March 2009

TAS On-Line

  I hope that many of you have visited our completely new Web site, theabsolutesound.com, and that you find its new layout, features, and content useful. The new site features regularly updated news stories, blogs by Neil Gader, Jonathan Valin, and me, and full reviews of more than 1000 products. We're updating the existing review database and adding products all the time, so keep your eye on this tremendous resource as it develops into an indispensable shopping guide.

We've added some other innovative features to make the site more useful to you, and we will continue to expand the content and capabilities of the site in the months to come. For example, our new Marketplace section has lots of additional product and manufacturer information, and allows you to instantly find a local dealer and see if he has the product you're looking for in stock. Say you read an equipment report and are interested in the product. Just go to the Marketplace section of theabsolutesound.com, select the manufacturer and your location, and you'll be presented with a wealth of information about the authorized dealer in your area, along with the availability of the product from that dealer's new, used, and/or demo inventory. You can even request an audition or contact the dealer by clicking a button next to the product description.

All the participating dealers are authorized re-sellers — no gray market and no personal classified ads. This readymade mechanism for auditioning products yourself is a perfect complement to the reviews you read in The Absolute Sound. There's no better way of evaluating products than by using your own ears, and the Marketplace section of theabsolutesound.com has just made that process much easier for you. We will be adding many more manufacturer sponsors, dealer “classifieds,” and product profiles to the Marketplace over the next few months, but the groundwork has been laid for a truly exciting and useful experience. I encourage you to visit it frequently as it expands and evolves.

You'll also find lively and informative discussions and debates on the forum at theabsolutesound.com. These are just a few of the discussion topics:

• Magico's new M5 and V2 loudspeakers

• Preview (with photos) of the Focal Grande Utopia EM loudspeakers

• Jonathan Valin on the Soulution amplifier and preamplifier

• Which sounds better: SACD or high-res PCM?

• Turntable isolation solutions

• What to look for in a Blu-ray player

• Music servers and software

• Turntable set-up tips