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 159, February 2006 table of contents and editorial.

February 2006

Editorial

 

Equipment Reports

82 - Cover Story Balanced Audio Technology VK-600M SE Monoblock Power Amplifier Can a massive solid-state power amplifier deliver the immediacy and delicacy of a low-power, single-ended design?

40 - 2005 Golden Ear Awards Our editors and frequent contributors choose the gear that found a place in their hearts.

90 - Exotica Audio Research Corporation Reference 3 Linestage Preamplifier and Reference 210 Monoblock Power Amplifier A long time ARC buff, Jonathan Valin listens to the company's latest Reference products, designed by none other than ARC founder William Zane Johnson.

20 - Absolute Analog Kuzma Stabi S Turntable with Outboard Power Supply and Stogi S Tonearm Chris Martens on a soul-satisfying turntable and arm combo from…Slovenia.

58 - April Music Stello DP200 DAC/Preamplifier Is there room for an upsampling DAC/preamp in today's systems? Neil Gader has the answer.

62 - Echo Busters Decorative Acoustical Treatments Sue Kraft rediscovers the most important audio accessory of all -- the listening room.

66 - Dynaudio Focus 220 Loudspeaker A Danish contender for affordable musicality, says Sallie Reynolds.

70 - Moscode 401HR Tube Hybrid Stereo Amplifier New contributor Jacob Heilbrunn reports on the rebirth of an audio classic.

75 - Magnepan MG 20.1 Loudspeaker Donald Saltzman takes a fresh look at a perennial audiophile favorite.

The Cutting Edge

99 - HP's Workshop Golden Ear Awards, and a short think piece on Digital Domination.

Columns

12 - From The Editor

14 - Industry News

16 - Future TAS: New Products on Horizon

26 - The Quest for Great Sound on a $2000 Budget, Part 2 Barry Willis finishes his report on seeking out a great budget system.

34 - TAS Talks with Benjamin Zander Jonathan Valin and Mark Lehman interview a conductor who's recorded some impressive Mahler symphonies on the Telarc label -- and brilliantly explained what they mean, to boot.

Music

116 - Golden Ear Music Awards

134 - Recording of the Issue - Mozart: Sonatas for Piano and Violin (Hahn)

133 - Classical The lowdown on Beethoven's Razumovsky Quartets, Testament's Juilliard Quartet reissues, and a Sibelius SACD box set.

141 - Jazz Critiques of the latest albums from Jim McAuley ,Robert Glasper, Andrew Hill, Greg Osby, and Steve Lehman.

144 - Rock Etc. A roundup of new live records from Green Day, Patti Smith, The Mars Volta, Iron Maiden, The Grateful Dead, plus reviews of the latest from Neil Diamond, Lewis Taylor, and others.

Viewpoints

8 - Letters

113 - Manufacturer Comments

Finale

157 - Classifieds

158 - Where To Buy The Absolute Sound

159 - Ad Index

160 - Audio Finds Jonathan Valin reports on rarities from the recent Bighorn Sheep Audio Fest in Boise.

In the Next issue: MartinLogan's Summit speaker Pathos Classic One Mk 2 integrated amplifier ESS AMT-450 Heil-driver speaker Audience 72SE speaker And More!