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The Absolute Sound

  Welcome to The Abso!ute Sound online! We explore music and the reproduction of music in the home. We believe that the sound of music, unamplified, occurring in a real space is a philosophic absolute against which we may judge the performance of devices designed to reproduce music. Our goal is to provide the resources consumers need to judge how a component's sound either honors or departs from the music's truth, and to make sound purchasing decisions that maximize their experience of reproduced sound. Below is our Issue 158, January 2006 table of contents and editorial.


January 2006

 

Equipment Reports
108 - Cover Story
Krell Evolution Two Preamp and One Amplifier

Anthony H. Cordesman listens to Krell's statement gear - starting at a cool $90k.
 
48 - Rocky Mountain High (End)
Jonathan Valin, Chris Martens, and Robert Harley report on North America's premier high-end audio event.
 
20 - Mainstream Multichannel
KEF KHT6000 ACE 5.1-Channel Speaker System

Chris Martens checks out a neutral multichannel music system from England's KEF.
 
24 - Absolute Analog
Jim Hannon reviews two turntables - Music Hall's MMF 2.1LE and Thorens' TD 190-1 - and the affordable Bellari VP129 tube phono preamp.
 
70 - Monitor Audio Silver RS8 Loudspeaker
Monitor Audio updates its Silver Series. Chris Martens and Sallie Reynolds listen to the flagship RS8, with a CM sidebar on the RS6.
 
75 - Cyrus 8vs Integrated Amplifier, CD 8x Player, and PSX-R Power Supply
Three new items from Cyrus deliver good things in small packages, says Jim Hannon.
 
82 - NuForce Reference 9 Monoblock Power Amplifier
A report by Chris Martens on what may be a new benchmark in affordable excellence.
 
88 - McIntosh MC275 Series IV Stereo Amplifier and Quad II Classic Monoblock Amplifier
Vintage retro-classics from McIntosh and Quad, by Paul Seydor.
 
95 - TacT Audio RCS 2.2X
Robert E. Greene goes about getting the bass right with the TacT corner-woofer system.
 
101 - Focus Audio FS 78SE Loudspeaker
Neil Gader on a classic small monitor reinvented for a 10th anniversary.
 
104 - 2nd Rethm Loudspeaker
Mr. Greene again, this time on one company’s new way with a very old driver technology.
 
The Cutting Edge
118 - Music-Minded Controllers, Part 2: Theta Casablanca III and Six Shooter
In his quest for musical multichannel controllers, Alan Taffel checks out the latest from Theta Digital.
 
127 - HP’s Workshop
Music, music, music (and a few surprises for the reviewer). Updating the Super Disc List; Super Discs Redux, and two more surprises.
 
Columns
12 - From The Editor
 
14 - Industry News
 
16 - Future TAS: New Products on Horizon
 
32 - Next-Generation High-Resolution Digital Formats
Two new disc formats may finally deliver high-res digital audio - and end the CD, SACD, and DVD-Audio debate. Robert Harley reports.
 
38 - The Quest for Great Sound on a $2000 Budget
One audiophile's comparative shopping experience, by Barry Willis.
 
Music
138 - Recording of the Issue - Brad Mehldau: Day Is Done
 
138 - Jazz
Derek Bailey's Carpal Tunnel, Herbie Hancock's Possibilities, Marty Ehrlich's News on the Rail, plus a pair of new Tommy Dorsey sets, a Dylan van der Schyff SACD, and two new Acoustic Sounds 45rpm LPs.
 
148 - Rock Etc.
2005's Best Rock and Pop Box Sets, plus 16 more CDs and LPs reviewed, including the latest from Wilco, Fiona Apple, Richard Hawley, Franz Ferdinand, Bonnie Raitt, Wynnona, Ali Farka Toure, Tim O'Brien, Atmosphere, And Silver Jews.
 
181 - Classical
EMI's big-budget Triastan und Isolde, Renée Fleming's Sacred Songs, two projects from Giden Kremer, Roger Waters' Ça Ira SACD, and the full scoop on four other new CDs.
 
Viewpoints
8 - Letters
 
125 - Manufacturer Comments
 
Finale
189 - Classifieds
 
190 - Where To Buy The Absolute Sound
 
191 - Ad Index
 
192 - TAS Back Page
Audiophiles Anonymous, by Wayne Garcia.
 
In the Next issue:
2005 Golden Ear Awards
Audio Research Reference 3 preamplifier
An interview with conductor Benjamin Zander
Kuzma Stogi/Stabi arm and 'table
And More!

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