Opinion - 2010/7/1
Exploding Two Myths, Confirming Two Suspicions by Jeff Fritz
"The opinions stated here have been formed during my many years in this industry, and gleaned from my day-to-day management of almost 30 reviewers here at the SoundStage! Network."

Equipment review - 2010/7/1
EAR 890 Stereo Amplifier by Garrett Hongo
"Though its sound isn’t showy, and doesn’t immediately call attention to itself with some striking yet eventually tiresome sonic characteristic, the more I listened, the more its general evenhandedness and superb midrange eventually worked on me an alluringly sensuous magic."

Feature article - 2010/7/1
Audio Evolution: 1950-2010 by Simeon Louis Sandiford
"The industry has evolved from its preferred format of retrieving information stored in the grooves of long-playing vinyl records using a phonographic pickup stylus."

Equipment review - 2010/6/15
XLO Electric Signature 3 Speaker Cables, Interconnects, Digital Cables, and Power Cords by Doug Blackburn
"XLO’s Signature 3 cables are one of the two holy grails of neutrality I’ve found so far. I have the highest regard for the Signature 3s, for their honesty and for their complete refusal to play games with the sound of my reference system."

Opinion - 2010/6/1
Absolute Nonsense by Jeff Fritz
"I could go on and on about what makes a legitimate high-end product, protecting the consumer at all costs, writing relevant articles, etc. But do I really need to?"

Equipment review - 2010/6/1
EgglestonWorks III Loudspeakers by Jeff Fritz
"My primary motivation for wanting to review the EgglestonWorks Andra III loudspeaker was my positive experiences with the company’s entry-level floorstanding model, the Dianne."

Equipment review - 2010/5/15
Artisan Silver Cables Ultimate Silver Dream Interconnects by Kevin Gallucci
"Silver cables are considered by many to be the best possible link between components. But silver is expensive; to move up to silver interconnects, you usually have to spend a lot of money."

Opinion - 2010/5/1
Frequency Response Isn't the Only Thing by Jeff Fritz
"Over the past four years or so I’ve measured the frequency responses of almost 30 loudspeakers in my listening room, the Music Vault, and the exercise has been a fruitful one."

Equipment review - 2010/5/1
Vandersteen Audio Model Seven Loudspeakers by Peter Roth
"In keeping with the Vandersteen tradition, some might now say that the best six-figure speaker you can buy is the $45,000/pair Vandersteen Model Seven."

Music Features - 2010/5/1
Belated Return of Mari’s Sylvia and Coppélia by Richard Freed
"At the very least, they are powerful reminders of the unique allure of this music, and if they only remind you to scout out and compare the few competing versions, that too is something you may enjoy."

Equipment review - 2010/4/15
Van Zyl Audio Frontline Loudspeakers by Vade Forrester
"What the Frontline does do, however, is deliver fast, detailed sound with hard-hitting dynamics and fully developed instrumental color."

Opinion - 2010/4/1
Warren Buffett an Audiophile? by Jeff Fritz
"Maybe, maybe not. But this statement by Buffett, or a version of it, is relevant to audiophiles: 'It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.'"

Equipment review - 2010/4/1
Machina Dynamica Clever Little Clock Signature Version by Randall Smith
"Machina Dynamica offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for the Clever Little Clock. If this sort of tweak sounds interesting to you, you have little to lose. But the Clever Little Clock didn’t work for me."

Feature article - 2010/4/1
Advent Won’t Stop Jack: TELARC -- Far Away from Advent Record Company by Simeon Louis Sandiford
"In 1970, Jack Renner founded Advent Record Company, producing classical offerings for professional musicians. Robert Woods joined one year later as part-time tape editor."

Equipment review - 2010/3/1
Stillpoints ESS 28-40-3 Equipment Rack by Norm Luttbeg
"I well remember the Golden Age of high-end audio, when you just put your equipment on a shelf, plugged it into the wall, and listened. How different those times were, especially considering the price and design of the Stillpoints ESS 28-40-3 rack which costs $10,275 USD."

Opinion - 2010/3/1
Loudspeaker Talk by Jeff Fritz
"When setting up a high-performance audio system, most audiophiles start with the speakers. The loudspeakers are the components that must fit in and work with the physical/acoustical space allotted to them, and will also likely represent the largest percentage of the system budget. Most important, speakers are the greatest determinant of ultimate sound quality -- get the speakers wrong, and you may as well have gotten everything else wrong, too."

Equipment review - 2010/3/1
Verity Audio Amadis Loudspeakers by Jason Thorpe
"When I began paying attention to audio gear, each new acquisition -- speakers, an interconnect, even a simple isolation cone -- made me gravid with excitement. I’d rush home with my new item, unwrap it with little regard for instructions or packaging integrity, maneuver it into position, and let the music fly."

Equipment review - 2010/2/15
Devilsound DAC Version 2.1 USB Digital-to-Analog Converter by Jeff Fritz
"The standalone digital-to-analog converter -- a product genre that has dwindled to relative niche status over the last decade -- has recently come roaring back to life for one reason: the emergence of computer-based audio. DACs are now hot."

Opinion - 2010/2/1
How Close Can I Get for Half the Price or Less? by Jeff Fritz
"Audiophiles who are committed to spending a set amount of money on a stereo component -- for this article, I’ll use loudspeakers -- would be wise to ask themselves this: How close can I get for half the price or less? Might the answer make a potentially expensive purchase seem foolhardy?"

Equipment review - 2010/2/1
Bel Canto Design DAC3VB Digital-to-Analog Converter and VBS1 Power Supply by Tim Shea
"Last summer I reviewed the Bel Canto e.One DAC3 D/A converter and CD2 CD player on SoundStage!, our sister audio site. Together, they produced the best digital sound I’d heard through my system up till then. So when the offer came to try an upgraded version of the original DAC3, the DAC3VB, with its new VBS1 (for Virtual Battery Supply), I was happy to oblige."

Music Features - 2010/2/1
Keepers: Framed "Pictures," Two Generations Apart by Richard Freed
"Fourscore and seven years ago (plus a few months), a work of music came into being that quickly established itself as a staple of the orchestral repertory, and indeed a showcase for the full-sized modern orchestra: Ravel’s stunning orchestral setting of Mussorgsky’s piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition."

Special update - 2010/1/15
We were in Las Vegas at CES 2010. Check out our industry-leading show report at SoundStageNetwork.com/LasVegas2010.

Opinion - 2010/1/1
More on the new SoundStage! Network, Plus: Our Products of the Year! by Jeff Fritz
"As you read this on the first day of the new year, I’ll be preparing to leave for Las Vegas, Nevada, and the annual Consumer Electronics Show. CES is a big thing for us at the SoundStage! Network, and I invite you to enjoy our coverage of the event; the first installment will be posted January 6."

Feature article - 2010/1/1
Systematic Upgrades by Simeon Louis Sandiford
"I have been planning to upgrade my reference playback system for some time. My all-black Classé CA-400 power amplifier, CP-60 preamplifier, CDT-1 transport, DAC-1 processor, and Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck had served faithfully and reliably for more than a decade."

Equipment review - 2010/1/1
Jaton Real A&V-803 Loudspeakers by Garrett Hongo
"When I think of China, it’s not the New World Order that comes to mind, or the glittering postmodern skyline of Shanghai, or the ownership of most of the US’s debt. I don’t think of roasted duck in black-bean sauce, the corner Yuck-in-the-Box, or penny toys my daughter gets in a Happy Meal from McDonald’s."

More? See the Archives.