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 176, November 2007 contents and editorial.

 

Read this edition's editorial by clicking here.

 

Articles & Reviews In This Issue
7 Letters

12 From The Editor

14 Future TAS

28 Industry News

24 Start Me Up
Wayne Garcia on a highly musical integrated amp from Dussun.

139 Manufacturer's Comment

 

Special Loudspeaker Issue
106 Cover Story
Wilson reinvents the bookshelf loudspeaker with the stunning new Duette.

36 A Beginner's Guide to Choosing Loudspeakers
Robert Harley shows you how to find just the right speaker for your system, room, tastes, and budget.

42 From Horns to Planars: An Exploration of Loudspeaker Diversity
Dick Olsher looks at the wide range of technologies for turning an electrical signal into sound.

52 What Would You Buy?
Our editors and senior writers go shopping for the speakers the)' would actually buy for themselves — one under $2k and one over.

 

Eight Loudspeakers Reviewed

54 Bowers & Wilkins 685
Wayne Garcia on a $600 gem that raises the bar in affordable speakers.

56 REL T2 Subwoofer
The British subwoofer specialist brings high-end design to a mass-market price point. Neil Gader has the details.

58 Quad 11L
No amplifier is required with Quad's new powered loudspeakers. Guido Corona gives you the low-down.

62 Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand
Discover why the Haydn Grand is Neil Gader's favorite sub-$2k speaker.

66 Usher Be-718
This new two-way with a beryllium tweeter delivers stunning musical realism. Robert Harley reports.

72 Focal-JMlab Electra 1007Be
Is a stand-mounted two-way the ideal dynamic loudspeaker? Jonathan Valin says this new Focal makes a convincing case.

78 Piega TC 10X
Dick Olsher auditions this high-end Swiss-made loudspeaker with a unique' coaxial ribbon driver.

82 MBL 121
Neil Gader on MBL's compact alterative to the mighty MBL 101 E, TAS's 2006 Product of the Year.

 

Equipment Reports

24 Mainstream Multichannel: Quad LITE Surround-Sound Speaker System
British speaker-maker Quad creates a multichannel system for the music lover, says Chris Martens.

28 Absolute Analog
Jim Hannon spins the remarkable SME 20/12 turntable.

89 Simaudio MOON i-7 Integrated Amplifier
Robert Harley on an upscale integrated that challenges separates.

94 GamuT DI 150 Integrated Amplifier
An integrated amp for ultra-high-enders. JV on the finest single-box solution he's heard.

100 Nagra CDP and CDC Compact Disc Player
The iconic Swiss firm builds its first CD player. Wayne Garcia reports.

120 HP's Workshop
HP's Super SACD List, plus more great SACDs.

 

Music
34 Recording Of The Issue
Byrd: My Ladye Nevells Booke

135 Rock

153 Classical

163 Jazz

 

Back Page
184 Jennifer Warnes discusses the 20th anniversary reissue of Famous Blue Raincoat.

 

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