The Absolute Sound 275 September 2017

The Absolute Sound September 2017

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.

Articles & Reviews In This Issue
6 MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) Is Ascending Upon Us
Editorial By Andrew Quint

10 Letters

14 Guest Editorial
Andrew Quint on MQA.

16 Industry News
Meridian Audio delivers spectacular sound in Jaguar's F-Pace SUV.

21 Future TAS
New products on the horizon.

22 TAS Legacy
The B&W 801 loudspeaker.

24 TAS Essay
Robert Harley puts MQA into historical perspective.

30. Munich High End 2017
We report on the greatest new gear at the world's greatest audio show.

63. The 2017 Golden Ear Awards
Our Writers pick their personal favorites

161 Manufacturer Comments

The Absolute Sound Issue 275 September 2017

Equipment Reports
Personal Audio
100 Sony NW-WM1Z Portable Player and MDR-Z1R Headphones
Sony swings for the fences with its flagship portable player and headphones, says Steven Stone.

112 Etymotic ER4SR and ER4XR In-Ear Monitors
Steven Stone evaluates two new in-ear monitors from a company that's been making them since the 1970s.

116 SPL Phonitor X Headphone Amplifier
The Phonitor X from German company SPL not only sounds great but is a delight to use. Steven Stone reports.

Equipment Reports
122 Syzygy Acoustics SLF870 Subwoofer
Newcomer Syzygy Acoustics offers something new in affordable subwoofers, says Vade Forrester.

130 Totem Acoustic Sky Loudspeaker
The 30-year-old Canadian company that built its reputation on compact stand-mount speakers returns to the genre with the superb new Sky. Neil Gader reports.

134 Bryston BDA-3 DAC
Karl Schuster on the improved features and sonics in the third generation of Bryston's highly acclaimed DAC.

140 T+A elektroakustik PA 2500 R Integrated Amplifier and MP 2000 R Media Player
Germany's premier audio manufacturer offers great performance and versatility in its mid-tier R line, says Neil Gader.

150.GoldenEar Triton Reference Loudspeaker
GoldenEar Technology brings its well-earned reputation for ultra-high value to the upscale Triton Reference. Anthony H. Cordesman has the details.

Music
162 Craft Recordings
Bill Milkowski reports on Concord's new reissue label.

164 The Frank Zappa Universe
Greg Cahill on posthumous Zappa releases.

168 Catching up with Ferit Odman
An audiophile jazz drummer discusses his new vinyl retrospective with Jeff Wilson.

170 Where Art Meets Music
Jeff Wilson likes two new books on art album covers.

172 Download Round-Up
Alan Taffel and Andrew Quint review hi-res pop, rock, and classical downloads.

176 Rock Etc. Reviews
New releases by Chuck Berry, Aimee Mann, Corky Siegel, Junior Sisk, and Robin Trower; reissues by Ry Cooder and the Flying Burrito Brothers; and previously unreleased music by Oister and Clarence Ashley.

182 Jazz Reviews
New music by the Ed Palermo Big Band, Steve Coleman, Dominique Eade & Ran Blake, Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves, and the jazz supergroup Hudson; reissues by the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Three Sounds, and Rosa Passos & Ron Carter; and a previously unreleased recording featuring Don Cherry and John Tchicai.

189 Classical Reviews
Beethoven's symphonies on vinyl, songs by Brahms, Considering Matthew Shepard, and the music of Thomas Adès and William Bolcom.

192 Q&A
Sandy Gross of GoldenEar Technology.

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