The Absolute Sound 257 November 2015

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 257, November 2015 table of contents and editorial.

Articles & Reviews In This Issue
Letters

Guest Editorial

Industry News
Neil Gader reports on the best new gear at the California Audio Show.

We remember industry legend Dieter Burmester.

Neil Gader visits B&W's UK engineering center for a preview of the all-new seventh-generation 800 series.

Special dealer events this Fall: Overture Audio/Video hosts two world premiers—the new Magico S7 and Volume Two of The Absolute Sound's Illustrated History of High-End Audio with Magico's Peter McKay and TAS's Robert Harley.

Hi-Fi Centre in Vancouver hosts premier of the new B&W 800 series and Robert Harley book signing.

The Absolute Sound’s Illustrated History of High-End Audio, Volume Two: Electronics
Get the scoop on the publication of the new second volume of this monumental series of richly illustrated large-format books celebrating the high-end’s most iconic products and their legendary designers.

Feature: Eyes or Ears? Roger Skoff explores the mind's role in experiencing music.

Music Feature: A Perfect 10
For this year’s Buyer’s Guide we asked our music and equipment reviewers to focus on especially interesting recordings that were released during a particular ten-year period. In some cases our writers praised music commonly accepted as groundbreaking; others, performers and compositions that have been overlooked. Each decade contains music that is memorable—and recordings that sound great.

The 30 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio (and where to find them in this issue)

2016 High-End Audio Buyer's Guide
Mini-Reviews of Our Top Picks in Every Category and Every Price

Desktop Loudspeakers
Stand-Mounted Loudspeakers
Floorstanding Loudspeakers
Subwoofers
Power Amplifiers
Integrated Amplifiers
All-In-One Systems
Preamplifiers
Preamplifiers/DACs
Phonostages
CD/SACD Players
DACs
Music Servers and Peripherals Products
Portable Music Players
Turntables and Record Players
Tonearms
Phono Cartridges
Tuners, Tape Players, and Record Cleaning Machines
Equipment Racks
Power Conditioners
Interconnects and Loudspeaker Cables
Power Cords
Digital Cables
Headphone Amplifiers and Docks
Earphones
Custom-Fit In-Ear Monitors
Headphones
Accessories
Acoustic Treatments
Books

Equipment Reports
Start Me Up
PS Audio Sprout
Julie Mullins discovers a gem in PS Audio's $499 integrated amplifier.

Cambridge A80 Integrated Amplifier
Neil Gader auditions the latest integrated from England's Cambridge

Follow-Up
Tannoy Revolution XT F8 Loudspeaker
Robert Harley on why this new Tannoy make be the speaker find of the year.

Creek Evolution A100 Integrated Amplifier
This venerable British firm has created its best integrated amplifier yet, says Neil Gader.

Ayon Audio CD-3sx CD Player/DAC/Preamplifier
This tube-based CD player/DAC/preamplifier makes the perfect hub for a high-end system—and it sounds great, to boot. Andre Jennings brings you the details.

Manufacturer Comments

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