than well, and he con-tinues to make excellent albums. "Some ofMy Best Friends Are . . . the Sax Players"continues a concept that began with lastyear's "Some of My Best Friends Are . . .

the Piano Players," and again the manyfriends range from seasoned veterans tonewcomers.

Benny Carter belies his 89 years withstunning readings of Love Walked In andFly Me to the Moon. Stanley Turrentine, 62,is a relative youngster; with Illinois Jac-quet's Port of Rico he acknowledges a ma-jor influence, and his sensitive reading ofGod Bless the Child demonstrates how farinto jazz he has crossed since the dayswhen honkers prevailed. Joshua Redman'splaying in Polka Dots and Moonbeams andJust You. Just Me validates in a most elo-quent way his current popularity. RalphMoore's buoyant version of Crazeology andhis robust take on (When It's) Sleepy TimeDown South - a nod to early influenceLouis Armstrong - prove he hasn't grownstagnant from years in the Tonigh Showband. Joe Lovano has commanded a gooddeal of deserved attention lately, and hiswork in How High the Moon and especiallyEasy Living can only add to that. Thenthere is alto saxophonist Jesse Davis, whoclearly has Charlie Parker in mind forboth Moose the Mooche and These FoolishThings but who gives the performances hisown accent.

The leader's bass playing is very muchin evidence throughout, with characteristictaste and subtlety. Pianist Benny Green is,as usual, superb, and the drums are skillful-ly handled by Gregory Hutchinson. This isa superb album. C.A.

KENNY GARRETT:Pursuance - The Music of John Coltrane.WARNER BROS. 462(19 (65 min).Performance: Fevered but lyricalRecording: Very good"Liven the sanctimony that usually at-

tends John Coltrane tributes, alto saxo-phonist Kenny Garrett's is first of all praise-worthy for its levity: Giant Steps dancesalong merrily, for a change, with no heavylifting. Garrett, whose "Triology" was oneof last year's most exciting releases, doesn'tsound a bit intimidated by this material andthe legacy it represents. He asserts his ownindividuality, even with bassist RodneyWhitaker and drummer Brian Blade weav-

ing complex patterns around him, as Jim-my Garrison and Elvin Jones used to dowith Coltrane.

Garrett has some of Trane's lyrical in-candescence, and this makes his interpreta-tion of Dear Lord a joy to hear. There arefevered moments as well: The most satisfy-ing performance of all may be Lonnie'sLament, with both Garrett and guitarist PatMetheny practically howling on their in-struments. Metheny elsewhere chords in asofter, more "jazz" -like fashion than is cus-tomary for him; he's not exactly my idea ofa great improviser, but he does contributemuch to the overall success of this project.(It's too bad there's no category for "cat-alyst" in the annual jazz polls, becauseMetheny would get my vote on the strengthof his work here and on Joshua Redman's"Wish" - still the young tenor saxophon-ist's best album.)

All told, Garrett is nicely fulfilling thepromise he showed in those dark, pushingsolos he played with Miles Davis a fewyears back. F.D.

JOS MANIRI/101 MORRIS/MAT MANOR': Three Men Walking.ECM 1597 (66 min).Performance: IntenseRecording: Excellent

Joe Maneri is an odd duck, a clarinetistand saxophonist in his late sixties who

has taught at the New England Conservato-ry of Music just about forever and who be-gan his recording career in earnest only twoyears ago. A protégé of Josef Scmid (him-self a pupil of Alban Berg and a close asso-ciate of Arnold Schoenberg) as well as alifelong student of Asian and Mediterraneanfolk music. Maneri has devised his own mi-crotonal system of seventy-two notes to theoctave, and this gives his music a natteringquality that can be off-putting at first. Buthis collective improvisations with violinistMat Maneri (his son) and guitarist Joe Mor-ris finally win you over with their quiet in-tensity. Best to start with What's New, theone standard here - and a thing of mourn-ful beauty. F.D.

ART TATUM: The Standard Sessions:1935-1943 Broadcast Transcriptions.Ml SR & AR I S 9 (mt) CD. 159111111).Performance: Magic fingersRecording: Very goodCome regard Art Tatum as the greatestARP jazz pianist of all time, others say hewas all technique and no soul, and still oth-ers agree with the late John Hammond, whodidn't even consider him a jazz player.None of that should concern you, becauselabels are unimportant; what counts is themusic and what it does for you. However, Ibelieve that no one to this day has comeclose to matching Tatum's ability to em-broider a tune. And no other pianist has sospectacularly combined dazzling techniquewith the kind of musical imagination hepossessed.

From 1932 until his death in 1956, Ta-tum made hundreds of recordings for a va-riety of commercial labels and transcriptionservices. Some of these sides were with

small bands, and many were with his owntrio, but he sounded like a one-man band inhis solo performances. "The Standard Ses-sions" contains sixty-three solo recordingsTatum made for the Standard radio tran-scription service between 1935 and 1943.All have previously appeared on small Eu-ropean labels, but never as splendidly re -mastered as they are here. The program in-cludes some of the tunes Tatum was bestknown for - standards like Tiger Rag, GetHappy, Tea for Two, and Sweet Lorraine

and concert pieces like Dvorak's Humor-esque and Massenet's Elegie, which he ap-proached from such an unconventional an-gle that a co -composer credit might havebeen in order.

Did Art Tatum play jazz? Of course hedid. Was he a soulless technical wizard?Of come not. Was he in fact the greatestpianist of them all? Perhaps. Other greatones, from Vladimir Horowitz to EarlHines, seem to have thought so, and I won'targue with them. C.A.

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QUICKFIXESEITHER/ORCHESTRA:Across the Omniverse.ACCURATE 3272 (two CD's, 145 min).Boston's brainiest and most antic midsizejazz ensemble celebrates its tenth birthdaywith rousing performances that couldn'tbe squeezed on earlier releases. The groupdoes especially well by Duke Ellington(The Jeep Is Jumpin', In a SentimentalMood), but the takes on Burt Bacharachand John Lennon as well as the tributesto Mal Waldron and Sun Ra are keepers,too, as is Bob Nieske's diverting There'sa Boat That's Leaving Soon for AlbanBerg's House. F.D.

DAVE McKENNA/JOE TEMPERLEY:Sunbeams & Thunderclouds.CONCORD JAZZ 4703 (64 min).McKenna's a known quantity, the greatestliving exponent of swing piano. Whatmakes his latest release special is its gen-erous helping of Temperley, a baritone andsoprano saxophonist usually hidden in bigbands, whose work on the larger andchestier of his two horns displays some-thing of the dark majesty associated withthe great Harry Carney. F.D.

PERFECT:When Squirrels Play Chicken.MEDIUM C(X)L/121 S I I 89315 (20 min).People whose opinions I respect tell methat this new band featuring ex -Replace-ments bassist Tommy Stinson sounds likea glorious throwback to that sainted out-fit's punkiest period. True enough, I guess,but even early on, the Mats had songs thatstuck in your head immediately -a claimI can't advance seriously for this lot. Dis-appointing. S.S.

RICOCHET.( (n \IBIA 67223 (34 min).If you haven't yet bought your requisitehepped-up country line -dancing recordthis year, you might put Ricochet, a kindof Diamond Rio, Jr., on your list. Some-where near the bottom. A.N.

STOP: Never.SMUT PEDLURZ/BOMP 001 (44Fronted by Mickey Leigh (Joey Ramone'skid brother), this is as devastating a piece

of neo-punk as I've heard in years. Imag-ine the drive and intensity of his sibling'soutfit but with real guitar playing and a farmore expressive lead singer, and you'vegot the idea. Amusing chutzpah: a blister-ing metallic take on Johnny Cash's Ring ofFire. Obvious hit: the opening Jerk, a sub-limely riffy kiss -off to someone of thatpersuasion. S.S.

S UMMIT REUNION:Yellow Dog Blues.CHIAROSCURO 339 (67 min).B OB WILBER: Nostalgia.ARBORS JAZZ 19145 (67 min)."Yellow Dog Blues" blissfully reunitesSoprano Summit, one of the bands respon-sible for the small -group swing revival ofthe Seventies, and you know you're ingood hands from the devilishly syncopat-ed opening bars of Irving Berlin's I'll SeeYou in C -U -B -A, a choice that shows co -leaders Bob Wilber and Kenny Davernhaven't lost their knack for coming upwith neglected gems. The same holds truefor Wilber's "Nostalgia," which furtherbenefits from a generous helping of hisclarinet and from Ralph Sutton's inventivestride -piano solos. F.D.

THE COMPLETE SONGSOF ROBERT BURNS, VOL. 1.HU\Lsr 5047 ((r4 min).With fiddles, guitars, harmoniums, man-dolins, whistles, voices, and cittems, Scot-land's leading folk artists have collaborat-ed in the first of a series of recordings ofthe nearly 400 songs by that country's na-tional poet. Sincerity and undeniable au-thenticity are the hallmarks of these per-formances, without the self-consciousnessthat mars the work of many American folksingers. A twangy quality points to Scot-land as the source of a great deal of Amer-ican folk and a potent influence on countrymusic. William Livingstone

ONLY ROCK 'N ROLL -#1 RADIO HITS, 1965-1969.EssiA 1732 (51 mm).Looking for an album with twenty intelli-gently chosen songs from the end of theGolden Age of Top 40? Look no further.Personal fave: the Music Machine's brutal

punk assault Talk Talk. Guilty pleasure:the Fortunes' Brit Invasion weepie You'veGot Your Troubles. Worse than I remem-bered: Barry McGuire's faux -protest Eveof Destruction. S.S.

NANCY WILSON: Ballads, Blues &Big Bonds: The Best of Nancy Wilson.CAN ()I. 34880 (three CD's, 109 min).Performance: The bestRecording: Dittogilhe three most promising female singers

to emerge in the Sixties would eventual-ly become the decade's three biggest disap-pointments. Nancy Wilson, Aretha Frank-lin, and Barbra Streisand all began their ca-reers with an incredibly rich and productivefew years, but none was able to sustain theearly brilliance, particularly on recordings.It's especially galling that Wilson has madeonly a handful of decent albums since 1970,compared with her output in the Sixties,when she released two or three LP's a year.nearly all of them wonderful.

Wilson artfully synthesized blues, jazz,and pop into an endlessly appealing sound.and her great period is beautifully sampledin "Ballads, Blues & Big Bands." featuringa host of superb songs in the company ofthe finest collaborators (Cannonball Adder -ley, George Shearing) and arrangers (mostnotably Billy May and Oliver Nelson). Pro-ducer Brad Benedict left out a few of myown personal favorites, but everything thatis here is nothing less than great. It maysound like a stretch to refer to Wilson as aneglected giant, but these are some of themost thrilling and least -known vocals everrecorded. Will Friedwald

TEDDY WILSON:Teddy Wilson and His All -Stars.( (11,-808(1,8() 150 (51 min).Performance: Wilson once removedRecording: Good

Producer Hank O'Neal recorded TeddyWilson for his Chiaroscuro label in

1976 because he wanted to hear Wilsononce again in a small -band environment, asmost of his sessions since the Fifties hadbeen trio dates. The result was an albumteaming the venerable pianist with trum-peter Harry "Sweets" Edison (a last-minutereplacement for Bobby Hackett, who diedthe day after agreeing to do the session),trombonist Vic Dickenson, bassist MajorHolley, drummer Oliver Jackson, and saxo-phonist Bob Wilber. A Sidney Bechet pro-tégé, Wilber wrote the arrangements and -in an effort to recall Wilson's earlier banddates, which used head arrangements - de-liberately kept them simple.

Perhaps too simple, in some cases. If theintent was to capture the feel of the oldsides, then "Teddy Wilson and His All -Stars" fails. Wilson plays well but in a mod-ified style that is bound to disappoint someof his old followers. Still, this is a spiritedalbum sprinkled with good solos and playedwith clear affection. My favorite track isJust Friends, basically a string of solo state-ments. I feel a tad nostalgic when I hearBlues in D -flat, a new version of Wilson'sBlues in C -sharp Minor, which he recordedin 1936 for Brunswick with Roy Eldridge.Buster Bailey, and Chu Berry. D -flat and C -sharp are actually the same key, but 40years and a new title aren't all that sepa-rates the two performances; when some-thing works, don't rerecord it. C.A.


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Technics SL-PD8875 -disc, 32 -track programming, remote

Technics SL-PD9875 -disc, 32 -track programming, pitch, remote

Technics SL-MC5060 -disc, 32 -track programming, remote

Technics SL-MC400110 . 1 -disc, 32 -track programming, remote

Technics SL-MC700110 . 32 -truck prg., ID teat, remote

'149"

'164"

'189"

'229"

'269°'

'349"

EqualizersAucliaSource

t48111111111119

u

2 0 0 jAudioSource EQ-1 110 -Band Graphic Equalizer

10 -bands per channel 'LEDs on slid-ers Sp.ectrum analyzer displayAudiontideo input switching *Tape -to -tape dubbing

$119" {ASO E011)

TEAC EQA-110 10 bands per channel, black

TEAC EQA-22010 -hands per channel, black, Arum display

AudioSource EQ-8 II*10 bands per channel, LED it illuminated sliders

Technics SH-GE70 7 bonds per channel, 12 memory presets '18AudioSource EQ-14EQ/Analyzer, 10-bands/ch., calibration mic '24Technics SH-GE70EQ/Processor, Digital Sound Processing '31

smrs

'Eye'

..19911

9,5

15

This Month'sCALL TO ORDER MUSIC

REVIEWED IN THIS ISSUE

Frrirmr111111

I' .I

DG 44711 .5

Kathleen BattleFrench Opera Arias

$1199CD

SON 62' -

Glenn GouldImages

47"2 CD,

I I 111 CICHAIN, 5.15': iss2

AILTchaikovsky

1812 Overture, Litton

$119D

VerdiRequiem, Hickox

$12"

: 'la" " 1 i rit 1.&IiL-iV--1-''--'''MNAM ESPANOLb. L._

', ..........*,, AMEM.1111111111,

1 r SHOP BY PHONE For PHONE ORDERS ONLY1;: 24 HOURS A

7 DAYS A WEEKDAY 1E800E221E8180 1 -

Outside212-406-.A.

U.S Call:7077

FROM ANYWHERE IN THE USAJ&R Music World, Dept. SR610, 59-50 Queens -Midtown Expressway, Maspeth N.Y. 1 1378FAX 1-800-232-4432

rn

IUS1CWORLD

TELEVISIONS/VIDEO PROCESSORS/CAMCORDERS/VIDEO CAMERA/BLARITY/PERSONAL COMPUTERS/PORTALBES/PERSONAL PORTABLES/CLO

1/TAPE DECKS/EQUALIZERS/HEADPHONES/BLANK AUDI

Super Specials!CALL TO ORDER MUSICREVIEWED IN THIS ISSUE

Jazz

RCA 68320

Glenn MillerThe Lost Recordings

$1099 $1099. cos 2 CASSETTES

GRP 9823

George BensonThat's Right

$ 1 00 $'99a CD ir CASSETTE

Art PorterLay Your Hands On Me

$ 99 $799D ASSETTE

cot I I \1111\

COL 67397

Miles Davis & Gil EvansComplete Columbia Recordings

$79996 CD Set

SpeakersYAMAHA.

RATEDBEST BUY

Yamaha NSA -6363 -Way Speakers

Acoustic suspension design 8 inchwoofer Magnetically shieldedPower rating: TO -140 watts Pebbleblack finish

$9995/Pr (YAM NSA636)

Pinnacle PN5+/Oak*(ompact, 2 -way, dioduct port pr '99"Technics SB-1X503 -way, 10- woofer, block pr '119"Design Acoustics PS66-Oak*2 way, 6.5" woofer, oak color cabinet pr '129"Cerwin-Vega L7-BK2 -way, 7' woofer, block pr '179"Recoton W-400*Wireless Speakers, 900MHz RF System '199"Yamaha NSA -836*3 -way. IT woofer black pr '1 99"

Bose Speakers/Systems_BOSE'

/411Q Was 5899

Bose° Acoustimass' 7Home Theater Speaker System

Acoustimass* speaker deliver deep,powerful bass Cube arrays forleft/center/right channels Bcck orwhite

$69900 Am;:`,;4`4.",,.

Bose' 201° Series IV Speaker!*(ompact Direct/Refleding", 6.5" woofer pr. '198"Bose' 301' Series IV Speaker!*Bookshelf Direct/Reflecting', 8" woofer pr '318"Bose' Acoustimass° 3 Series 112 -cube speakers plus Acoustimass' bass module '399"

Bose' 501V Speakers*Direct/Reflecting", for floor, 5.25" woofer pr. 118"Bose' AM5'-11 WAS $749Acoustimass' 3 -pc speaker system '549"Bose' Lifestyle' 12 Home Theatre System*(1), AM/FM, 5 cube speakers bass module '1999"

TurntablesTHORNS

3 SPEEDS33/45/78

Theron, TD 1 803 -Speed Belt -Drive Turnta3le

33/45/78-r.p.m. Auto shot -off &retract Synchronous motor Externalpower supply Includes Stantoncartridge

'299" (THN 180)

TEAC P-595*Semi.Autornatic, belt -drive, includes cartridge

Aiwa PX-E850*Fully Automatic, built-in preomp 8 cartridge

Technics SL-BD22K*Semi -automatic, belt -drive, pitch control

Gemini XL -180001VPro DJ manual, quartz direct drive, pitch

Thorens TD280 Mk IV*Belt Drive, 33/45, includes Stanton cartridge

Technics SL -120011*Manual Direct Drive quartz -lock, pitch control

'89"

'119"

'154"

'298"

'369"

'479"

ASK ABOUT OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY

I

JBL Specials

62% OFFno, Seg. Retail

JBL ARC7O3 -Way Bookshelf Speakers

8" woofer Titanium tweeter 150watts power handling 8 ohms Blackwoodgrain finish

Mfr. Sug. Retail $659.9C

'24 995 /Pr. 1181 ARC70)

JBL Performer*(ompact, 4 5' full -range driver, shielded pr. '99"JBL SC305*(ompad, 4.5' full -range driver, shielded az '129"JBL P560*Powered Subwoofer, 6.5", 50 watts ea '179"JBL PS100*Powered Subwoofer, 10", 50 watts ea '199"JBL MR38*3 way, 8" woofer, black cabinet lc '249"JBL 4312BK*Studio Monitors, 3 -way, 12- woofer lc '499"

Gnu Charsol/Sunend Snakes

Technics

Technics SB-CSSTOCenter Channel/Surround Speaker System 4 -driver center speaker Surroyncsound 2 -driver speakers offer excellenambience *Center & surroun I speakers are shielced & are wall rnountabk

'129" (TEC SBCSS70

Design Acoustics PSCV55*2 -way, 5' woofer, .hielded, black cabinet ea. '69'Yamaha NS4-C2*Center (h, 2 -way, two 5- woofers, shielded ea. '69'AudioSource VS Two*Center Channel Permed, 30 watts, black .ea. '99'Bose° V100(enter Channel, shelded, grey ea '99'Yamaha NSA -P1003 -pc. (enter thanrel/surround speakers, shieded '99'

Advent Aucks Cinema -*Center Chonnel, Two 515" woofers shielded CALI

DJ Equipment

Gemini CD -9500Professional Double CD Player

Instant sta-t Cue to mu.ic Joawheel 'forward/reverse at E speedor Variable etch (4-6%) Pi ch bendWired rem3te cotrol

'728" (GMI CD9500

Gemini PM) -15ASualchmoster DJ Mixer, removable fader '114'Audio Techr ica AM600SE* DJ Mixer, digital oho/sampling, rack mount '299"Gemini PS -767*Platinum Series D. Mixer, drum effects, echo ..1359"

Gemini XG-2000*Pro Power Amp, 250 wats/ch , mono bridgecble '399"

Pioneer CDJ-50011*DJ (D Mayer, jog hal, tempo control ... ..CAL.Ness Lighting*For compleTe selectors 8 information .. ..CAL.

1 I 0

SpeakersCorwln-amertaii

\J

Corwin-Ysga AT -1S3 -Way Speaker System

15" woofer 1-19Indles up to 400-watts Highly efficient Frequencyresponse 28-20kHz Black cabinet

Mfr. Sug. Retail $1080.00

59995/Pr-(CRV AT15.BK)

Wharfedale Diamond VI*High-performance compacts, 5.75" woofer ..pr. '149"

Technics SB-LX70-BK3 -way, 12" woofer, black cabinet pr '149"Technics SB-LX90-BK3 -way, 15" woofer, black cabinet pr '1 99"Design Acoustics P5.99-BK3 -way, 8" woofer, black cabinet pr. '1 99"Cerwin-Vega AT12-BK3 -way, 12" woof-er, block cabinet pi '399"Yamaha NS-10MT*Pro Monitors, 2 way, 7" woofer, shielded CALL

SubwoofersAudioSource

AudieSource SW FourPowered Subwoofer

150 watt amp 12" driver 'Variablecrossover from 40Hz to 180HzPhase -reverse switch *Input controlSelectable active -sensing Black ash

'399" (ASO SWFOURI

Aiwa TS -W5*Powered, 35 watts 8" woofer, shielded '149"Design Acoustics PSSW* IV, 130Hz high pass filter, block 29"Technics SB-A560* Powered, 100 watts, 6 75" woofer '199"Cerwin-Vega HT -12DI r woofer, passive crossover, black '249"Audio Source SW Five*Powered ISO watts, IT woofer, remote control '449"

Yamaha YST-SW80*Powered 80 watis, 8' woofer, variable crossover CALL

HeadphonesBENIVHEIZERB ONUS

SUS SamliolsorMlwl Noadplionos

1$20purcValue)with hase

of HD580

Sennheiser ND -5110Circumaural Headphones

Precision headphones deliver ultra -wide flat frequency response "Velvetcovered ear cushions 10 foot cord

'249" (SEN HD580)(SEN HD16,

Sony MDR -V50*Closed -ear desing, Unimatch' plug

Koss Pro 4AA*Studio Pro Headphones, closed -ear

Sony MDR-CD570*Digital Reference Series, closed type

Sennheiser HD465Supraural, digital series, soft earpads

Sennheiser HD545*Dynamic Open -Aire, velvet unpack '139"Sennheiser HD565Circumaural Digital Monitor, velvet earpads

'69"

79"

'199"

FOR MORE SAVINGS, SEE NEXT PAGE -+TO ORDER BY MAIL: SEND MONEY ORDER, CERTIFIED OR CASHIER'S CHECK, MASTERCARD, VISA, AMIRICAN EXPRESS or DISCO -ER CARD(include Interbank No., expiration dote and signature) To: 18R Music World, Dept. SR*10, 59-50 Queens Midtown Expwy, Maspeth, Queens, t -V 11378.Personal and business checks must clear our Authorization Center before processing. Shipping, handling and Insurance Charge (Continental US) is 5%of the total wider with a $4.95 minimum for orders up to 5500; 4% for orders ower 5500 to S1000; and 3% for orders over 51000. F3r heavy-weight/over-s zed items, shipment by air, or to Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, Virgin Islands 8 Puerto Rico please call :or information. DC NOT SEND CASH.Sorry no C.0 D -'s. NY residents please odd sales tax. ORDERS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION 8 ACCEPTANCE. NO1 RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICALOR PICTORIAL ERRORS. ALL MERCHANDISE SHIPPED BRAND NEW, FACTORY FRESH AND 100% GUARANTEED. Some quantities may be limited.Copyright 1996 J&R Music World. City of N.Y. Dept. of Consumer Affairs license Numbers 0900310/0900615/0900616/0900517 CIRCLE NO. 30 ON READER SERVICE CARD

S/BLANK AUDIO TAPE/AUDIO ACCESSORIES/VIDEO CAMCORDERS/CIDEO TAPES/CAR STEREO/RADAR DETECTORS/CAR SECURITY/NOME

DIOS/COMPACT COMPONENTS/COMPACT DISCS/PRE-R'PE/COMPUTER PRINTERS/BUSINESS COMPUTERS/N

HI-FI Stereo VCRsSONY -

I 111.7Sony SLV-940HF

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$36995General Electric VG -42564 -heads, tel on -screen display .. . '1999'Panasonic PV -46514 -heads, trilingual 050, 11-event/I -year timer .229"

JVC HR-VP628*4 heads, VCR Plus., jog/shuttle '299"RCA VR-678HF*Commercial -skip playback, VCR Plus. . '299"Panasonic AG -25404 -heads, jog/shuttle, industrial quality '329"Samsung VR-89054 -heads, StarSight programming, TOP RATED '379"

ISON SlV940HF)

TVs/TV & VCR CombosImPanasonic

Panasonic CT -20G1120" Stereo Color TV/Monitor

Panablack" picture tube with 500lines horizontal video resolutionTrilingual on -screen display Blackcabinet Remote'249" (PAN 020GIIISharp 13G -M10013 -Inch (olar IV, English/Spanish OSD, remote 1149"

Sony KV-27V25.2r Trinitron Stereo Color TV CALLPanasonic CT -275F 12.21 Superflat Stereo (color TV, universal iemole CALLJVC AV -27790*27 Stereo Color TV, 2 -tuner picture -m pidure CALLMagnavox CCU091AT

Color TV/VHS OCR, A(8 car use '359"Panasonic PV -M2036*20" Color TV/VHS VCR remote '399°'

Panasonic SL -5145Rechargeable Portable CD PlayerMASH -1 -bit D/A converter XBS

bass 24 -track programmingIncludes rechargeable batteries, ACadaptor & headphones$7995Sony D-153* Mega Bass, rechargeable, 27.track programming '89"

Aiwa XP -520*3.sec electronic shock protedion, 24 -track prg .'119"

Sony D-247*3 -sec shock protect., rechargeable, 22.trk. prg. '129"

Sony D-242CK*Car (human, 3-sec shock protect, 22-trk. prg. .1149"

Panasonic SL -S340*10 -sec anti shack, 74.track prg., 085 bass ....1159"Panasonic SL -5W202Shockwave water-resistant, 3 -sec. anti -shock ...1179"

(PAN SLSI45)

SANS VCRs/Laser Disc Players

Panasonic

Panasonic PV -S4670S -VHS Hi-Fi Stereo VCR

4 -heads Spatializer" AudioProcessing VCR Plus+ with cable boxcontrol Auto clock set *Trilingual on-screen display Universal remote

$39995 IPAN PVS46701

Panasonic PV -S4580*VCR Plus., assemble editing, jog/shuttle '799"Sony 5V02000OCR Plus., editing, adaptive picture control, .'1099"

Panasonic AG -1980*Pro Model, insert/assemble editing 1269"JVC HR-S7200U*VCR Pluso wAable box control, pro -style editing CALLSony SL-VR1000OCR Plus. w/ cable box control, shuttle control CALLPioneer CLD-V860*Laser Karooke Player, Echo mode '649"

Audio/Video Add-OnsNILLS

Niles SVL-6Speaker Selector/Volume ControllerHolds 6 -pairs 12 -step attenuationHandles up to 100 watts per channelConstant/selectable impedance

'299" NIL 5V16(

Plateau L-8000*Speaker Stands, 30' tall, black, spikes pr '54"Elite EL -318Audio/Video/TV Stand, holds up to 371V .....'99"Russound TMS-10 Tape Switch Box, holds 10-decks/2-processors .'169"

Creek OBH-11*Headphone Amp, for low impedance phones '199"Videonics MX -1* Digital Video Mixer, 4 -input sMtcher

BELL'OGGETTI AR -703*Audio Rack, all metal. 4 -adjustable shelves

'999"

CALL

nen

RCA RP -7935CD/AM/FM/Cassette Recorder

AM/ FM stereo tuning CD to tapedubbing Shuffle/repeat play Autoshut-off cassette 4 " speakersIncludes AC cord

$ 5 995 IRCA RP79351

Aiwa CS-DES200*AM/FM/CD/Cassette, slim -line style

Panasonic RX-DS520* AM/FM/CD/Cassette, 3 -band E0, XBS bass '129"Sony CFD-222AM/FM/Dual Cassette/CD, 20 -Ira& prog '139"Sony CFD-565*Digital AM/FM/Dual Cassette/CD, 16 -track mg. 1179"

Aiwa CA-DW570M*Digital AM/FM/Dual (D (hanger/Dual Cassette '199"

Panasonic RX-DT690*Digital AIA/FIA/Dual Cassette/CD, ED, 3 -pc '279"

$99,5

Camcorders

I S DigitalSpecial Mcra)

1

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JVC GR-DV1Ultra -Compact Digital Camcorder

1.1 lbs. with battery 10x optical/100x digital zoom 1 lux Snapshotmode Special effects 570K pixel1/3" CCD Digital stereo recording

CALL GRDVI )

Sharp VL-E37Mirnm Viewcam , 3" color L(D screen CALLPanasonic PV -D406VHS.C, 16x opt /22x dig zoom, color viewfinder CALLSony CCD-TR99Brnm Steadyshot, 12x opt./24x dig. acorn CALLSony CCD-TRV21Bnim Sieadyshoi, 12x opt./24x dig. , 2.5" color .CALLSony CCD-TRV81HiBmm, 15x opt., 4" color LCD monitor CALLCanon ES -5000HiBmm 20x opt./40x digital zoom CALL

Remotes & Antennas

tow,Elcom Technologies ezTVTM-

Remote Control System View & control the cable N, satelliteTV, TV or VCRs in any room in thehome, simply by plugging the ezTVTMsystem into existing electrical outlets

$14995 IETC EZ1V)

Sony RM-V11*Universal Remte controls TV, VCR & cable box '14"One -For -All URC-2099*Universal Remote, preprogrammed, for 4 units

Sole Control SC460*Universal Remote, for 6 units, DSS control '24"Recoton V-900SX*Wireless Video Sender, VCR to IV

Recoton TV800*Amplified IV (UHF/VHFVFM Stereo Antenna

Terk AM-FMQ*Powered Indoor Stereo AM/FM Antenna

11713

'79"

'79"

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61,1 LJ 111)1 C.

Grundig YB-500Digital AM/FM/Shortwave Radio

Digital/alphanumeric display withPLL -tuning SSB/FM-stereo reception40 -station memory Includes ACadaptor 1110/2201, case & guide

$27995 IGRU YB500I

Grundig Yacht Boy 305 AM/FM/SW, 30 presets, digital tuning 129"Grundig Yacht Boy 400AM/FM/LW/SW, SSB, 40 presets 199"Sony ICF-5W55*AM/FM/LW/SW, station -name tuning, LCD '349"Sony ICF-SW100S461/1M/LW/SW, 50 presets, Wive antenna '399"Grundig Satellit 700AM/FM/LW/SW, 012 presets, 110/220 volts '499"Sony ICF-SW77*AM/FM/LW/SW, SSB, sync. der., 161 presets '529"

FOR MORE SAVINGS, SEE PREVIOUS PAGE'

This Month'sCALL TO ORDER MUSICREVIEWED IN THIS ISSUE

Curse of the Undead

Mystery of Edwin Drood

The Strange Door

The Climax

SHOP BY PHONE For PHONE ORDERS ONLY IED 111131ij

724 HOURS A DAY Outside

A WEEK 18002218180 1-212 -4S06-7077FROM ANYWHEREDAYS IN THE USA n DIAR Music World, Dept. SR610, 59-50 Queens -Midtown Expressway, Maspeth N.Y. 11378FAX 1-800-232-4432

!USKWORLD

TELEVISIONS/VIDEO PROCESSORS/CAMCORDERS/VIDEO CAMERA/BLARITY/PERSONAL COMPUTERS/PORTALBES/PERSONAL PORTABLES/CLO

'/TAPE DECKS/EQUALIZERS/HEADPHONES/BLANK AUD

Super Specials!CALL TO ORDER MUSICREVIEWED IN THIS ISSUE

Laser Discs

Rumble In The Bronx$34 99

LASER DISC

11I U.L\ ill

&IS

Leavieg Las Vegas52999

1ASER DISC

mem MMININ Omit ingismin mit

CITYKAU -p

City Hall62999LASER DISC

HighlanderLTX Director's Cut

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Digital Venturis 466486/DX2 66MHz Desktop Computer8MB RAM 845MB hard drive1.44MB diskette drive Stimlinedesign 1MB video memory 32 -bitgraphics acceleration IncludesWindows 95 keyboard *Monitor notincluded 3 -year warranty/1-yearon -site

$59995(DEC FR854AA WE)

11.5 -Robotics Modems014tobotics

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$ 1 6 9 9 IUSR EXT288NEn

U.S.Robotics Internal 28.8KbpsSportster V.34 Fax/ModemIncludes Internet bundle '149"U.S.Robotics External 28.8KbpsSportster V.34 Voice Fax/Modem*Includes speakerphone 8 Internet bundle '199"

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Nikon SLR Calaveras

4341

All Nikon Camerasinclude Nikon

U.S.A. Warranty

Nikon FM2N-TLimited Edition Manual 35mm

SLR Camera With Titanium Body60/40 center -weighted meteringManual focus & exposure Bodi only

'599" INKN FM2N TI

Nikon N50 KitAutofous 35 80mm lens, strap film 8 battery '479"Nikon N50QD KitAutolows, 35 80mm lens, quartz data bock '499"Nikon N6006 Kit35mm Auto SLR, 35 80mm lens, battery & him '499"

Nikon N60060D Kit Auto SLR 35 80mm lens, quartz data bock '529"Nikon N70Auto Focus 35mm SLR Camera Body '529"Nikon N70QD*Auto Focus SLR Comera Body, quartz data back '549"

ASK ABOUT OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY

TO ORDER BY MAIL: SEND MONEY ORDER, CERTIFIED OR CASHIER'S CHECK MASTERCARD, VISA AMERICAN EXPRESS or DISCOVER CARD(include Interbaner No., expirction date and signnture) To: JAR Music World, Dept. SR613, 59-50 Queens Midtown Ezpwy, Maspeth, Owens, NY 11378.Personal and business.iness checks must clear our Authorization Center before processing. hipping, handling d Insurance Charge Kant nental U: is 5%of the total order with a 54.95 minimum for orders up to $500; 4% for orders over 5500 to $1000; and 3% For orders over S1000. For heavy-weight/over-sized items, shipment by air, or to Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, Virgin Islands 8 Puerto Rico please call for information. DO NOT SEW CASH.Sorry no C.O.D:s. NY residents please add sales tax. ORDERS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION 8 ACCEPTANCE. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR "YPOGRAPHICALOR PICTORIAL ERRORS. ALL MERCH<NDISE SHIPPED BRAND NEW, FACTORY FRESH AND 100% GUARANTEEC. Some quantities may be limited.Copyright 1996 ',SR Music World. City of N.Y. Dept. of Consumer Alfons lxense Numbers 0900310/0900615/0900616/090061'

Notebook Computer

IBM ThinkPad 365E100MHz Color Notebook

5x86C processor 10.4" DS-r\I colordisplay 8MB RAM 540MB harddrive Floppy drive 1MB VRAM Software bundle includingWindows 95

$169995(iBm 2625 Rr,AI

Kodak Di ital CamerasKodakINCLUDES

SOFTWARE& CABLESFOR MAC

& PC

Kodak DC20Digital Science' Comera

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Kodak Digital Camera 404M8 memory stores up to 99 images,built-in flash with awo on/off,includes cables 8 software for Mac & Windows '599"

Kodak Digital Camera 50Built in flash uses ootional P(MCIA ATA (adsfor additional storage, 3x motorizedauto focus zoom lens

includes cables B software for Mac 8 Windows '999"

CamerasOLYMPUSLimited Edition

Silver Finish

All Cameras includeManufacturer's

U.S.A. Warranty

Olympus Stylus Zoom 1 osooAll Weather Zoom Camera Kit

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$27995 IOLM STYLUS10500)

Olympus Infir ity Mini*Oro -Compact weatherproof, 35mm 13.5 lens . ..979"Yashico EZS Zoom 70Arnolocus, 38,10mm power zoom lens

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Apple® Macintosh®Apple' Macintosh'PowerBook'190/66 8/500 66MHz 68LC040processor *9.5" passivematrix grayscale display500MB hard drive - 8MB RAM 16 -bit stereo sound Ergonomically designed trackpadSoftware bundle

$8 99!All" M353ILL/B)

Apple° Macintosh'Performa" 5215CD

8/ 1 -GIG/CD- PowerPC' 75MHz RISC -

based processor 8MB RAM

1 -GIG hard drive 4x -speed CD-ROM 14,400 bps fax modemSpeakerphone & digital answeringmachine built in Integratecl 15" highresolution color display Extendedkeyboard Software bundle$144995 (APP MA I 07LL/A)

P= 1:1,,,xrctl International Business *Ann Corporome

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190

Electronic ReferenceSHARP65 -CHARACTER

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'54995 ISHA ZR58001

Sharp YO-120CPPersonal Information Organizer, 64K memory .949"Franklin MWD-440*Pocket Dictionary 8 Thesaurus '499'Hewlett-Packard HP -12C*Financial Calculator, programmable ..... '64"Voice Powered Technology 5210I0 Voice Organizer. pro model, 512K memory $99"Sharp OZ -5500Wizord Organizer, 2568 memory '1 99"Hewlett-Packard HP 200LX*Palmtop PC, 1MB RAM, includes Lotus 1.23 '499"

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CLASSICAL

INEW RECORDINGS REVIEWED BY ROBERT ACKART,

RICHARD FREED, DAVID HALL,JAMIE JAMES, GEORGE JELLINEK, ERIC SALZMAN

ADAMS: Violin Concerto; Shaker Loops.Gidon Kremer (violin); London Symphony,Kent Nagano cond.; Orchestra of St. Luke's,John Adams cond. NONESUCH 79360 (59 min).Performance: BrilliantRecording: Shakes and shinesJI ohn Adams is a reformed minimalist.

.Shaker Loops, one of his early pieces ofsymphonic minimalism (1974), literallyshakes, rattles, and rolls; it gets its powerfrom a clear vision of rhythm and repeti-tion. The 1993 Violin Concerto, commis-sioned by the Minnesota and London Sym-phonies and the New York City Ballet (!),treads the much more dangerous and shaki-er ground of Neoromanticism. It inheritsfrom minimalism a spectacular nonstop so-lo part and the driving ostinatos and toccataform of the fast movements (particularlythe finale), which suggest a middle groundbetween Neoclassicism and minimalism. Inbetween, the ghostly, evocative, slow cha-conne movement provides the most originalmoments of the work and its emotional

highs. A brilliant performance by GidonKremer and the London Symphony underKent Nagano helps the piece come across.

Shaker Loops, the composer's best-knowninstrumental work, gets a fresh, first-classreading from the New York City -basedOrchestra of St. Luke's under the compos-er's skillful direction. Adams made hismark with this piece; it is still one of hismost engaging and original works, and heis, in many ways, its best interpreter. E.S.

DEBUSSY: Violin Sonata. POULENC:Violin Sonata. RAVEL: ViolinSonata; Tzigane; Berceuse sur le Nomde Gabriel Faure.Cho-Liang Lin (violin); Paul Crossley(piano). SONY 66839 (77 min).Performance: ExcellentRecording: Exceptional

he one -movement sonata composed bythe twenty -two -year -old Ravel in 1897,

which came to light a little more than twen-ty years ago, seems to be taking a place in

APPALACHIA WALTZTake a classically trained cellist(Yo -Yo Ma), add a country -style fid-

dler (Mark O'Connor) and a bass player(Edgar Meyer) who has collaboratedwith musicians as diverse as the GuarneriQuartet and Garth Brooks, and youget a new CD called "Appalachia Waltz."The sixteen selections explore thediverse instrumental styles of the Appa-lachian Mountains in arrangementsby O'Connor and Meyer. Meyer doublesas pianist, and O'Connor also playsmandolin and guitar on several tracks.Sony Classical was planning to releasethe disc in mid -September, and the triowill perform across the country this fall.A New York City appearance will bebroadcast on National Public Radio.

the repertory now. It's certainly an intrigu-ing companion -piece to the familiar sonatahe composed in the 1920's, and its inclu-sion in this exceptionally well -recordeddisc means we have in a single package allthe surviving music for violin and pianoby these three composers. Happily, it ismore than merely a generous and conve-nient collection.

Cho-Liang Lin, as always, combinesbrilliance, warmth, and a sense of genuineenthusiasm for the music at hand. PaulCrossley is no mere accompanist but a veryfull partner whose deep involvement in theFrench repertory made him a happy choicefor this undertaking. The interaction be-tween these two seems to be unusuallysympathetic; they seem to be really listen-ing to and responding to each other as wellas to the music, and theirs is decidedly nota "one size fits all" approach. The wayCrossley seems to urge Lin along in the bigRavel sonata, the animation and intensitythey bring jointly to the Poulenc, the senseof fresh discovery in the Debussy, the sheer

panache in Tzigane - all convey a spirit oftruly engaged musicmaking that can neverbe taken for granted, especially in a record-ing studio. One or two of these six perfor-mances may be surpassed elsewhere, butnot by much, and the sonic advantage pro-vided by the Sony recording is not likely togo unnoticed. R.F.

DVORAK: Piano Quintet.SCHUMANN: Piano Quintet.Rudolf Buchbinder, Philippe Entremont (piano);Alban Berg Quartet. EMI 55593 (69 min).Performance: ExcellentRecording: Schumann warmer

The Dvorak and Schumann quintets forpiano and strings are arguably the most

popular masterpieces in the genre, yet it ap-pears that they have not been coupled onCD before. Count that as a bonus for thisEMI disc of live recordings by the AlbanBerg Quartet, with Rudolf Buchbinder aspianist in the Dvorak at Vienna's Konzert-haus in 1993 and with Philippe Entremontin the Schumann at Carnegie Hall in 1985- just prior to its controversial renovation.

Both of these distinctive and vital perfor-mances rate very high on my list, thoughthe Schumann is more to my taste overallthan the Dvorak, in large part because ofthe acoustics of the two halls. Airiness andbrilliance characterize the Viennese Dvorakrecording. The playing by the Berg Quar-tet's first violinist is surpassingly sweetwithout being saccharine, and Buchbinder'spianism is fleet and lightfingered, notably inthe scherzo. But there's a splendid warmth


to the Carnegie Hall Schumann recording,and Entremont eschewed his usual Gallickeyboard manner for playing tailored toSchumann's extroverted and broody Ro-manticism. I would have been even happierif the producers had edited out the applausein both recordings, the only serious blemishin an otherwise delightful program. D.H.

GOUNOD: Romeo et Juliette.Placido Domingo (Romeo), Ruth Ann Swenson(Juliette), Susan Graham (Stephano), SarahWalker (Gertrude). Kurt 011mann (Mercutio).others; Chorus of the Bavarian Radio; MunichRadio Orchestra. Leonard Slatkin cond.RCA VicroR 68440 (two CD... 156 min).Performance: A few good momentsRecording: Impressive but cold

ouilod's Runk;() et Juliette is one of theWI best operatic treatments of Shake-speare: It follows the Bard fairly closelyand enriches him with effervescent Gallicmelodic'. Unfortunately, despite a few tineperformances, this recording keeps its feetfirmly, and flatly, on the ground. Gounod'smusic is simply not the right material foreither Leonard Slatkin or the Munich RadioOrchestra, and the lyrical passages neverreally take flight.

Another major problem is the Romeo:It's not a pleasure to say this, but PlacidoDomingo is simply too old to be singingroles like this one. He still has the highnotes, but they sound like an old man's highnotes. Ruth Ann Swenson is one of the bestcoloratura sopranos around, with absolutelyflawless technique, but the recording doesnot capture the golden highlights of hervoice very nicely. Nonetheless, her rendi-tion of the famous ariette "Je vela rivredans cc tire" is mighty impressive, with atrill that could stop a clock.

Some of the smaller parts are very wellcast; the veteran British mezzo Sarah Walk-er is fine as the matronly Gertrude, and theAmerian baritone Kurt Oilman tosses offMercutio's Ballad of Queen Mab with greatélan. Unfortunately, most of the opera be-longs to the young lovers. If only they wereconvincing. J.J.

KODALY: Hary Janos, Suite; Dancesof Galanta; Dances ofMarosszek; "Peacock" Variations.Montreal Symphony, Charles Dutoit cond.LoNpoN 444 322 (77 min).Performance: PolishedRecording: Splendid

The ever -popular suite from Zoltan Ko-daly's opera Hary Janos and his two

sets of dances get a crisp and clean treat-ment on this generously programmed CD.The only drawback is that the performances

are a little polite for my taste comparedwith those from such Hungarian conductorsas Eugene Ormandy and Antal Dorati - or,for that matter, Kurt Masur's recent NewYork Philharmonic recording of the HaryJanos suite.

Charles Dutoit is more in his elementwith the superb variations on the Hungarianfolk song The Peacock. which I have longregarded as Kodaly's major orchestral mas-terpiece. In variety of treatment and tonecolor the work is closer to the French reper-toire for which Dutoit has become justlyrenowned. The final variations, including apeppery fugue, come off with great style.

This CD stands out as a best buy just forits playing time, but the performance of the"Peacock" Variations is the clincher. Thesonics are fully up to the Montreal/LondonRecords standard. D.H.

MOZART: Piano ConcertosNos. 9 and 24.Kyoko Tabe (piano); Lucerne ChamberOrchestra, Jesus Lopez-Cobos cond.DENON 7)0,133 (64 min).Performance: TidyRecording: LikewiseMOZART: Piano ConcertosNos. 9 and 20.

Pletnev (piano and cond.); Deutschek.immerphilhannome. Vii((aN 45130 (66 min).Performance: CompellingRecording: Good

T" performances of Mozart's first trulygreat piano concerto - No. 9, in E -flat

Major (K. 271) - could hardly be moresharply contrasted than these. Kyoko Tabeis a stylish Mozart player, but she is appar-ently willing to take the last of the solo con-certos from Salzburg at more or less facevalue. Her playing, characterized predomi-nantly by clarity and directness, is lively inthe opening movement, sensitive in themiddle one, and tends to pall in the last -particularly in the minuet episode, in whichanimation is put on hold. Mikhail Pletnev,on the other hand, sustains tension in everyphrase; he seeks out the darker undercur-rents and shows a sharper and more flexiblesense of rhythm, making the work dramati-

WA:PLAN.CONCERT

Kyoko Ike

tally compelling front thea lira har to thelast without in any sense distorting its es-sential proportions.

Whereas Tabe enjoys elegant, well -meshed accompaniment from conductorJesus Lopez-Cobos, Pletnev, conductingfrom the keyboard, achieves a full integra-tion rather than a mere accompaniment. Hedoesn't miss a chance for chamber -musicgive-and-take between keyboard and orches-tral soloists. He doesn't settle for simple,

THE ESSENTIALLEONTYNE PRICEMississippi -born, Julliard-trainedsoprano Leontyne Price began

her exclusive relationship with RCAVictor in 1958, and in her more thanthirty years of recording she haswon nineteen Grammy Awards and aLifetime Achievement Award fromthe 'lational Academy of RecordingArts and Sciences.

RCA's new "The Essential Leon-tyne Price," released in mid -August,is a special set of eleven CD's for thecost of ten midprice discs that con-tains over 12 hours of music rangingfrorr opera arias and duets to songsand spirituals. The selections spanher extraordinary career, and severalappear on CD for the first time.

sweet resignation in the slow movement butunleashes its disturbing emotional tussle,and his finale gleams with unexaggeratedvitality, giving more point to that curiousminuet episode without hotting it up.

The two discs offer different companionworks, but since each of them is one of Mo-zart's overtly dramatic minor -key concer-tos, comparisons may be made almost asdirectly as in the two performances of theE -flat. Tabe's approach to No. 24, in C Mi-nor (K. 491), is much the same as in No. 9:evenly spun out, unruffled, again sympa-thetically accommodated by her conductor,but overall little more than tidy. Pletnevseizes the drama of No. 20, in D Minor (K.466), in which the dark element hardlyneeds seeking out. His pacing is on the ex-pansive side throughout the work, yet mo-mentum never sags. The stark phrasing ofthe famous mman:a, and even the windcomments toward the end of the final move-ment, gently reassert the character of thework as one of profound resignation. Bothdiscs are well recorded. R.F.


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CLASSICAL MUSICPUCCINI: Madama Butterfly.Ying Huang (Butter -11) ). Richard Troxell(Pinkerton), Richard Cowan (Sharpless),Ning Liang (Suzuki), others;Orchestre de Paris, James Conlon cond.SONY 69258 (two CD's. 133 min).Performance: EnjoyableRecording: Very good

The byproduct of a new film directed byFrederic Mitterand, this set presents the

opera uncut and, aside from occasionalinstances where the orchestra blankets thesingers, in vivid sound. To enhance visualauthenticity for the film, oriental singerswere used in subsidiary roles, and the youngChinese soprano who sings Butterfly, YingHuang, was supposedly chosen by conduc-tor James Conlon out of a field of two hun-dred candidates.

Huang offers a gentle, vulnerable Butter-fly, skillfully capturing the girlish inflec-tions of the character in the early scenesand subtly transforming herself into a tragicpresence after the visit of the Americanconsul, Sharpless. Her singing may misscertain nuances that do not escape the greatinterpreters of this role, such as RenataScotto and Mirella Freni, and her suicidescene is not truly shattering, but the overallportrayal is well thought out and sensitivelyand securely vocalized.

Conlon's direction, which avoids the ex-cessively broad pacing favored lately byseveral big -name conductors, propels theopera with an unhurried urgency. Puccini'sdynamic markings are carefully observed,and the transitions are handled with excep-tional control and subtlety. The young Amer-ican tenor Richard Troxell is an involvedPinkerton whose pleasant tone, somewhattight on top, does not ring out in the ensem-bles. Juilliard-trained Ning Liang portrays asympathetic Suzuki, and Richard Cowanbrings a plummy sound and a somewhatheavy touch to Sharpless.

The top-heavy recorded competition can-not be ignored, but this latest version meritspraise nonetheless. G.J.

SIBELIUS: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5.Oslo Philharmonic, Mariss Jansons cond.EMI 55533 (58 min).Performance: Crisp and vitalRecording: Clean-cuteibelius's Third Symphony has remainedAAP something of an orphan child in termsof public popularity, for there are no spec-tacular high points. It's just wonderful, out-doorsy music that virtually smells of north-ern forests. Mariss Jansons and his Osloplayers articulate the simple, declarativeopening pages as crisply as one could pos-sibly wish, and they bring a fine sense offlow to the following lyrical -pastoral music.The hushed violin unison that paves theway for the eventual recapitulation is car-ried off with exquisite finesse, and the hym-nal coda is a joy to the senses. Pacing of thequasi -waltz central movement is ideal, andthe combined scherzo -finale has just theright vivacity at the start, with no draggingin the long anthemlike buildup to the finish.There is both power and tension here.

The Fifth Symphony, whose popularity is

Madame Butterfly, the movie

exceeded only by the patriotic Second, getsa heady treatment. The pace is deliberateand firm from the beginning, and the move-ment reaches its high point with the famous"moaning" bassoon episode. The followingsection moves at a fast and vital clip - it'spractically airborne - culminating in thewild conclusion, which here has a sense ofinevitablity rather than of a mad scramble.

The "intermezzo" slow movement cansound inconsequential in many perfor-mances, but Jansons captures the ebb andflow of its variations with a true poeticsensibility. The dissonances toward the endhave a real cutting edge, adding a specialpoignancy to the final pages. The famous fi-nale is spine -tingling from start to finish,and I have never heard the last chords,which spell out the harmonic foundation ofthe celebrated ostinato horns, so thrillinglyhammered home. The recording is brightand clean. Even with twenty -odd CD ver-sions of the Sibelius Fifth, I'd put this newone very near the top. D.H.

R. STRAUSS: Elektra.Deborah Pulaski (Elektra), Waltraud Meier(Klytamnestra), Alessandra Marc(Chrysothemis), Johan Botha (Aegisth), FalkStruckmann (Orest), others; Berlin State OperaChorus and Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim cond.TFI DEC 99175 (two CD's. 101 min).Performance: ExcitingRecording: Excellent

Daniel Barenboim copes with RichardStrauss's lifelong "struggle between

words and music" as it applies to Elektra,his most "revolutionary" opera, as skillfullyas any conductor on records. Aided bysplendid engineering, he propels the musicrelentlessly forward, revealing its ferocitywithout obscuring its brilliant orchestraltextures and without gliding over the fewbut important lyrical episodes.

I know of no soprano on records besidesBirgit Nilsson who has met all the titlerole's merciless demands. Deborah Polas-ki's achievement here is respectable - inthe Recognition Scene considerably morethan that - but it is a compromise. Shecaptures Elektra's obsession and hectic in -

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CLASSICAL MUSICtensity, though at the cost of severe vocalstrain. The challenges of Klytamnestra, alsosubstantial, are triumphantly met by Wal-traud Meier. A darker timbre might be pre-ferred for effective contrast, but her toneis rich and dramatically illuminated; sheportrays a suffering, pathetic figure, not amonster.

The music of Chrysothemis is also un-forgiving. Alessandra Marc sings with asteady tone, and her high notes are fearless,but she brings little variety or textual clarity

to her performance. Falk Struckmann'sOrest is suitably dark and ominous, JohanBotha is a firm and unexaggerated Aegisth,and the many small parts fit smoothly intothe well-oiled ensemble.

There are three "traditional" cuts (inElektra's monologue at the end of theKlytmnestra scene, a brief bit in the scenewith Chrysothemis, and part of her music inthe Recognition Scene). Strauss deploredthese cuts but reluctantly accepted them inperformance to lighten the soprano's bur -

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den. They add up to about 6 minutes, and,frankly, they should have been restored forthis recording.

TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5;Overture 1812.Chicago Symphony. Daniel Barenboim cond.TELDEC 10904 (60 min).Performance: RefinedRecording: VariableI n the notes with this CD, Daniel Baren-

boim speaks of having "relearned thework specially for this recording," rethink-ing every note. Perhaps my ears are not onright, but I discerned no blinding interpre-tive revelations, just unusual care lavishedon the lyrical element and a general free-dom from the blatant vulgarity that hasmarred many a reading. Though Barenboimspeaks highly of Yvgeny Mravinsky's inter-pretation, there is little of the ferociousMravinsky drive here. Nonetheless, for mytaste the pacing is dead on target from start

to finish. The low string sonority at theopening of the slow movement is gorgeousin its darkly burnished coloration, and thecoda is altogether lovely thanks to the first -chair clarinet, Larry Combs. The episodicfinale seems a bit on the careful side, butit's in keeping with the reading as a whole.

I am not altogether happy with the ratherclose-miked sound. The instrumental pres-ence is very much there in terms of both bigensemble and inner detail, but I kept want-ing more elbow room - a shade more ex-tended decay time.

The 1812 Overture fares better sonically,with a touch more room tone and more ef-fective lateral imaging. The notes don't saythat the cannon and church bells at the endwere overdubbed, so I assume that the verywell -placed and effective -sounding cannonshots are of the electronic variety and thatthe bells are the chimes of the OrchestraHall organ. D.H.

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: SymphonyNo. 5; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1;The Lark Ascending.Sarah Chang (violin); London Philharmonic,Bernard Haitink cond. EMI 55487 (68 min).Performance: A bit too rarefiedRecording: Luminous

ernard Haitink's recording of theWI Vaughan Williams Fifth Symphony isthe fourth installment in what will presum-ably be a complete cycle under his baton.His interpretations of "A Sea Symphony"(No. ), "A London Symphony" (No. 2),and the Sinfonia Antartica (No. 7) havebeen memorable not only for their penetrat-ing poetry but also for the subtle variances

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AMR E 55

CLASSICAL MUSICfrom the tradition established by a long lineof British conductors.

In the Fifth Symphony, as pantheisticand otherworldly as the Fourth and Sixthare Miltonically furious and indignant. Hai-tink underlines the otherworldly aspect toomuch for my taste. In the scherzo, especial-ly, I miss a sense of the gusty open air, andI want more drive in the concluding pas-sacaglia. Where is the welling passion inthe central episode of the wondrous third -movement romunzu. which is associatedwith the composer's visionary opera ThePilgrim's Progress?

The filler pieces are both beautifullydone - especially the Norfolk RhapsodyNo. I. I have heard more magical larks thanthe one evoked by the young violinist SarahChang in The Lurk Ascending, but she doesachieve a most exquisite pianissimo at thevery close. The recorded sound throughoutis gorgeously rich and luminous. D.H.

CollectionsCHRISTOPHER HOGWOOD ANDCHRISTOPHE ROUSSET:Keyboard Concertos and Duets by Bachand His Sons.Clui.tophei I logwood. Christophe Rousset

m -LYRE 440 649 (66 min).Performance: High -intensityRecording: Too much contrast

A11 the two -keyboard music from theBach family that has survived is re-

corded here, performed on pairs of harpsi-chords, clavichords. and fortepianos. Theshock comes when we move from the mu-sic of the father to that of his older sons -that is. from the harpsichords to the clavi-chords. Johann Sebastian's Concerto in CMajor for two solo harpsichords and Con -

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trapunktus 13 from The Art of Fugue arevigorous. full -out Baroque pieces playedand recorded at a high level of intensity. Incontrast, the expressive concerto by Wil-helm Friedemann and the four elegant littleduets by Carl Philipp Emanuel are playedon a pair of clavichords tuned a whole stepbelow modern pitch and recorded at theirnatural level - hardly more than a whisper.

In the annotation Christopher Hogwoodinstructs us to set the playback level for theharpsichords and then "resist the temptationto alter it for the clavichords," an injunctionI found it impossible to follow. Even with aboost, it took a long time to get used to thetiny sound - softer even than the click ofmy computer keyboard! Eventually I beganto get acclimated, but by the time the inti-macy of expression finally began to make

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CLASSICAL MUSICits point, the clavichord part of the programwas over, and the square fortepianos of Jo-hann Christian Bach's Duet in G Majorcame bumping through like rude, uninvitedguests at a seance.

The moral: If you are going to recordclavichord music, stick to the clavichord.An hour of pure, uninterrupted digital clavi-chord played by musicians of the caliber ofHogwood and Christophe Rousset at, say, 3o'clock in the morning would be quite anexperience! E.S.

MONK AND THE ABBESSMusic of Hildegard von Bingenand Meredith Monk.\lusica Sacra, Richard Westenburg cond.CATALYST 68329 (62 min).Performance: IntenseRecording: Expansive

ildegard von Bingen was a twelfth-cen-WM tury abbess, poet, and composer whoseintense, unaccompanied, unharmonizedmystical songs have recently had a tremen-dous vogue. Meredith Monk, an artist witha remarkable body of theatrical work, is noabbess, but she is also a polymath and ahugely influential figure: an emphaticallylate -twentieth-century choreographer, per-formance artist, and composer who has ex-panded the very concept of vocal music andwhose work also has an intensely spiritualquality.

The idea of putting these two togethermust have seemed inspired. Unfortunately,

Mahler Deluxe0,4! ilbert Kaplan's life was literallyIV changed the first time he heardMahler's Symphony No. 2("Resurrection"). A trade -magazinepublisher who had never conductedbefore, Kaplan devoted himselfto studying this singlemasterpiece and finallyachieved his goal of con-ducting it in public in1983 at Carnegie Hall.Since then he has beeninvited to conduct thesymphony by orchestrasaround the world, andhis well -regarded 1988recording with the Lon-don Symphony Chorusand Orchestra and solo-ists Benita Valente and Maureen Foresterhas sold more copies than any otherversion.

"The Kaplan Mahler Edition," atwo -CD set that was scheduled to bereleased in September by ConiferClassics, features that recording of the"Resurrection" and also Kaplan'sreading of the adagietto from Mahler'sSymphony No. 5, which he brings

in at a record 8 minutes (someconductors slow it down to 12 minutes ormore) based on his research into thecomposer's own tempos. The second CDin the deluxe set contains the digitalrecording Kaplan produced of Mahler's

own performances onpiano rolls oftranscriptions from hisFourth and FifthSymphonies and of twoof his songs as well as"Mahler Remembered,"recorded recollectionsby the composer'scontemporaries, and, forthoroughly modemMahler fans, aCD-ROM interactive

multimedia presentation of 150 photosand drawings with captions in threelanguages called "The MahlerAlbum."

Two print publications accompany theset, a 140 -page booklet by Kaplan thatcontains archival photographs and apocket-size reproduction of the 1897 firstedition of the Second Symphony's fullorchestral score .

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Ce ILJ IFIXESBRITTEN: Phaedra; The Rescue ofPenelope.Janet Baker (narrator), Alison Hagley(soprano), Lorraine Hunt (mezzo-soprano).John Mark Ainsley (tenor), others;Halle Orchestra, Kent Nagano cond.ERATO 12713 (51 min).Britten's last major vocal work was a 15 -minute cantata for solo voice based on Ra-cine's Phedre, which he composed for thegreat mezzo-soprano Janet Baker. In thisnew recording, Lorraine Hunt sings thework with spirit and conviction, but shecan't displace memories of the redoubt-able Dame Janet - whom the producersof this disc brought out of retirement tonarrate the first -ever recording of The Res-cue of Penelope, a minor early work forradio based on The Odyssey.

CHOPIN: Waltzes.Garrick Ohlsson (piano). ARABESQUE6669 (71 min).The seventh installment in Garrick Ohls-son's traversal of Chopin's complete worksfor piano solo, this CD adds to the accept-ed canon of nineteen waltzes a twentieth(in F -sharp Minor) that is of somewhatquestionable authenticity but nonethelessattractive. The entire program is performedwith a refreshing vitality that by no meansrules out subtlety, and the recorded soundis first-rate. R.F.

HANDEL: The GreatHarpsichord Works.Bob van Asperen (harpsichord).SONY 68260 (59 min).Negatives: I hate titles like "The GreatHarpsichord Works"; Bob van Asperenplays on a big, ugly, jangly harpsichord;and he has a tendency to rush some of thedetails. Positives: He has the grand man-ner, and that suits the music. All the fa-vorites are here, including the E MajorSuite, which contains the air and varia-tions on The Harmonious Blacksmith, thegreat little G Minor Passacaglia, and theF Minor Suite, which rivals Bach himself.Much of this music undoubtedly originat-ed as improvisation, and van Asperengives us a good measure of performingflourish, filling out chordal structures andadding ornaments and cadenzas in the ap-propriate places. E.S.

MOZART: String QuartetsNos. 22 and 23.Shanghai Quartet. DELOS 3192 (52 min).Stylish, beautifully balanced performancesof Mozart's last two string quartets makethis the Shanghai Quartet's most fetchingrelease so far. For many, it will recall thewarmhearted elegance of the BudapestQuartet and the Quartetto Italiano, withthe very welcome advantage of lustroussonics ideally suited to the material. R.F.

PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5;The Year 1941.Ukraine National Symphony, TheodoreKuchar cond. NAXOS 8.553056 (57 min).Naxos, the bargain CD label, has produceda startling number of "best buys" in a widevariety of repertoire. This version of Pro-kofiev's heroic Fifth Symphony is not oneof them. The performance is enthusiasticbut rough-hewn, the recording of the air-plane -hangar variety. The four -movementsuite The Year 1941 is a wartime Stalinistpotboiler. D.H.

ROBERTO ALAGNA AND ANGELAGHEORGHIU: Duets and Arias.Angela Gheorghiu (soprano); Roberto Alagna(tenor); Orchestra of the Royal Opera House,Covent Garden. Richard Armstrong cond.EMI 56117 (61 min).Many beautiful moments distinguish theseexcerpts sung by the opera world's mostglamorous and widely publicized youngnewlyweds. Although some of the selec-tions sound like studio sight-reading andthe recorded sound is not always flatteringto Roberto Alagna's voice, his and AngelaGheorghiu's talents and youthful voicesshine through, especially in Mascagni's"Cherry Duet" William Livingstone

JOSHUA BELL: The Kreisler Album.Joshua Bell (violin); Paul Coker (piano).LONDON 444 409 (63 min).The legendary violinist Fritz Kreisler alsocomposed at least forty beautifully craftedshort pieces, of which nineteen are playedhere with brio and sentiment by JoshuaBell, ably abetted by pianist Paul Coker.Most of the popular favorites are includ-ed: Schiin Rosmarin, Tambourin Chinois,Caprice Viennois (the sentiment gets a bitheavy compared with Kreisler's own re-cordings), Liebesfreud, and Liebesleid. Themost substantial piece is the virtuosicPraeludium and Allegro in the Style ofPugnani, which Bell plays to a fare -thee -well. Sonics and balance are A-1. D.H.

the impact is considerably diluted by segre-gating their music - 23 minutes of Hilde-gard's works are followed by 37 minutes ofMonk's - which pushes the weaknesses ofthe Hildegard performances to the fore-front. The Hildegard standard is the incom-parable series of recordings by Sequentiaon Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, and theseare much tamer performances. Without adeep feeling for the performing style, Hil-degard's mysticism seems remote.

On the other hand, and against the odds,Monk's profoundly unconventional workemerges as remarkably powerful here inwhat are essentially arrangements for aconventional chorus. Most of her music iscreated for herself and a small group of per-formers trained in her special vocal stylesand techniques. Nightfall was written forthis recording, but all the other music hasbeen taken from her theater works, notated,and "normalized"; in particular, much ofthe special "extended voice technique" forwhich her musical work is known has beentaken out or modified. But this process ofnormalization turns out to be far from nega-tive: The strong underlying musical and ex-pressive values emerge.

The spiritual/mystical element missingfrom the Hildegard performances is a majorpart of Monk's work and emerges very strik-ingly from these expansive performancesand recordings. Indeed, some of the piecesreach an almost unbearable pitch of inward-ness ami intensity. The forms are simpleand somewhat repetitive, but the content isalways engaging and often powerful. Forgetthe abbess and go for the Monk. E.S.

BO SKOVHUS:The Heart of the Poet (songs by Robertand Clara Schumann).Bo Skovhus (baritone); Helmut Deutsch(piano). SONY 62372 (70 min).Performance: Intense and involvingRecording: Excellent

The poets in this instance are Geibel,Riickert, and, above all, Heine, whose

lyrics inspired the two Robert Schumannsong cycles here, Liederkreis and Dichter-liebe, as well as four of eleven songs byhis wife, Clara. Her settings are particular-ly welcome, especially those of Riickert'sLiehst du um Schonheit (better known inMahler's version) and her compact, tense,and dramatic treatment of Heine's immortalLorelei. In general, Clara's songs are not farremoved from the harmonies and structuresof her husband's; the piano writing is imag-inative, and postludes are employed to goodeffect.

This CD is yet another example of theyoung Danish baritone Bo Skovhus's grow-ing mastery. He persuasively communicatesGeibers nature paintings and Ruckert'ssubtle love lyrics, and he proves to be anequally apt interpreter of the Heine songsthat speak of thwarted love, anger, and de-jection. His voice does not appear to be asubstantial one, but it projects warmth andis used with considerable dynamic and col-oristic variety, though it tends to lose sometonal evenness at forte levels. Still, hisDichterliehe is a moving account that ranks


( I \ I \ I \ I 1 I (

with the best currently available. HelmutDeutsch is a sensitive, assertive, and keenlymusical partner. G J.

GEORG SOLTI: United Nations50th Anniversary Concert.Soloists: London Voices: WorldOrchestra for Peace. Georg Solti cond.L(rsi)()N 448 901 (62 min).Performance: SterlingRecording: Very good

The 50th Anniversary of the founding ofhe United Nations was observed on Ju-

ly 5, 1995, with a concert held at VictoriaHall. Geneva. For the occasion. Georg Soltiassembled a World Orchestra for Peacecomprising seventy-nine players from for-ty-five orchestras and chose a program thathe felt reflected the UN ideals of peace,brotherhood, and freedom.

A tribute to Switzerland is embodied inthe exhilarating and wonderfully polishedperformance of Rossini's William Tell over-ture. The performance of Bartok's Concertofor Orchestra ranks with the finest of Solti'spast readings. There's a finely honed open-ing movement, a crisp "Game of the Cou-ples." an intensely poetic Elegia, an Inter-mezzo intermit() marked by sharp contrasts,and a sharp -edged finale with a roof-rais-ingly defiant coda. The whole reading iswonderfully swift and sure-footed, worththe price of the CD all by itself.

The exultant final scene from Beetho-ven's opera Fidelio comes off with passion-ate conviction. The all-important choralrole is sung with fiery conviction by theLondon Voices. For once, applause does notseem out of place, and the sense of occa-sion has been splendidly captured in therecording. D.H.

COPYRIGHT 1996 BY HACHETTE EILIPAC-CHI MAGAZINES, INC. All rights reserved. StereoReview. October 1996. Volume 61. Number 10. StereoReview (ISSN 0039-122(11 is published monthly by Ha-chette Filipacchi Magazines. Inc. at 1633 Broadway.New York. NY 1)019: telephone (2121 767-60181. One-year subscription rate for the United States and its pos-sessions. 517.94; Canada. 527.20 (Canadian BusinessNumber 126018209RT, Canadian Sales AgreementNumber 992361: all other countries. 525.94: cash ordersonly, payable in U.S. currency. Periodical postage paidat New York. NY 10001, and at additional mailingoffices. Authorized as periodical mail by the Post OfficeDepartment. Ottawa. Canada, and for payment of post-age in cash. POSTMASTER / SUBSCRIPTIONSERVICE: Please send change -of -address forms andall subscription correspondence to Stereo Review., P.O.Box 55627. Boulder, CO 80322-5627. Please allow atleast eight weeks for the change of address to becomeeffective. Include both your old and your new address.enclosing, if possible, an address label from a recent is-sue. If you have a subscription problem, write to theabove address or call (3031 604-1464: fax. 13031 604-7455. PERMISSIONS: Material in this publicationmay not he reproduced in any torn, without permission.Requests for permission should he directed to: TheEditor. Stereo Review. 1633 Broadway. New York. NY10019. BACK ISSUES are available. Write to ISI/Stereo Review. 30 Montgomery Street. Jersey City. NJ07302. For each copy ordered. enclose a check or mon-ey order for 55.95 in U.S. funds (57.25 for orders sent toCanada. 512.95 for other foreign locations): add S2 tothose prices for each copy of the 1996 Stereo Buyer'sGuide annual. For telephone credit-card orders, call201 451 -9420. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

must be accompanied by return postage and will be han-dled with reasonable care, but the publisher assumes noresponsibility for the return or safety of unsolicitedmanuscripts, an. or photographs.

Index to AdvertisersOctober

Reader PageService Nos. Advertiser Number

- Absolute Soundings ItoI Adeom 56-574 Allegro 99

8 B&W 16- Blue Note Records 107

Bose 6, 53

Bose Acoustic Wave .. 60- Boston Acoustics 9, 37, R5

6 Cambridge SoundWorks 2-3.40-41.70-71, 73- Camel 45- Chesky Records 12- Columbia House 19

11 Crutchfield I Oz:

15 Definitive Technology . 22-23. 25. 27.28.29- Delco . C3

- Echo Star 6(1- Electronic Depot 123

2 Energy 79

54 Eosone 61

- Jack Daniel's20 Jamo 1(15

30 .1 8cR Music World 108-111

34 KEF 74

22 Kenwood40 Klipsch 54

- Marlboro 2 1

7 Mirage C4

43 Mitsubishi 39

38 Mobile Fidelity 96

37 Mobile Fidelity 101

70 NAD .4739 New West 122

41 NuReality 311

47 One Call 124

PARA 55

45 Paradigm 10. 11

28 Paradigm 49Parasound. . C2-1Pioneer -Car 4-5, 64-65- Pioneer -Home 13.50-51Player's ... 101

53 Polk Audio 14

60 RF Link 106

35 Rock Solid 14

6th Avenue Electronics 117. 121

Sony 32a.h59 Sound & Cinema 120

61 Sound City 119

3 Sound Dynamics 31

62 Spatializer 58

32 Stillwater Designs 109

69 Toshiba 93

- Uncle's Stereo 118

U.S. Army 95

- Velodyne 15

- Yamaha 46-47.48

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PLEASE NOTE: It is impossible for usto verify all of the claims of advertisers,including product availability and exis-tence of warranties. To confirm that anadvertiser is authorized to sell a product,we suggest you contact the manufacturerdirectly. Please review our Tips for MailOrder Purchasers in this section.

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TIPS FOR MAIL ORDERPURCHASERS

It is impossible for us to verify all ofthe claims of advertisers, includingproduct availability and existence ofwarranties. Therefore, the followinginformation is provided for yourprotection.

1. Confirm price and merchandiseinformation with the seller, includingbrand, model, color or finish, acces-sories and rebates included in theprice.2. Understand the seller's returnand refund -policy, including theallowable return period, who pays thepostage for returned merchandise,and whether there is any "restocking"charge.3. Understand the product's war-ranty. Is there a manufacturer's war-ranty, and if so, is it from a U.S. orforeign manufacturer? Note thatmany manufacturers assert that,even if the product comes with aU.S. manufacturers warranty card,if you purchase from an unautho-rized dealer, you are not coveredby the manufacturer's warranty. Ifin doubt, contact the manufacturerdirectly. In addition to, or instead of,the manufacturer's warranty, the sell-er may offer its own warranty. Ineither case, what is covered by war-ranty, how long is the warranty peri-od, where will the product be ser-viced, what do you have to do, andwill the product be repaired orreplaced? You may want to receive acopy of the written warranty beforeplacing your order.4. Keep a copy of all transactions,including cancelled checks, receiptsand correspondance. For phoneorders, make a note of the orderincluding merchandise ordered, price,order date, expected delivery dateand salesperson's name.5. If the merchandise is notshipped within the promised timeor if no time was promised, 30 daysof receipt of the order, you generallyhave the right to cancel the order andget a refund.6. Merchandise substitution withoutyour express prior consent is notallowed.7. If you have a problem with yourorder or the merchandise, write aletter to the seller with all the perti-nent information and keep a copy.8. If you are unable to obtain satis-faction from the seller, contact theconsumer protection agency in theseller's state or your local Post Office.

If, after following the below guidelines,you experience a problem with a mailorder advertiser that you are unable toresolve, please let us know. WRITE toSusan Ross, Special Marketing, 45thfloor, Hachette Filipacchi Magazines,1633 Broadway, NY, NY 10019. Besure to include copies of all corre-spondence.

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TIMEDELAY

HOW TO 50101 ROOM ACOUST.,,

GREAT AMERICAN COPHOTO TOUR OF

30YEARS AGOThe October 1966 issuefeatured the sixth installmentin our Great AmericanComposers series, as EricSalzman profiled SamuelBarber (who, alas, did not liveto hear his famous Adagio forStrings in Oliver Stone'sPlatoon). Meanwhile, "RoomAcoustics: Five CommonProblems and How to SolveThem" offered hints "asmodest as rearranging thefurniture or as drastic ascovering the walls and ceilingwith absorptive material."

New products includedSonotone's Velocitone Mark Vceramic phono cartridge($32.50) and Sony's HP -450($275), a compact stereo unitwith a turntable by Garrard.

111.111111111111Sony compact stereo, 1966

Hirsch -Houck Laboratoriestested the MagnecordModel 1020 open -reel taperecorder, which at $570 "bringsprofessional -caliber perfor-mance to the discriminatingmusic lover." In Best ofthe Month, reviewer WilliamFlanagan opted for Britten'sCurlew River as co -conductedby the composer on London,and Nat Hentoff doffedhis hat to Elektra's reissueof Leadbelly's "The Libraryof Congress Recordings."

And this is before Yoko: GeneLees, reviewing the Beatles'"Yesterday ... and Today"album, concluded, "This groupis beginning to be a drag."

ttereoReviev,

20YEARS AGOA tear fell in Forest Hills:In the October 1976 issue,critic Noel Coppage dismissedthe eponymous debut LPby the Ramones as "strange,but lousy."

Julian Hirsch's buyer's guideto cassette decks includeda look at the fledgling (but ulti-mately commercially doomed)


elcaset format. Meanwhile,in "Audio Basics," associatetechnical editor Ralph Hodgesexamined Angel's new lineof XDR (Xtended DynamicRange) prerecorded cassettes,concluding that cassettes"now actually bear beingtalked about in the same breathas discs." Hirsch -HouckLabs tested the Jensen Model24 speaker ($179), a three-wayfloor -standing system withtweeter and midrange controls.Elsewhere, Noel Coppageinterviewed the then Grammy -less Bonnie Raitt, who told

Jensen speaker, 1976

him, "I really like sad songs,but sometimes it's likegetting paid to split yourselfopen, like people were payingto see me bleed."

I love the smell of vinyl in themorning: Richard Freed,reviewing a Chopin recital byEmanuel Ax on RCA, declaredit "one of the most beautifulrecords of anythingever offered to the public."

The October 1986 issue wasa celebration of all thingsCD. "Compact Discs: The NewPlayers" surveyed more thanseventy new models introduced

Joey Johnny

THE RAMONES '76

Dee Dee Tommy

Stereo ReviewCOMPACT DISCSPECIALNEW CO PLAYERS

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since the beginning of the year,"On the Road with DigitalMusic" looked at CD optionsfor the car (in -dash? under -dash? plug-in portable?trunk?), and "The Magic ofCD Manufacturing" visited oneof the CD plants that werebeginning to proliferate aroundthe country. And RichardFreed offered part two of "TheBasic Repertoire on CompactDisc," a critical discographyof symphonic music, declaringBernard Haitink's Philips set

Hifonics car equalizer, 1986

of the complete Schumannsymphonies "perhaps theeasiest recommendation in thisentire list."

In Best of the Month, StoddardLincoln got behind thedebut recording of Handel'sRoman Vespers, while MarkPeel hailed "Urban Beaches"by U2 wannabes CactusWorld News. In test reports,Julian Hirsch and ChristopherGreenleaf hit the roadwith the Hifonics Ceres IV, thefirst parametric equalizeravailable for the car, whichthe reviewers deemed"an absolute joy to use."

We know the feeling: Of theopening track from "Emerson,Lake & Powell" (that's CozyPowell subbing for CarlPalmer), Mark Peel observed,"After five minutes you startlonging for the Pet Shop Boys,and after nine minutes you'veprobably killed the cat."

- Steve Simels

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