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 181, April / May 2008 contents and editorial.

 

Read this edition's editorial by clicking here.

 

Articles & Reviews In This Issue
8 Letters

14 From The Editor

16 Industry News
Robert Harley visits "The World's Number One Audiophile."

124 Manufacturer Comments

126 The TAS Short List
Our top equipment picks in every category and price level.

 

Contents
29 High End Audio Extravaganza!
Hot new gear from the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show

108 The Cutting Edge / Cover Story
Usher Audio Be-20 Loudspeaker
Chris Martens on a flagship speaker from Usher that re-defines the price/performance equation.

 

Equipment Reports
88 Accuphase E-550 Integrated Amplifier
Ten grand for 30 watts per channel? Yep, but they might be the sweetest watts you've heard, says Sue Kraft.

92 ModWright SWL 9.0SE Tube Linestage
Sallie Reynolds on two editions of a mid-priced tube linestage with a hint of magic.

96 Nola Viper Reference Loudspeaker
Tom Martin discovers something special in this latest design from Carl Marchisotto.

100 Eggleston Works Nine Loudspeaker
Anthony H. Cordesman on a speaker that favors musicality over hi-fi fireworks.

116 HP's Workshop
Harry Pearson on the 2008 CES.

 

Music
164 Recording Of The Issue

133 Rock

150 Classical

160 Jazz

 

TAS Back Page
168 TAS Back Page
We talk with Jean Poulin of Simaudio.

 

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