niarch-aril 1979 91.35 ts ereo guise · surface tension-is totally effective. you want to get...

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1E1 LA( 1=k GUISECASSETTE DECK FEATURESBUY THE ONES THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO YOU (see page 33)

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RS: LAFAYETTE LR-120DbN/KARDON hk670 PIONEER SX-780 Ilk.

STA-2100 SAE R3C SETTON RS 440

ATED AMPS: HITACHI HA -5300 SAE C3AOD KA-5700 ROTEL RA2030

MPS PREAMPS RECORD PLAYERS EQUAUZERS

ASSETTE DECKS: AIWA AD 6900U TEAC C-1FISHER CR5150 LAFAYETTE RK-D150MITSUBISHI M -T01 ROTEL RD -2200 SANKYO STD -1850

and man others

Select what you wantin a record cleaner.

Convenience in useand storage.You shouldn't need a separate shelf, elaborate mo-tions or an act of Cong7ess to clean your records. Acomfortable, hand-held instrument that works beston a rotating turntable is ideal.

Effectiveness againstmicro -dust.Tiny, invisible dust particles hide in delicate recordgrooves and can be ground into the vinyl. Only aslanted (directional) fiber using special ultra -smallfiber tips can scoop up rather than rearrange, thismicro -dust contamination.

Effectiveness againstchemical contamination.Fingerprints and vapor -borne oils will deposit intochannels of a record groove. Such contaminationhides from adhesive rollers and all dry cleaningsystems. Only a special fluid plus micro -fibers cansafely remove such audible, impacted deposits.

Ei Total removal ofcontamination/fluid.Capillary action-the lifting of fluid by small fibersurface tension-is totally effective. You want toget contamination off the record, along with anyfluid traces.

ri Lasting construction.You want quality. A record cleaner can last a life-time. A plastic wonder can crack into oblivion-oryou can purchase the hand -rubbed elegance of mill-ed walnut befitting the rest of your audio system.

7 Ultimate economy.The value of a truly fine record cleaner is justifiedby the cost of replacing your record collection.Fifteen dollars is a small investment in long-term protection.

n All of the above.DISCWASHER, the SuperiorRecord Cleaner.See the finer audio dealers for a demonstration.

discwasher, inc. 1407 N. Providence Rd., Columbia, MO 65201

IT TOOK TOSHIBATO BUILD THE WORLD'S FIRST

DIGITAL -SYNTHESIZEDRECEIVER.

TheToshiba 7150 locks into the center of any station'sassigned broadcast frequency and eliminates drift.

A few years ago, Toshibaintroduced and marketedthe first fully electronic digital -synthesized tuner.

Now Toshiba hasanother first.

We've built a digital -synthesized tuner into a high-powered, low -distortionFM/AM receiver: the Toshiba7150 with SYNTHETUNE"

SYNITHETUNE is afunction that provides tuningso accurate even a center tun-ing meter is unnecessary. Driftis eliminated.

The 7150's FM tunersection also contains flat groupdelay IF circuitry. And a quartzcrystal oscillator, which auto-matically locks into the center

of any station's assigned broad-cast frequency- as precisely asthe station's own transmitter.

Tune the 7150 just bypushing the auto -scan button.It scans the full range of theAM or FM band, stopping pre-cisely at each listenable station.

Bright green LEDnumerals instantly display allfrequencies as they are tuned.

Of course, there's more tothe 7150 than SYNTHETUNE.

It also has separatetransformers for class A andclass B amplifier sections. Thetoroidal transformer for class Bamplification has separate leftand right power supplies.

It also has Dolby FMInd an air check switch for

accurate tape recording.Furthermore, the 7150

delivers a minimum of 150watts per channel into 8 ohms,20 to 20,000 Hz, with no morethan 0.05% THD. And the restof the specs are just asimpressive.

Hear the Toshiba 7150at better audio dealers. At$1100.00** it's the top of ourline. But every receiver Toshibamakes is engineered just asmeticulously.

So they all have onething in common. Superbsound quality.

TOSHIBAAgain, the first.

Toshiba America Inc . 280 Puk Ave . New York. NY 10012

*Dolby i; a refOsienxi trademark of Dolby Laboratories. Inc.

Circle No. 42 On Reader Service Card"'Suggested retlil value solelv for purprw ,

hi-fistereoE3uNa FR LJ I ED ®

CONTENTS. MARCH /APRIL 79 Vol. 14 No. 2

20/JAZZby J. R. TaylorTaylor focuses his attention on the career of a"living legend": Thelonious Monk.

28/ SOUNDPROBE

A critical look at the Wharfedale E-50 and theCelestion Ditton 33 speakers.

30/ POP DISCSIrsay spins recent releases from BarryManilow, Eric Clapton, Gino Vanelli (amongothers) and tells us what he thinks.

33/ CASSETTEDECKFEATURES

by Fred PetrasBuying a cassette deck today involveschoosing an array of operating featureswhich will meet both your current and futureneeds. Here's help for buying wisely.

)

39/ BLANK TAPEby Fred PetrasThe first cardinal rule is: don't buy cheap.Other tips for getting the right tape for yourmachine are included.

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43/ MOVING UP TOBETTER SOUND

by William S. GordonHere's how to upgrade your system withoutstarting from scratch. A step-by-step guide.

48/ SPOTLIGHT ON:AIWAAD -6900UCASSETTEDECK

A detailed report on a machine that hascompromised nothing to gain the ultimate incassette sound quality.

51/ DIGITALSOUND

by Herb FriedmanA look into high fidelity possibilities of thefuture.

53/ OPERAby Speight JenkinsChrista Ludwig's career is reviewed byJenkins.

54/ SPOTLIGHT ONLAFAYETTE120 DbRECEIVER

An expanded evaluation of a stereo receiverof sterling performance and moderate cost.

55/ TEST REPORTSRECEIVERSTUNERSINTEGRATED AMPSPREAMPSPOWER AMPSCASSETTE DECKSRECORD PLAYERSEQUALIZERS

73/RECENT STEREORECORDINGS

Kelly evaluates Bach. Hoist. Mahler discs,among others.

DEPARTMENTS6/AUDIO SHOWCASE

49/READER SERVICECARD

79/LITERATURE LIBRARY81/CLASSIFIED ADS

Cover photo by Dave Niedo.

For details on the Hitachi cassettedeck which appears on the cover, seepage 75.

Copyright 1979 by Davis Publications Inc.

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2 HI-FI/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

Ohm'sLaw Et

Make loudspeakers with great pride,and they will get great reviews.

Ohm defies the lawsof modern loudspeakerproduction.

We don't mass-produce our speakers inhuge quantities. Most ofthe elements that go intoOhm loudspeakers are sointricate, they must bemade by hand.

The result is pride -of -craftsmanship you canhear.

treble response, and ex-cellent dispersion. Con-sidering the size of thebox, performance, and theprice, the Ohm C2 must bereckoned with as one of thebetter speaker valuesavailable...Ohm speakersare very well made, and werecommend this modelhighly."

Stereo Review:"Our standard live -

room integrated frequencyresponse measurement ofthe Ohm F produced one ofthe flattest extendedcurves we have ever seen

.1 from a loudspeaker...Itshould be apparent fromthe foregoing that we in-clude the Ohm F among

Audio critics haveheard it. As you're about toread...Complete Buyer's Guideto Stereo/Hifi:

"The Ohm C2 is ahigh efficiency speaker e'S).)with ruler -flat response to37 Hz., high power -handling .

capability, very smooth those few speakers wehave tested that achievesstate-of-the-art perform-ance." (Copyright 1973 bythe Ziff -Davis PublishingCompany. Reprinted fromStereo Review, October,1973, by permission. Allrights reserved.)Canadian Stereo Guide:

"The Ohm E is just anordinary speaker to look at.

But when you fire it up, it'ssomething else again.Sound quality within thelimits of its capability waswell defined and well con-trolled, with no indicationof mushiness even at theouter fringes of the spec-trum. The Ohm E speakersystem has an excellentdispersion pattern over its

entire operating frequencyrange..."Complete Buyer's Guideto Stereo/Hifi:

'The Ohm H managesto get prodigious bassresponse out of a small boxwithout sacrificing effi-ciency. The high end ishandled by conventionaldrivers and is everythingone might ask from aspeaker. Dispersion is ex-cellent, and the overallsound quality is exemplary."

Stereo Review:"In the simulated he -

vs. -recorded test, the OhmL proved to be a highlyaccurate reproducer ofmusic...Its highs werestrong, and even in our welldamped listening room tne

crispness imparted to vocalsibilants and instrumentalsounds such as wirebrushes and trianglescould be plainly heard...The upper mid -range andhigh frequencies werevirtually perfect." (Copy-right 1977 by the Ziff -DavisPublishing Company. Re-printed from Stereo Review,June, 1977, by permission.All rights reserved.)Complete Buyer's Guide:

"The Ohm F is anextraordinary loudspeaker.The coherent sound pro-duced by this speaker isclear, full, and undistorted.It may well be the finestspeaker on the market, andis certainly without a doubtamong the top few."

For 13 complete reviews,and full specifications,please write us at: OhmAcoustics Corp., 241 TaaffePlace, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11205.

We make loudspeakerscorrectly.

3MARCH/APRIL 1979 Circle No. 21 On Reader Service Card

cliax 122 tapecopies soundbetter thanyour records

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ULTRA DYNAMIC LID*

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First, you play your favorite records, tapes or FM broadcaststhrough the expander section of our Model 128 to restore missing dynamicsand reduce noise that's been robbing you of live performance realism.

Then, you preserve the dynamics of this vibrantly enhancedprogram by copying through the 128 noise reduction section to eliminatetape hiss normally added by copying.

Finally, you play back your taped copy through the decoder of yourdbx 128 and hear music with more dynamic range and detail than you'veever heard before off any tape. Sound unbelievable? Well, it was until thedbx 128 come along. But now you con make dynamically enhanced copiesthat sound better than the originals, with no hiss build-up, on any open -reel,cartridge or cassette recorder.

To learn how, ask the dbxpert at your local dealer for ademonstration of the new dbx 128. For full product nformation and a list ofdemonstrating dbx 128 dealers, circle reader service number or contact:

dbx, Incorporated, 71 Chapel StreetNewton, Massachusetts 02195 (617) 964-3210

4 Circle No. 12 On Reader Service Card

hi-KstereoLJ a i=ka' =1_111=

Electronics Group Coordinator &Editor -in -ChiefJulian S. Martin

EditorChristine Begole

Associate EditorGordon Sell

Editorial AssistantCynthia McClean

Art DirectorRalph Rubino

Cover Design DirectorIrving Bernstein

Associate Ali DirectorDavid Pindar

Assistant Art DirectorMichael Vessio

Art AssistantLeslie Wallant

Production DirectorCarl Bartee

Production ManagerCarole Dixon

Production AssistantAnnette Simon

Advertising DirectorEdmund M. Lassus

Subscription Circulation DirectorRobert V Enlow

Subscription Circulation ManagerEugene S. Slawso

Newsstand Circulation DirectorDonald L. Gabree

Marketing DirectorJames C Weakley

President and PublisherJoel Davis

Vice President and Genera! ManagerLeonard F. Pinto

Vic* President and TreasurerVictor C. Stabile

HI-FI / STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE is published bi-monthly by Davis Publications. Inc. Editorialand Business offices: 380 Lexington Ave., NewYork. NY 10017. All subscription orders and mailregarding subscriptions should be sent to P.O.Box 1855 GPO. NY. NY 10001. One-year subscrip-tion (six issues) in the U.S. - $5.95. Outside U.S.A.and possessions. add $1 per year. Advertisingoffices: 380 Lexington Ave.. NY, NY 10017.212-557-9100. Chicago: Didier & Broderick, 550Frontage Rd., P.O. Box 337, Suite 288, Northfield,IL 60093, 312-446-9571. Los Angeles: JacquesMontague Company, 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite1145, Los Angeles, CA 90036, 213-933-9217. Forchange of address, please advise 4 to 6 weeksbefore moving. Send your current mailing labelwith new address to HI -Fl Stereo Buyers' Guide,P.O. Box 1855 GPO, New York, NY 10001.Second-class postage paid at New York, NYand at additional mailing office. 7 Copyright1979 by Davis Publications. Inc. ISSN 0018-1218

HI-Fl/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

Our theory sounds fantastic.

In an industry where trial and error methods are com-mon, the Koss Theory of loudspeaker design may seemout of place. But once you hear the unmatched Soundof Koss in the new CM 1020 loudspeaker, you'll knowour computerized theory helped make the optimum 3bandpass speaker a reality.

The Koss Theory eliminates the guesswork inspeaker design by selecting parameters for the bestpossible performance. That's why every part of theCM 1020 works superbly both alone an 1 as part ofthe whole.

The dual ports, for example, enhance the woofer'sfront sound waves and dampen excessive woofer move-ment. There are two ports instead of one because twoallow for improved cabinet tuning and greater struc-tural stability. This added stability keeps the cabinetwalls from beginning to flex causing unwanted sound-wa ves.

The port -augmented 10 -inch woofer is a special de -

01977 Koss Corp.

sign that provides a 3 dB gain in electrical efficiencyand a 3 dB down point of 31 Hz while offering maxi-mally flat response over the low bandpass. To captureall the presence and musical energy from 300 Hz to3.5 kHz, the CM 1020 features a performance synthe-sized 4 2 -inch midrange driver. Handling the highbandpass is a 1 -inch dome tweeter linked to a uniqueacoustic transformer. This Koss tweeter produces thehighest energy output and lowest distortion of any1 -inch direct radiator tweeter on the market. Finally,to unite all these outstanding elements, Koss developeda unique, seamless crossover network.

Though we've tried to describe the superiority ofthe Koss CM 1020, nothing can match the thrill of alive performance. Ask your Audio Dealer for a demon-stration, or write to Fred Forbes c/o the Koss Cor-poration for a free brochure of Koss CM loudspeakers.After experiencing the CM 1020, you'll agree: hearingis believing.

KOSS CM 1020 SPEAKER SYSTEMhearing is believinr

KOSS CORPORATION, 4129 N t'ort vVasnington Ave Milwaukee. Wisconsin 53212Koss International London Dublin. Paris. Frankfurt Amsterdam Koss Limited Ontario Koss K K Tokyo

Circle No. 18 On Reader Service Card

The better your ear,the more you

need newAudio-Technica

VITALLINKS!

Every wire, every connection in yourstereo system is a source of trouble, a chancefor losses which can keep your system fromachieving its full potential.

Introducing three new Vital Link wire setsfrom Audio-Technica ...each a positive steptoward ideal performance and trouble -freeoperation.

I

u4

Start at the cartridge with the AT609 HeadShell Wire Set. Color -coded, insulated wireswith 14 strands of pure silver Litz wire, termi-nated in corrosion -free gold terminals. Nolosses, no intermittents. Easy to install. Just$6.95 and worth every penny.

Between turntableand amplifier (or any twostereo components) usenew AT610a High Con-ductivity Cable. A stereopair 60" long, plus anindependent ground wirewith lugs. Each gold-plated plug is color -coded. Both resistanceand capacitance are far

below ordinary cables. Only $7.95.For the most

critical installationsuse our AT620 Super-conductivity CableSet. Two individualcables, each 48" long,with heavily gold-plated plugs. Insidethe wire shield is asecond conductivelayer of polypropylene shielding. Special foamdielectric keeps capacity low, while superbconductivity is assured by using Litz -wireinner conductors with maximum surface areawhich reduces high frequency losses. Theset lists for $29.95.

From phonograph cartridge to loud-speaker, each audio system is a chain, nostronger than its weakest link. Connect yoursystem with Vital Link cables from Audio-Technica. At your A -T dealer now. Or writefor our complete audio accessory catalog.

0 INNOVATION PRECISION INTEGRITYAUDIO-TECHNICA U.S., INC.

Dept. 39BG-1, 33 Shiawassee AvenueFairlawn, Ohio 44313

In Canada: Superior Electronics, Inc.


aucho-technica

THELATEST HI-FICOMPONENTSIN OUR...

A,DIOSHOWCASE

Integrated Stereo Amplifier

Kellwood's KA-8100 DC stereo poweramplifier, with dual power supplies, isclaimed to end phase distortion andcrosstalk distortion. The unit has an in-dependent preamplifier power supply, again sensitivity control that accommo-dates moving coil cartridges having 0.8mV sensitivity, two tape deck capabil-ity with A/B dubbing and tape -throughcircuitry, and selectable turnover pointsfor bass/treble tone controls. Also highand low filters (12 dB per octave), tonedefeat and subsonic filters, a six -steploudness control, and a stepped volumeattenuator control. Specifications for

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the power amplifier section: power out-put, 75 watts per channel minimum,RMS, at 8 ohms from 20 to 20,000 Hzwith no more than 0.03% total harmonicdistortion; IM distortion, 0.03% at ratedpower into 8 ohms; power bandwidth,5 to 50,000 Hz; signal-to-noise ratio,115 dB (short circuited); damping fac-tor, 50 at 8 ohms; input sensitivity/impedance, 1.0 V/50 k ohms; speakerimpedance, accepts 4 to 16 ohms. Pre -amp specs: frequency response, phono,+0.2 dB, -0.2 dB (RIAA standardcurve); frequency response, aux andtape, +0 dB, -1 dB, 7 to 50,000 Hz;signal-to-noise ratio for phono 1 and 2,from 85 dB for 2.5 mV input to 97 dBfor 10 mV input; signal-to-noise ratiofor tuner, aux, and tapes A and B, all110 dB for 150 mV inputs; input sensi-tivity/impedance for phono, 2.5 mV/50 k ohms (for tuner, aux and tapes,150 mV/50 k ohms. Price: $425.

Warm and Harmonious SoundKLH says that this model CL -2 loud-speaker, which has a frequency rangeof 52 to 22,000 Hz, gives "sound thatis warm and harmonious." The 10 -inch


woofer of this acoustic suspension typeunit complements the low -mass 1 -inchsoft dome tweeter. A continuously vari-able tweeter level control can be usedto accent the lively top end of theCL -2. The indicated frequency re-sponse is claimed to be "impressively"flat within 2 dB. Other specifications:crossover, 1200 Hz; nominal imped-ance, 8 ohms; minimum impedance, 6ohms; maximum power handling capac-ity, 60 watts; minimum power require-ment, 15 watts; sensitivity, 91.5 dB at1 meter with an input of 1 watt shapedpink noise, pi steradian field. Thespeaker comes in both oak or walnutgrain vinyl with removable front grillepanel. Dimensions: 233. inches high by14 inches wide by 10% inches deep.Suggested retail price: $139.

Front -Loading Cassette Deck

Dual's Model 819 front -loading cassettedeck includes such conveniences as afade/edit control for fading out, duringplayback, any errors made during re-cording; also a full logic tape transportsystem and high-speed direct -gear re-wind. Precise speed control is assuredby use of a high -torque DC servo -con-trol motor. The speed is constantly

monitored and instantly corrected, ifnecessary, by feedback from an integralfrequency generator. The tape stopsand the deck is shut off if a faulty cas-sette jams. Other features include: peakreading meters, peak limiter, separatelevel controls for mike and line inputs,20 -volt power supply built into eachmike input to power high -quality con-denser mikes. Specifications: frequencyresponse, 20 to 16,000 Hz with ferricoxide tape and to 17,000 Hz with ferri-chrome tape; wow and flutter, less than0.05% WRMS; signal-to-noise ratio withDolby, greater than 64 dB with ferricoxide and chromium dioxide tapes, bet-


Consider the Sony AudioPS -X70 turntable.

Think of it as a professionaltranscription turntable, for homeuse. At a price your audio-conscioL s home can afford

Thr.k about two discreteservo -controlled motors One forthe platter. Another for thetonearm

And while you're thinkingabout motors, think about Sony'shesitation -free BSL motor. Nobrushes No slots And absolutelyno cogging. Just even, uniformrotation. Hour after hour Year afteryear.

Our own Quartz -locked Mag-nedisc servo control system makesSony direct -drive turntables im-mune to voltage fluctuations. Ittakes servo control to a new levelof accuracy, by measuring turn-table speed at the outer rim of theplatter - not at the motor.

There's moreknow front -mounted featouch controls, electromagneticbrakng speciai four -clamp head -shell connector, even resonance -free SBMC cabinet with fluid -filledfeet to eliminate acoustic feedback.

But perhaps the most amaz-ing thing about our PS -X70 is thatit's not alone.

It's just the top of our line. Awhole line of new Sony Audio turn-tables, most of which have mostof the features we've listed here.

And every one is designed asa system. With electronic, mag-netic, and mechanical technol-ogies contributing to a balancedlevel of audio performance nosingle innovation could achieve.

We know about turntable in-novation. We practically wrote thebook: direct drive, servo control,

tonearm,Son ng be-fore almost ew theyexisted.

But we also know that innova-tion alone can't make a -great audiocomponent. Sound makes a greataudio component.

Like the sound you get fromour PS -X70 turntable.

Quit, just because we'reahead?

Not Sony Audio Not on youriife.

SONYSony Indurif.s, 9 West 57th Stree , N Y. N Y 10019Sony is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation

Circle No. 5 Or Reader Service Card

One size fitsall Shure

phon0cartridges

Needle in thehi-fi haystackEven we were astountled at howdifficult it is to find an adequateother -brand replacement stylus foraShure cartridge. We recentlypurchased 241 random styli that werenot manufactured bv Shure. but werebeing sold as replacements for ourcartridges. Only ONE of these 241styli could pass the same basicproduction line performance teststhat ALL genuine Shure styli mustpass. But don't simply accept whatwe say here. Send for the documentedtest results we've compiled for you indata booklet # AL548. Insist on agenuine Shure stylus so that yourcartridge will retain its originalperformance capability-and at theSallie time protect your records.

Shure Brothers Inc.222 Hart rev Ave.. Evanston. IL 60204Inc:amnia- .4.1:. nnv,nds sigh trinstrii

.1.141t/IllaCtIlto,,,At high fidelity,t)111r)114,1I,,I.i.trm.rIn,)rrLurJru, flirt

Circle No. 41 On Reader Service Card8 HI-FI/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

A., CIOSHOWCASEter than 67 dB with ferrichrome tape;harmonic distortion, less than 0.7%;crosstalk between stereo channels,greater than 40 dB; speed accuracy,0.6%. Price: $429.95.

Battery Operated Record Cleaner

Panasonic's BH-651E battery operatedrecord cleaner employs a "double clean"method that uses a rotary brush tocollect dust from the record surfacesand deposit the particles in a built-indust box. Thin bristles, made from the


same type of plastic used to make rec-ords (PVC), are only 0.05mm thick anddo their work without bruising the rec-ord surfaces or causing buildup of staticelectricity. The brushes, which spin ata high speed of 3000 rpm, are drivenby a motor powered by two "AA" bat-teries (not included). Price: about$16.95.

Line -leader Linear Tuner

SAE's line -leading Model 8000 FMstereo digital tuner has a linear phaseIF section which is credited for a lowstereo distortion specification of 0.2% orless and a low noise of 68 dB or less.Precise station tuning is aided by twometers, one used to indicate signal


New Car Stereo Line

Sparkomatic Corporation is offering aline of car stereo equipment that thecompany believes is the "finest andmost complete line of car stereo equip-ment available today." There are twenty


models in all, ranging from 30 -dollarunder -dash 8 -track and cassette modelsto sophisticated high -power 8 -track andcassette AM/FM stereo radio combina-tion units. Several have digital readouts.Many models are said to feature elec-tronic controls for loudness, muting,high filter and AM/FM, with LED in-dicators, auto reserve cassette and auto-matic key off eject. Typical is the SR -3300 high -power AM/FM cassette deckshown here. Suggested retail price$259.95.

Cassette Deck for Metal TapesJVC's model KD-A8 cassette deck isclaimed to one of the first such tapeunits on the American market that iscapable of using new metal tape formu-lations. Features a microcomputer thatmatches deck characteristics with tapecharacteristics, automatically. The new

-4.01101111.1r

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feature is dubbed the "ComputerB.E.S.T. Tuning System," with lettersB, E, S and T representing bias, equali-zaron, sensitivity and total, respec-tively. According to JVC, the tuningdetects variances even among the samekinds of tapes and compensates forthe differences. If a tape is of excessive-ly poor quality, or when the tape se-lect switch is incorrectly set, an errorindicator lamp lights. Specifications:frequency response, 15 to 17,000 Hzwith normal tape and 15 to 18,000with SA/Cr0_ and metal tapes; signal-to-noise ratio, 58 dB (ANRS noiselimiter off); wow and flutter, 0.035%WRNS; channel separation, 35 dB;crosstalk, 65 dB; total harmonic dis-tortion, 1.2%; fast forward and rewindtimes, 80 seconds. Price: $750.

strength, the other to define channelcenters. Model 8000 has a triple MOS-FET front end and a five -gang variablecapacitor that provides a spurious re-sponse rejection of over 100 dB and anIHF sensitivity of 1.6 itV. The tuner'scrystal controlled digital readout andFET muting assure precise thump -freetuning, says SAE. Suggested retailprice: $700.

Improved Speaker LineLafayette Radio Electronics says theCriterion Series 2001 and 2002 speak-

11 fact:I February and March are

be -kind -to-your-records/check-your-stylus months...

FREE! Stylus inspection andcleaning wherever you see this sign:A cartridge is forever-your stylus isn't! Eventhough you can't see stylus wear, it affects the per-formance of your entire hi-fi system. A worn styluscould even ruin your records! We urge you to haveyour stylus professionally inspected no less thanonce a year.

During February and March, audio dealers dis-playing this sign will have trained personnel andthe equipment necessary to examine your stylusfor wear or damage. They'll professionally cleanyour stylus and tell you if it's time to replace it.

Stylus replacement is very simple and requires no toolsor special skills. To remove, grasp the stylus grip betweenthe thumb and fore-finger. Gently with-draw the stylus bypulling it forward outof the cartridge.To replace. grasp thestylus grip betweenthumb and forefingerand insert into sty-lus socket. Press thestylus into the sock-et until the moldedhousing of the stylustouches the cartridgecase.To prevent damageto the stylus tip orshank, be careful notto allow the finger toslip off the stylus grip.

NOTE: Stylus guardwhen present shouldbe in "down" positionwhen replacing stylus.

FREE!

styluscleaning brushA practical and safe way to cleanyour stylus' Synthetic bristles with theright amount of s':iffness to remove dustand lint buildup efficiently without damagingthe stylus tip. Free when you have your stylus in-spected at a participating Shure dealer.

Bring your cartridge back tooriginal specsThe performance of your cartridge depends largelyon the stylus assembly and only a genuine Shurereplacement stylus can restore your cartridge toits original performance! Give your record collec-tion the protection it deserves, insist on the words"This Stereo Dynetic stylus is precision manu-factured by Shure Brothers Inc:" on the box, andthe name SHURE on the replacement stylus youbuy. Don't settle for substitutes-your record col-lection is too valuable!

Replacement styli by ...SHURE

Special Note:Genuine Shure replace-ment styli are available forvirtually all Shure stereomagnetic cartridges-whatever their age. If yourdealer doesn't have yours,write to us.

Shure Brothers Inc. 222 Hartrey Ave. Evanston, IL 60204 In Canada: A.C. Simmonds & Sons LimitedManufacturers of high fidelity components, microphones, sound systems and related circuitry.

MARCH/APRIL 1979 Circle No. 29 On Reader Service Card 9

McIntosh"A TechnologicalMasterpiece..."

McIntosh C 32

"More Than a Preamplifier"

McIntosh has received peerless ac-claim from prominent product

testing laboratories and outstand-ing international recognition! Youcan learn why the "more than apreamplifier" C 32 has been

selected for these unique honors.

Send us your name and addressand we'll send you the completeproduct reviews and data on all

McIntosh products, copies of theinternational awards. and a NorthAmerican FM directory. You willunderstand why McIntosh productresearch and development alwayshas the appearance and tech-

nological look to the future.

Keep up to date.Send now - - -

McIntosh Laboratory Inc.Box 96 East Side StationBinghamton. NY 13904

Name

Address _

City State Zip

If you are in a hurry for your catalog pleasesend the coupon to McIntosh. For non -rushservice send the Reader Service Card to themagazine.


SHOWCASEers have been improved, and a new top -of -the -line model has been added tothe series. The 2001 and 2002 seriesspeakers are claimed to have morelinear bass response and greater powerhandling characteristics than their pre-decessors. Circuit breakers have re -


placed fuses. A full, woodgrained vinylveneer plus snap -on acoustically -trans-parent grille highlight cosmetic im-provements. The new 2003A speakerhas been engineered to produce the pop-ular "disco" sound. It incorporates amassive 15 -inch woofer for strong bassresponse, plus a 16- by 4% -inch multi -cell midrange horn and two angularlymounted, matched tweeters that dis-perse highs over 140 degrees. Thisspeaker can be driven by amplifiershaving from 20 to 120 watts outputper channel. The Criterion 2001A hasa 70 -watt capacity, while the 2002Ais designed to handle amplifiers deliver-ing between 15 and 90 %vitas per chan-nel. Price: 2001A, $129.99; 2002A,$169.99; 2003A, $199.99.

"Snap Pack" Tape Modules

New style "Snap Pack" tape cassettemodules from Irish brand tapes featurea slide -in drawer in a plastic sleeve toaccommodate two cassette tapes. Thesleeve itself may be "snap -in stacked"

5-4R2Og3.1311


atop another sleeve because of thespecial nesting design. The new pack-

aging is said to eliminate the need ofstorage racks or other such accessories.Two title tabs, and a pair of self-ad-hesive strips for under -dash mountingof the pack, come with each unit. Ap-proximate retail prices of the packscontaining 60 -minute and 90 -minuteplay tapes are $3.25 and $4.15 respec-tively. The Series 2000 Irish tapes fea-ture: screw assembly design, hard win-dows, quality idler rollers, graphitelubricated liner foils, and individualizedspring pressure pads and shields.

Economy Cassette Deck

Sony's model TC-K1A front -loadingstereo cassette deck is claimed to com-bine advanced performance featureswith convenient operation for budget-

minded music lovers. The unit is pow-ered by an "advanced" servo -controlledmotor, and features a Dolby noise re-duction system. The signal-to-noieratio is put at 55 dB with Dolby offand using ferrichrome tape. Also claim-ed is a wide frequency response of 50to 13,000 Hz ± 3 dB, and wow andflutter of 0.08% WRMS. The key tothe deck's dependable performance isthe advanced servo -controlled motor,


according to Sony. The single motorprovides highly accurate tape speedand smooth, stable transport. Conveni-ence features include accurate VUmeters, and a three -position tape se-lector designed to optimize bias andequalization for ferrite, ferrichrome,and chromium dioxide tape formula-tions. The deck's one -button recordingsystem eliminates recording problemswhile speeding the taping operation.There's also an all mode automaticshut-off, and an automatic tape repeatmechanism. The cassette compartmentis air -damped for smooth ejection, anda removable lid permits easy accessfor cleaning and maintenance of tapeheads. All controls are on the frontpanel. The suggested list price is $180.

Tonearm Lifter Accessory

There's no longer any need to rushto your turntable t r lift the tonearmwhen music ends, ien if your single -play turntable lacks an automatic stop.Thorens has devised a simple automatictonearm lifter that can be installed onmost manual turntables in minutes, ac-cording to the company. You don'teven need a screwdriver because theunit mounts by means of double -stick

10HI-FI/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

The world'sfastest power amplifier

Wave Farm Comparison of Bipolar Transistorvs. Power MOS FET

Distorted sinewave form

Maximum speed

mull111

Conventional bipolar Hitachi s newpower transistor Power MOS FET

Graphic Illustratior. Simulated oscilloscope data from Hitachi Toyokawa Laboratory

Hitachi Power MOS FETHMA-8500

Hitachi's HMA-6500 Stereo Power All.11.1111111MAmplifier with the incredible PowerMOS FET offers ultra -high switchingspeed to dramatically reduce outputand frequency distortion. At 50watts output from 20 Hz to 20 kHz,there's no more than 0.02% totalharmonic distortion. And theHMA-6500 has such wide linearitythat it refuses to distort even when confronted with the most intense dynamic peaks.Frequency response is ruler flat from DC to 100 kHz, with no crossover distortion.

Add the performance -matched HCA-6500 Stereo Control Amplifier and theFT -8000 Digital Synthesizer Tuner. Both are sleek and stylish performers.The HCA-6500 gives you total control without adding any audible noise or distortion.The FT -8000 is nothing short of an FT -8000

electronic miracle, with digitalfrequency readout, all -electronicfront end, clock functionand six station memory. 675The HMA-6500, HCA-6500 andFT -8000 - the fastest and the finestfrom Hitachi.

HITACHIA sound investment

Audio Component Division, Hitachi Sales Corp. of a, West Atte-air Boula2v.il .taaptona CA

Circle No.35 On Reader Service Card

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A,DIOSHOWCASEadhesive tape. When the tonearm comesto the end of a record, it touches asensitive tripping bar which triggersthe lifting lever. The turntable cancontinue to revolve because the styluswill be out of contact with the record.This helps prevent needless wear ofexpensive styli. The Thorens "Q -Up"retails for $15.

Linear Phase Speaker Kit

Heath's ASX-1383 speaker kit is athree-way system utilizing a linearphase design approach to "align" theradiating surfaces of the drivers tomake bass, treble and midrange soundsreach a listener's ears simultaneouslyfor improved tonal clarity and transientreproduction. A unique feature of thespeaker, says Heath, is a compoundcurved baffle that eliminates edges andcorners that cause transient distortionand inconsistent frequency response.


The ASX-1383 has a 10 -inch high -compliance, long -throw woofer, a 5 -inchhigh -compliance, long -throw midrangeand a 1 -inch soft -dome, high -compliancetweeter. The speakers are arranged foxminimum live height (the distance fromwoofer voice coil to tweeter voice coil)to approximate a single -point soundsource for increased dispersion andsound realism at all frequencies. Eachspeaker is individually fused. The cabi-net is of select Brazilian Rosewoodveneer with a charcoal black acoustic-ally -transparent "lift-off" grille cloth.The speaker is sold in matched pairsonly and mail order priced at $569.95(F.O.B. Benton Harbor, Mich.) perkit pair.

40 -Watt Receiver

Sansui's G-4500 receiver, price -taggedat $320, delivers a power output of 40watts per channel, minimum RMS in-to 8 ohms from 20 to 20,000 Hz, with

g , .(


no more than 0.1% total harmonic dis-tortion. The receiver uses sensitive(1.95 pV. I H F ) and selecti (50 db)FM tuner section with less tnan 0.15%total harmonic distortion, and .aturesseparate signal -strength and eerier -tunemeters to achieve optimum reception.The FM section also has switchableFM muting, stereo indicator, 40 dBstereo separation, and a frequency re-sponse (mono or stereo) from 30 to15,000 Hz, +0.5, -1 dB. The phonosections feature RIAA equalization ac-curacy of ±0.5 dB, a signal-to-noiseratio of 75 dB, and an input capacityin excess of 200 mV. A microphonemixing input with its own level controlis provided for PA applications. Thepower amplifier section utilizes a high-energy, well -regulated power supplyand has these other features: click -stopbass and treble controls; two -system(plus headphone) switched loudspeak-er capacity; tape monitor; mode andloudness contour switches; balance con-trol. The aux signal-to-noise ratio ex-ceeds 95 dB.

Auto Cassette Storage Unit

This pop -open cassette storage unit wasdesigned specifically for use in cars bythe 3M Company. It "sits" on the trans-mission hump between the driver andpassenger seats. The Scotch "C -Box"Car Saddle storage kit, which costs$9.95, consists of five stackable andinterlocking "C -Box" storage boxes, amounting bracket and an end -weightedblack vinyl mat. Holders and cassettesmay be attached to the mat horizontally


or vertically, and the storage boxesmay be slipped out of the interlockinggrooves for removal from the vehicle.The front of each storage box containsan index label for visible program iden-tificati.n, and there's a drawer insertcard for cataloging more detailed in -

Circle No. 16 On Reader Service Card12

HI-FI/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

UALITYIIEVERSE

AKAI introduces automatic reverse record at popular prices.Now instead of interrupting great moments in

music when it's time to flip the camptte, AKAI's twonewest cecks automatically reverse The tape andcontinue to record or play back.

In addition, the deluxe GXC-735D is loaded withall the features that makp the difference between agood deck and a great one. Things like AKAI's exclu-sive GX (glass and crystal ferrite) heads, guaranteedfor 150,C00 hours - the equivalent of playing 24 hoursa day for 171/2 years. As &ell as feather -touch contr4,Dolby:* memory rewin , quick reverse and dramati-

cally recessed red/green illuminated VU meters.Not to 'mention the kind of specs serious componentbuyers all over the world dependor. AKAI to deliver.(For the more economy -minded there's the CS -732D.Same great auto reverse record/Playback feature,with Dolby, quick4everse and tape selector- a lotof AKAI quality for net a lot of money.)

lHear them th al your AKAI dealer or writeAKAI America, d., 2139 E. Del Amo Blvd., P O. Box6010, Compton, CA 90224. And see how they canreverse your thinking about ainomatic recording.

GXC-735D: Wow/Flutter -less than 0.38% WRMS; S/N Ratio-better tkan 58 dB, weighted, atFe position, with peak level at 3% THD. Dolby on improves up to 1C dB above S kHz. Fre-quatcy response -35-17,000 Hz (± '3. dB) using FeCr tape.

CS -732D: Wow/Flutter - less than 0.08% WRMS; S/N Ratio - better than 57 CB, weighted, atFeCr position, with peak level at 3% T1-1). Dolby on improves up to 10 dB above 5 kHz. Fre-quency response- 38-16,000 Hz (± 3 CB) using FeCr tape.

4

AKAIYou never heard it so good.

Circle No.4 On Reader Service Card

*TM, Dolby Labs. Inc.

STEREO4 AKAI

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A,DIOSHOWCASEformation. There's also provision forexpansion to accept additional storageboxes.

Mini Loudspeaker Kits for Vans

Ultralinear says that for the very firsttime you can buy a loudspeaker foryour van "that will equal, if not ex-ceed the performance of your homeaudio speakers." If you can use ascrewdriver and can spare 30 minutesof working time, you can assemble the


two speakers contained in an Ultra -linear Do -It -Yourself Mini -Kit (MK1)at a total cost of $89.95. All parts areprovided, and there is no soldering.There's also a limited offer of twomobile mounting brackets ($13.95value) to make the 1111K1 an even bet-ter buy, according to Ultralinear.

Stereo Cassette Tape Deck

Radio Shack's Realistic SCT-30 stereocassette tape deck features three tapeheads, dual -capstan drive, and a com-plete, double -Dolby noise reductionsystem for simultaneous Dolby record-ing and monitoring. The unit also de-codes Dolby FM stereo broadcastswhen hooked into the tape monitorcircuit of a receiver. Other features in-clude illuminated peak -reading levelmeters, DC servo motor to control tapespeed, three -position bias and equaliza-tion switches plus a "variable bias ad-justment" for balancing to any tapeformula. There's also full Auto -Stop, athree -digit counter, up -front mike andheadphone jacks, output level control,and power -assisted controls for pause,fast forward, play, rewind, record andstop/eject. Dual concentric knobs per-mit individual adjustment of the left -and right -channel recording levels,there are tape/source monitor and mic/aux input switches, also LED indicators

m 77_,_."71 z -


for Dolby and record functions. Thecassette door detaches completely foreasy tape head maintenance. Specs:frequency response, ±3 dB, 30 to15,000 Hz with ferric tape and 30 to16,000 Hz with chrome tape; wow andflutter, less than 0.06% WRMS;; signal-to-noise ratio (Cr02 tape with Dolby"in" and CCIR weighted), 61 dB; dis-tortion at 0 dB, less than 0.9e/c ; cross-talk between tracks, less than -60 dB.Price: $379.95.

New -Name Loudspeaker System

This GS401A loudspeaker system is thefirst product to be offered in this coun-try by Gale Electronics Limited, aBritish firm represented here by Akron -based Audio Potentials. The systemcontains two, 200 -mm bass units, a100 -mm sealed midrange unit and a19 -mm dome tweeter. The bass unitsare mounted in a damped and sealedenclosure, and are acoustically coupledto reduce harmonic distortion at lowfrequencies. The tweeter is designed

"The definition is the best Ihave heard from any dynamicloudspeaker... one of the finestloudspeakers I have ever listenedto, giving a precise stereo imagewithout instrument wander.

ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING TIMES

"Summing up the DQ-10's, ifyou get the opportunity to livewith them, you will find it verydifficult to listen to ordinary loud-speakers afterwards."

PRACTICAL HI-FI & AUDIO

"White noise tests confirm thecoloration was exceptionally low-one of the best systems I have yettested, in fact."

"Owners of DQ-10's are notlikely to part with them for manyyears!" HI-FI BUYER'S REVIEW

THE BEST LOUDSPEAKERWILL STAND UP TOTHE TEST OF TIME.

From its introduction in 1973 to this day, theDahlquist DQ-10 earned an unending successionof rave reviews from critical audiophile publica-tions and music lovers alike.

The DQ-10, with its patented Phased Array'"driver configura:ion and diffractionless baffleplate design, established new standards forloudspeaker performance.

The DQ-10 extracts an unprecedented amountof detailed information from recordings. It pre-sents a precisely focused and "boxless" musicalimage, which preserves the full sense of depthand dimension of the original performance.

Above all, the Dahlquist DQ-10 is an extraordi-narily realistic music reproducer. Like the timelesssound of a live performance, the DQ-10 transcendsboth fads and trends. The listening pleasure it pro-vides does not diminish over time-truly the ulti-mate test of a loudspeaker.

For Furt-ier Information Write To:

EDAM ILQIUP Wr27 Hanse Avenue, Freeport, New York 11520

14 Circle No. 11 On Reader Service CardHI-FI/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

SA- :TDKMOO OF 110 AV POINOW1101

While the others were catching up,TDK was moving ahead.

Shortly after it was introduced in 1975, 'MKSA, the world's first non -chrome high biascassette, was accepted by most quality deckmanufacturers as their high bias referencestandard. This advanced, new cassette enabledtheir decks to perform to the limit of their ca-pabilities. And because the decks are set inthe factory to sound their best with SA, music -loving consumers made SA the number oneselling high bias cassette.

The other tape makers set out in pursuit ofSA, hoping someday to equal the performanceof its Super Avilyn particle formulation and thereliability of its super precision mechanism.

But making the world's most advancedcassette was nothing new for TDK's engineers.They pioneered thehigh fidelity cassetteback in 1968 and formore than a decadethey've led the wayin cassette tape tech-nology. Over the lastthree years, they'verefined SA and made

it clearly superior to the '75 version.*That makes the music lovers happy; it

means more music with less distortion.It makes the deck makers happy; they've beenimproving their decks and SA makes themsound better than ever. But for the competition,unhappily, it means a whole new standard tocatch lip to.

So if you'd like to raise your own recordingstandards, step up to TDK SA, the high biasreference tape backed by high fidelity's originalfulllifetime warranty.**TDK ElectronicsCorporation,Garden City, 4 III.I 11 irDK.14

New York 11530 The machine for your machine.TM

'TVs.MIR

Super Precosoon Cassette Mechertesm

SA -C90 ::TDK--,,wwwwiA11111.1111111

-level (MOL} more than 3d3 better than that 01'11at the ritical high frequencies, and improved sensitivity across theentire frequency range. "in the unlikely avant that ary TDK audio cassette ever tails to perform due to a detect in nester als or workmanship, return it to your localdealer or to TDK for a tree replacement *1978, TDK Electronics Corp.

Circle No. 26 On Reeder Service Card

A,DIOSHOWCASE


for optimum frequency dispersion aswell as unusually extended response,according to the manufacturer. Typicalfrequency response in an "average"room is better than 35 to 20,000 Hz±5 dB while crossover frequenciesare at 475 Hz and 5000 Hz. Galerecommends that the speakers be usedwith amplifiers providing from 60 to200 watts RMS per channel into 8ohms. Each loudspeaker has balancecontrols for midband and treble. Thecost of each GS401A is $525. The jazzymatching chrome base will set youback another $75 each. For the bene-fit of those have not yet started think-ing metric, those 200- 100- and 19 -mmdriver dimensions are nominally 8, 4and 3; inches.

High Bias Audio Cassette Tapes

Memorex has replaced the company'sline of chromium dioxide cassette tapeswith a new ferrite crystal oxide formu-lation line that is claimed to provide"outstanding" sound reproduction whenused at high bias (chrome/Cr02) 70 -

microsecond equalization machine set-ting. Claimed attributes of the newproduct: excellent performance at criti-cal high frequencies for brilliant sound;low noise and increased maximum out-


put levels for excellent signal-to-noiseratio; ability to record at high levelswithout saturation to provide wide dy-namic range and broad recording flexi-bility. The new line also features anew type of album having a unique

built-in hub lock system that allows acassette to be inserted into the albumin either direction. The album also hasa snap -lock that limits the swing ofthe album lid when open, and preventsaccidental opening when closed. Thecassettes themselves are assembled bymeans of sonic welding, rather thanwith screws "for best guarantee of pre-cision assembly," according to Memo-rex. Suggested retail prices of the 60 -and 90 -minute lengths are $4.39 and$5.99 respectively.

Subwoofer Crossover Kit

Ace Audio's model 5000 ElectronicCrossover is designed especially foroperation with any subwoofer, and withthe new super "mini speakers" made byRogers, Visonik, ADS, Yamaha andothers. The 5000 is a self-contained unitwhich crosses over at 18 dB/octave ata frequency of 100 Hz. Provision ismade for using either a mono amplifierfor the subwoofer, or connecting a


stereo amplifier to plus and minus out-puts so that both channels can bedriven in mono mode for double thepower output. A level control allowsprecise adjustment of the subwooferoutput, and a defeat switch permitsaccurate subwoofer balancing to therest of the system without use of in-struments. Noise is said to be -90 dB.and distortion is less than 0.025% at2V output level, and typically 0.01%.The unit employs precision metal filmresistors and polystyrene capacitors toensure accurate response at crossover.according to Ace. All parts mount ona single PC board and construction issaid to take about three hours at most.Prices: kit, $59.25; factory wired andtested, $99.50.

In -dash Player, Receiver, Clock

Craig Corporation offers a new in -dashsound system that includes a stereocassette tape player, Auto -Scan AM/FM/MPX receiver and a digital clock.Model T635 has a PLL (Phase -LockedLoop) synthesizer scanning system forsimplified station selection. There's 10-

station manual and preset tuning, andcapability for programming to scan se-lected stations or the entire broadcastband. An extra bright digital readoutdisplays the exact radio frequency orthe time of day. Other features include:full power -off eject and end -of -tapeeject; separate balance and fader con -

MitsubishiCar Audio

DealersARIZONAHI Fl SALES COMPANYMesaCALIFORNIAAUTO RADIO HEADQUARTERSOaklandCALIFORNIA CAR STEREOHaywardDOW SOUND CITY CAR STEREOSanRADEIOe'CJPPLY COMPANYSacramentoSOUNDWORKSErrreTHE

rateERATED GROUPWest Los AngelesHollywoodWestminsterCanoga ParkLa PuenteTHE GOOD GUYSSouth San FranciscoTHE SOUND ROOMModestoSAN JOSE STEREO TAPESan loseSOUND COMPANYSan DiegoCOLORADOESP COMPANY INCEnglewoodSOUNDTRONICSGreeleyCONNECTICUTPJ S INCEast HartfordFLORIDAAUDIO GARAGE. INCWinterparkCONSUMER WAREHOUSEJacksonvilleELECTRONIC CENTERMiamiHARTS APPLIANCE

STEREO CENTERDaytonaHI Fl FO FUM. INCPinellas ParkLUSKINS HIGH FIDELITYHollywoodSOUND INVESTMENTCAR STEREO INCTampaGEORGIABACK DOOR STEREO INCAtlantaGODWIN DISTRIBUTING COMPANYMariettaIDAHOASCENSION STEREOSandpointLANDMARK DISTRIBUTINGIdaho FallsILLINOISAUTO SOUNDSkokieCAR HI FlDowners GroveCONTROLS UNLIMITEDArlington HeightsCUSTOM CAR STEREOOak LawnGLENN POOR S AUDIO VIDEOUrbanaRAS AUTOMOTIVE SOUND INCTEAM ELECTRONICSCapentersvilleTHE STEREO SYSTEMS COAuroraUNITED AUDIO CENTERS INCChicagoVVILLARDS AUDIO TV CBLombardINDIANACLASSIC STEREOFort WayneHI Fl BUYSIndianapolisPRO AUDIOLafayetteIOWAAUDIO ODYSSEYDavenportRENIER COMPANYDubuqueWALDEN PHOTO A STEREO. INCWaterloo

KANSASAUDIO SYSTEMSWichitaCUSTOM SOUND INCWichitaHAYES SIGHT A SOUNDHutchinsonKENTUCKYAUDIO WAREHOUSELouisvilleMASSACHUSETTSK A L SOUND SERVICE COWatertownMICHIGANAL MAS HI Fl STEREODearbornELECTRONIC SOUNDGrand RapidsMINNESOTAAMALGAMATED AUDIOWinoaDAYTON SMinneapolisMR MUSIC MANMonrheadMISSOURIINDEPENDENCE AUDIOIndependenceNEW JERSEYABC WIDE WORLD OF MUSICHackensackARMANDS SOUND ODYSSEYCherry HillAUDIO DISCO INT WHSE SALESWest Long BranchSOUNDWORKSGreenbrookNEW YORKCLASSIC CAR STEREOGreat NeckTHE AUDIO THRESHOLD INCWebster

NORTH CAROLINAAUDIO A VIDEO CONCEPTSWinston SalemCAR STEREO DISTRIBUTORSRaleighCB ELECTRONICSWhitevilleSOUND HAUSDurhamOHIOGENE SHIPP S CARLIN AUDIODaytonTHE SOUND CONNECTIONCantonPENNSYLVANIATEPPER AUTO SOUNDPhiladelphiaTENNESSEEAUDITIONKingsportHAW ELECTRONICS INCJacksonTEXASB A M ELECTRONICS. INCHoustonUTAHINKLEY SSalt Lake CityZCMISalt Lake CityWASHINGTONBRY S APPLIANCEMarysvilleSP'EAKERLAB INCSeattleWEST VIRGINIAHIGH FIDELITY COMPANYCharlestonWISCONSINAUTO RADIO STATIONMadisonPORT OF SOUNDMilwaukeeSOUND GALLERYRacine

mtMITSUBISHICAR AUDIO

SOUND US OUT


Miles Ahead inCar Audio Components

You're aware of Mitsubishi audio com-ponent systems for your home as well asthe superior quality, performance anddesign that goes into them.Now Mitsubishi engineershave followed throughwith that same "sepa-rate components"premise. and wenew want you tobe fully aware ofour new com-ponent systemsfor your car.

Start with theCV -21 PowerAmplifier and the CJ -20 FM Tuner. Thenchoose the CX-21 Auto -Reverse CassetteDeck or the CX-20 Cassette Deck. Addup to six speakers including a pair ofSX-30 two-way Alumi-Die Cast Enclosed

c 1978 Meleo Sales. IncDealer inquiries invited: Contact Melco Sales. Inc.. 7045 N. Ridgeway Ave.. Lincolnwood. III. 60645. 800-323-4216 (Outside 111.i. 312-973-2000 (Within 111.1

speakers for a total car audio systemworthy of the name Mitsubishi.

Now a word about "specs': ..we havealways believed in rating our

equipment's performanceconservatively. Only

you benefit fromthis caution.

"Sound us out -before you buy

any other carstereo system.You'll be miles

ahead withMitsubishi.

A complete line of components. in-dash/under-dashunits and speakers await you at select audio andcar audio dealers. Check the list adjacent to this adforthe Mitsubishi Car Audio dealer nearest you

mtMITSUBISHICAR AUDIO

SOUND US OUT


MARCH/APRIL 1979 17

We builda speakerthat soundslike musicIt can accurately repro-duce the 120 dB peaksthat are found in somelive music. That's morethan just being able toplay music loud. It canaccurately reproduce themusic bandwidth frombelow 25Hz to 20kHz.And the Interface:asvented midrangespeaker reproducesmidrange sounds withthe clarity and puritythat allows preciselocalization of soundsources both lateraland front -to -back.

The Interface:D is theonly commercially avail-able speaker we knowof that can meet thesecriteria. Audition themat your Interface dealer.

Ey

Electro:Voicel'qvIton - iv

600 Cecil StreetBuchanan. Michigan 49107


18

AUDIOSHOWCASEtroll; locking fast forward and rewind;stereo indicator light; power antennaswitching. The suggested retail price is$299.95.

Bi-Amplifiable Car Speaker

Pyramid Industries offers a full -rangePMS-2A Bi-Amplifiable 6- by 9 -inchcar speaker that permits the use ofseparate amplifiers to drive the wooferand tweeter. The company says thatbi-amplification, heretofore used pri-marily in professional audio applica-


tions, is used increasingly in car stereosystems for several good reasons: youget more sound from the total outputwattage, more effective equalization,lower distortion, and greater reliability.The PMS-2A performs at 104 d13/SPLper watt, per meter. Power handling israted at 40 watts RMS into 4 ohms,the crossover frequency is 4500 Hz,and frequency response is 70 to 20,000Hz, according to Pyramid. Price: $109.-97 per pair.

Give -Away Storage Module

Buy four "D" C-90 TDK audio cassettesand you'll get-for free-a storage mod-ule holding up to eight cassettes. Theretail value of the module is put at$2.50 by the company. The "D" (for"Dynamic") audio cassettes are said tobe modestly priced, yet offering bothhigh output and low noise characteris-tics, hence t.iey are suitable for portablecassette recorders as well as for autoand home stereo machines that are ad-justed for normal bias. The shell of thecassette is of five screw design. Tape

- 7111-1144.'


lengths available range from 30 minutesplaying time to 180 minutes which issaid to be the only such long -playcassette now available. Price of four"D" C-90 cassettes: $11.16.

Car Receiver/Cassette UnitThis new J.I.L. Model 631 radio andtape recorder combination for catsoffers an AM/FM/MPX radio havinga FET front end for good sensitivity

OCircle No. 110 On Reader Service Card

and clear reception. A phase -lock -loopcircuit i the multiplex enhances stereoseparation in the FM mode. A local/distance switch assures good receptionin any area, and a handy slide baruickly selects either AM or FM mode.

The stereo cassette section is designedto keep wow and flutter at a minimal0.35%. signal-to-noise ratio at greaterthan 53 dB, and stereo separation at42 dB. The locking fast forward con-trol with auto stop and a manual ejectbutton complete the tape section con-trols. Adjustable shafts assure easy in-

virtually every car, accord-ing to the company. Price: under $190.

Kit With Nestorovic Woofer

Speakerlab's "Thirty" speaker system issaid to be the first consumer speakerkit ,o employ a patented Nestorovicwoofer system designed by Mila Nc:-torovic. The three-way system uses


specially -constructed 8- and 10 -inchwoofers in conjunction with a 4 -inchdense -foam -edge midrange cone driverand a one -inch recessed dome tweeter.This is neither a dual -coupled or pas-sive configuration. Although the woofersshare a single 1.8 cubic foot enclosure,they are selectively active or passiveat different frequencies. A special net-work enables both woofers to workactively in upper bass frequencies and


Well match the tonearmon our lowest -priced turntableagainst, the tonearmon their highesCpriced turntable.

We'd like to be very clear about what we have in mind. By"their- we mean everyone else's. And, our lowest -pricedturntable is the new CS1237.

The CS1237's tonearm is mounted in a four -pointgyroscopic gimbal-widely acknowledged as the finestsuspension system available. The tonearm is centered,balanced and pivoted exactly where the vertical andhorizontal axes intersect.

From pivot to tonearm neaa, the shape is a straightline, the shortest distance between those two importantpoints. (Curved tonearms may look sexier, but at the costof extra mass, less rigidity and lateral imbalance-noneof which is consistent with good engineering practice.)

Tracking force is applied by a flat -wound spring coiledaround the vertical pivot, and this force is maintained equally on each groove wall whether ornot the turntable is level. The tonearm's perfect balance is maintained throughout play.

By contrast, tonearms which apply tracking force by shifting the counterweight forward areactually unbalanced during play and prone to mistracking. For example, on warped records thestylus tends to dig in on the uphill side of the warp and to lose contact on the way down.

Vertical -bearing friction in the CS1237 tonearm is astonishingly low-less than 8 milligrams.It can track as low as 0.25 gram-which means it will allow any cartridge to operate at its ownoptimum tracking force.

There's still more. The counterweight is carefully damped to attenuate tonearm resonances.Anti -skating is separately calibrated for all stylus types. Cueing is damped in both directions toprevent bounce. And because the CS1237 can play up to six records in sequence, the stylusangle can be set for optimum vertical tracking in either single -play or multiple -play.

To find any other tonearm that seriously matches the CS1237's, you have two choices.You can consider one of the more exotic

separates. But you'll find they cost as much as theentire CS1237. (Price: less than $180. completewith base and cover.)

Or you might compare it with one of the higher -priced Dual turntables. You'll find a few additionalrefinements, but no difference in design integrityor manufacturing quality. Which is why no otherturntable quite matches a Dual. Any Dual.

For the life of your records Dual

Write directly to Manufacturer for Literature.

MARCH/APRIL 1979 19

Extend yourlisteningdistancewith a newFINCO...

auto FMamp if per

gererllFINCO'sself contained topof the line Auto FMAmplifier withvariable gain control Increases Signal up to 16 Times Will Not Overload in Strong Signal

Areas

Provides Crisp, Clear FMReception

Switch for FM and AM Reception No Adverse Effect on AM

Reception Extends FM Reception Range L.E.D. Indicator Light Linear Potentiometer Gain

Control SOLID State - Dual MOSFET

Circuitry

Highest gain FMauto amplifieravailable...write for catalog

No. 20-852, Dept.B34-79THE FINNEY COMPANY

14 W Interstate Street. Bedford. Ohio 44146(2161 232-6161

Thconia, Vonk/by J. R. TAYLOR

In the late 1970s, pianist andcomposer Thelonious Monk hasreturned to the "living legend"status he held until twenty yearsago. In the 1940s and early 1950s,Monk was thought too unconven-tional for popular acceptance. Inthe 1970s he has suffered from ill-ness and kept out of the public eye.Yet some intimates insist that theintensely self -directed pianistsimply prefers not to play-thus hisinfrequent appearances since 1972,and his complete withdrawal frompublic view since mid -1975.

When he first attracted attentionin 1941 as a member of the oftenexperimental house rhythm sectionat Minton's Playhouse in Harlem,Monk was a twenty -three -year -oldTeddy Wilson disciple with afluent technique. As the 1940sprogressed, however, Monk's musi-cal ideas co-infmenced those ofDizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker,and he became known a! a weirdand inaccessible "mad gimius."The increasing terseness of hisplaying, his disdain to use obviousfacility and padded melodic lines,his affinity for dissonance andrough timbres-all contributed tothe public image of a barelycompetent performer who hadcomposed a few "good tunes" suchas the pop favorite "Round AboutMidnight" (actually, Monk's col-laboration with trumpeter CootieWilliams). In 1951, a false nar-cotics charge lost Monk his NewYork State Liquor Authority per-

former's card for six years, cuttinghim off from performances in NewYork City, where the core of themost critical audience is located.But after 1957, records and per-sonal appearances brought Monkinto greater and greater promi-nence, culminating in a Time ct 'erstory in 1964.

In truth, Monk's music providedan indispensable example of econ-omy and compositional wholenessto the equally modernist bopmovement, which at times seemedin danger of veering into baroqueexcess. By emphasizing motivicvariation in solos that related tochord progressions and to melodicthemes, Monk avoided the"change -running" and scale -running emptiness of the merevirtuoso; apprenticeships with thepianist proved valuable to soloistswho were as different as the rhap-sodic John Coltrane and the logicalSonny Rollins. And the keystoneof Monk's appeal-a meticulousrhythmic subdivision that reliesupon subtlety of timing and accentrather than speed of execution-has been amplified by his creativerelations with many major drum-mers, particularly Art Blakey.

Fortunately, at this time everysingle Monk recording is in print.

(Continued on page 80)

J. R. Taylor is the coordinator of the Na-tional Endowment for the Arts' Jazz OralHistory Project at the Smithsonian Institu-tion. He was formerly curator of the Insti-tute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University.

Circle No. 15 On Reader Service Card20 HI-FI/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

-c1}3116 14 12 8 4 0 4 8 12 14 16 +dB1111L:ii I

LEVEL

OCTAVES

.51

11 1.15 21 2.5 313.5 3.61

1=1=1=13BANDWIDTH

With the gaphic equalizer, you have a limited number ofchances to correct an infinite number of potential problemsin a recording or listening environment. You're dealing withfixed bandwidths and fixed frequencies. You can only increaseor decrease the level. When boosting or cutting frequencies,

to

Hz 40 I I 160 I 320 I 640 1 2K Hz

c1=I=tFREQUENCY

you have to settle for the nearest one or two octaves. It's acompromise. With the parametric, you're provided an infinitenumber of solutions. Bandwidth, frequency and level are eachdetermined by you. Any musical problem can be isolatedand corrected. And that's what all the excitement's about.

e graphic reasonuy our parametric.

At SAE, the battle has always been for completemusical control. Control that would allow you tocorrect for any inadequacy in any recording or listen-ing environment.

Now the battle is over. You won.SAE introduces the 180 Parametric Equalizer.Actually, if you work for a recording studio,

"introducing" would hardly be appropriate. You'd beworking with parametrics already. Very simply, it's amatter of flexibility andprecision. And verysimply, with the SAE 180,the flexibility and preci-sion of your soundcontrol are absolutelylimitless.

We should 1. t theparametric speak foritself.

Problem: The leadsinger is overpowered bythe back-up group.

Solution: Set Levelcontrol to + 10dB. SweepFrequency control untilthe voice is brought

r

forward. Adjust Bandwidth ontrol to encompass thefull voice range. Tailor Level control to exact voicepresence desired.

How much does a machine like this cost? Howcan I afford a component that can acoustically cor-rect a system? How can I buy an electronic box thatcan fix a listening room and a recording at th : sametime?

The SAE 180 costs $250, That's how.What we have is a

I want control. Send information.

Name__AddressCity State Zip

SEND TO: SAE, P.O. Box 60271, Terminal Annex.Los Angeles, California 90060

small miracle that is alsoan attainable reality.Imagine: Complete,precise, musical controlfor the price of a com-mon graphic.

Remember that word:Parametric. Rememberthat number: 180. Andremember that name:SAE.

*Nationally advertisedvalue, actual retail pricesare established bySAE Dealers.

Scientific Audio Electronics, IncCircle No. 24 On Reade' Service Card

Unlike any stereotype, Nikko Audioactually delivers the seed of sound in ourprofessional series.

The Gamma V Synthesized FM DigitolTuner hos a LED readout showing locked -in MHz numbers. Accuracy on the button.

The EQ 1 Graphic Equalizer shapes theacoustics of your room into a recordingstudio.

The Alpha Ill Power MOS-FET DCAmplifier has the lowest THD anywhere

near the price range -0.008% (80warts per channel, both channels driveninto 8 ohms, 20 Hz to 20 kHz).

Call our roll -free number for yournearest Nikko dealer: (800) 423-2994.

Nikko Audio16270 Roymer St., Von Nuys, Colif. 91406(213)988-0105In Conodo: Superior Electronics, Inc. 0 Nikko Audio 1978


Even the best recordings played on the best component stereosystems fail to fully recreate the ambience of music performedlive. That's because most listening rooms are small and

gives musicroom

to be heard

acousticallydead.

The SD -550 Ambience RestorationSystem recreates the environmentalenvelope of music performed live by

recovering thenatural ambienceand distributing

sound throughout the room. This ambience restorationproduces a musically valid listening experience irrespective ofroom limitations.

To hear ambience restoration for yourself, take your favoriterecord to your Sound Concepts dealer and ask for a

I- -, demonstration. For complete information and the name of(-,._ . your dealer, please write to us.oundccicept$ 27 Newell Road, Brookline, MA 02146 (617) 566-0110


A,DIOSHONCASEyet shift some signal input away fromthe lower 10 -inch woofer at lower fre-quencies. Thus the smaller woofer"sees" an increasingly large enclosuresize as demand for lower frequenciesincreases. The claims: extremely highmagnetic flux densities in the woofervoice coil gaps; 30% greater drivingforce for the 8 -inch woofer than ob-tained with Speakerlab's conventional8 -inch woofer. The S30 is equippedwith a three -position, woofer dampingswitch to help overcome problems withwarped records and other sources ofsubsonic noise. Dimensions: 31 incheshigh by 1274 inches wide by 10% inchesdeep. Prices: walnut kit, $330 each;walnut grain vinyl kit, $285 each.

"Improved" Studio Cassette Series

BASF Systems offers an "improved"studio cassette series of tapes that fea-ture higher coercivity, higher bias, andgreatly improved performance attri-


bided to a recently developed oxideparticle that is claimed to deliver oneto two dB more output at the high end.Prices: C-60, $2.99; C-90, $4.49.

Turntable Spirit Level

This Dual -Plane, Spirit Bubble Levelby Robbins Industries, catalog no. 41-133, is used to adjust the proper azi-muth and zenith leveling of automatic

entifillNalame

altf

7.-

1


and manual turntables to obtain maxi-mum performance. The "T -level" con-sists of two over -sized precision levelsmounted 90 degrees to each other and


THE LS70 CAR SPEAKER SOUNDS LIKEA HOME SPEAKER BECAUSE IT'S

MODELED AFTER ONE OF THE BEST

1370 EPI70

FrequencyResponse 70-20 KHz 60-20 KHz

Crossover 1800 Hz 1800 Hz

Dispersion Nearly hemispherical Nearly hemisphericalin musical range in musical ronge

Tweeter

Woofer

1" air spring 1" air spring

6" long traverse 6" long traverse

Impedance 8 Ohms nominal 8 Ohms nominal.4OhmsDC 4OhmsDC

Grille Acoustically transparent Acoustically tronsporentperforated metal matte -black foam

Up until now there havebeen car speakers and therehave been home speakers,but quire frankly, they've beenin two differentleagues.

We patterned the LS70 after the muchacclaimed EPI 70

We decided to change that.We designed the LS70, a highperformance, 2 -way systemthat fits into a standard 6" x 9"cutout, to meet the same highstandards we set for our muchacclaimed EPI 70 loudspeaker.

The result is a carspeaker that performslike no car speaker everperformed. You get re-markably clear, occura-e,"Linear Sound:' The ?rmis derived from the waya frequency response

graph looks when it recordsperfectly accurate sound repro-ducrion; a strcighr line runs allthe way from the deep bassend to the high treble end.

To achieve this, we addno artificial boosting to theboss. Our treble deliversall the subtle overonesthat just fade awcy onmost speakers.

Next, you get cispersionthat other speaker manufac-

turers can only cream about - THE FIRST CAR SPEAKF, SYSTEM THATit fills your cc r with a complete YOU CAN FEEL RIGHTAT HOME WITH.

range of natural, Jn-colored sound

Plus, LS70's can handle over6C watts per channel.

Most other speakers blow upat considerable less than this.

Granted, the LS70's costsomeNA hat mc re than mostcar speakers but in returnyou're getting a system that isevery bit as good as exoticseparate -component systems.

Stop into your local EN CarStereo dealer and see the

._S70.5 for your -elf. See if it'slot a systemthat you con=eel right athome with.

rr,4

LS70 CAR SPEAKER

Epicure Procucts ncorporoted, New :uryporr MA 0'950

This is the two-wayminiature speaker systemyou can assemble yourselfin about an hour with just

a tube of glue and a staple gun.With a 1" dome tweeter and

6" butyl surround woofer, theSpeakerlab .1 puts out sound thatmakes other little speakers and lotsbigger ones quake in their enclo-sures. In 4 -ohm impedance it's justabout the ultimate car speaker;in 8 -ohms, you've got extensionspeakers that may sound betterthan your larger ones.

There are eight other Speak-erlab kits you can make with yourhands, too. Like our best all directradiator system, the Three. It usesthe same midrange and tweetercombination as the Point One.

And, to extend the bass indepth, clarity and volume, a 12"woofer that we build ourselves.With low -noise butyl rubber conesurround, efficient 40 oz. magnet,and distortion -free excursioncapacity, it uncorks the bottom ofany bass passage. At the sensible,direct -to -audiophile kit priceof $135 each.

Send for our 52- page colori catalog and learnw just how easy it

is to save moneyby building yourown. We designgreat speakerkits so you canafford greatspeakers.

O

Send me your 52-nage color catalog/ manual ofQuality handmade speaker kits and raw speakers

name

address

city''?

state zip (n

/peaked.Dept. HS -A 735 N. Northlake WaySeattle, WA 98103

Circle No. 36 On Reader Service Card24

A,DIOSHOWCASEmarked with prominent positioninglines. It's constructed of white high-

impact plastic to impart high visibility.Suggested list price: $4.25.

Sub -Woofer

Osawa & Co. offers a Chartwell SW -

135 sub -woofer that is claimed to sig-nificantly extend and enhance deep bassresponse of compact bookshelf speakersystems, and in particular of the Chart -well LS3/5A and PM -100 speaker sys-tems. The unit is intended to rectifya basic problem with all small speakers;the inability to move the large volumeof air needed to produce high-levelbass that is so popular. The SW -135sub -woofer added to a pair of LS3/5Aor PM -100 speakers is said to providea ± 2 dB response "across the vitaloctave and one-half from 40 to 120I lz, thus complementing the extraor-dinarily flat performance of these speak-er systems at the higher frequencies."A single sub -woofer can handle bothleft and right channels simultaneously.


The SW -135 utilizes a 12 -inch driverwith a polypropylene cone, doublespider construction, and a voice coilrated to withstand 200 degrees C. The80 R MS capacity makes the sub -woofersuitable for music and speech withamplifiers rated up to 150 watts perchannel. Acoustic output is 85 dB SPLat one meter at one watt (82 dB withmono input), and the frequency re-sponse of the stereo signal passed onto the smaller speakers is within ± 0.5dB from 250 to 20,000 Hz, accordingto the manufacturer. Price: $400 ingenuine teak or walnut veneer.

"Sutler" Car Stereo Systems

Audiovox is introducing a totally newline of "ultra, super auto -sound sys-tems" in a Special Performance Series( SPS). The systems are designed to"fit perfectly" in most American andForeign -make cars, and will be madeavailable through new car dealers. The


SPS-DC-8, says Audiovox, offers a"revolutionary" electronics tuning AM,/FM/MPX pushbutton radio togetherwith 8 -track tape, digital readout,quartz clock. Also featured are a "Seekand Scan" system that searches stationselectronically, four-way speaker bal-ance, and a power output of 20 wattsper channel. Price: $475.

Front Loading Cassette DeckSankyo's STD -1750 front loading stereocassette deck has total automatic shut-off in addition to such other features as:dual record level controls; twin VU

L3..A3:32:C-V e


meters; three -digit tape counter; micro-phone and headphone jacks; super -hardpermalloy heads; controls for stop, eject,record, rewind, forward, pause and fastforward; Dolby noise reduction system.The deck is powered by a mechani-cally -governed DC motor. Specifica-tions: frequency response, 30 to 14,000Hz with normal tape, 30 to 16,000 Hzwith CrO., tape; signal-to-noise ratio, 55dB using CrO., tape with filter and Dol-by off( improved by 5 dB at 1 kHz and10 dB at 5 kHz or more with Dolbyon); separation, more than 30 dB at 1kHz; crosstalk, more than 50 dB at 1

kHz; input sensitivity, less than 0.7mV at 400 Hz with mic and less than50 mV at 400 Hz for line -in; totalharmonic distortion, less than 2.0%with normal tape; output level (head-phone), 1 mW ±3 dB (8 ohm loaded).Price: $179.95.

Tape Switching UnitA professionally -designed tape duplica-tion console, model TSB -3 by SuperexElectronics, is built for the tape en-thusiast having two or three tape decksand who wants flexibility not normallyfound on amplifiers. The TSB -3 en-ables duplication of source material onany or all of three decks, and theduplication process can proceed whileanother program in the audio system


''''..................r

.... '..".--..


is monitored and recorded. All operat-ing modes are separately color codedand include: source input, dubbingbank, monitor output. The stereo de-sign is completely passive, EMI shield-ed. Price: $49.95.

Bias -Adjustable Cassette Deck

Onkyo USA's Model TA -630D stereocassette tape deck features an "Accu-Bias" variable adjustment using a pairof reference generators to permit theuser to set his own bias and equaliza-tion under actual operating conditions.Flat frequency response is establishedby feeding signals from the referencegenerator and signal to be reproducedto a meter indicating output differenceson the bias signal. Through a variablebias control,compensate

ra

this signal is adjustedfor any differences

tountil

sa.

4.................j.:6446X14:1*

1 Circle No. 80 On Reader Service Card

fiat frequency response is achieved.Frequency response is claimed to com-pare favorably with the best cassettedecks available: 20 to 15,000 Hz onnormal tape; 20 to 18,000 Hz withFeCr and Cr0., tapes. Signal-to-noiseratios are a "generous" 58 dB withFeCr tape and 68 dB with the sametape using the built-in Dolby NR sys-tem. Wow and flutter is put at 0.05%WRMS nominal, and 0.06% WRMSmaximum. Other features include: FMDolby; MPX filter; memory rewind;three -position tape selector in additionto the Accu-Bias adjustment . $350.00.

Give money.Even more, giveunderstanding.United

reCebral Palsy .

Announcing fourtiny advances with

room-filling benefits!

ew 911B4TAC, sty It.,s with".m r imirn mass and

irr proved contow

1

3.New low -mass 4 Nevi Berylliummagnet assembly ca.-rtlEAer

in the tiny world of the stereo car-tridge, microscopic differences in dimen-sions are all-important. Which is whythe extremely low moving mass of thenew ATI5SS is a major achievement instereo technology.

For instance, to the best of our knowl-edge our new stylus is the smallest wholediamond used in series production. Incross-section, it's 36''; smaller than ourbest previous model. It is also nude -mounted to further reduce mass at therecord surface. And the square -shankdesign insures exact alignment withgroove modulations.

All this is so small you'll need amicroscope like the one above used bymany A -T dealers to see the details.If you look very closely you'll also seewe've slightly revised the contour of theShibata tip. The combiration of mini-mum mass and new contour which wecall Shibata+ offers outstanding stereoreproduction, especially of the latesthigh level recordings.

But there's more. Extremely low dis-tortion results from a new ultra -rigid

Beryllium cantilever which transmitsstylus movement without flexing. Andflatter response plus better tracking isachieved by a new method of mountingour tiny Dual Magnets to furtherminimize rtrovirg mass.

Four tiny differences, yes. But listento the new ATI5SS or the hand -selectedAT2OSS for ultra -critical listening. You'llfind out that less IS more. At yourAudio-Technica dealer now.

Note: If you own a current AT ISSa or AT20SLa.you can simply replace your present stylus ae.semblywith a new "SS" stylus assembly to bring yourphono system up to date.

Model ATI5SS$200 00

Mcdel AT20SS5250.00

audio-technica.INNOVATION a PRECISION INTEGRITY

AUDIO-TECHN.CA U S., INC., Dept. 33BG- 2. 33 Shiawassee Avenue, Fairlawn, Ohio 44:33

Circle No. 8 On Reader Sery ce CardMARCH/APRIL 1979 25

It is well known that speaker specs canetivi min norm giveon onlyieilw guidanceneeds inan choosingill

suit yourYour final judgment must be made by ear.While electronic components-such as tunersand amplifiers-can be optimized by rationaloupurcup ricwoc calculation, all kinds of imponderablesstubbornly cling to loudspeakers. Theyrepresent an area of design where electronics,

mechanics, and musical instrument -building overlap. With so many different elements affecting theirperformance, it is hardly surprising that each speaker has its distinct tonal flavor, its own personality.

We spend lots of time listening to all sorts of music on all sorts of speakers, and we form our personalopinions of them. We try to convey impressions rather than measurements, hoping that this will help yourecognize your own preferences in sound and guide you to speakers that will give you the most pleasure.

by CHRITOPHER CPEENLEAF- and HANS ANTEL

SOUND PROBE

Wharfedale E-50


DescriptionSome twenty years back, the British

Wharfedale Company hired CarnegieHall to convince a skeptical New Yorkaudience that their speakers-amorigthe first ever to be designed expresslyfor high fidelity-could come prettyclose to the sound of real music. Livemusicians on stage alternated with theirown recordings played through a pairof Wharfedales, and even then speakerscame off surprisingly well in this dar-ing comparison with human musicmakers.

Concentrating on the British Com-monwealth market, Wharfedale hassince been absent from the Americanscene. The company is now staging are-entry into the United States with adramatically unconventional product.

Even the looks are unusual. Theopen -mesh grille of the WharfedaleE-50 is almost completely transparent,

revealing three drivers framed withbright metal rings gleaming against ablack background and giving the E-50the appearance of some kind of mod-ern metal sculpture. The bass vent isalso circled in metal and the heftytweeter and midrange control knobs alladd to the striking hi -tech look.

The E in the E-50 stands for ef-ficiency-the guiding idea of its de-sign. This speaker (and its biggerbrother, the E-70) puts out more soundper watt than any other current modelwe have heard. It fills the room withsound with as little as 3 watts perchannel. In fact, the output powermeters on our Sony receiver used inthese tests rarely moved above the 2 -watt mark-and we certainly played itloud! Thanks to their remarkable ef-ficiency -94 dB sound pressure levelproduced by 1 watt at a distance of1 meter-these speakers give you the

Celestion Ditton 33


DescriptionIf loudspeakers can be said to have

personalities, this British newcomer re-minds us of those stiff-backed gentle-men seen in London's financial district,striding along as if on parade, tappingfurled umbrellas and topped by a bowl-er. This speaker is clearly their audiocounterpart: conservative, impeccable,and inobtrusive.

Given such an attitude, and a pricetag of $269.50 each, appearances mat-ter. It is hardly surprising thereforethat on the Celestion the cabinetry it-self is a pleasure, with the grain match-ing at the edges, just as fabric patternsare matched at the seams in fine Brit-ish tailoring. Even the front panel,though normally covered by a browngrille, is veneered so that the speakerscan be left "naked" without the grille,if so desired. The Celestion isavailable in either walnut or teak, and

the teak model we tested was aglowwith luxurious touches of red, yellow,and brown in its rich grain.

In keeping with the strict conserv-atism of this design, the speaker oper-ates as a sealed enclosure, employingthe traditional acoustic suspension prin-ciple. This assures clean, uncoloredbass, however at the expense of effi-ciency. The manufacturer suggests aminimum of ten watts per channel fordriving these speakers, but we suspectthat a 10 wpc amplifier would be hard-pressed to produce sufficient volumewithout clipping at the peaks. To be onthe safe side, we'd recommend at least15 wpc for the Celestion. According totheir sensitivity rating, it takes 5.5watts to produce a sound pressure levelof 90 dB at a distance of 1 meter, asmeasured in an anechoic chamber.Granted, in a normal room, with soundreflections contributing to the audible


Again wetum the workl around.

The world's first pure power DC receiver -3, the Sansui G -line, redefined the limits of musical fidelity.

Sansui's capacitor -free DC amplifier design (oatent pending) wi-h super -high slew rate, ultra -fast -ise

time, and fu I transient response, makes music sound much more -rue-to-life.

Nov, Sansui does it again. With the new G-7500 and G-5500. Using the same exclusiv?, DC circuit); all others are trying to imitate, these new models offe- more watts per dollar than ever before.

The G-7500 delivers 90 watts per channel, min. RIM, both channels into 8 ohms from 20 to

20,000Hz wi-h no more than 0.025% total harmonic distortion, a- a suggested retail price of only S620.

The G-5500, at a suggested retail price of only S465, offers 60 watts per channel with no more than 0.03% fHD under the same conditions.

From their macro -designed power supplies, for rich full sound over the widest frequency range, to their micro -sensitive double speaker -protection

circuitry, the G-7500 and G-5500 are unbeatable. The FM sections further enhance Sar sui's

reputa-ion for tuner excellence. Pinpoint selectivity and ultra -sensitivity to even the weakest signals

guarantee Pure and clean reception, always. And always with maximum stereo separation.

Let ,'our franchised Sansui dealer demon- strate he comprehensive, human engineered

features and controls. There's nothing in the wcrld with quite the same feel as the Sansui click -stop

affenuotor Dnd ultra -smooth tuning knob.

Ncr look careful y at the graceful slyl ng, with e egant rosewood veneer cabinet. It is setting the trend for all other receivers.

Fo- the best receiver values, the wo-lc is now turning to he newest DC by Sansui, the G -750J and

G-5500. Shouldn't you turn to Sansui, toc?

Sans'," SANSUI ELECTRONICS CORP.

Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071 Gcrderci, Ca 90247 SANSUI ELECTRIC CO.. LTD.. Tokyo, Japar SANSUI AUDIO EUROPE S A

, Antwerp, Behgium In Canada Electronic Distributors

up,

E

'ET 10

66

CI

Ci-cle No. 25 On Reader Service Card

WOEDCW1Dr

4161V111./ my=(Continued from page 26)

Wharfedale E-50


kind of volume a from a 20 -watt am-plifier that you would normally expectonly from a heavy -muscled 200 -wattbrute. So, if you like to shake walls orraise rafters-or run a disco in yourbasement-these speakers can save youmoney by letting you get by with alot less wattage than you'd normallyneed. In fact, the upper power limitfor the E-50 is 80 watts.

Measuring 25 x 135 x 13% inchesand weighing 42 lbs, the E-50 wouldrequire fairly deep and strong book-shelves, and we suspect most peoplewill prefer using it as a floor -standingmodel. Bass is generated by a 10 -inchwoofer whose range is 55 to 800 Hzand whose output is enhanced by avented cavity. The computer -aided de-sign of this cavity and vent is partlyresponsible for the speaker's unusualefficiency.

A 4 -inch cone speaker radiates themidrange from 800 to 7,000 Hz. Be-yond that, a horn -loaded compressiontweeter takes over, the horn being amajor factor in achieving efficiency atthe high end up to 18 kHz. Anelaborate 5 -element crossover networkdistributes the incoming signal amongthe three drivers. It is elastically mount-ed to prevent vibration damage.

The tweeter and midrange level con-

trols are easily accessible on the frontpanel and affect the ranges between2000 and 20,000 kHz and 200 to 2000Hz. With the controls in flat position,the frequency deviation in the nominalrange from 55 to 18,000 Hz is a highlyrespectable dB. Price: $390 each.

PerformanceFrankly, we were a bit skeptical

about a speaker so formidably efficient.In the past, efficiency had often beengained by rather sorry trade-offs inother areas. Ultra -efficient speakerswere either boomy in the bass, stridentand peaky in the highs, or both. It isevident at first hearing that Wharfedalehas managed to sidestep these pitfalls.The bottom is solid, without false col-oration. There is none of the bloatedmid -bass (circa 150 Hz) often foundin inferior high -efficiency speaker, norany of their typically 600 Hz honk.The highs, too, are remarkably clean,free from the stridency of many otherhorn tweeters. But for our ears (andin our room) those tweeters-despitetheir smoothness-seemed too bright.Some may like it that way. It certainlyadds drama and punch to every musicaldetail. But we turned down the tweetercontrol all the way-for 5 dB attenua-


Celestion Ditton 33


Equipment used in ourlistening sessions:Sony STR-5800 stereo receiver,Philips 212 turntable,Pickering XSV 3000 phono pickup.

output, the sound level per watt wouldbe higher. Even so, a little extra powerreserve would be advisable with thesespeakers. Their maximum power han-dling capacity is 80 watts RMS (con-tinuous) and the speakers will matchamplifiers with outputs rated at 4 to 8ohms.

The elegant enclosure measures 24 x14 x 105 inches, weighs 34 lbs., andaccommodates three drivers with anoverall frequency response from 25 to28,000 Hz with a system resonance at45 Hz. The uncommonly explicit specsalso state that the maximum frequencydeviation in the crucial 70-22,000 Hzrange is no greater than -±-2 dB-a re-markable achievement in linearity. Thespecs even tell you, with remarkablefrankness, that over the 40-25,000 Hzrange the response is +2 dB and -10dB.

The woofer is a 10 -inch unit with ahigh -compliance surround, permittinglong, linear cone excursions for heavybass thrusts. The voice coil measures agenerous Di inches in diameter to im-part motion evenly to the cone, and theentire woofer assembly is contained ina non -resonant cast -metal frame. Theferrite magnet weighs a hefty 60 ouncesand, with a magnetic force of 75,000Maxwells, keeps tight control over cone

motion even at wide amplitudes.The 5 -inch midrange cone speaker is

also generously dimensioned with its1 -inch voice coil and 46,000 Maxwellmagnet, which may account for thenotably smooth, solid midrange re-sponse. The highs are handled by asoft -dome tweeter whose particularlyfine treble dispersion is detailed in apolar diagram supplied with thespeaker.

Crossover frequencies, located at 500Hz and 2500 Hz, are defined by a 12 -element network comprising 5 induc-tors, 6 capacitors, and one resistor. Ac-cording to one of the company's en-gineers, this configuration provides ex-ceptionally smooth transitions at thecrossover points-no peaks or dips-andthus partly accounts for the minimalfrequency deviations in the overall re-sponse. There are no treble or midrangecontrols to alter this carefully presetbalance.

PerformanceThe truly remarkable thing about

this speaker's sound is that it seems un-remarkable. We were happily unawareof any particular aspect of its totalsound output. But attentive listeningsoon discovers rare virtues-an astonish -


28 HI-Fl/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

ilAKG designs headphones to simulate the"Natural" sound you enjoy from the bestseat in a concert hall.

Based on extensive research into the nature ofhuman hearing, AKG de-veloped the K-240-the firstheadphone to permit the -

tener to hear sound nearly indistinguishable from a liveconcert or recorded sound through loudspeakers.That is, with the stereo image in front of him, and withnatural, unexaggerated stereo separation and depthperception.

The K-140, a bio-acoustically engineered high fidel-ity headphone, was created for total sound -comfortcorrelation with superb bass, transparent music repro-

theAKGaturalists

eetduction and uncomplicated ease of use.The K-40, an economical version of the

K-140, is designed to comfortablyadapt to the individual ear

configuration and define7 the open resonant space

required :or optimum per-formance.

If you haven't found headphones that give youexactly what you want, audition one of the AKG"Naturalists." You'll discover beautiful sound in yourprice range.

isAKG

AKGacouscics

ft+, MarPru+ir:.sonJi Q. Jail!

rn:cropho t -es. headphones,

phc nociemdges, reverb units.

PHILIPS AUDIO VIDEO SYSTEMS CORP

91 McKee Drive. Mahwah. N J 01430 i 201 ) t 29-1100


by KEN IRSAY

The statistics on Manilow are stag-gering. Twelve Top 10 singles; six al-bums whose total sales surpass 14 mil-lion copies; an SRO two-week engage.ment on Broadway plus an Emmy-awardwinning TV special followed by a sec-ond one garnering four Emmy nomina-tions. Manilow's explanation for all ofthis: "People apparently relate to thethings I sing about. We've shared com-mon life experiences." This double -discset includes all of his singles, plus a

number of album cuts, 19 tunes in all.In view of the above statistics, doesanyone exist who doesn't already ownthese recorded performances?

Apparently Eric has just about hadhis fill of being laid-back and is yearn-ing for the good old Cream, and Derek& The Dominoes days. There's moreblues and rock in this album than theace British guitarist has played in a

long time, and hallelujah for that."Tulsa Time" and "If I Don't Be ThereBy Morning" are the rockingest num-bers. "I'll Make Love To You Anytime"just oozes with blues and features somesuper wah-wah rhythm guitar licks."Roll It" reintroduces vocalist Marcy

popenc..'

Levy, who shared the singing chores onEric's recent hit, "Lay Down Sally."

Mix a little Bee Gee -type harmony,some synthesized electric bass soulplucking, a smidgen of Samantha Sang -style vocals plus a mild disco beat andyou have enough "can't miss" elementsto virtually assure a hit album. This isthe most appealing album ever fromGino Vannelli, whose perseverance overthe years deserves to be rewarded. Thealbum was produced and arranged byGino, Joe and Ross Vannelli. Presum-ably the whole family will share thewealth.

Although of southern origin this sextetplays rock with a harder edge thanyour typical southern boogie band. Thefact that two of the six are drummersmay help to explain that. This is thegroup's fifth album and by far theirbest. Vocal harmonies are tighter andmore prominent and the instrumenta-tion is more disciplined and sophisti-cated. The tunes are mostly up -tempo,

with one, "You Are The Show," begin-ning at a slower pace, then working upto a fever pitch with a scorching in-strumental break.

Her tiger -like photo on the albumcover is a true representation of whatawaits within. Mackell's deep, roughhewn voice clashes head-on with JoeFalsia's slick, tight production, mak-ing for a dramatic overall effect in thisdebut outing. To emphasize her "toughside of town" rock and raunch persona,she dishes out a super version of BobSeger's "Fire Down Below," one of onlytwo non -originals on the disc. Voicecomparisons to Rod Stewart, Janis Jop-lin and Bonnie Tyler can easily bemade.


PROFESSIONALThe New #1 in Professional Applications....

Stanton's Calibrated 8815 Cartridge

EXPANDEDCONTACT AREA

ol .1, JL, 2[10()111T,; rt Brd(.1,rls vt.,10 ow N.t k .trea

Mike Heese of the larnott L ,rt Angeles say.. Whilerna,11.--,,ning the Calibration Etandar-I the 881!=. ,,ets new Icvels fortracking and high Irequent.., eshonse It s an .10 fible ,n-iprovementWe use the 8815 exclUSIVel to 1;a1:)rat,on cod evaluation in ourOperation

No wonder this cartridge has achieved such domi-nance so swiftly. It has design. engineering and qualityfeatures that no other cartridge has. Stanton's new Profes-sional Calibration Standard 881S cartridge is designed formaximum record protection. This requires a brand new tipshape, the Stereohedron:" which was developed for notonly better sound characteristics but also the gentlestpossible treatment of the record groove. This cartridgealso possesses a revolutionary new magnet. It is made ofan exotic rare earth compound which, because of itsenormous power, is far smaller than ordinary magnets.

Stanton guarantees each 881S to meet its specificationswithin exacting limits. The most meaningful warranty pos-sible, individual calibrat.on test results come packed witheach unit.

Whether your usage involves recording. broadcastingor home entertainment, your choice should be the choiceof the professionats _the STANTON 881S.

For further information write to Stanton Magnetics, Terminal Drive, Plainview, New York 11803.

STANTON!The choice of the professionals


Cr_

IOW

.1"ReVox new B77 is longperformance and short oMickey Mouse features."

That's what Herb Frisaid about the ReVox B77 in ..ryStereo Buyers' Guide.* If you're a seri-ous audiophile or location recordist,you'll be interested in what Herb hashto say.

In addition to evaluatingproducts for Hi-Fi/Stereo Buyers' iGuide, Herb Friedman is Chief Engi-neer for Tridac Electronic Laboratoriesand a major New York radio station. Assuch, he produces taped programmingand he knows the real differences be-tween truly professional recorders andothers that claim to have "professionalfeatures".

Differences like 18dB recordheadroom, flat response with no low -

frequency "head bumps", the highestusable dynamic range and the lowestnoise of any audiophile recorder. Addto these such features as all -digital -logic -control of tape motion, large me-ters with LED peak level indication,self-contained tape splicer, and a rug-ged 37 -pound package with a handleand you've got the best recorder inthe world.

If you'd like to know what elseHerb Friedman thinks about the B77,please circle reader service number orwrite to us for complete information in-cluding a reprint of his article and a listof dealers where you may see and hearthe ReVox B77 demonstrated.

R EVOXStuder ReVox America, Inc.,1819 Broadway, Nasnvile, Tennessee 37203 (615)329-957In Canada: Studer ReVox Canada, Ltd.

C 'tie No. 23 On Reader Service Card*Copyright 1978 Davis Publications, Inc. Quoted from Hi Fi Stereo Buyers' Guitl,July/August 1978, by permission. All rights reserved.

CASSE- I E AFC

FEATURESTandberg's TCD 340A is a

3 -head 3 -motor cassettedeck which includes user -adjustable azimuth amongother features. $1150. CircleReader Service Number 97.

meal.=

)

:

moo ,

kirksopm914 _

MARCH APRIL 1979

TANDBERG

by FRED PETRAS

Nimmumi 111

..tc+

1.11.11111',0

'MOW

Z4Zii

DOZENS OF OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FROMVARIOUS MANUFACTURERS. HERE ARE SOME TO LOOK FOR

your first reaction to a bigdisplay of state-of-the-art cassettetape recorders might be in the

form of a flashback-a vision of your-self as a child standing before ahuge candy counter with weekly allow-ance in pocket, wondering what tobuy. Everything in the display looksgood, fascinating, tempting.

But there's a difference; candy is amomentary pleasure and quicklydisappears. A cassette deck is foryears of pleasure. And as such requiresmore in the way of evaluation beforespending your allowance. Let's takea look at some of the features/ingredients of today's cassette equip-ment, to help in your evaluation, so

that you'll buy right and guaranteethose years of pleasure.

By far in the majority are front -loading cassette decks-a result of whatprevious generations of cassette deckowners have indicated is the handiestapproach to cassette insertion andremoval.

For those who prefer to install adeck atop a piece of furniture, thereare still a few top -loading models inthe marketplace.

Once you've decided on whichof these two types to buy, and howmuch you want to spend, your nextdecision will center around what youwill do with the equipment. If youintend to do casual non -critical record-

ing from a receiver (radio programs,or phono records played through itsamplifier), or voice recording at homevia microphones, you can get alongnicely with a basic model.You'll find such units priced fromabout $150 to about $190 in theFisher, U.S. Pioneer, Sony, Sanyo,Marantz and Superscope brands, andaround $200 in the Akai, JVC,Philips, Scott, Technics and Toshibabrands. Typical of this group is theU.S. Pioneer CT -F500 at $175 thatoffers front -loading operation, Dolbynoise reduction, two VU meters, three -position tape selector, headphone andmicrophone jacks, digital counter, anda full complement of transport controls,

C

MARCH/APRIL 197933

tl

t

Sony's TC-K8B cassette deck is a two -head machine which features liquid crystal displayrecord level meters. The meters are peak -reading -type, with a manual and automatic peakholding option. Mode selection is solenoid -assisted. Other features include Rec-Mute switch,FM multiplex filter, headphone level control, timer option. About $850. Reader Service No. 94.

including pause and automatic shutoff.Such machines can produce excellent

recorded tapes and do a fine job ofplaying back those tapes-as well ascommercially recorded tapes and thoseof friends and relatives. The averagelistener would be hard put to hear anysignificant difference between thetapes made on such units and thosecosting far more.

3

11:111 y 1.Hitachi's D-5500 three -head cassette deck has itsfunction controls housed in a module which may stayattached to the machine, as shown, or may be sepa-rated for use as a remote control module. Among itsother features is an automatic bias/equalization op-timizing system. $1200. Reader Service Number 72.

But, if you are somewhat critical,and if you expect to be more thancasually involved in tape recording,you'll be after certain conveniencesand features to make the job easier,more pleasant, and likely to attainoptimum results. In this case, the skyis the limit, with cassette decks rangingall the way sip to over $1,000 in theTandberg, Eumig, Denon, TEAC,Technics and Nakamichi brands.

While deluxe, "super" models .iredesirable for certain specialized attri-butes-and "image" status, they are notalways audibly superior to models athalf their cost. For example, one unit

priced over $1,200 in a certain brandhas a wow 'flutter spec of 0.4 per cent,while another in the line priced at$550 has a wow/flutter spec of 0.05per cent. Is that inaudible (to evensuperior ears) increment worth over$700? Hardly! Here's another example;One model priced beyond $1,300 hasa signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio spec of65 dB, while another unit in the samebrand with S/N spec of 64 dB is only$450. Again, the difference is inaudible,even to a super critical listener. Andthere are cases where a lower pricedmodel in a given brand offers betterspecs than the top priced model. (This


........ .....

TEAC's C-1 cassette deck includes a tape/source moni-tor, built-in Dolby/outboard dbx selector, memory re-wind which gives you the option of stop or replay afterrewind. 3 -position bias/EQ selectors which include theoption of using plug-in modules designed for use withhigh bias tapes. See Test Report section for a full re-port. $1300. For details circle Reader Sevice Number 10

I I

r -o ir" er.1 I

*-ralr4

Kenwood's KX-1030 three -heap cassette deck offers3 -position bia/EQ selection, coupled with user -ad-justable bias fine turing and a built-in bias calibra-tion system. $450. Circle Reader Service Number 75.

C: Or 0

103

11":111aare

4 C4

Mitsubishi's tiny M -T01 cas-sette deck measures a mere10513 inches across the front -panel, yet its features includepeak reading, a record/playswitch for use in conjunctionwith an external timer, a mem-ory function which allows youthe choice of stop or replayafter rewind. See Test Reportssection for details on this $560unit. Reader Service No. 78.

reverse situation is quite prevalent inreel equipment, where models meantfor the audio consumer market arebetter spec'd than the models in thesame brand meant for professionals-radio stations, recording studios, etc.In such cases the key to the higherprice is the professionals' need forheavy duty, rugged construction foraround -the -clock operating reliability,rather then a miniscule-and inaudible-spec improvement.) Thus, in deter-mining what you will buy, let theaccent be more on operating featuresthan on specs-unless the differences inspecs result in audibly superior

recordings. Basically, the more featuresyou can get for your dollars, thegreater the operating flexibility you'llhave, and the greater your ultimatesatisfaction.

Solenoid Controlled Transports. Oneconsideration in buying a bettercassette deck is the "feel" of thetransport controls. Some machines havefunction controls that require a bit ofexertion and take some concentration.Some controls are smooth and easy tooperate. And still others need barelya touch of a finger to move intooperation. The latter are usuallysolenoid -logic types that come at a

higher price. If you like silky smoothoperation you're likely to succumb andpay the extra money. You'll findsolenoid -controlled transports in decksfrom Eumig at $1,300, Sansui at $600,Sony and SAE at $400, Hitachi atabout $380, and Sharp at $339.95, aswell as at various other prices in atleast twelve other brands.

Peak -Reading Meters. Many audiobuffs and recordists are "needlewatchers" who derive pleasure fromNvatching the pointers of VU metersresponding to input or output signalswhile operating their equipment. Butmeters serve ,a more important function

MARCH/APRIL 197935

.1[7r1-1,1_

Rotel's RD -2200 cassette deck has three -posi-tion bias/E0 selectors and fine-tune bias ad-justment for normal bias tapes. LED peak indi-cator, record mute, and headphone level con-trol are all among its features. A complete testreport may be found elsewhere in this issue.$430. For details circle Reader Service No. 87.

-they :Lye the key to successfulrecordings. If you are after top resultslook for level meters that indicatepeak as well as average readings of thesignals that are being recorded. If yourchoice hails dOW11 to tWO !MIAOW.; ofequal merit in terms of features butone has combination peak 'averagereading meters at an increment of, say,$50, spend the extra money; you'll

Jun n

. .............. . 'S

Technics M33 cassette deck incudes a f uorescent peak indicating meter whose bright-ness may be adjusted v:a a knob. Also incorporated are a timer standby mechanism,cue/review capability, and a memory function which allows programming for rewind toa designated portion of tape and then either replay or stop. $350. Reader Service No. 98.

be glad you did.LEI) or Fluorescent Readout. In any

up-to-date display of cassette equip -unlit you'll be certain to see modelsthat have not only level meters butalso LEI) or fluorescent level readout

stems, or just LEI) or fluorescentreadouts. These are the latest readoutsystems, and generally they aresuperior to the average VU metersystem. One of the most intriguing ofthese appears in JVC's Models K1)65and K1)85, priced at 5100 and S500respectively. It is caned the "SpectroPeak Indicator- and consists of LEDsarranged in vertical bars of five

frequency ranges: 100, :300, 1,000,:3.000 :old 10,00( Ilz. Their dynamicrange is indicated in increments ofphis 6, plus 3, zero, minus 5 andminus d13. This permits a cassetterecordist to visually monitor the highfrequency peaks that are likely to causedistortion. Ile is immediately warnedOf distortion before it occurs, and canmake appropriate adjustments to pre-vent it. Since the Spectra Indicatorhas 25 peak -reading LEI)s (each oneresponding within one millisecond), hehas mulch more control than if hedepended on VU meters alone. AnLEDs rise fall time is :300 times


JVC's KD-A8 cassette deck offers the so-called B.E.S.T. (bias/equalization/sensi-tivity/total) automatic tuning systemwhich utilizes microprocessor circuitryto analyze the tape. Among its otherfeatures are switches for timer standby.memory stop/play, and record mute.$750. Circle Reader Service Number 74.

I I a -j.STOP P SC

4=00000

Saisui's SC -5100 cassette deck featuressolonoid-logic-controlled tape modes.Pushbuttons control memory, automaticplay, automatic repeat, timer record,timer play, and tape lead in (for quickbypass of tape leader). About $700. Fordetails, circle Reader Service No. 89.

0

to Toshiba's PC -5460 cassette deck includes feather -touchoperating controls, MPX filter switch, automatic editor(fade-in/fade-out) control, switch -selectable VU/peaklevel/peak holdinc meters. and 3 -position bias/E0selection. $370. Circle Reader Service Number 99.

41004

MI I

NOMA*ON

(wicker than that ()I an ordinarmeter. The JVC multi -LED peakindicator, claims JVC. can also respondto brief -duration pillsive signals andregister them accurately. while VUmeters cannot. in plilVbaCk, theSpe(to) Indicator displays the fre-quenc spectra of the reproducedmusic. showing if the music is bass -rich.treble -rich Or combinations thereof. (Itis fascinating to watch). The unit alsohas two VU meters as a back-up orextra reference point in the recordingprocess.

You'll find LEDs for peak levelreading in several other cassette

decks. 1)tial, for instance, thcs twobanks of 12 LEDs in a single plane,one onv for each channel, in its Nlodel9:39 at $50. Hotel uses two rowsof 13 LEI)s each in a bar grapharrangement in its Model 111)-220(1priced at $430. LEDs are alto usedin Eming's deluxe top -loader \lode'CCI) priced at $1,300 in a doublevertical line alTangcnient, andsimilarly in 11.1.(:.'s new Model T-4at S 19.93, a dual -speed model thatfeatures digital LEI) readout inhall -inch -high numerals of tape run -out.

Coming on strong this year is thefluorescent type of recording level

indication. Technics in its brand newModels RS -M95, M22, N144, and M33at $1:300, $300, $400, $350 respec-tively, is among the latest to utilizefluorescent metering. The M-95 offerstune peak indication in a range ofminus 40 dB to phis 8 dB deviationfrom the zero dB level. The otherthree offer a scale of minus 20 d13 toplus 8 dB. Hitachi's Model 560 alsouses fluorescent readout, in a doublebar graph arrangement in a minus20 to plus 8 dB range, at about$300. And so does Pioneer's CT -F900at $575.


MARCH/APRIL 1979 37

A tape deck that thinks, a turntable steady as a rock, a receiver that protects itself, and more.In your dream you hear

beautiful music coming froma high fidelity system. All thecomponents have the samename on them.

Impossible? Only if youbelieve there's one "best"maker for each type ofcomponent. Once, perhaps.But today no one has amonopoly on technologicalexcellence. You'll find theOptonica° name on entiresystems of the world's mostadvanced components,with innovations-out own

new circuits and features-you might expect to findonly in a dream.

In a dream you mightown the amazing Optonicacassette deck that containsa small computer. You canprogram it to control endlessrecording and playbackfunctions. It would be afantastic deck even withoutits own computer.

In the same dream youcould have the Optonicaturntable with a beautifulbase that looks and feels

just like granite. It i., n fact,mikage granite, which willtransmit exactly the correctamount of vibration to thetone arm: none.

You might furnish yourdream with a new Optonicareceiver or separates, theonly ones in the world builtwith aircheck calibration,Opto-lock tuning, triplepower supply designs, andthree protection circuits.

Now the same source alsoproduces some of the mostaccurate speaker systems in

history. Optonica CP-5151'sincorporate a unique newtweeter. It weighs justabout 1/50th as much as acomparable "dome" -typetweeter, and its sound isincomparable.

Listen to a system withone name: a dream system,only at an Optonica dealer.

OPTONICA11-E OPTIMUM.

10 Keystone Play e, Paramus 's

HI-FI/STERECI BUYERS' GUIDE38 Circle No. 28 On Reader Service Card

3LA\KCASSETTE TAPEKEYADVICE, DO\'T 3,\( C

by FRED PETRAS

Rubbish tapes can make even the best system soundlike . . . yes, rubbish."

"It is quite easy to degrade a cassette deck thatcosts hundreds of dollars so that it is on a par with a unitselling for less than fifty. Just use the wrong tape. Nodeck can be better than the cassette put into it."

These two statements-taken from promotional materi-als of two major tape manufacturers-are right to thepoint, and might well be heeded. However, picking theright tape for your bright new cassette deck can besomewhat of a hassle, compounded by a variety of desig-nations for what are essentially the same tapes, specsheets that leave out important information, and high -

EA

flown claims that leave you with the impression thatevery tape is superior, and better than all the othersuperior tapes.

In addition, you'll often find tape pricing to be a mat-ter of local market conditions, with pricing in one brandat any given time to be totally unrelated to the pricingof comparable product in another tape line-all of whichleaves you wondering just what sort of quality or per-formance can you expect for your money? (In somestores, blank tapes are promoted on a "Weekly Special"or "Monthly Special" basis, reflecting the latest giveawaydeal of manufacturers.

Further, in many stores that sell tape you'll find sales

MARCH/APRIL 1979 39

AUDUA CASSETTE

Super Precision Cassette Mechanism

TDK's AD tape isavailable in 45-, 60-,90-, and 120 -minutecassettes. Intendedfor use in the Normalbias position, price ofa C-60 is about $2.90.

maxe1161.C90

Maxell's UD/XL I cassettescome in 60- and 90 -minutelengths, with the 60 -minuteversion going for about $5.00.Designed to be used with biasin the Normal mode.

MiladICAL

* MOW& 11100.111

FX-IC-90Fuji's FX-1 cassette tape is used ii the Normabias position :and is color -coded silver for easyidentification: A C-63 sells for about $4.50.

Memorex offers MCI Normal biascassette tape it 30-, 45-, 60-. 90-,and 120 -minute lengths. Price ofthe C-60 is about $2.70.

Master I tape fromS:otch operates best in

the Normal biasposition. Available in

45-, 60-, and 90 -minutelengths, will. the optionof C -box packaging for

400 extra. C -60's areabout $3.50.

NORMAL BIASCASSETTE TAPEpersonnel singularly lacking in knowledge of the tapesthey are selling, or confused by the multiplicity of formu-lations, leaving you to make your choice unaided.

All of which suggests that the blank tape industry hasleft the consumer in somewhat of a stranded position.

But you needn't be stranded. Read on for some guide-lines that can help you in your quest for the right tapefor your needs.

First off, be assured that regardless of what "legiti-mate" brand cassette you buy, you'll be able to get at

MEMOREX 90 MRX2 CXIDE 10 nismAls

Inamoar. * Omni cassotle tor a... an onenillonL

BASF's Professional Icassette tape coniesin 60- and 90-minatelengths, and is meantto be used with thaNormal bias settir g.Price of C-60: $3.:0.

least decent results on your machine because of thetape recorder's tape selector. Most of today's cassettedecks have individual two or three -position tape selec-tor switches for both recording bias and playback equali-zation settings. If not, they have switches that combinethese functions.

The three -position switches relate to the three basictape categories-those which require normal bias (manyare ferric oxide formulations), those which require ferri-chrome bias/EQ, and those which require High bias(including chromium dioxide formulations). Machinesof the future will probably have a fourth position, formetal particle tapes, which we'll discuss later. The two -

40 NI-FI /STEREO BUYERS' GJIDE

maxelleill C90

10 I *IInd \I II

IDK's SP cassette tape is designed for use withHigh bias setting Available in 60- and 90-mi-tutelergths, the C-60 cassette costs about $3.70.

...........wwwwww4=1111111111M11111MMOi

Fuji's High bias tape,ccmes in a gold

c3lor-ceded package.Playing times of 46,60, eni 90 minutesare made. The ap-rroxi-nete price of aC-60 is $4.60.

Maxell s UD/XL II (left) is a chrome -type tapewhich .equires High bias for optimal perofrmanceC -60's go for about S5 C -90's are also available.

BASF's High bas tape isPrc'essional IL It comesin 30- and 90 -met Jtelengths, with the 2-60prked about $3.50 each.

Scotch o'fers Master II cassettes at about $4 20for a C-93. 45- and 90-mfrute lengths are alsoavailable. Higi bias setting shouli oe used.

MASTER 1(70µ3

Sony's EHF cassette. 'ape s in-tended ter use in the rligo biasposition. The 60-rri-ute cas-sette sets for abou' 53.90. 4E -and 90-rninu:e cassettes arealso available.

gotn---e.oct%,- EHF60

CH 3ASposition switches generally cover ferric oxide tapes underone setting, usually designated "Normal" or "LH," andchromium bias tapes under the other, generally desig-nated "CrO,"

Ferric oxide tapes (the biggest general category) arebest described as "basic," and encompass the full gamutof recording needs, in a wide range of grades in a widerange of prices. You can select "economy" or "utility"tapes in this category that give first-class results in voicerecordings, be they drama readings, dictation, or thesounds of a birthday (or any other) party. On the otherhand, you'll find some tapes in this group that cost a bitmore and do a good job of recording music for "back-

ground" or non -serious, non -critical listening purposes.And you'll find ferric tapes of superb quality that do anexcellent job for serious, critical listening. Some of thesetapes are worthy of the designation "professional" interms of quality music recordings that offer excellentsignal-to-noise ratios, wide frequency response, highsaturation capability, good dynamic range, and a loworder of dropouts and print -through.

A rule of thumb in buying ferric oxide tapes is that,generally, the more you pay the better the quality ofrecordings you'll obtain. The higher priced tapes re-flect greater care in manufacturing, better mechanicalparts and construction, better film bases, and finer oxide

MARCH/AFV11. 1979 41

Scotch offers one high fidelitycassette designed specifically for

use in tape machines set to the FeCrbias position: Master Ill. The 60 -

minute tape sells for about $4.20,and 45- and 90 -minute cassettes are

also available.

Sony's cassette tape for use with the FeCr biasposition is called FeCr. Available in 46-, 60-,and 90 -minute lengths. The C -60's price, $4.60.

BASF's Professional III cassette tape is meant tobe used with your tape machine set to the FeCrbias position. A 60 -minute cassette costs about$3.50. 90 -minutes are also available.

FeCr B AS

CASSETTE TAPEparticles-the latter essential for superior high frequencyresponse and signal/noise ratios. Better mechanical partsand construction are designed to assure trouble -freeoperation of both tape and deck-avoiding tape snarlsthat can jam a machine to a dead stop.

You'll run across various designations in this categoryof tapes, but don't let them confuse you. You'll hear ex-pressions for oxides such as iron, carbonyl iron, pureiron, alpha -ferric, pure ferric, ferric -ferrous, gamma -ferric,gamma hematite, Berthollide iron oxide, etc. Whateverthey're called, they're still basically ferric oxide tapes.

Ferric oxide tapes as a rule are used with the biassetting on the cassette decks at the "Normal" or "LH"position. The playback equalization setting is 120 micro-seconds (which may or not be indicated as such). If theyincorporate cobalt in the oxide formulation, they mayuse the high level bias setting appropriate to chrometapes, and a 70 -microsecond playback equalization set-ting. (Study your cassette deck's operating manual todetermine its particular bias and equalization settings.)

Among key brands of ferric oxide tapes (including for-mulations containing cobalt) are Ampex (four series),

BASF (four series), Capitol (one series), Denon (twoseries), Fuji (three series), Irish (two series), Maxell(three series), Memorex (one series), Nakamichi (threeseries) Realistic (three series), Scotch (three series),Sony (two series), and TDK (four series).

Ferri -chrome tapes are, essentially combination tapes,offering the best of two worlds to the critical musicrecordist. They provide the bass and mid -frequency re-cording capability of ferric oxide tape with the highfrequency recording capability of chromium dioxide("chrome") tapes. These tapes are generally made up ofa thin layer of chromium dioxide on a thicker layer offerric oxide on a film base, usually mylar or polyester.Each company has its own ideas on just how much ofeach oxide type should be used.

Some companies claim that their fern -chrome tapes aresuperior to chrome. tapes, in that they provide a betterbalance of low, mid and high frequencies, for a "flatter,"more accurate frequency response.

Ferri -chrome tapes have an individual bias setting forthem on modern cassette decks. The bias/equalizationsetting information is sometimes given on the indexsheet accompanying a tape, sometimes on the mastercarton that holds a dozen tapes. If it isn't, ask thesalesman (Continued on page 77)

42 HI-FUSTEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

SGUIDE 10 IMPROVE YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM

by WILLIAM S. GORDON

0 44. f/P

4 404 4

OP

At.

MOVING UPTO

3ETCOV

I ERPO\E\

A STEP BY

There are two good rea-sons for being into highfidelity. One, you're in-

terested in sound quality,not cicophony, and, two,you .vant to be able to swapcom-xments without goingto the cleaners. One of theprier e advantages that com-ponent hi -3 has to offer isthe ability to improve yoursystem piecemeal-no needto :puck it all into thetrashcan and start over fromscratch

V/hat is the impetus thatcauses an audiophile topots- over spec sheets, mag-azir e reviews, and adver-tise:nents? A constantsearch for sonic perfection-as elusive as a poltergeistbut much more real. Al-though the recreation of anorchestra or band in our liv-ing rooms is illusory, high-quaLty sound is not. It isreal, and can be quantified,specified, measured. And itis the quest for ultimaterealism that spurs us onto ipgrLde our systems.

.........

R S

V tIrt jolts you into the deal-er showroom is an adver-tist mem, a technical review,or just having heard a bet-ter system at the j)nes' isincidental. Once the bugb les, the itch must bescratched. So what are therecent innovations in high-

componentry, andwhat should you be lockingf.x in your search? Heie's acomponent - by - componentnnclown of things to cat-si ler when upgradi ig.

inplifiersWhat's new in amplifiers?

eunpared with tle pat,we're seeing more powe -a lips, integrated amps, 37-d7eceivns with some s,7)rtAu output -power iridieatri.Tome use meters. saneseries of LEDs. The metfisnay indicate eithei thei7eak or the average power.ou're delivering to the

speakers. (Actualy, theywally measure the out:_-utvoltage, and the power .n-dicatien is only riecir:a-.e if

BETTERCOMPONENTSyou are using the load-usually 8 ohms- for which the meters were calibrated.)The LEDs almost invariably are peak -responding devices.

Useful? A matter of opinion. Per-sonally, I see little value in average -responding meters for this application.Some indication of the point at whichyou're approaching the maximum capa-bility of the amp would seem to be ofvalue. A couple of LEDs would suffice-one to indicate the overload point, theother to tell you when you're gettingclose. Other than that, power -output -indicators strike me as more cosmetic

than practical, but to each his own.In circuitry, we're seeing a few more

power-FET amplifiers-generally veryexpensive. The theoretical advantagesare a faster switching speed and lowerinherent distortion. So chalk up a moreextended frequency response and thepromise of a lower degree of high -frequency distortion for these goodies.

We're also beginning to see a fewamps with "switching power supplies"if not full Class D (switching -amplifier)operation. Result? Higher efficiency anda better -regulated supply more imper-vious to low line -voltage levels. How-ever, the better regulated the supply,the less dynamic headroom is availableso you'll have to concentrate on thecontinuous -power rating when compar-ing these amps.

The two other new "classes" of am-plifiers-G and H-remain pretty muchthe province of their inventors-Hitachiand Soundcraftsmen, respectively.There is, however, a minor resurgence

RECEIVERS & TUNERSYamaha's CR-3020 AM/

FM receiver incorporatesa 160 -watt -per -channel

amplifier section. Amongits features are built-inhead amplifier for use

with moving coil phonopickups, peak -readingmeters, dual -range low

and high filters, dual -range bass, midrange

and treble turnover fre-quen.-ies. $1400. No. 101.

o 1SL-1

of interest in Class -A amplifiers andsome firms are putting out modified -Class -A designs that claim higher ef-ficiency-the lack thereof being thebane of Class -A stages-while maintain-ing their low -distortion characteristics.Don't expect them to be cheap.

You'll also likely hear a lot of noisemade about slew rates, rise time andTIM as well as about DC coupling.Slew rate tells you how quickly theamplifier will respond to an instan-taneous change in input level. It's gen-erally given in "volts per microsecond,"and a spec of 50 volts per microsecondmeans that the output can shift 50volts within one -millionth of a second.The higher the power output of an am-plifier, the more rapidly it must "slew"to keep up with a rapid change in sig-nal so this is a spec that must be in-terpreted in light of the amp's powerrating. (This is the reason the IHFchose not to bless slew rate itself in thenew standard.) For every quadruplingof amplifier power, the slew rate mustdouble just to keep up. Rise time is arelated spec but specifies only the timerequired to get from the 10% point tothe 90% point. Whether the amplifier

1.=11111MI

-'eta we, tomei tg

Nikko's Gamma V FMstereo tuner has an ap-proximate price of $650.It has a two -stage PLLsynthesized digital tuningsystem, an adjustablemuting threshold, wide/narrow bandwidth selec-tion, six station memory,and an automatic scan-ning feature. For detailscircle R. S. No. 79.

ReVox offers this 8760FM stereo tuner with

digital frequency synthe-sis at an approximate

price of $1150. Its con-venience features

include Dolby noisereduction, muting mode

selection, separationselection, and 15 pro-

grammable stationmemories. Circle No. 86.


can do its thing with equal dispatchwhen pumping out the watts is proble-matic. Rise -time measurements areusually confined to small -signal opera-tion.

The interest in slew rate and risetime stem from the "discovery" of TIM-transient-intermodulation distortion-and its progency SID-slew-induceddistortion-and other related males andfemales of the distortion family. Whatit all boils down to is that, if an ampli-fier cannot follow a rapid change insignal, it may instantaneously overloadand create a burst of distortion eventhough it hasn't reached maximumpower.

But there is a pitfall in the reason-ing. An amplifier may not have theworld's greatest slew rate and still notgenerate TIM. In fact, one of the bestways to prevent TIM, SID, and theother youngsters is to purposely limitthe slew rate in the early stages with alow-pass filter. Final slew rate won't beany great shakes, but the power stageswill be able to keep up with anythingthey see, and so they won't generatetransient - intermodulation distortion.And where do you expect to find step -

like changes in music signals? They'regenerally filtered out by the recordingmedium anyway.

A "DC" amplifier can mean twothings-"directly-coupled" or "capableof responding uniformly to direct -cur-rent signals." Directly -coupled meansthat no coupling capacitors are used inthe signal chain (at least in the power -amp section). Frankly, most moderncircuits are designed in this way so it'snot exactly a dramatic breakthrough.

Amplifiers capable of flat response toDC inputs (0 Hz) are also called bythe same name. Presumably, the advan-tage is perfect phase linearity at lowfrequencies but it's hard to imaginehow low -frequency phase shifts couldbe audible. And, should the amp sup-ply a powerful direct current into yourspeaker, you'll soon be out looking fora new speaker. So, most DC amps havea switch to provide an "AC -coupled"mode. That's the one you should use forsafety so what's the big advantage of a

AMPLIFIERS..... ...... I ................. %%%%%%%%%%%% /110/1111$01$18811101 lllllllllllllllllll 1%1111%%%M%M.I.Wt %%%%%%%/// %%%%% 18/IIIIIIiIIII llllllllllllllllllllll 111,1Itt%1MMM%%% %%%%%/// %%%%% IIIIIIIIIIIII01$1,11111 llllllllIi/JI/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiii811191111 11111111 lllll klIMMWMVWVA%%%%

*

Technics' SU-8099 inte-grated amplifier has arated output of 115 wattsper channel RMS, withno more than .007-THU. Included in itsarray of features arethree -position bass andtreble turnover fre-quency switches. $1000.Circle R. S. No. 98.

B11111111 kA%

-2

feature you'll never use?Tuners

The newest trend in tuners seems tobe toward one of another means ofautomatic frequency control. Sorry,that's the old-timer's phrase. Now, it'scalled quartz -locked tuning or by someother phrase that implies chronographicprecision. And, frankly, the new cir-cuitry is much better than the old typethat tended to "pull" toward or lockonto a strong station whether you want-ed to listen to it or not.

The new automatic -tuning circuitscan be a valuable means to assure thatyour tuning is virtually perfect even ifyou're a little clumsy with the knob.With some designs, the tuner will lockon:y on precise multiples of the 200 -kHz channel spacing used in the U.S.

Scott's 480A integratedamplifier offers a ratedpower output of 85 wattsR 'OS per channel with.03°0 total harmonicd stortion or less. In-c.uded in its features arephono pickup impedanceand capacitance selec-tors, subsonic and highfilters, bass, midrange,and treble controls.Price: about $400. CircleReader Service No. 90.

SAE combines a pream-plifier and a parametric

equalizer in its Model2900. In addition to

providing flexibility inprogram tone control,

the parametric equaliza-tion circuit may be

switched in between thesource and the tape

machine for use whiletape recording. About

$500. Circle R. S. No. 88.

To.tInkm

MARCH/APRIL 1979

SWIM

45

BETTERCOMPONENTSWith these tuners, you can be assuredthat the tuning is dead accurate, andthere is no need for a conventionaltuning meter. These tuners afford vir-tually the same precision as a digi-tally -synthesized design and at less cost.Of course, the ultimate is still the digi-tally -synthesized tuner and more ofthem are coming on the market too.

Other increasingly popular tuner fea-tures are automatic scanning and pre-set capability. Although these used tobe pretty much the province of adigitally -synthesized tuner, there arenow more conventionally -designed tun-

ers that afford the same features. Ifthe majority of your listening is con-fined to a handful of stations, it's niceto be able to select your druthers in-stantly at the press of a button, and,there is a certain appeal to pressing abutton and have the machine automati-cally scan the stations for you. It willimpress the neighbors!

PLL multiplex decoders are now al-most standard. They provide much bet-ter stereo separation than the older de-signs, and, if your old tuner lacks thisinnovation, it may be time to take theplunge. New tuners also afford bettersuppression of the pilot and subcarriersignals that can play havoc when you'rerecording off the air. If your tapes nowhave bird whistles instead of music, orif they sound duller (in the Dolbymode) when recording a broadcast thana disc, it's time to step up. Some of thenew tuners remove the pilot by can-celling it out rather than by using afilter. The advantage claimed is a bit

CASSETTE DECKSB.I.C.'s T-3 cassettedeck is a

machine which operatesat two speeds. 1'n and334 inches per second.Other features offeredby the T-3 are memory

rewind and an LED indi-cator which glows green

while recording at "safe"levels, but glows red as

recording levelsapproach 3 THD.About $500. No. 65.

Pioneer's CT -F900cassette deck features amicroprocessor -controlled fluorescentrecord/play leveldisplay. Digital tapecounter with memory/repeat capability is alsoincluded in the three -head machine, as is auser -adjustable bias finetuning control. $500.Circle R. S. No. 85.

I ; I

:

rri E:r.TIL;!.. Ft

-max

Optonica's RT-6501cassette deck includes a

microprocessor whichallows you to program itto turn itself on and off,to find a particular song

on a cassette and playit, among other tricks. Its

approximate price is$400. For details, circleReader Service No. 81.

better high -frequency response.Another increasingly popular tuner

feature is selectable bandwidth. In de-signing a tuner, the engineer must makea trade-off between low distortion, goodcapture ratio, and good stereo separa-tion on the one hand and high selec-tivity and sensitivity on the other. Highselectivity and (to a lesser extent) sen-sitivity are achieved with a narrow IFbandwidth but this degrades the dis-tortion (especially in stereo), captureratio and separation specs. By afford-ing a choice of bandwidths, the de-signer lets you choose the best combi-nation for your situation-high selec-tivity if there is a station on a proxi-mate channel, low distortion if you'rein the clear. In my experience, somedesigners have selected the two band-widths with more insight than haveothers. With some designs, the widerbandwidth is so broad that it seldomcan be used, while the narrow one isso tight, the distortion is excessive.Check the specs carefully.Tape Recorders

Cassette is obviously "king of thehill." Open -reel is alive, and, thanks tothe die-hard enthusiast, will remain so.

$..

The upcoming revolution in the cas-sette format is the introduction of metaltape. Metal tape promises the recordingenthusiast open -reel quality with theconvenience of the small pre-packagedcassette. Be aware that you'll need anew deck to handle this tape. It can'tbe recorded or erased by your presentmachine. (It can, however, be playedon regular equipment if somebody willdo your recording for you.)

The front -loading cassette design hasvirtually replaced top loaders. If yoursis a top loader, anyone can tell at aglance that it's an antique. And thenew front -loaders are easier to usethan their progenitors. Front doorscome off so you can easily get in toclean and demagnetize the heads. And,of course, a front -loader can be stackedwith your other equipment rather thansit by itself, record-player style, sothat you have enough room to insertthe cassette.

Once as rare as hen's teeth, three -

head cassette decks are now quite com-mon and some are affordable as well.The advantage of separate record andplay heads is well worthwhile to theserious recordist-off- e monitoring

Mitsubishi offers a deluxeturntable, the DP-EC1,which is fully automatic,logic -controlled, anddirect -driven. An opticalsensing system isresponsible for automaticadjustment of platterspeed and for correctsensing of disc size.About $600. Use ReaderService Number 78.

Toshiba's SR-FX70 is aquartz locked, fullyautomatic, direct -driveturntable which sells forabout $300. 4 -digit LEDsto indicate speed, repealplay option, and acousticinsulator feet are allincluded. R. S. No. 99.

MARCH/APRIL 1979

while recording and better performanceoverall is nothing to pass over lightly.With separate record and play heads,each can be optimized for its functionand that means better response and bet-ter dynamic range. Most of the newthree -head decks combine the two headsections within the same physical as-sembly so the azimuth -alignment pro-cedure required by physically separateheads is eliminated.

Many new cassette decks affordmuch better metering than did theirforebears. Peak -responding meters with40 -dB+ range are now available onmany models and several firms have in-troduced ultra -fast responding LED orplasma displays. At least one company( JVC) has introduced multiple indica-tors-one for each portion of the au-dible spectrum. With this display youknow how the energy is spread over theband and can reduce the recordinglevel should there be more high -fre-quency energy than the tape can handle.

And AIWA has introduced dual-reading meters-two pointers in thesame housing, one indicating the aver-age level, the other peak -responding.In fact, the peak -responding pointercan be operated in a peak -hold modewhere it indicates the maximum levelreached at any time during the pro-gram. With these improved meteringcircuits, your chances of getting a first-rate recording are vastly improved.

For those who want to find out whata cassette can do at higher speed, thereis the B.I.C. three -model (on the vergeof becoming four -model) series. B.I.C.decks operate at the standard speedand at 3% ips as well. Available record-ing time is halved at 3% of course, buthigh -frequency response and headroomare both improved. Whether or not this


RECORD PLAYERS ETC.

S Jre's V15 Type IVphono pickup coLld

improve the performanceof your system. A track-ing stabilization systemhelps overcome record

warp problems, and abrush for dust and lint

removal s also included.About S150. Circle R.S.

No. 93 for details.

Pickering's XV-15/1200Eincludes a dust removal

brush and sells for about$80. If your current turn-

table is adequate foryour needs, but your cur-

rent pickup was athrow-in item, a new

phono pickup such asthis one might boost

performance. Circle 95.

SPOTLIGHT ON...

AIWAAD -6900U :ICASSETTE DECK


A CASSETTE MACHINE THAT COMPROMISES NOTHING TO GAIN ULTIMATE SOUND QUALITY

Just a few short years ago, beforethe start of runaway inflation and thedecline of the dollar, cassette deckswere being progressively upgraded tooptimize the parameters of the cassettesystem. In particular, any Dolby cas-sette deck worthy of the appellation"high fidelity" had some form of adjust-ment for optimizing the Dolby track-ing for a given brand of tape.

As inflation eroded the value of ourmoney, features were often dropped offdecks in order to maintain prices inwhat we consider the budget range.When decks were upgraded, items thatwere added were often only eye -appealconveniences which had no effect onsound quality: autoloading; front -rearconnections; etc.

It was therefore with much joy thatwe tested the AIWA AD -6900U, a ma-chine that appears to have compro-mised nothing on the way to the ulti-mate in cassette sound quality-a ma-chine that maximizes just about everyconvenience feature the average stereo-phile could use.

Heading the list is individual biasadjustment for standard, chrome andFerrichrome tapes, and a special testoscillator system for accurately makingthe adjustment. Next, the record levelmeters have both standard VU andpeak -reading characteristics; each me-ter has two pointers-for VU and peak-so you can simultaneously observe thepeak to average (VU) record level ra-

The dual -pointer record -level meters simul-taneously indicate the VU and peak signallevels. The peak pointers can also beswitched to "hold" a reading after thesignal stops, as indicated in this photo.Note the VU pointer is on zero while thepeak pointer reads approximately -8 dB.

tio. The peak meters also have a peak -hold mode, progressively indicating thehighest peak record level for a givenprogram selection. The peak readingholds for approximately 30 minutes ifdesired, allowing the user to carefullypreset record levels to avoid overloadat any point in a dubbing operation.

The final biggies are individual Dol-by tracking adjustments for each typeof tape, and a calibration system formaking the adjustments.

Now all this might sound rather com-plex, particularly when we speak ofcalibration and adjustment; but theAIWA deck is a dream, with an excep-tional test -calibration system, and ad-justment couldn't be easier or faster.Here's how bias and Dolby calibrationsare handled.

The front panel has bias and equali-zation tape selectors for each type oftape; you set these, as you would onany other high performance cassettedeck, to match the type of tape beingused.

Next, there are three small controlknobs, each of which has a screwdriver -adjustment control in the center-coax-ially positioned. The knobs adjust thebias level, the screwdriver adjustmentsare for the Dolby tracking. Finally,

TAPE COUNTER

0 0 0RESET

R.

attec

. PEAK ROLE)

MEMORYREPLAY 0? STOP

TIMERPL AY of

44110it) the oft posthon

SEC usePt AK OFF

Meter functions are determined oy theswitches labeled VU, PEAK, and PEAKHOLD. The memory counter and timerswitches directly above the meter switchesprovide automatic repeat play after re-wind, as well as powerline control to play/record from a capstan -disengaged preset.

there is a test oscillator switch used forboth adjustments. This switch cuts theinput signal and applies 400 and 8000Hz signals to the record circuit. Onplayback, filters separate the tones.feeding 400 Hz to the left meter and8000 Hz to the right meter. Since theAD -6900U is a three -head system (si-multaneous record -playback) machine,you see the results of the adjustmentsinstantly.

To optimize the machine to a partic-ular brand of type of tape you load thetape, place the test switch in the onposition, and start the tape drive in therecord mode. No other adjustments areieeded to get the test system up andrunning.

The left, or 400 Hz, meter will indi-cate approximately 0 -VU. Simply adjustthe bias control until the 8000 Hz me-ter indicates the 400 Hz level. That'sthe whole calibration; about five sec-onds worth of effort. (As we indicatein the test report elsewhere in this is-sue, even better performance is attainedif the 8000 Hz adjustment is set so thatthe meter reading is about 0.5 dB be-low that of the 400 Hz reading.)

Now to discuss the Dolby adjust-ment. Just a few lines back we saidthe 400 Hz level indicates approxi-mately 400 Hz. Using the suppliedminiature screwdriver, adjust the coax-ial control associated with the bias con-trol so that the 400 Hz (left) meterindicates precisely 0 -VU. The machineis now precisely adjusted for an almost


The Dolby and bias calibration controlsare coaxial for each tape type. The screw-driver adjustment in the center of eachbias adjustment is the Dolby calibration.The bias adjustment is made along withthe bias and equalization switches lo-cated just to the right of the bias controls.


DGIALSOUND

One of the difficulties indealing with new tech-nologies is that many

people are myopic, and can'tsee any farther than the presentlimits of what they can reachout and touch.

A case in point: Just a fewshort years ago crystals-whichare slabs cut from quartz, thatvibrate at a specific frequency-

by HERB FRIEDMAN

A NFWI\ 1 IC- Fl

BECIwere used primarily in transmitters, certain receivers thatrequired precise preset tuning, and transmitter and re-ceiver filters. A substantial portion of all crystals manu-factured were used in Citizens Band transceivers. With theadvent of the digital frequency synthesizer (such as thosewhich are used for optimal tuning in some of our mostexpensive high performance FM tuners), the voices ofdoom and gloom predicted the demise of the crystal in-dustry. And in fact, many crystal companies simply folded.

But a few realized that the same technology that madethe crystal unnecessary for many uses, also created newneeds for crystals. For example, digital watches use aquartz crystal for the precision frequency reference neededby the integrated circuit that measures, and indicates,time. The "quartz" in the analog (meaning with hands)clock or chronograph some of you wear on your wrist is acrystal. The "quartz" in the most modern "quartz -locked"turntables and AM and FM tuners, is a crystal. The fre-quency reference for your digitally -tuned FM tuner is acrystal ("quartz tuning"). In short, you can hardly turnaround these days without stumbling over a crystal. Evenyour color TV set employs a crystal for the color demodu-lation.

The very technology that many believed would doomthe crystal to obsolescence actually created a booming in-dustry that continuously found new ways for its product toimprove other products.

But all this came about because of the few who, likethe legendary Windwagon Smith, kept their eyes firmlyon the next horizon.

What has all this to do with high fidelity? Simple. Herewe are in the midst of the digital revolution and all weread about is "better tape recordings through digital re-cording"; as if the only contribution digital technologycan make is to be an intermediary between the performer

and the listener-an encoder -de-coder so to speak.

Sheer nonsense, of course.Another case of myopia (near-sightedness). The digital revolu-tion isn't restricted solely to di-rect recording; rather, it inter-weaves many technologies, someof which, up to the present time,have had no relationship to the

. high fidelity industry.Before going into the varied ramifications of digital

technology, let's go over the commonly accepted hi-fi useof digital (digital encode -decode) for those of you not yetfamiliar with digital recording.

Digital technology is built on a Base -Two numericalsystem, meaning everything is expressed in terms of twoconditions-on or cff, 0 or 1, go or non -go, zero voltage orsome voltage, zero current or some current, etc. It isn'timportant, for our purposes, what shape the conditionstake; all we are concerned about is that there are twodistinct and separate conditions. The way in which wearrange the utilization of the "bits" that represent the twoconditions determines whether we have a controller-a de-vice that controls another device exactly as we have in-structed it to do, or a microprocessor (a small computer)-a device that can make a decision based on programmedinstructions.

In digital recording we instruct a device to sample theaudio signal and convect it to bits of digital information.Once in digital form virtually no changes can be un-knowingly made to the information (remember, it is go/no-go). If we record the digital representation of the audiosignal on tape there can be no distortion generated any-where in the process after the conversion to digital format,nor can the tape .3r other recording system generate wowand;or flutter. Finally, on playback, we convert the digitalinformation back to analog format, the signal we hear.If the digital processing is used for the master tape, thetape medium adds neither distortion nor noise before thesignal is transferred in analogue form to the pre-recordedtape, or record. Basically, as presently employed, digitalrecording is used for preparing master tapes for records.

(Just so you don't get carried away dreaming of"noiseless records," the record itself, after the first dust


MARCH/APRIL 1979 51

DOTSOUND

settles on it, has a signal-to-noise ratiofor impulse noise of 65 dB on a goodday. As for transmitted signals, theFM station has an inherent signal-to-noise ratio of 60 to 65 dB. And even ifyou played the record in a dust -freeenvironment, your preamplifier prob-ably has a S/N ratio of 65-70 dB. Allin all, the most you can expect is alittle less distortion from digital soundprocessing.)

Now let's move on. In digital re-cording we are using the technology tocontrol the sound. Now let's look aheadand discuss computerization-the use ofdigital techniques to make a decision.

We are all familiar with the problemof matching bias and equalization tethe particular tape being used, particu-larly when dealing with cassette tape.Imagine the advantages if we couldinsert any cassette into the recorderand have it automatically tested forproper bias and equalization in just afew seconds, with the recorder auto-matically establishing the correct biasand equalization for the tape. Soundfarfetched? Not so. The latest cassetterecorders from a few manufacturers doprecisely this, and more. A built-incomputer (a preprogrammed micro-processor) controls the tape tests andsets not only the correct bias andequalization, but the correct recordinglevel for optimum Dolby tracking.

Okay, now we are using digital tech-niques to switch in the correct bias andequalization. Let's go a step farther.You are all familiar with the graphicequalizer, generally used to "tune" aroom or electronic equipment to a"flat" or desired sound characteristic.Using large-scale integration for inte-grated circuits, we can presently put a1/3 -octave graphic equalizer on acouple of chips. (As soon as the chipprice comes down we'll see very inex-pensive graphic equalizers for thehome.) The next step is a microproces-sor in a recorder that automaticallyCorrects for every frequency deviationalong the entire signal path from micro-phone input (via pink noise generatedby the microprocessor) to the recorderoutput. Farfetched? Not at all. Thesame technique is now used for fre-quency correction in the most modernoscilloscopes.

But why restrict the microprocessor

to recorders? We can build one into anamplifier, with its noise generator, thatwill automatically correct the basic am-plifier frequency response to compen-sate for the speakers' sound character-istics, and the acoustic effects wit inthe listening room or location. It couldeven correct, or create, psycho -acousticeffects and/or variations.

Carrying the concept of the on -boardmicroprocessor into the realm of per-sonal -preference equalization, considerthe many, or few as the case might be,sound sources we use that eventuallyget some form of equalization. Perhapsit's a recording where we use midbandboost to brighten a vocal, or an olderdisc that needs extra oomph in the lokbass for the modem, beat sound. Rightnow we adjust tone controls, paramet-ries, or graphic -type equalizers insofaras we are able to remember the needsof each sound source. But few of usbother to note the equalizer adjust-ments on a record jacket or tape con-tainer. How much easier it would allbe if a simple push of a button or two"remembered" the equalization.

Suppose, for instance, that the firsttime we play a recording we adjust tapbass, treble, midband, or whateverequalization we use; and maybe add"dimensional" or "reverberant" effectthrough the use of a digital time delaydevice. After all your equalization anddigital creativity has been satisfied,you press the microprocessor's memorybutton and a digital display indicates acode number, perhaps 123. Next timeyou play the recording, you just enterthe numerals 1, 2, 3 on a keyboard arldthe amplifier is automatically set forall the effects you originally pro-grammed in on the first listening.Surely a few numbers can easily beentered on record sleeves and tapeboxes. (It sure as heck beats writingall the equalization settings and notes.)

Another application for digital tech-niques to audio relates to the "con-trol track." Virtually every recordingmedium except home hi-fi recordingmakes extensive use of a control track.Even the modern studio tape record-ing generally has a control track forspeed regulation, or timing pulses forediting, or whatever purpose the pro-ducer might want, including contro.-ling the gain and equalization of mix -down tracks. But in home hi-fi, whoknows it exists? Actually, many cur-rently -available turntables use a con-trol track for precise speed control.Printed or etched under or around therim of the platter is a series of barsproviding digital (go/no-go) pulses toan optical or magnetic scanner. Thescanner compares the digital signal

from the platter with the digital out-put of a "quartz reference." If theydiffer, a correction voltage is sent to theplatter drive: in this manner the speedof the platter is maintained constant.

Obviously, the control track conceptcan be used for hi-fi purposes otherthan speed regulation, though there aremany high-performance cassette re-corders that would benefit from a speedregulation control track. Actually, thesame tape control track used for speedregulation could be used as a precisiontape counter for pre-programmed cue-ing of particular selections on a tape;and it could be programmed in anyorder. A control track could be usedfor splice -free editing, feeding programmaterial from two recorders to a third,with a microprocessor doing the juggl-ing of program selection. They do thisin TV studios every day, it might wellbe convenient for home -use machines,tool

But enough of these mundane run-of-the-mill digital applications for highfidelity; by now you can probably thinkup another good ten ideas on your own.Let's do the impossible: Resurrect thedead.

Imagine if we could recreate the realsound of long -gone Dixieland groupssuch as the Dixieland Jass Band andNew Orleans Rhythm Kings (DJB andNORK) as it was really played backin the days of Storyville. Well, throughdigital processing it could be done. Weknow what instruments were used,their tonal characteristics, and in manyinstances the original instruments stillexist. The total sound can be digitallyprogrammed to respond to what wehave-predominantly midband-on theold acoustic recordings. Given the time,money, and or course, a viable marketfor the end product, we could digitallyrecreate the sound of the DJB andNORK.

While the technology to recreatenew sounds from old recordings stilllags behind the dream, there have beenpractical attempts to recreate Carusofor opera lovers. Both the latter acous-tical and early electrical recordings did,in fact, have some response to a rela-tively wide frequency range. Normally,the ear doesn't hear these sounds, buta computer can sort them out. Withmuch time and effort, the ghost ofCaruso was partially resurrected. Whoknows, with a bigger computer, a lotmore time, someone working on hisor her PhD., and a large governmentgrant, we might get to the point wherewe'll be buying digitally -restored highfidelity recordings of long -gone greatsat our local record shops.


52 HI-FI/ STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

Opra.ec)r Toccy

by Speight Jenkins

In this magazine'sseries of portraits of fa-mous opera singers, mezzosopranos have inadvert-ently been ignored. Often

Azucena and Amneris,and actually has verymuch a soprano's range,from around a low A, upto a high C. But the

A mezzo soprano who has both lyric and dramatic roles toher credit, Christa Ludwig possesses a rich natural voice.

the women who causetrouble, who are left be-hind or who are generallyunhappy, the mezzo char-acters (particularly in thework of Verdi and Wag-ner), are major indeed.The mezzo-soprano voicecomes mainly in two var-ieties: lyric and dramatic.There are some, incident-ally, who argue that lyricmezzos are indeed mis-placed sopranos, but evi-dence, both physical andmusical, indicates that thistype of singer lacks thesustaining power or bril-liance on top to be a so-prano. The dramatic mez-zo is the one developedby Verdi in such roles as

dramatic mezzo's voiceis darkly, richly colored asfar up as possible, keep-ing some darkness on top.The lyric mezzo also hasa range from low A up toa high C, but the duski-ness is slighter, almostlike a veil. Most can beconveniently fitted intoone designation or theother-Ebe Stignani, Fe-dora Barbieri, MignonDunn, Fiorenza Cossotto,and Elena Obraztsova areclearly dramatic, whileDame Janet Baker, Fred-erica von Stade, TeresaBerganza and Rise Ste-vens are in the othercategory.

One very great singer

who belongs to the lyriccamp but has thrived inboth dramatic roles and inmore than a few sopranoroles is the German artistChrista Ludwig. If MissLudwig had never sung anote of opera but onlyMahler and Schubert, shewould have earned a dis-tinguished place in theannals of song, becauseshe is one of the mostdistinguished interpretersof lieder in our day. Butshe would be a lot lessfamous, for her opera ca-reer has been extensiveand has built huge audi-ences both in Americaand Europe.

She is one of thosesingers who has a won-derfully rich natural in-strument, which she hasschooled carefully to ex-press the finest nuance ofmeaning. Miss Ludwig be-longs among the rare gal-lery of artists who actvocally whenever they areon stage but who can alsopresent a convincing the-atrical picture.

This is not to say thatshe has been without herproblems. Because of herenormous success at theMetropolitan Opera in thesoprano role of the Dyer'sWife in Strauss' Die Frauohne Schatten in 1966,she was cast all over theworM as a soprano. AndHerbert von Karajan con-vinced her that not onlycould she sing Leonore inBeethoven's Fidelio (whichshe did in only one radi-ant performance in NewYork and which is pre-served on disc on AngelS-3625) but that shecould also sing the threeBruennhildes in Wagner'sRing. Her work on the

Christc Luc wig

Ms. Ludwig performed aremarkable portrayal ofOrtrud, the evil characterin Wagner's Lohesigrin.

first of these she under-took - that of Siegfried -precipitated a grave vocalcrisis from which she re-covered, but which left amark for some time. It issafe to say now, on thebasis of her recent rec-ords and a fine recitalhere in New York lastseason, that she is vocallyhealthy again, but shewas deprived of someyears of her finest sing-ing because of this un-fortunate decision to singdramatic soprano roles.

She first came to NewYork in 1959 and madelittle splash as Octavianin Der Rosenkavalierand Cherubino in LeNozze di Figaro. In bothshe was considered toofeminine, though therewere those of us eventhen who were over-whelmed by the velvetyquality of her voice andhow many emotions shecould convey. After thesuccess a few years laterin New York with DieFrau, she went on to singa remarkable Ortrud inLohengrin in which shewas never shrill, just theembodiment of evil; aKundry in Parsifal (whichshe will repeat this April)


MARCH/APRIL 1979 53

SPOTLIGHT ON...

LAFAYETTELR-120 DBRECEIVER -,11.1,


A STEREO RECEIVER OF STERLINGIPERFORVANCE AND MODERATE COST

It wasn't too many years ago thatLafayette Radio-presently known asLafayette Radio Electronics-was oneof the outstanding leaders in budgetand moderate priced high fidelityequipment. Their mono, and laterstereo, LR-5000 Series of receivers re-mains among the very best buys interms of performance and dollar value.In fact, for many equipment reviewersthe 5000 -series was the standard ofreference for budget -to -moderate -pricedreceivers.

Now, after several years of seeming-ly disappearing into the woodwork,Lafayette is back with a jam-packedcatalog, and a prominently featured

Directly to the right of the FM antennaconnections is an FM input attenuator. It'snot generally needed or used, but if an FMstation is "down the block" it can preventan overload of the FM front end section.

Extensive equalization is available withdual range bass and treble controls, amidband tone control, dual range low andhigh filters, and dual range loudness com-pensation. Though the output powermeters above the tone controls are cali-brated at 0.1 to 240 watts, a front panelswich provides a one -to -ten divider fora 0.01- to 2 -4 -watt power -reading range.

piece of high fidelity equipment is theLR-120Db-a stereo receiver of sterlingperformance and convenience, onceagain at moderate cost. If there wasanyone left at Lafayette who remem-bered days of yore, the LR-120Dbcould easily have carried a 5000 Seriesdesignation, for it too assumes a posi-tion of leadership in high fidelity per-formance.

Features Galore. It is difficult toknow where to start describing theLR120Db because it is loadad withfeatures, so we'll throw a dart at thecatalog . . . and start with the ampli-fier section.

Starting with the amplifier that isFTC -rated for 8 ohms at 120 wattsRM§ per channel, 20 to 20,000 Hzat a distortion no higher than 0.09%THD, we find bass tone controls withturnover frequencies of 250 or 500 Hz,treble controls with turnover frequen-cies of 2500 or 5000 Hz, a midbandtone control centered on 1000 Hz, dualrange treble filters with corner fre-quencies of 7000 and 12,000 Hz, achoice of a low filter (7(I Hz) or a

Two somewhat unusual features are amonophonic microphone input with itsown level control (you don't adjust thelevel of other signal sources to match themicrophone level). FM mute with a frontpanel, user threshold level adjustment.

subharmonic (15 Hz) filter, loudnesscompensation of both the low and highfrequencies or just of the low frequen-cies, both 15 dB and 30 dB audiomutes, three speaker outputs, and twoheadphone jacks (for his and her lis-tening?).

FIG. 1

FIG. 3




TEST REPORTSRECEIVERS /55 64/ 90WER AV 9S

MAPS /60 65/CASSE 1 I E DECKS

\TEGRATED AV9S /61 71/ EQ,AL1ZERS

PREAV 9S /63 72/ RECORD 3LAYERSRECEIVERS


HARMAN/KARDON hk-670AM/FM RECEIVER

This 60 -watt -per -channel receiver includes auto-matic dubbing capability to and from two taperecorders, capability of accommodating twospeaker systems, and both switched and un-switched AC outlets. In the lab, it demonstratedsolid bass and silky highs more commonly asso-ciated with the best of tube amplifiers and alsoproved to be excellent in terms of its overloadcharacteristics, particularly in the deep bass endof the audio spectrum. $569.00 in metal cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: An AM FM stereo receiver FTC -ratedat 60 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20 to 20,000Hz, at a distortion of less than 0.03°0 THD. Featuresinclude: a stereo beacon: a meter that serves as anFM quieting tuning indicator, an AM signal strengthtuning meter, and an FM multipath indicator; an FMin -tune LED indicator; 75 and 25 Sec FM de -empha-sis; automatic dubbing from to either of two recorders;a subsonic filter; user -adjustable FM muting level; and

an output hold -off that prevents power supply turn -ontransients from being fed to the speakers.

There are inputs for magnetic phono, aux, and twotape. Outputs for two speaker systems, two tape, andphones.

Co-itrols are provided for tuning, volume, balance,ganged bass, ganged :reble, and input selection. Thereare switches for power, tape copy selection, tape moni-tor selection, speake system A, speaker system B,tone contrcl defeat, subsonic filter, high cut (filter),mono :stereo, 75/25 /Sec FM de -emphasis. FM muting,and loudness compensation.

The FM antenna input is 300 ohms. A rod antennaanc external connection are provided for AM. Switchedand unswitched AC outlets are provided.

(Nerall dimensions are 181/2 in. wide x 61/4 in. highx 14 in. deep. Weigh: is 26 lbs.PERFORMANCE-FM TUNER: For 300 ohms and "tee"anteinas, full limiting was attained with 3.5 µV. Themonophonic high fidelity sensitivity (60 dB quieting)measured 9 µV. The stereo high fidelity sensitivity (55dB quieting) was 70 pV. Full mute release can be user-ad;usted over the range from 6 to 120 µV.

At standard test level the stereo frequency responsewith 75 pSec de -emphasis measured +0 -1 dB from20 to 15,000 Hz. With 25 pSec de -emphasis, the stereofrequency response was 0.4 -0.5 dB from 20 to15.000 Hz. Monophonic distortion measured 0.08% to0.3% THD over the range in which the in -tune indica-tor was lit, with 0.14% THD at the estimated "center"of this tuning range. The stereo distortion was 0.14%to 0.25% THD over the range at which the in -tune indi-cator was lit, with 0.12% THD at the estimated centerof this range. (There is no clear indicator of centerchannel tuning.) The signal-to-noise ratio measured 79dB. Stereo separation was 40-i- dB. Selectivity wasvery good.PERFORMANCE-AM TUNER: Average.PERFORMANCE-AMPLIFIER: The power output per

MARCH/APRIL 1979 55

TEST REPORTS RECEIVERS

channel at the clipping level with both channels driven20 to 20.000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 61 watts RMS.The frequency response at 61 watts 8 ohms measured+0.7 -0 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion nohigher than 0.055% THD at any frequency.

The tone control range measured +11 -12 dB at 50Hz; ±12 dB at 10,000 Hz.

The magnetic input hum and noise measured -67dB; stereo separation was into the noise level.

Note: The overload characteristics are more repre-sentative of tubes rather than transistors, and over-load is "soft" with excellent recovery. Sound qualityhas the solid -bass and silky highs generally attainedfrom better tube amplifiers.

dill111111111111111111111111\r111

1:1 1±.. Lt:jej LI:j_7 1

3 k l 1 I i i 11


S

LAFAYETTE LR-120DbAM/FM RECEIVER

This receiver is capable of notably excellentsound quality and includes extensive tone con-trols and filters. Among them are ganged bass,midrange, and treble controls with dual -rangeturnover frequencies for both bass and treblecontrols; dual range low filter and dual rangehigh filter. A detailed discussion of our lab'sfindings on this receiver may be found in theSpotlight On: Lafayette feature elsewhere in thisissue. $649.99 including a wood cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: An AM FM stereo receiver FTC -ratedat 120 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20 to 20,000Hz at a distortion no higher than 0.09% THD at anyfrequency. Features include: a stereo beacon; FM cen-ter channel and AM FM signal strength tuning meters:75 and 25 pSec FM de -emphasis; a front panel FMmute -level sensitivity adjustment; output power meterscalibrated from 0.1 to 240 watts (with a 1 10 rangeprovided by a front panel switch); dual range bassturnover frequencies (250, 500 Hz); dual range trebleturnover frequencies (2500, 5000 Hz); a midband tonecontrol; dual range low filter (15, 70 Hz); dual rangehigh filter (7000, 12,000 Hz): loudness compensationof low and high end or just low end; monophonicmicrophone mixing with other signal sources; a three -

step sensitivity adjustment for one of two phono in-puts: a 15 or 30 dB audio mute: automatic dubbingfrom to either of two recorders: a 1:10 FM antennainput attenuator: and an output hold -off to preventpower supply turn -on transients from being fed to thespeakers.

In addition to the monophonic microphone inputthere are stereo inputs for two magnetic phono, aux,and two tape. Outputs for three speaker systems, twotape, and two phones.

Controls are provided for tuning, volume, balance,ganged bass, ganged midband, ganged treble, inputselection, microphone mixing level and FM mutinglevel. There are switches for power, speaker systemA, speaker system B, speaker system C, output meterrange (1 10), Dolby FM (25 pSec FM de -emphasis),high blend (mpx filter), mono stereo, FM muting on,tape dubbing selector, tape monitor selector, loudnesscompensation or low boost only, low filter cut-off fre-quency, high filter cut-off frequency, bass turnover fre-quency tone control flat, treble turnover frequencytone control flat, and 15 30 dB audio mute. There areswitches on the rear apron for phono =1 input sensi-tivity and 1:10 FM input attenuator.

The FM antenna input is 75 3C0 ohms. A rod an-tenna and external input are provided for AM. Switchedand unswitched AC outlets are provided.

Overall dimensions are 21 in. wide x 7 in. high x 17in. deep.PERFORMANCE-FM TUNER: Full limiting was at-tained with 12 pV. The monophonic high fidelity sensi-tivity (60 dB quieting) measured 8µV. The stereo highfidelity sensitivity (55 dB quieting) was 50 AV. Full muterelease depended on the adjustment of the mute levelcontrol, which provided full release from 3.5 to 30 pV.

At standard test level the stereo frequency responsewith 75 pSec de -emphasis measured -; 0.1 -1 dB from30 to 15,000 Hz, down 2 dB at 20 Hz.

With 25 pSec de -emphasis, the stereo frequency re-sponse measured -1 0.5 -0.6 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz,down 1.5 dB at 30 Hz.

Monophonic distortion measured 0.11% THD. Stereodistortion was 0.25% THD. The signal-to-noise ratiomeasured 73 dB. Stereo separation was 38 dB. Selec-tivity was very good.

Note: The receiver was in perfect alignment, buttuning is critical and must be precisely set for themeter -indicated center channel in order to attain mini-mum distortion.PERFORMANCE-AM TUNER: Essentially average butwith slightly higher than average background noise.PERFORMANCE-AMPLIFIER: The power output perchannel at the clipping level with both channels driven20 to 20,000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 141 watts RMS.The frequency response at 141 watts 8 ohms measured+0 -0.5 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion nohigher than 0.09% THD at any frequency.


TEST REPORTS/ RECEIVERS

The tore control range depends on the setting of theturnover selectors. At 50 Hz, with a 250 Hz turnover,the range measured ±11 dB; with a 500 Hz turnover,it measured 12 dB. At 10.000 Hz, with a 2500 Hzturnover, the range measured --9 dB; with a 5000 Hzturnover, it measured 6.5 dB. The midband tong con-trol range was -±-6 dB at 1000 Hz.

The low filter (15 Hz subharmonic filter) was only0.4 dB down at 20 Hz. The magnetic input hum andnoise measured 65 dB; stereo separation was ir to thenoise level.

The frequency response of the output meters wasessentially ruler flat from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The outputpower calibrations were approximately 20% higher

than true value. It appears they might have some head-way sc the pointer overswing would more closely ap-proxi mate program average power.

Note: The listening panel reported a notably excel-lent overall sound quality. and singled out the extensivetone control variations for special mention.

We cannot find a normal condition where the FMantenr a input attenuatcr would be used. We could notsynthesize a signal sufficiently strong to overload theFM tuner. Perhaps, if the receiver was used within afew blocks of an unusually powerful transmitter theremight be some need for the attenuator, but within 1 -

mile of a typically strong FM station we did not requirethe attenuator.


PIONEER SX-780AM/FM RECEIVER

Its rated output is 45 watts per channel, andits features include precisely calibrated outputmeters, automatic tape dubbing capability fromone tape machine to another, and outputs fortwo different speaker systems. At 5375, it's arespectable high fidelity receiver at a moderateprice. Wood cabinet is included.

DESCRIPTION: An AM FM stereo receiver FTC -ratedat 45 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms 20 to 20,000Hz, with no more than 0.05% THD. Features include:a stereo beacon; combination FM center channel AMsignal strength tuning meter; 75 and 25 ,11Sec. FM de -emphasis; left and right output power meters calibrated0 to 100 watts into 8 ohms and -40 to -3 dB, with0 -dB equal to 50 watts; automatic dubbing from onetape to another; and an output hold -off that preventspower supply turn -on transients from being fed to thespeakers.

There are stereo inputs for magnetic phono, aux,and two tape. Outputs for two speaker systems, twotape, and phones.

Controls are provided for tuning. volume, balance,ganged bass, ganged treble, and input selection. Thereare switches for power, speaker system A, speaker

system B, loudness compensation, tape monitor #1!dub, tape monitor -=2, FM muting, 15 Hz subsonic filter(low fiber), high filter, and mono stereo.

The FM antenna input is 75 300 ohms. A rod an-tenna and external connection are provided for AM.There are switched anc unswitched AC outlets.

Overall dimensions are 1878 in wide x 51/2 in. high x125/8 in. deep. Weight is 24.7 lbs.PERFORMANCE-FM TUNER: Full limiting was at-tained with 2.9 IN. The monophonic high fidelity sen-sitivity (60 dB quieting' measured 14 IN. The stereohigh fidelity sensitivity (55 dB quieting) was 100mV.Full mute release was attained with 6µV.

At standard test leve' the stereo frequency responsewith 75 ',Sec de -emphasis measured +07-0.5 dB from30 to 15,000 Hz, down 1.3 dB at 20 Hz. The mono-phonic distortion was 0.1% THD: the stereo distortionwas 0.3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio measured68 d3.

Witi 25 ILSec de -emphasis the stereo frequency re-sponse measured 0.4 -0.5 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz;down 1.5 dB at 20 Hz.

Stereo separation was 40+ dB. Selectivity was verygood.

PERFORMANCE-AM TUNER: Average.PERFORMANCE-AMPLIFIER: The power output per

channel at the clipping level with both channels driven20 to 20,000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 43 watts RMS.The frequency response at 43 watts 8 ohms measured+0;'-0.5 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion nohigher than 0.01% THD at any frequency.

The tone control range measured ±8 dB at 50 Hz;+7 -6 dB at 10,000 Hz.

With the subsonic (low) filter switched in, the re-spcnse was down only 1.5 dB at 20 Hz.

The magnetic input hum and noise measured -72dB. stereo separation was into the noise level.

TI -e output meter frequency response measuredruler flat from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Power output readingswere within 5% of the true value.

This amplifier has an overload cut-out that instantlyturns off the output if the output power in the rangeof 10,000 to 20,000 Hz attempts to exceed approxi-mately 50 watts. A

MARCH/APRIL 1979 57


SI ' CCCC

4'


REALISTIC STA-2100AM/FM RECEIVER

This receiver is conservatively rated at 120 wattsper channel with no more than .1% THD. Ourlab found that it could exceed that power ratingand still stay within its distortion rating. Ourlistening panel reported notably excellent soundquality. with special mention going to remarkablyclean sound in the midrange which is a plus forcontemporary music fans. $600 in wood cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: An AM FM stereo receiver FTC -ratedat 120 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20 to 20,000Hz, at no more than 0.1% THD. Features include: astereo beacon; FM center channel and AM FM signalstrength tuning meters; 75 and 25 ASec FM de -em-phasis; output power meters calibrated from 0 to 200and from 0.1 to 10 watts into 8 ohms; dual range bassturnover frequencies (150, 300 Hz); dual range trebleturnover frequencies (3000, 6000 Hz); a midband tonecontrol; a three -step 'sensitivity adjustment for one oftwo phono inputs; automatic dubbing from to eitherof two recorders; phono jack and wire -terminal speakerconnections; and an output hold -off that preventspower supply turn -on transients from being fed tothe speakers.

There are inputs for two magnetic phono, aux, andtwo tape. Outputs for two speaker systems, two tape,and phones. The preamplifier outputs and main ampli-fier inputs are available on the rear apron.

Controls are provided for tuning, concentric volumebalance, ganged bass, ganged midband. ganged treble,and input selection. There are switches for power, FM

Dolby (25 ASec de -emphasis), FM muting, mpx filter,10 dB attenuator (which also changes output meters tolow range), speaker system A, speaker system B, tapedubbing se'ector, tape monitor selector, bass turnoverfrequency, and treble turnover frequency. The phonosensitivity switch is on the rear apron.

Overall dimensions are 201/2 in. wide x 678 in. high x167/8 in. deep.PERFORMANCE-FM TUNER: Full limiting was at-tained with 3.4 AV. The monophonic high fidelity sensi-tivity (60 dB quieting) measured 9µV. The stereo highfidelity sensitivity (55 dB quieting) was 80 AV.

At standard test level the stereo frequency responsewith 75 ASec de -emphasis measured +0.2 '-1.2 dBfrom 20 to 15,000 Hz.

With 25 ASec de -emphasis, the stereo frequency re-sponse measured +0.3 -0.5 dB from 20 to 15,000 Hz.

Monophonic distortion measured 0.08% THD. Stereodistortion was 0.18% THD. The signal-to-noise ratiomeasured 73 dB. Stereo separation was 40+ dB. Selec-tivity was very good.

Note: Tuning is not critical. Low distortion valuesare attained over a relatively broad "center tuning"meter indication.PERFORMANCE-AM TUNER: Average.PERFORMANCE-AMPLIFIER: The power output perchannel at the clipping level with both channels driven20 to 20,000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 135 watts RMS.The frequency response at 135 watts 8 ohms measured+0/-1 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion nohigher than 0.12% THD at any frequency.

The tone control range depends on the selected turn-over frequencies. At 50 Hz, with a 150 Hz turnover, therange was +10 -11 dB: with a 300 Hz turnover, it was+12 -14 dB. At 10,000 Hz, the range with a 3000 Hzturnover was +9/-11 dB; with a 6000 Hz turnover, itwas +5'-6 dB.

The magnetic input hum and noise measured -63dB; stereo separation was 55 dB.

The frequency response of the output meters wasruler flat from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The output meter cali-brations were from 20% to 50% higher than the truevalue, depending on the position of the pointer. Itappears the calibrations have some headway so thepointer overswing would more closely approximateprogram average power.

Note: The listening panel reported a notably excel-lent sound quality, with particular reference to anextra midband "oomph" from contemporary music.


SAE R3CAM/FM RECEIVER

A nice all-around performer in a moderatelypriced package. Its power output rating is 30watts per channel and its features include a lowfilter and outputs for two speaker systems, onetape machine, and headphones. $335 in metalcabinet.

58 HI-FI/ STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE


DESCRIPTION: An AM 'FM stereo receiver FTC -ratedat 30 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20 to 20,000Hz, at a distortion of no more than 0.09% THD at anyfrequency. Features include a stereo beacon, FMcenter channel and AM FM signal strength tuningmeters, and a low filter.

There are inputs for magnetic phono, aux, and tape.Outputs for two speaker systems, tape. and phones.

Controls are provided for tuning. volume, balance,ganged bass, ganged treble, and input selection 'FMmuting. There are switches for power, tape monitor,loudness compensation, low filter, speaker system A,and speaker system B.

The FM antenna input is 75 300 ohms. A rod an-tenna and external connection are provided for AM.Switched and unswitched AC outlet are provided.

Overall dimensions are 17.4 in. wide x 5.3 in. high x14 in. deep.PERFORMANCE-FM TUNER: For 300 ohm and "tee"antennas, full limiting was attained with 3.2 p,\./. Themonophonic high fidelity sensitivity was 12 01 for 59dB quieting. (We could not perform our standard wide -band test to 60 dB quieting because of a -59 dB humlevel.) The high fidelity stereo sensitivity (55 dB quiet-

ing) was 65 µV. Full mute release was attained with1.8 4/.

At standard test level, the stereo frequency responsemeasured 0.4 -0.5 dB from 20 to 15,000 Hz. Mono-phonic distortion measured 0.25% THD. Stereo dis-tortion was 0.38% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio was61.5 dB. Stereo separa:ion measured 40+ dB. Selec-tivity was good. Note: Tuning is non -critical and dis-tortion actually is lower either side of center tuning.PERFORMANCE-AM TUNER: Background noise issomewhat higher than average at the high end of thedial.PERFORMANCE-AMPLIFIER: The power output perchannel at the clipping level with both channels driven20 tc 20,000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 32 watts RMS.The f r eq u ency response at 32 watts 8 ohms measured+0.4 -0 dB from 20 to 20.000 Hz at a distortion nohigher than 0.09% THD at any frequency.

The tone control range measured -±-11 dB at 50 Hz;8.E dB at 10,000 Hz.With the low filter switched in, the frequency re-

sponse was down 2 dB at 40 Hz, 5 dB at 20 Hz.Tre magnetic input hum and noise measured -74

dB; stereo separation was 55 dB.

-1111.11:111M111611.11IMM

7: -7-

/ I) 1..f


r

SETTON RS -440AM/FM RECEIVER

It is able to deliver at least 55 watts per channelwith no more than 0.1% THD-and is able tooutdo these specs comfortably in our lab tests.Included are bass, midrange, and treble tonecontrols with dual range turnover frequenciesfor bass and treble; stereo microphone input canbe mixed with other signal sources; and a spe-cial protection panel indicates when the ampli-fier section is being driven beyond the clippinglevel. $660. with wood cabinet included.

DESCRIPTION: An AM FM stereo receiver FTC -ratedat 55 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20 to 20,000Hz, with no more than 0.1% THD. Features include: astereo beacon; FM center channel and AM FM signalstrength tuning meters; dual bass (250, 500 Hz) andtreble (2500, 5000 Hz) turnover frequencies; a midbandtone control; stereo microphone input that can be

mixec with other signal sources; a security panel withlamps indicating excessively high internal temperature,amplifier clipping, and protection (shorted speakerwires:: automatic dubbing from one tape to another;two -level magnetic phono input sensitivity; and anamplifier hold -off that prevents power supply turn -ontransients from being fed to the speakers.

There are stereo inouts for microphones, magneticphono, two aux, and two tape. Outputs for threespeaker systems, two tape, and phones.

Controls are provided for tuning, concentric volume/balarce, ganged bass, ganged midband, ganged treble,input selection/ mpx filter, and power speaker selec-tion. There are switcnes for high filter, tone controldefeat, mono /stereo, loudness compensation, tapemonitor A 'club, tape monitor B dub, bass turnoverfreqi.ency, treble turnover frequency, audio muting,anc .=M muting. A two -level phono sensitivity switch ison tt-e rear apron.

The FM antenna input is 75 300 ohms. A rod an-tenna and external connection are provided for AM.

Overall dimensions are 21.3 in. wide x 6.7 in. high x11.3 in. deep. Weight is 30.9 lbs.PERFORMANCE-FM TUNER: For 300 ohms and "tee"antennas, full limiting was attained with 2.8 Themonophonic high fidelity sensitivity (60 dB quieting)measured 4.5 IN. The stereo high fidelity sensitivity (55dB cuieting) was 75 p\I.

At standard test level the stereo frequency responsemeasured 0.8 -1.E dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz. Themonophonic distortion measured 0.11% THD. Thestereo distortion was 0.3% THD. The signal-to-noiseratio measured 71 dB. Stereo separation was 40+ dB.Selectivity was very Good.

Note: Sharply reduced distortion was attained withthe tuning adjusted somewhat off the meter -indicated

MARCH/APRIL 1979 59

TEST REPORTS TUNERS

center channel.PERFORMANCE-AM TUNER: Average with consider-ably less than average background noise.PERFORMANCE-AMPLIFIER: The power output perchannel at the clipping level with both channels driven20 to 20,000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 67 watts RMS.The frequency response at 67 watts 8 ohms measured+1/-1.8 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz. at a distortion nohigher than 0.05% THD at any frequency.

The tone control range depends on the selectedturnover frequencies. At 50 Hz: with a 250 Hz turnover,the range measured 4 8.5 -11 dB; with a 500 Hz turn-

over, it measured 9 -13 dB. At 10,000 Hz: with a2500 Hz turnover, the range was +7.5/-10 dB; with a5000 Hz turnover, it measured +5/-5.5 dB. The mid -band tone control range was +4.5/-6 dB at 1000 Hz.


The protection panel precisely indicated the clippinglevel from 20 Hz to about midband, and was veryslightly low at the extreme highs. As far as programmaterial is concerned, the clipping indicator is precise,and serves as an excellent guard against overdrivingthe amplifier into distortion. A

TUNERS

el "N

11 weft at,


r'N

MARANTZ 2110AM/FM TUNER

This tuner's unusual feature is an oscilloscopedisplay which is built-in, and serves as a tuningand FM multipath indicator and as a mono andstereo audio display which may also be used inconjunction with other audio components. $340,in leatherette -covered metal cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: An AM FM stereo tuner featuring astereo beacon, 75 '25 pSec FM de -emphasis, an FMmute, and a 1.5 -inch oscilloscope that serves as a tun-ing and FM multipath indicator, and as a mono andstereo audio display. External input terminals and anexternal input level adjustment allow the oscilloscopeto be used as an audio indicator for other mono andstereo components.

One output is provided at line level. There is one linelevel input for the oscilloscope.

There is a tuning control, and scope controls forvertical position, horizontal position, and external inputlevel. Switches are provided for power, FM, AM, 75 25',Sec FM de -emphasis, FM muting, mono stereo, andoscilloscope switches for display on -off, tuning, audio,

and external input. Screwdriver adjustments for theoscilloscope focus and brightness are on the rearpanel.

The FM antenna input is 75 300 ohms. A rod an-tenna and external connection are provided for AM.One unswitched AC outlet is provided.

Overall dimensions are 163/8 in. wide x 53/4 in. high x1178 in. deep. Weight is 18.7 lbs.PERFORMANCE-FM TUNER: For 300 ohm and "tee"antennas, full limiting was AV. Themonophonic high fidelity sensitivity (60 dB quieting)measured 7µV. The stereo high fidelity sensitivity (55dB quieting) was 58 p.V. Full mute release was attainedwith 12 AV.

At standard test level, the stereo frequency responsewith 75 tiSec de -emphasis measured +0.1 -1 dB from30 to 15,000 Hz, down 2 dB at 20 Hz. With 25 ASecde -emphasis, the stereo frequency response measured+0.4 -1.1 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz, down 2 dB at 20Hz. Monophonic distortion measured 0.22% THD. Thestereo distortion was 0.55% THD at the oscilloscope -indicated center channel; 0.3% THD could be attainedwith the tuning set so that the oscilloscope trace wasvery slightly to the right of center. The signal-to-noiseratio measured 80 dB. Stereo separation was 40+ dB.Selectivity was very good.

The output level corresponding to 100% modulationof the transmitter was nominally 1.1 volt.PERFORMANCE-AM TUNER: Sensitivity was muchabove average. Background noise was slightly higherthan average. (Very good performance for those intoAM listening.)PERFORMANCE-OSCILLOSCOPE: The oscilloscope'sstability is very good, and the trace centering made oninitial power -up held through the remainder of the testswith no noticeable drift. For FM, the oscilloscope traceindicates relative signal strength, center channel tun-ing, and multipath. For AM, the trace indicates relativesignal strength, and tuning. For both modes it has anaudio display, and a stereo display for FM stereo.Connected to external equipment, it provides a "line"display of mono and stereo signals, the same as for


TEST REPORTS/ INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS

AM and FM. The maximum external sensitivity to pro -v de an edge -to -edge display on the cathode ray tubedisplay (CRT) was 0.14 volts.

The CRT graticle has a central "target" for user set-up o' the trace centering (important for proper FMtuning.)

INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS

I HI 1 aCircle No. 72 On Reader Service Card

amics

HITACHI HA -5300INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

A 60 -watt per channel integrated amplifier with aTHD spec of 0.1% which sells for about $400.Features include two magnetic phono inputs,one of which allows you to select capacitanceload (100, 200, 300 pF) via a switch. In our lab-oratory tests, our distortion measurement wasconsiderably below the manufacturer's spec (wemeasured .03% THD) which speaks well forHitachi's spec'ing policies. Its cabinet is metal.

DESCRIPTION: An integrated stereo amplifier FTC -rated at 60 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20 to20,000 Hz, at a distortion no higher than 0 1% THDat any frequency.

Features include two magnetic phono inputs, oneof which has switch -selected capacity loadirg of 100,200 or 300 pF, three -step loudness compensation pro-vided through gain select attenuators for the volumecontrol, a separate level control for one of two speaker

outputs (speaker system B), automatic dubbing from'to e ther of two recorcers, a low (subsonic) filter, andan output hold -off that prevents power supply turn -ontransients from being "ed to the speakers.

There are inputs for two magnetic phono, tuner, aux,and two tape. Outputs for two speaker systems, twotape, and phones. The preamplifier outputs and mainamplifier inputs are available on the rear apron.

Controls are provided for volume, balance, gangedbass, ganged treble, speaker selection, speaker sys-tem B volume level, input selection, and tape dub'mor itor selection.' There are switches for power, lowfilter, tone control defeat, high filter, mono stereo,loudress compensation, and -5, -10 and -20 dB gainselect (for volume control). The phono input » 1 capac-ity loading switch is cn the rear apron.

One switched and two unswitched AC outlets areprovided.

Overall dimensions are 17.1 in. wide x 6.5 in. high x15.4 in. deep. Weight is 27.1 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The power output per channel atthe clipping level with both channels driven 20 to20,000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 66 watts RMS. Thefrequency response at 66 watts '8 ohms measured+0'-1.5 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion nohigher than 0.03% TI -D at any frequency.

The tone control range measured +10.5 -9 dB at50 -lz; +9/-10 dB at 10,000 Hz.

The low (subsonic) filter was 2.1 dB down at 20 Hz.The magnetic inpu: hum and noise measured -70

dB: stereo separation was 49 dB.The speaker system B volume control is an attenu-

ator that reduces the B output up to 11 dB below the"normal" output. Witi the speaker system B volumecontrol full on, the speaker B output is equal to thecharnel A output. A

Circle No. 75 OnReader Service Card

KENWOOD KA-5700INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

The FTC rates this amp at 40 watts per channelwith distortion no higher than .04%. In our testsdistortion did not exceed .02% at any frequency.Its features include output power meters, auto-matic dubbing from one tape machine to another.Its price is $230, in a metal cabinet.

MARCH/APRIL 1979 61

TEST REPORTS INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS

DESCRIPTION: An integrated stereo amplifier FTC -rated at 40 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms 20 to20,000 Hz, at a distortion no higher than 0.04% THD.Features include left and right output power meterscalibrated from 0 to 60 watts into 8 ohms, automaticdubbing from one tape to another, a subsonic filter,and an output hold -off that prevents power supply turn -on transients from being fed to the speakers.

There are inputs for magnetic phono, tuner, aux, andtwo tape. Outputs for two speaker systems, two tape.and phones.

Controls are provided for volume, balance, gangedbass, ganged treble, input selection, and speakerselection. There are switches for power, loudness com-pensation, tape dubbing, tape monitor selection, andsubsonic filter.

Two switched and an unswitched AC outlet areprovided.

Overall dimensions are 15 in. wide x 51/2 in. high x11", in. deep. Weight is 16.8 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The power output per channel at theclipping level with both channels driven 20 to 20,000Hz into 8 ohms measured 44 watts RMS. The frequencyresponse at 44 watts 8 ohms was -+ 0 -3 dB from 20to 18,000 Hz, down 3.6 dB at 20,000 Hz. (Note: Thehigh end response-at 20,000 Hz-can be made "flat"by advancing the ganged treble control two "notches.")Distortion did not exceed 0.02% THD at any frequency.

The tone control range measured 9.5 dB at 50 Hz;±8 dB at 10,000 Hz. With the subsonic filter switchedin, the 20 Hz response was down 2 dB.

The magnetic input hum and noise measured -75dB; stereo separation was into the noise level.

The output meter accuracy was essentially within10% at all power levels. The frequency response wasessentially "ruler flat" from 20 to 20,000 Hz.


ROTEL RA -2030INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

Two magnetic phono inputs are included as fea-tures of this 80 -watt per channel amplifier. Oneof these phono inputs allows you to use a switchto select load impedance (35k, 50k, 70k ohms)and also to select capacitance (0, 100, 200 pF).A phono input for a moving coil -type cartridge(with bead amplifier) is also included. Peakpower output indicators, subsonic and super-sonic filters also included. $680 in metal cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: An integrated stereo amplifier FTC -rated at 80 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20 to20,000 Hz, at a distortion no higher than 0.01% THD.Features include two magnetic phono inputs, one ofwhich includes switch -selected load impedance (35k,50k, 70k ohms) and additional capacitance (0, 100,200 pF) selection; a moving coil (MC) phono input withhead amplifier; left and right 13 -step LED peak outputpower indicators calibrated from -18 to +3 dB, with0 -dB representing 80 watts peak into 8 ohms; a 1 100(-20 dB) output indicator divider that makes 0 -dBrepresent 0.8 watts peak into 8 ohms; a subsonic filter;a supersonic filter (25 kHz cut-off low-pass type); auto-

matic dubbing from to either of two recorders; inde-pendent selection of amplifier and recorder inputs; andan output hold -off that prevents power supply turn -ontransients from being fed to the speakers.

There are inputs for two magnetic phono, one MCphono, tuner, aux, and two tape. Outputs for twospeaker systems, two tape and phones. The preampli-fier outputs and main amplifier inputs are available onthe rear apron.

Controls are provided for volume, balance, gangedbass, ganged treble, input selection, phono selector,recorder input dub selection, phono #1 input impe-dance selector, and phono #1 "additional" capacityselector. There are switches for power, tone controldefeat, mono/stereo modes, output power indicatoron/off/-20 dB, subsonic filter, supersonic filter, loud-ness compensation, tape monitor 1, tape monitor 2,source monitor, and 15 dB audio muting. The preampli-fier -main amplifier separation switch is on the rearapron.

Three switched AC outlets are provided.Overall dimensions are 19 in. wide x 5.6 in. high x

16 in. deep. Weight is 39 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The power output per channel at theclipping level with both channels driven 20 to 20,000 Hzinto 8 ohms measured 82 watts RMS. The frequencyresponse at 82 watts 8 ohms measured +0 -1.2 dBfrom 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion no higher than0.035% at any frequency.

The tone control range measured ±11 dB at 50 Hz;6 -8 dB at 10,000 Hz.The subsonic filter has no effect on the response at

20 Hz; that is, it affects only frequencies below thatpoint, which is as it should be. The supersonic filter has0.5 dB attenuation at 20,000 Hz. (Note: The supersonicfilter has no effect on normally heard sound; it doesn'tcut background hiss, record scratch, etc. It does how-ever, have some effect on supersonic high frequencynoise-like some record scratch impulses-which candrive the amplifier into momentary overload. Accord -

62 HI-FUSTEREO BUYERS' GUIDI

TEST REPORTS PREAMPLIFIERS

ing to the listening panel the filter either had no ap-parent effect, or did seem to produce "a better" soundwhen playing old, scratchy recordings, or when listen-ing to weak -signal FM programming. which is subjectto impulse "ignition" noises.)


The LED output power indicators appear to be sensi-tive to voltage peaks, hence, they indicate the peak

program power and serve as a reliable indicator as tothe peak power output and the relationship of the out-put power to the maximum rating of 0 -dB (80 wattsinto 8 ohms). Because there are discrete steps to theLED indicator, there is a non -precise area of sensitivityfor power indication. We found the worst -case accu-racy to be better than 10%, with an essentially "rulerflat" response form 20 to 20,000 Hz. Overall, thesystem is an excellent indicator of peak power.A


SAE C3AINTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

At $325, this amplifier presents a nice packagefor a moderately priced system. Power rating is50 watts per channel, with no more than .05%THD. Among its features are green red series ofLED indicators (green ones indicate power out-put from 0 to 50 watts, red ones indicate over-load from 50 to 100 watts), automatic dubbing toand from either of two tape recorders.

DESCRIPTION: An integrated stereo amp ifier FTC -rated at 50 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 20to 20,000 Hz, at a distortion of no more than 0.05%THD. Features include left and right output powermeters calibrated from 0 to 50 watts into 8 ohms (greenindicators) and overload indicators in a red area with

100 watt calibration, tone control defeat, low filter,automatic dub from/to either of two recorders, and anoutput hold -off that prevents power supply turn -ontransients from being fed to the speakers.

There are inputs for magnetic phono, tuner, aux, andtwo tape. Outputs for two speaker systems, two tape,and phones.

Controls are provided for volume, balance, gangedbass, ganged treble, input selection, and speakerselection. There are switches for power, 20 dB audiomuting, loudness compe-isation, low filter, tone con-trol defeat, mono stereo, tape dub selection, and tapemonitor selection.

Two switched outlets and an unswitched AC outletare provided.

Overall dimensions are 17.4 in. wide x 5.3 in. high x14 in. deep. Cabinet s made of metal.PERFORMANCE: AMPLIFIER: The power output perchannel at the clipping level with both channels driven20 to 20,000 Hz into 8 ohms measured 55 watts RMS.The frequency response at 55 watts 8 ohms measured"ruler flat" from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion nohither than 0.07% THD at any frequency.

The tone control range measured ±10 dB at 50 Hz;+10 -9 dB at 10,000 Hz.

With the low filter switched in, the response wasdown 2 dB at 40 Hz; 5 dB at 20 Hz.

The magnetic input hum and noise measured -65dB; stereo separatior was 54 dB.PERFORMANCE-METERS: The frequency responseof tie output meters was essentially "ruler flat" from20 to 20,000 Hz. The power calibrations were precisely"on the mark" at all calibrations from 0 to 50 watts.

PREAMPLIFIERS


DESCRIPTION: A stereo preamplifier which featuresswitch -selected input impedance (22k, 47k, 100k ohms)for two magnetic inputs (one switch for both inputs),a phono »2 level control, dual range low 'subsonicfilter (40, 20 Hz cut-off), and automatic dubbing from '

NIKKO BETA IIIPREAMPLIFIER

A preamplifier whose distortion is so low thatwhat we were able to measure could very welljust be the residual noise of our measurementequipment. It comes in a metal cabinet with a19 -inch rack panel. It's very small, and thus anexcellent choice if you're short on space.

MARCH; APRIL 1979 63

TEST REPORTS/ POWER AMPLIFIERS

to either of two recorders.There are inputs for two magnetic phono, tuner, aux,

and two tape. Outputs for two line level, and two tape.Controls are provided for volume, balance, ganged

bass, ganged treble, input selection, phono #2 level,and phono input impedance. There are switches forpower, low 'subsonic filter, tape monitor selector, andtape dubbing selection. One unswitched and twoswitched AC outlets are provided.

Overall dimensions are 19 in. wide x 213'2 in. high x13 in. deep. Weight is 5.9 lbs.PERFORMANCE: (Note: Unit is rated for 1 volt outputand tests were conducted at this level.)

The frequency response measured +0.1 -0.5 dB

from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion no higher than0.006% THD at any frequency. (The distortion is so lowit might actually be residual noise of our measurementinstruments.)

The tone control range measured ±10 dB at 50 Hz;9 dB at 10,000 Hz.The subsonic filter was down 3 dB at 20 Hz. The low

filter was down 8 dB at 20 Hz.The magnetic input hum and noise measured -65

dB; stereo separation was into the noise level.The clipping level of 19 volts output is almost impos-

sible to reach using standard hi-fi equipment, since itrequires a high level input of 2 volts, a value beyondthe output capacity of virtually all hi-fi equipment.

POWER AMPLIFIERS

Circle No. 91On Reader Service Card

SETTON BS -5500POWER AMPLIFIER

This unit consists of two completely independentbut identical power amplifiers, one for eachchannel. No controls or switches are shared.Each section features an output power metercalibrated from .01 to 200 watts into 8 ohms, with0 -dB representing 100 watts. Rated at 120 wattsper channel at less than .05% THD, it produced139 watts per channel, ruler flat from 20 to 20,000Hz, with distortion no higher than .035% THD atany frequency. Output power metering is alsounusually accurate. $800, in metal cabinet. (Maybe bought with the PS5500 preamp for a pack-age price of $1260.

DESCRIPTION: A stereo power amplifier FTC -ratedat 120 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms 20 to 20,000Hz, at less than 0.05% THD.

Unit consists of two completely independent, identical

power amplifiers; no controls or switches are shared.Each section features an output power meter cali-

brated from 0.01 to 200 watts into 8 ohms and from-40 to +3 dB, with 0 -dB representing 100 watts. Theline input is bridged (parallel connected with a secondphono jack), providing an extration. There are three speaker outputs per section. A"security panel" has indicators to warn the user ofexcessive heating inside the amplifier, of signal at-tempting to exceed the clipping level, and of excessiveheating and or shorted output wiring to the speakers.An output hold -off prevents power supply turn -en tran-sients from being fed to the sepakers.

Controls are provided for left level and right level.There are switches for left power, right power, leftspeaker selection. and right speaker selection.

Overall dimensions are 20 in. wide x 6.5 in. high x12 in. deep. Weight is 39.6 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The power output per channel at theclipping level with both channels driven 20 to 20,000Hz into 8 ohms measured 139 watts RMS. The fre-quency response at 139 watts 8 ohms measured rulerflat from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion no higher than0.035% THD at any frequency.

At maximum gain, a 1 -volt input produced a 120 wattoutput. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 1 -voltin, 10 watts out measured 84 dB.

The frequency response of the output power meterswere ruler flat from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Power output indi-cations were either exactly on the mark or within 5%accurate from 0.01 to 120 watts. (Obviously, a 200 wattcalibration cannot be checked if the amplifier pro-duces a maximum of 139 watts.)

The security panel worked exactly as claimed.Forced heating of the amplifier (to simulate opera-tional heating) caused the heat lamp to light and theamplifier to shut down. The clipping indicator turnedon precisely at the threshold of clipping. The shortedwiring indicator did indicate shorted wiring.


TEST REPORTS CASSETTE DECKS

Take note that all indicators turn on wher power system selected does not turn on until the hold -offis first applied, and an indicator showing the speaker delay is released and the amplifier is ready for use. A

CASSETTE DECKS

0

i4111.

t aCircle No. 102On Reader Service Card

AIWA AD -6900UCASSETTE DECK

A front -loading three -head cassette deck whosehigh fidelity performance in the lab was simplymagnificent. Details on its offerings may befound in the Spotlight On: AIWA feature else-where in this issue. Our lab's measurements areitemized below. $850, in metal cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: A front -loading Dolby cassette deckfeaturing a three -head simultaneous playback system,two -motor drive, solenoid operation permitting full re-mote control through an optional plug-in remote con-trol unit, microphone line mixing, selectors for tapeequalization and bias for "normal," chrome, and Ferri-cirome tapes, a test oscillator system and individualcontrols for optimizing bias adjustments for all threetypes of tape, a record level control for each type oftape for optimizing the Dolby tracking, dual pointer leftand right record level meters indicating the VU recordlevel and the peak record level (there is a peak hold fea-ture to indicate the absolute peak level of any program),a front panel line input in addition to the usual rear in-puts, automatic end -of -tape stop disengage, a recordmute that interrupts the input signal while permittingtape drive, a rear control jack for remote con -Jo' start-ing of a record player suitably equipped for synchro-nized start with the tape deck, timer -control presetswitching, and a memory reset counter that providesauto -stop and automatic repeat play after rewind.

There are inputs for microphones and line. Outputsfor line, phones, and remote record player synchroniza-tion.

Controls are provided for concentric -clutched leftand right microphone record level. concentric -clutchedleft and right line level, ganged output level, normalbias adjustment, chrome tape bias adjustment, andFerrichrome tape bias adjustment. Each bias adjust-ment has a screwdriver -adjustment in the center forDolby tracking calibration using the built-in bias Dolbytest oscillator system.

There are switches for power, tape bias selection,equalization selection, Dolby Dolby with mpx filter, testoscillator, tape source monitor, VU meters on, peakmeters on, peak meters maximum level hold, timercontrol selection, and memory counter function.

The tape mechanism has touch controls for the re-cord interlock, REW, stop, FWD, FF, pause, and re-cord mute. A lever is provided for cassette ejection.

Overall dimensions are 173/4 in. wide x 43/4 in. high x127/s ,n. deep. Weight is 20.9 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The playback frequency responsefrom a standard test tape with a 50 to 10,000 Hz rangemeasured +1.5 '-0.4 dB.

Using Maxell UD XL Type I tape: without Dolby,the record play frequency response measured +0.1/-1 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz, down 2.5 dB at 25 Hz. Dis-tortion at the meter -indicated peak. or 0 -dB, recordlevel measured 0.08% THD with 8 dB headroom to3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -dBrecord level was 45 dB.

With the Dolby actk,e, the record play frequency re-sponse measured 0, -1 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz,down 2.5 dB at 25 Hz. Distortion and headroom re-mained the same. The signal-to-noise ratio measured49 dB wideband, 57 dE. narrowband.

Us ng Maxell UD XL Type II (chrome) tape: withDolby, the record play frequency response measured+0 -0.5 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz, down 3 dB at 25Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -dB record levelmeasured 0.06% THD wiht 7.5 dB headroom to 3%THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced 0 -dB recordlevel was 49 dB wideband, 57 dB narrowband.

Using Scotch Master Ill (Ferrichrome) tape: withDolby, the record play frequency response measured

1.5 -0.6 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz, down 3 dB at 25Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -dB record levelwas 107% THD, with 9.5 dB headroom to 3% THD.The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -dB recordlevel was 47 dB wideband, 58 dB narrowband.

The maximum output level corresponding to a 0 -dBrecord level was nominally 680 mV.

Wow and flutter measured 0.06% steady.The bias and Dolby calibration controls work exactly

MARCH/APRIL 1979 65


as claimed, providing precise bias and Dolby trackingadjustments. However, while the manual specifies theleft and right meters should indicate the same whenmaking the bias adjustments, the most precise ad-justment is attained when the right meter is adjustedto indicate 0.5 to 1 dB lower than the left meter. (Wehave seen this effect on other AIWA recorders, it'snot uncommon.) The Dolby test system calibrationswere precise.

While the signal-to-noise ratio figures appear to be

lower than expected, bear in mind they are referencedto a peak reading that still has at least 7.5 dB head-room; you can essentially add at least 7.5 dB to thenoise figures to get a better idea of the quiet back-ground attained from this machine.

Overall sound quality when recordings are madeusing only peak readings (the way they should bemade) are superb. We have not heard better. A dubsounded exactly the same as the record from whichit was made. A


FISHER CR-5150CASSETTE DECK

A front -loading, three -head, Dolby cassette deckwith an outstanding remote control system. Itsfeatures include solenoid operation and a digitaldisplay which functions as clock, timer, and re-set counter. $700 in wood cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: A front -loading Dolby three -head sys-tem (simultaneous record playback) cassette deckfeaturing: solenoid operation; full -function wireless re-mote control; and a digital display (0.5 -in. seven -segment bright green) that functions as a clock, timerfor clock -controlled record or play, and reset counterin 0.5 -second units.

Other features include: selectors for tape bias andequalization; left and right calibrated VU record play-back meters; left and right peak record level indica-tors; FM Dolby processing; 75 25 uSec FM de -empha-sis compensation selector for FM tuners not equippedwith for 25 uSec FM Dolby de -emphasis; left and rightFM Dolby calibration adjustments; automatic end -of -tape stop 'disengage; a record level limiter; and a resetcounter.

The hand-held remote control unit is powered by analkaline transistor -radio -type 9 -volt battery and pro-vides full -function tape control: record interlock, REW,play, FF, stop, and pause. It has an effective range ofup to 20 feet.

There are inputs for microphones and line. Outputsfor line and phones.

Concentric -clutched controls are provided for left andright record level. There are switches for power, tapesource monitor, tape bias, tape equalization, record

level limiter, Dolby FM Dolby, mpx filter, timer control(record, play, off), digital display (clock, timer, coun-ter), clock timer hour set, clock timer minute set,memory counter on -off, and memory reset. The Dolbycompensation switch and FM Dolby calibration controlsare on the rear.

The tape mechanism has push tabs for the recordinterlock, REW, play, FF, stop, pause, and eject.

Overall dimensions are 173/4 in. wide x 51/2 in. highx 131/8 in. deep.PERFORMANCE: The playback frequency responsefrom a standard test tape with a 50 to 10,000 Hz rangemeasured 2 -4 dB from 50 to 2500 Hz, down 5.5 dBat 10,000 Hz. Note: Though not in alignment to a

standard test tape the recorder is in alignment to itself.According to the manufacturer the machine was spe-

cifically adjusted for BASF tape, so BASF tapes wereused for all tests.

Using BASF Professional I tape: without Dolby, therecord play frequency response measured +0.5 -2.5dB from 40 to 15,000 Hz, down 3 dB at 30 Hz. Distor-tion at the meter -indicated 0 -VU record level was 1.9%THD with 5 dB headroom to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -VU record level was 49 dB.

With the Dolby active, the record play frequency re-sponse was -4 0 -2.6 dB from 40 to 14,000 Hz, down3.5 dB at 30 Hz. Distortion and headroom remainedthe same. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -VUrecord level was 53 dB wideband; 59 dB narrowband.

Using BASF Professional II (chrome bias) tape: withDolby, the record play frequency response measured10 -2.8 dB from 30 to 12,000 Hz. Distortion at themeter indicated 0 -VU record level was 1.7% THD with4 dB headroom to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratioreferenced to 0 -VU record level was 52 dB wideband;59 dB narrowband.

Using BASF Professional III tape (Ferrichrome bias):with Dolby, the record play frequency response mea-sured i 0 -2.5 dB from 50 to 15,000 Hz, down 3 dB at40 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -VU recordlevel was 1.9% THD with 4.5 dB headroom to 3% THD.The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -VU recordlevel was 51 dB wideband; 59 dB narrowband.

The output level corresponding to a 0 -VU recordlevel was nominally 560 mV.

The record level limiter cuts in at -1 dB and is "fullin" at 0 -VU. It is a "hard limiter," providing instan-taneous protection against peak signal overload.

The peak signal overload lamps fade in gradually,



3 to 4 dB above 0 -VU record level.Wow and flutter measured 0.12% with peaks to

0.14%.The wireless remote control appears to work through

infra -red beams, and is operative up to approximately-±-45° of the front panel receiving sensor. The systemis extremely good, providing full remote control ofevery function, including the record interlock. Thesolenoid mechanism, which permits the full functionremote control, also allows any sequence of operation

without going through stDp; for example, the user canuse a REW-FF-play sequence, or record-REW-play, etc.

The clock-timer-nemory digital display system is theeasiest we have yet to see or use. It has an excellentself-explanatory, non -confusing control layout that's soeasy a child would have no trouble figuring out how touse it. even withoJt recourse to the manual. A rearapron AC socket controlled by the timer is also pro-vided so that associated equipment, such as a receiver,can be turned on along with the recorder.

* Circle No. 107On Reader Service Card

I

LAFAYETTE RK-D150CASSETTE DECK

A good choice for those seeking a bare -bones,budget -priced cassette deck. Its features includeDolby noise reduction, bias and equalization se-lectors for normal and chrome tapes, and a peakrecord indicator. $200, in a metal cabinet withsimulated wood -grain finish.

DESCRIPTION: A front -loading Dolby stereo cassettedeck featuring individual bias and equalization selec-tors for "standard" and chrome tapes, calibrated leftand right VU record meters, a peak record level indi-cator, automatic end -of -tape stop disengage, and areset counter.


Concentric -clutched left and right record level con-


trols are providec. There are switches for power,Dolby, equalization, and bias.

The tape mechanism has piano key controls for therecord interlock, REW, F', play, stop, pause, and eject.

Overall dimensions are 16.5 in. wide x 5.5 in. high x13.5 in. deep. Weight is 13.5 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The playback frequency responsefrom a standard test tape with a 50 to 10,000 Hz rangemeasured ±2 dB.

Using Scotch Master I tape: without Dolby, the re-cord play frequency response measured +1 '-3 dBfrom 48 to 13,000 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated0 -VU record level was 1.6% THD, with 7 dB headroomto 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to0 -VU record level was 50 dB.

With the Dolby active, the record play frequency re-sponse was +0 -3 dB from 50 to 8300 Hz. Distortionand headroom rerrainec the same. The signal-to-noiseratio referenced to 0 -VU record level was 55 dB wide -band; 59 dB narrcwband.

Using Scotch Master II tape (for chrome bias): withDolby, the record play frequency response measured-J 0.5 -3 dB from 48 tD 14,000 Hz. Distortion at themeter -indicated 0 -VU record level was 2% THD with 6dB headroom to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratioreferenced to 0 -VU record level was 56 dB wideband;63 dB narrowband.

The peak record level indicator lamp illuminateswhen the record level is 6 dB above the meter -indi-cated 0 -VU record level.

The output level co -responding to a 0 -VU recordlevel was nominally 580 mV.

Wow and flutter measured 0.1% with peaks to0.12%.

MITSUBISHI M-TO1CASSETTE DECK

Our lab's first test of the so-called micro com-ponents proved that this piece is worthy of beingcalled a high fidelity component. This itsy-bitsytape deck includes peak -reading meters, three -position bias and equalizations selectors, and anautomatic spacing pause system. $560, in a metalcabinet (105/a x 51/2 x 9-11/16 in.).

MARCH/APRIL 1979 67


DESCRIPTION: A minature front -loading Dolby cas-sette deck featuring a closed loop dual capstan drive,left and right calibrated peak -indicating meters, biasand equalization selectors for "normal," chrome -type,and Ferrichrome tapes, microphone line mixing, auto-matic end -of -tape stop disengage, external timer playand record control, and a memory reset counter whichcan be set to stop, or automatically play after rewind.

Controls are provided for concentric -clutched leftand right microphone level, concentric -clutched leftand right line level, and a ganged output level. Thereare switches for power, counter memory control,Dolby Dolby with mpx filter, tape bias selection, andtape equalization selection.

The tape mechanism has a feature called ASPS, forAutomatic Spacing Pause System. This automaticallymutes the input for about 3 seconds followed by ap-plication of the pause; it provides a consistent "deadair" spacing between selections. The tape mechanismhas touch -buttons for the record interlock, stop, REW,play, pause, and ASPS. The cassette is loaded andejected by simply inserting or removing it directlyonto from the spindles.

Overall dimensions are 10% in. wide x 51/2 in. high x9-11 16 -in. deep. Weight is 14 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The playback frequency responsefrom a standard test tape with a 50 to 10,000 Hz rangemeasured +2.5 -2 dB.

Using Maxell UD XL Type I tape: without Dolby, therecord play frequency response measured +0.5 -2.5dB from 40 to 12,000 Hz; down 0.5 dB at 40 Hz, 3 dBat 35 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -dB re-cording level (which is peak level) measured 1.2%

THD with 5 dB headroom to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -dB record level was 50 dB.

With the Dolby active, the record play frequency re-sponse was 4-0 -3 dB from 35 to 11,000 Hz. Distortionand headroom remained the same. The signal-to-noiseratio referenced to 0 -dB record level was 55 dB wide -band, 66 dB narrowband.

Using TDK-SA tape (chrome bias): with Dolby, therecord play frequency response measured +1.5 -3dB from 30 to 13,000 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indi-cated 0 -dB record level was 1.1% THD with 4 dB head-room to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referencedto 0 -dB record level was 51 dB wideband, 62 dBnarrowband.

Using Sony Ferrichrome tape: with Dolby, therecord 'play frequency response was 11 -3 dB from30 to 8000 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -dBrecord level was 1.5% THD with 3 dB headroom to3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -dBrecord level was 52 dB wideband, 62 dB narrowband.

The maximum output level corresponding to a 0 -dBrecord level measured nominally 0.5 volts maximum.Wow and flutter was 0.04% steady; one of the bestcassette values we have ever measured.

The peak level meters are excellent; they have amoderate decay, and generally prevent tape overloadbecause the user not only is certain of peak signalvalues, but also has 4 to 5 dB extra headroom to spare.

The tape mechanism is the new push -in -loading,pull -to -eject type, the easiest to use of all front -loadingmechanisms.

(This machine would be a superb performer withbetter electrical alignment at the factory.)


ROTEL RD -2200CASSETTE DECK

In our lab tests, this machine demonstrated anabsolutely superb alignment for normal, bias tape,and exceptionally low wow and flutter. Its fea-tures include a 13 -segment LED peak indicatorpanel, bias fine-tuning for normal bias tapes, arecord mute, and a headphone level control. $430in a metal cabinet with rack -panel front.

DESCRIPTION: A front -loading Dolby cassette deck fea-turing left and right peak -indicating 13 -segment LED"bar light" level indicators calibrated from -21 to +6dB, bias and equalization selectors for normal, Ferri -chrome, and chrome -type tapes, a normal tape biasfine-tuning adjustment (80% to 120%, with a detent atthe 100% position), automatic end -of -tape stop disen-gage, a memory reset counter, a record mute (that dis-connects the signal source when recording as long asthe mute switch is held down), and a headphone levelcontrol.


Controls are provided for concentric -clutched leftand right record level, ganged output level, headphonelevel, and normal bias level. Switches for power, inputselection record mute, Dolby 'Dolby with MPX filter,tape equalization, tape bias, LED level display on -off,and counter memory on -off.

The tape mechanism has piano key controls for therecord interlock, REW review, play, FF cue, pause,and stop/eject.

Overall dimensions are 19 in. wide x 5.9 in. high x10.2 in. deep. Weight is 19.8 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The playback frequency response



from a standard test tape with a 50 'o 10.000 Hz rangemeasured 4 1 -2 dB.

Note: The normal tape tests were made with the biasadjustment at the 100% detented position.

Using Maxell UD 'XL I tape: without Dolby, the re-cord:play frequency response measured -2 dBfrom 30 to 15,000 Hz; actually ruler -flat from about 400Hz to 15,000 Hz. Distortion at the indicated peak re-cord level of 0 -dB was 1.8% THD with 2 dB headroomto 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to0 -dB record level was 52 dB.

With the Dolby active, the record play frequency re-sponse was essentially the same, except for 14,030 Hzwhere it was 2 dB down. Distortion and headroomremained the same. The signal-to-noise ratio refer-enced to 0 -dB record level was 59 dB wideband, 62 dBnarrowband.

Using Sony Ferrichrome tape: with Dolby, therecord play frequency response measured ±3 dB from20 to 8000 Hz. Distortion at the 0 -dB record level was2.5% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -dBreccrd level was 57 dB wideband; 62 dB narrowband.

Using Maxell UD 'XL II tape (chrome bias): with Dolby,the record play frequency response was ±3 dB from 30

to 5000 Hz. Distortion at 0 -dB record level was 2%THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -dB re-cord level was 59 dB wideband; 66 dB narrowband.

The maximum output level corresponding to a 0 -dBrecord level was nominal y 1.4 volts.

Wow and flutter was an almost rock -steady 0.06%.The bar light level indicators have an instantaneous

peak rise and moderate decay. They are easy to useand an excellent indicator of peak recording levels.Because the user can push right up against the 0 -dBlimit without fear that the peaks are going into satura-tion, extremely clean recordings are the norm for thismachine. Further, the eVective signal-to-noise ratio ismaximized because the user does not have to allow a"protective" headroom against a VU meter reading.

The user bias adjustment for "normal" tapes has nocalibrat on system. If you're not satisfied with the de -tented 100% adjustment you make a bias correction"by ear." The machine, however, is superbly factoryaligned for Maxell UD XL at 100%. Obviously, Ferri -chrome and chrome tapes were not up to high fidelitystandards on this machine; though they should noteven be considered for use with this machine in light ofthe "ncrmal" tape performance. A

or.MOWOMMI.

1111..te .Circle No. 122

On Reader Service Card

SANKYO STD -1850CASSETTE DECK

A front -loading Dolby deck with bias/equalizationselectors for normal, Ferrichrome, and chrometype tapes and a peak record level indicatoramong its features. It delivers its best perform-ance with normal -bias tape. $220.

DESCRIPTION: A front -loading Dolby stereo cassettedeck featuring selectors for "normal," Ferrichrome,and chrome type tapes, two calibrated VU recordmeters, a peak record level indicator, automa:ic end -of -tape stop disengage, and a reset counter.

There are inputs for microphone and line. Outputsfor line and phones.

Controls are provided for concentric left and rightrecord level, and ganged output level. There areswitches for power, line microphone input selection,"normal" tape, Ferrichrome tape, chrome type tape,and Dolby.

The tape mechanism has piano key controls for therecorc interlock, REW, 'orward. FF, stop, pause, andeject.

Overall dimensions are 153/4 in. wide x 5-15/16 in.high x 97/8 in. deep. Weight is 14.3 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The playback frequency responsefrom a standard test tape with a 50 to 10,000 Hz rangemeasured - 1 -0 dB.

Using Scotch Master I tape: without Dolby, therecord ,'play frequency response measured -- 2.5 '-1.6dB from 30 to 14,000 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indi-cated C -VU record level was 1.5% THD with 7 dB head-room to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratio referencedto 0 -VU record level was 49 dB.

With the Dolby active the record play frequency re-sponse measured 4-1.8 -2 dB from 20 to 13,000 Hz;down 3 dB at 14,000 Hz. Distortion and headroom re-mained the same. The signal-to-noise ratio measured52 dB wideband; 60 dE narrowband.

Usirg Sony Ferrict-rome tape: with Dolby, therecord/play frequency response measured +4.5 (at 50Hz) /-2.$ dB from 30 to 5000 Hz; down 5 dB at 8000Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -VU record levelwas 1.5% THD with 4 dB headroom to 3% THD. Thesignal-to-noise ratio measured 52 dB wideband; 62 dBnarrowband.

Usirg Scotch Master II (chrome bias) tape: withDolby, the record play frequency response measured+1.5 '-3 dB from 30 to 8000 Hz; down 5 dB at 10,000

MARCH/APRIL 1979 69


Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -VU record levelwas 2.2% THD with 3 dB headroom to 3% THD. Thesignal-to-noise ratio referenced to 0 -VU record levelwas 52 dB wideband; 65 dB narrowband.

The maximum output level corresponding to a 0 -VUrecord level was nominally 560 mV. The peak recordlevel indicator turns on when the signal is 3 dB higherthan 0 -VU; well within the headroom for all tapes.

Wow and flutter measured 0.12% with peaks to0.15%.

Note: The Dolby frequency response for the Ferri -chrome and chrome tapes was not within the limits werequire for high fidelity performance. The normal tapefidelity, however, is excellent, and good -to -excellentresults are attained using even low cost budget -cate-gory cassettes.


TEAC C-iCASSETTE DECK

This deck provides plug-in modules which permityou to optimize the performance of the machinewith specific high -bias tapes. Alignment is superbfor all commonly used tapes. $1300, in metalcabinet with 19 -inch rack panel.

DESCRIPTION: A three -motor, closed loop, dual cap-stan drive, three -head system (simultaneous recordplayback) Dolby cassette deck with prewired connec-tions and switching for an optional dbx noise reduc-tion system. Features include left and right calibratedpeak indicating level meters, a front panel pitch con-trol with a ±8% range and a detented normal setting,and bias and equalization selectors for normal, Ferri -chrome, and chrome option. The "option" designationrefers to front panel plug-in modules for chromiumdioxide and cobolt-doped high bias tapes. Both mod-ules are supplied factory -adjusted for each family -typeof tape, though the controls are user -adjustable foroptimization to any specific CrO, or Co tape. Otherfeatures are a memory rewind counter providing stopor automatic play after rewind, automatic end of tapestop disengage, prewired sockets for an optional re-mote control accessory and control lines for a dbxsystem, a calibration setting for the meters used whenadjusting the plug-in modules, a preset switch fortimer -controlled record start, and a record mute thatdisconnects the signal source when recording as longas the mute pushbutton is held down.

There are inputs for microphones and line. Outputsfor line and phones. Also, a complete set of dbx ac-cessory connections switched from the front panel.

There are controls for left and right record level

which are friction -clutched to a gear drive-adjustingone control tracks the other, ganged output level, andpitch. Switches are provided for power, timer control,tape -source monitor and meter switching, noise reduc-tion system selection, input selection with or withoutmicrophone input attenuator, memory rewind function,tape equalization selection, and tape bias selection.(Adjustments for high bias type tapes are part of theplug-in modules.)

The tape mechanism has touch buttons for the re-cord interlock, REW, play, FF, pause, stop, recordmuting, and eject.

Overall dimensions are 19 in. wide x 161/2 in. high x131/2 in. deep. Weight is 32 lbs.PERFORMANCE: The playback frequency responsefrom a standard test tape with a 40 to 12,500 Hz fre-quency range measured 4 0.8 -1.7 dB.

Using TDK-AD tape: without Dolby, the record playfrequency response measured +2 -0 dB from 30 to15,000 Hz; down 3 dB at 20 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated 0 -dB peak program level was 1.2% THD with4 dB headroom to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratioreferenced to 0 -dB record level was 48 dB.

With the Dolby active, the record play frequency re-sponse measured +1.2 -0 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz;down 4 dB at 20 Hz. Distortion and headroom re-mained the same. The signal-to-noise ratio measured51 dB wideband; 61 dB narrowband.

Using TDK-SA high bias tape: with the Co moduleand Dolby, the record 'play frequency response mea-sured +0.5 -1.6 dB from 30 to 14,000 Hz; down 2.5 dBat 25 and 15,000 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indicated0 -dB peak program level measured 2.5% THD with 1.5dB headroom to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratioreferenced to 0 -dB record level was 54 dB wideband,64 dB narrowband.

Using Sony Ferrichrome tape: with Dolby, therecord play frequency response measured +1.5/-3dB from 22 to 12,000 Hz. Distortion at the meter -indi-cated 0 -dB peak program level was 1.4% THD with4.5 dB headroom to 3% THD. The signal-to-noise ratioreferenced to 0 -dB record level was 52 dB wideband,64 dB narrowband.

The maximum output level corresponding to a 0 -dBrecord level was nominally 1 volt.

Wow and flutter was a "rock steady" 0.06%.The peak level meters are superb: they have a very

fast attack and a slow decay-almost a temporary hold,and generally prevent tape overload because the usergets an excellent idea of actual peak program levels.

The pitch control provided a measured range of


TEST REPORTS EQUALIZERS

+11 -9%. There is a very slight, essentially insignifi-cant speed variation from mode to mode. For example,there was a 0.36% speed variation between normalspeed with the pitch control (in the detented normalposi:ion) pushed in (out of circuit), and normal withthe pitch control pulled out (in circuit). The pitch

control affects only playback; the recording is made atnormal speed regardless of the control's adjustment.

Whi e user calibration of the plug-in modules to aspecific high bias tape is relatively easy, it does re-quire an external audio signal generator (there is nobuilt-in test system).

EQUALIZERS

1 1 or...4

Circle No 85 On Reader Service Card

NIKKO EQ-1GRAPHIC EQUALIZER

A graphic equalizer with ten equalizer controlsper channel, spaced one octave apart. In the lab,it exhibited notably low distortion, even at fullboost. It can easily be switched to provide pre -equalization and/or post -equalization when mak-ing tape recordings-herein lies its major advan-tage. $280, in rack -mount metal cabinet.

DESCRIPTION: A graphic -type stereo equalizer with tenequalizers per channel spaced one octave apart oncenter frequencies of 31.5, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000,4000, 8000 and 16,000 Hz. Each equalizer control hasa rated range of 12 dB at the center frequency.

Unit has unity gain with line level inputs and outputs.(A selector provides for -±6 dB output variation.) It nor-mally connects to an amplifier's or receiver's tape jacks,with the recorder connections moved to the equalizer.Eoualization can be switched from the signal source to

either the tape input or output.Each channel has ten equalizer controls. There are

switches for power, equalizer in/out, -6/0/1-6 dB out-put level, and source 'pre-tape/post-tape equalization.One unswitched AC outlet is provided on the rear apron.

Overall dimensions are 19% in. wide x 358 in. high x93,2 in. deep. Weight is 11 lbs.PERFORMANCE: (Note: This unit is rated for a 1 voltoutput, 7 volts maximum. Tests were conducted at 1volt input.)

With the equalizer controls set to their detented cen-ter position (off), the frequency response was "rulerflat" from 20 to 20 000 1-z at a distortion no higher than0 007% THD at ary frequency. With the equalizers setfor maximum bocst-with 1 volt input-the maximumdistortion at any center frequency was 0.02% THD (at16,000 Hz). (Distcrtion was lower at lesser levels ofboos...) The equalizer range measured nominally ±12dB.

No clipping was discernable up to 12 volts outputwith full boost applied and up to 3 volts input (thelimits of the test equipment), a value well above nor-mal hi-fi equipment levels.

The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 1 volt inputwas 75 dB.

The gain switch prov ded exactly ±6 dB output levelvariation with no measureable effect on any otherpare meters.

A major advantage of this equalizer is that it can beeasily switched for pre- or post -equalization of a taperecording.

=Ewe

! ,=-


DESCRIPTION: A graphic -type stereo equalizer withten equalizers per channel spaced one octave apartwith center frequencies at 30, 60, 120, 240, 480, 960,1920, 3840, 7680 and 15,360 Hz. Each equalizer controlhas a rated range of ±15 dB at the center frequency.

SPECTRO ACOUSTICS 2102GRAPHIC EQUALIZER

A graphic equalizer with a rated boost/cut capa-bility of 15 dB at ten intervals, one octave apart.It measures up to the performance standards setby our lab for its type and price range. $200 inmetal cabinet. Adaptable for rack mounting.

MARCH/APRIL 197971

TEST REPORTS/ RECORD PLAYERS

Unit has unity gain, with line level inputs and out-puts. It normally connects to an amplifier's or receiv-er's tape recorder jacks, with the tape recorder con-nections moved to the equalizer.

Each channel has ten equalizer controls. A singleswitch provides for equalizer in/out/tape monitor.There is no power switch: power is controlled by theassociated equipment. One unswitched AC outlet is

provided on the rear apron.Overall dimensions are 17 in. wide x 3.5 in. high x

8.25 in. deep. (Rack mounting accessory "ears" pro-vide standard 19 -in. rack width.) Weight is 9 lbs.PERFORMANCE: (Note: This unit is rated for a 1 voltinput, and an output level clipping threshold of 10 volts.Tests were conducted at 1 volt input.)

With the equalizer controls in their detented centerposition (off), the frequency response was "ruler flat"from 20 to 20,000 Hz at a distortion no higher than0.007% THD at any frequency. With the equalizers setfor maximum boost-with 1 volt input-the maximumdistortion at any center frequency was 0.41% THD (at30 Hz), decreasing to 0.18% THD at 15,380 Hz. (Dis-tortion was even lower at lesser values of boost.) Theequalizer range measured nominally ±12 dB.

The clipping level was 11 volts. With full boost ap-plied clipping did not occur until the input voltagereached 2.5 volts, a value well above normal hi-fi

equipment levels.The signal-to-noise ratio referenced to a 1 volt input

measured 73 dB.

RECORD PLAYERS

4.1


KENWOOD KD-5070AUTOMATIC RECORD PLAYER

A two -speed fully automatic turntable whose re-sistance to external shock and vibration is con-siderably higher than average. Among its featuresis the ability to repeat -play records. Also of inter-est is automatic indexing for standard -sized rec-ords. Tonearm lifts automatically at the end of aside and recycles back to the tonearm rest in theevent that repeat play is not desired. Our listen-ing panel reports that high quality pickups de-liver ever better sound quality when used in thisparticular turntable. $285, including an integralbase and a dust cover.

DESCRIPTION: A two -speed (33, 45 rpm), electronically -controlled, fully automatic record player for single rec-

ords (no multi -record play) with full-time illuminated 33and 45 rpm strobes and individual 33 and 45 pitch ad-justments. Control lever provides automatic indexingfor 12-. 10- and 7 -inch records, or manual start. In bothautomatic and manual start modes, the tonearm recy-cles to the rest and power is turned off at the end ofplay. Alternatively, a record can be endlessly repeatedas long as it is one of the three standard sizes.

There are controls for 33 speed, 45 speed, 33 pitch,45 pitch, manual start 'auto (with tonearm indexing for12-, 10- and 7 -inch records), repeat play lock, play(start) 'cut (reject), and tonearm lift.

The tonearm lift always keeps the pickup at the endof the cycle even if the lift control is accidentally set todown. The mode must be set specifically for manualbefore the tonearm can be manually placed on therecord.

The tonearm has a micro -adjust counterweight thatalso serves as a 0 to 3 gram vertical tracking force (VTF)adjustment calibrated in 0.1 -gram increments. There isa calibrated anti -skate. The pickup mounts in a universalcarrier for which a stylus overhang gauge is provided.A locking tonearm rest is provided. The output cablecapacity is nominally 90 pF.PERFORMANCE: Speeds remained constant with essen-tially total immunity to transient line voltage variationsover an applied test range of 90 to 140 volts. The 33 pitchcontrol range measured L-5.4 .-7% at 33 rpm; -L3 '-5%at 45 rpm. Wow and flutter measured 0.05% with peaksto 0.12%.

The tonearm's stylus force adjustment was "on themark" throughout the entire range. Resistance to ex-ternal shock and vibration was considerably higher than

average. and is therefore, especially recommended tothose who have shaky floors. The automatic tonearm liftat the end of play is an especially good feature if theplayer is to be handled by children.

The listening panel reported that better quality pick-ups appeared to deliver "a little bit extra" in the way ofsound ouality when used in this record player.

72HI-FI/STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE

A GUIDE TORECENT

STEREORECORDINGSby THOMAS D. KELLY

An avid record collector for nearly 20years, Thomas D. Kelly has a keen earfor both live music and full-fi sound.Mr. Kelly played the records he reviewshere on equipment consisting of anEmpire 39 transcription system with aShure V15 III cartridge, a C/M Labs911 stereo amplifier, a Marantz 7T pre-

amp, and two Bozak B-400 speakers.

© Bach: Concerto in A Minor, BWV1056; Concerto in E Minor from BWV1059 and 35; Suite No. 2 in B Minor.James Galway, flute; I Solisti di Zagreb,RCA Victor ARL1-2907.

These two concertos were originallywritten for other instruments, but aswas the custom of the time, have beentranscribed for a variety of instruments.They sound just fine on the flute, par-ticularly when played as beautifully asthey are here. Galway, who has hadthe distinction of playing principal flutewith the Berlin Philharmonic, the Lon-don Symphony and the Royal Philhar-monic, recently set out on what hasdeveloped into an auspicious solocareer. If you haven't heard his dis-play recordings-"The Magic Flute ofJames Galway" and "The Man Withthe Golden Flute" (RCA LRL1-5131and LRL1-5094), they are well worthinvestigating, as is his recording of theMozart concertos for which he receiveda Grand Prix du Disque (RCA ARL1-2159) .

Holst: Suite No. 1 in E Flat, SuiteNo. 2 in F; Handel: Music for theRoyal Fireworks; © Bach: Fantasia inG. Cleveland Symphonic Winds, cond.Frederick Fennell, Telarc 5038.

Probably most sound buffs will wantto have this recording, as it offers somequite astoundingly realistic bass repro-duction. The bass drum in the Holstsuite is remarkable, and this is the firsttime I have really believed a jacketwarning to the effect that the soundscould actually damage a speaker sys-tem. One might wish for a crispersound for the woodwinds, but theoverall effect is very natural, clear andclean . . . and that bass drum is guar-anteed to bring down the house, ifyour equipment is capable of handling

it. The musical values here are equallyhigh. Fennell is an old hand at thissort of repertory, and the performersare mostly members of the ClevelandOrchestra. This is a digital recording,and the album includes a detailed ex-planation of the process. The producersfeel this method is superior to thedirect -to -disc process as it is possibleto get more music per side, and edit-ing can be done. This LP offers about20 minutes per side, well more thanmost direct -to -disc recordings. Evenwith the reasonable playing time, youwill pay dearly for your demonstra-tion sound: the list price on this LP is$14.951

Krommer: Octet-Partita in F, Op.57; Octet-Partita in E Flat, Op. 69;Octet-Partita in E Flat, Op. 79. Nether-lands Wind Ensemble, Philips 9500437.

Franz Krommer (also known asFranz Vinzenz) lived from 1760 to1831, and was highly popular duringhis time for his innovative scoring forwind instruments. This superb newPhilips LP offers three of the thirteenharmonlen composed by Krommer atthe beginning of the 19th century.

Wind music at its bestEach of the three contains four con-trasting movements, and all are a de-lectable treat to the ear when playedas expertly as they are here. The richsounds of the Netherlands Wind En-semble, comprised of members of Hol-land's leading orchestras, are stunninglycaptured by the Philips engineers, andthis LP can be highly recommendedon all counts.

© Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D,"Titan." London Philharmonic Orch.,cond. Klaus Tennstedt, Angel S 37508.

Tennstedt has been widely acclaimedfor his guest conducting appearanceswith major American orchestras, andrightfully so, judging by the live radiobroadcasts I've heard. He recently was

appointed music director of the Lon-don Philharmonic, signing a five-yearcontract, and on this new disc pre-sents his first recording with them.Unfortunately his debut is not an aus-picious one. There is little of Tenn-stedt's originality and conviction to beheard here. This is a Mahler 1 of con-siderable haste, distinguished by somecaressing phrasing, but lacking thecataclysmic power of many competingversions. The orchestral playing is ade-quate but little more, and the engineer-ing decidedly disappointing, with ablurred bass and little impact. This isthe first issue in a projected Mahlercycle to be recorded by Angel with thesame orchestra and conductor over thenext few years. I hope future releasesin the series will be superior to this.

© Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in AMinor, "Tragic." Berlin PhilharmonicOrch., cond. Herbert von Karajan,Deutsche Grammophon 2707 106, tworecords.

The "Tragic" is perhaps the mostpersonal of all of the Mahler symphon-ies, and well named. It is an epical,massive work, intensely soaring, end-ing with quiet resignation. The Solti-Chicago Symphony London album is avirtuoso accomplishment, stunninglywell recorded, and up to this time hasbeen my favorite recording of this re-markable symphony. But the new Kara-jan is superior. One would think it notpossible for the score to be played withmore sensitivity than that displayed bySolti, but this remarkable feat is ac-complished by Karajan, particularly inthe exquisite Andante which so oftenis only a relatively reposeful interludebetween the anguished agitation of theother three movements. This is aheaven -storming interpretation of thegreatest mastery, the epitome of or-chestral perfection, and a performancecaptured with stunning, broad realismby the DG engineers. Unquestionably,this is one of the great Mahler record-

GUSICIV MarktiSymptionie

',xx Phmonk&Herbert von KOR3jOn

Surpasses Solti recording

,o, Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 inC, Op. 26; Ravel: Piano Concerto in

while intentions are good, the fact re -mains (bat the Dallas Symphony is not

STEREO G; Copland: Appalachian Sp©(6) ringBallet Suite, El Salon Mexico Rodeo

among America's finest orchestras.Their here is tentative

ings

onlyvonforwardfuture.

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Ballet Suite. Dallas Symphony Orch.,cond. Eduardo Mata, RCA VictorARLI-2910 and ARL1-2862 .

Eduardo Mata is surely one of thefinest young conductors on the scenetoday, and already has to his creditsuperb recordings of music by Fallaand Revueltas, recorded with Englishorchestras. These are his first two re-cordings with his own orchestra and

playing oftenwith weak violins, and their cause isnot helped by a quality of reproductionthat lacks resonance, robbing the stringsof whatever warmth they might havehad. Soloist Tedd Joselson, who is aspecialist in Prokofiev and already hasrecorded the "Concerto No. 2" plus sev-eral sonatas, plays the two concertosvigorously, but with accompanimentand reproduction such as he receiveshere, he doesn't have a chance.

DIGITAL SOUND (Continued from page 52)

By now you should have the ideathat digital can mean a lot more thansimply a new way to record sound, oreven amplify sound. In terms of theBIG PICTURE, like they say in the warmovies, digital sound isn't even askirmish. Does it really make any dif-ference whether digital processing canreduce an amplifier's distortion from0.01% THD to 0.0057 THD?

In the area of sound recording: Sure,digital mastering presently delivers as-tounding S/N ratios, and exceptionallylow distortion (only that of the A/Dand D/A converters-Analog, Digital-and the analog amplifiers), but withmetal particle tape finally a reality,will there be a significant value to thedigital recording technique? In thisauthor's opinion the answer is no. Digi-tal mastering is simply a weigh stationon the way to the latest analog re-cording tape technology.

If you want to consider some moreradical possibilities for using true digit-al sound, try this on for size. Imaginehearing a new recording on the radio,and immediately being able to get arecording fed down the phone linefrom a "record library" by simply

touch-tone dialing a phone numberand some appropriate identification. Atthe end of the month your phone billwill contain a charge for the recordingfeed-at a lower cost than purchasingthe record or tape, naturally.

Yes, yes, we know that current phoneline sound quality is merely voice gradeand couldn't contain enough digital in-formation to duplicate early acousticrecordings. But begin to think in termsof fiber optics technology then you be-gin to see other possibilities.

Fiber optics technology offers a wayto transmit light from one point to an-other, and a practical fiber optic"home" telephone circuit has alreadybeen demonstrated. Fiber optics havea virtually unlimited frequency re-sponse and are almost loss -free andnoise -immune. Through present multi-plex techniques, a means whereby sev-eral different signal sources can betransmitted simultaneously through thesame circuit with no interference be-tween the sources, it is possible toaccommodate a telephone call, un-limited TV channels, music channels,and transmitted reading materials(such as Viewtext) on a single sub-

scription to a fiber optic telephone cir-cuit. Maybe not today, but in our life-time, we will use digital encoding toobtain a digitally transmitted or multi-plexed recording from a "library."

Summing Up. How fast we derivethe special high fidelity benefits fromdigital techniques depends on howquickly we look beyond the fashionablefad of digital sound to the more far-reaching possibilities of digital controland the microprocessor. Today, digitalcontrol has given us devices which vir-tually eliminate record "crackles," aswell as digital delay devices, while themicroprocessor has given us automaticadjustment of a recorder's bias, equali-zation, and Dolby tracking level.

If we again bog down in a limitedapplication of digital technology withlittle real value for most people, willthere be enough trust left among stereo-philes to support further experimentswith future technological break-throughs?

It is more important to focus ourattention on broadening our use ofdigital techniques to enhance and ex-pand the excellent technological basewe have already.

SPOTLIGHT ON: LAFAYETTE LR-120DB (Continued from page 54)

Before moving on, let's take timeout for a closer look at the assortedtone controls and loudness compensa-tion. In all illustrations the horizontalsweep is 20 to 20,000 Hz, with eachmajor vertical division representing 5dB; each minor division is 1 dB.

Figure 1 shows the maximum tonecontrol characteristics using all fourbass and treble turnover frequencies.For clarity, the midband tone controlis not shown. In particular, note thetop bass boost curve, a modified "shelf"equalizer that permits the entire bassrange to be equalized evenly, a desiredcharacteristic when using large speak-ers that have a normally wide, andfull bass response.

The straight line across the middleof the screen is the almost "ruler flat"response obtained with the one controlturnover controls set to the "fiat" re-sponse position.

Figure 2 shows the maximum effectof the low -boost and "normal" loudnesscompensation features. Note that bothtraces overlap at the bass frequencies.The low -boost curve (A), however, isessentially flat from about 700 Hz to20,000 Hz. The "normal" loudnesscompensation curve (B) provides arising treble characteristic to compen-sate for normal insensitivity of theear to higher (and lower) frequenciesat low volume levels.

Moving along we get to the FM

tuner section, which has a front panelselector for 25 uSec. de -emphasis, thevalue required for FM Dolby stations.The received frequency response for25 uSec. de -emphasis is shown in Fig.3. What's important here is not thecurve, which is almost perfect, but thelower trace that represents stereo separ-ation. (We used 25 uSec. because itgives a worse case than the standard75 uSec. setting would). First, notethe midband separation is right off thebottom of the screen at 38 dB. Moreimportant, it is off the screen between400 Hz and 15,000 Hz. The worst -case separation is 28 dB at 20 Hz.This is one heck of a separation curve,which would be impossible to attain


without darn good overall design andalignment. The quality is reflected ina very "sweet" FM sound, far superiorto what might be implied by the meas-urements given in the test report else-where in this issue. (Perhaps distor-tion below a certain value is meaning-less. Perhaps super -low distortion val-

ues really don't indicate the "quality"of FM sound. Whatever, the FMsound quality in the LR-120Db is ex-ceptionally good.)

Summing Up. It's obvious we areimpressed by the Lafayette LR-120-Db, particularly in view of its catalogprice of $649.99. Additional informa-

tion and performance is detailed inthe test report elsewhere in this issue.Who knows, perhaps the LafayetteLR-120Db will become another "familytype" like Lafayette's well -rememberedand respected 5000 Series.

For additional information circle No.107 on the Reader Service Card. A

CASSETTE DECK FEATURES (Continued from page 37)

Another new type of metering comesfrom Sony. In its Models TC-K8B andTC-K60 it uses two liquid crystal,peak -reading record level meters forhigh accuracy in record level settingand maximum protection against over-load distortion. Each one uses 64 sep-arate liquid crystal elements that re-spond instantly to the subtlest transientsignal peaks over a range from minus40 to plus 5 dB. They also have amanual and automatic peak -holdingcapability which enables the meters tomemorize and display the highest peakvalue contained in any given program.

User -Adjustable Bias. In the past fewyears cassette equipment manufactur-ers have been designing decks withtwo or three -position bias and equali-zation switches to accommodate varioustape types to assure first-rate record-ings. A recent development on thisfront is "fine-tune" biasing, as achievedin AIWA's Model AD -6900U under thedesignation of FRTS for Flat ResponseTuning System. Incorporating high andlow frequency oscillators, it enablesvariation of the bias signal. The resultis immediately displayed on the VUmeters, and all that you need do isturn the proper bias fine adjuster knobuntil left and right meters display thesame levels. This indicates setting tooptimum bias to achieve the flattestfrequency response and most faithfulreproduction of the source. AIWA'sModel AD -6350U has independent 3 -

step bias and equalization selectorswith a bias fine adjustor for LH tapes.

Kenwood also offers fine tuning ofbias in its three -head Model KX-1030at $450.00. Fine tuning complementsthe unit's 9 -way bias/equalization sys-tem (3 -position bias, 3 -position equali-zation controls) and permits perfectadjustment to the exact bias requiredfor the frequency characteristics of thetape in use. Technics in its Model RS -M44 at $400.00 offers fine tuning ofbias in three tape positions, and in itsModel RS -M95 at $1300 offers finetuning of bias in four tape positions-three traditional, plus one to accom-modate fine metal particle tapes com-ing on the scene. Onkyo calls its sys-tem of fine bias adjustment "Accu-BIAS." It appears in that firm's ModelTA -630D at about $350. Hitachi offersadjustable bias in its new D-580 atMARCH/APRIL 1979

about $380. Pioneer does so in itsModels CT -F500 at $195, and CT -F700at $400. It is also available in theMitsubishi DT -30 at $650.

Automatic Biasing. Another develop-ment along these lines is automaticbiasing, plus automatic equalization, asachieved in Hitachi's new "computer-ized" Model D-5500 at $1000. Slip acassette into it, wait a few seconds, andpresto! bias and equalization are opti-mized. This feature is also available inOnkyo's TA680D (including a finemetal tape setting) at "over $700", andJVC's KD-A8 at $750. Expect to seethis valuable "plus" in other new ma-chines appearing at your local hi-fioutlet. For the moment it will be con-fined to higher priced models, but in ayear or so will appear at a smallerpremium.

Monitoring Capability. One mark ofthe serious recordist is his involvementin the recording process via the moni-toring switch. In some hi-fi systemswhat you hear in the so-called "moni-

tor" position is the signal that's goinginto the recording head, and it's merelya check that a signal is present. Onmore sophisticated true three -head ma-chines you'll find a separate playbackhead, enabling you to hear the signalimmediately after it has been recorded,giving you a true idea of the character-istics of a recording in the making-andpermitting you to make adjustmentsaccurately, if needed. In some cassettedecks the record and playback heads,while separate, are contained in thesame casing. In the more expensivemodels these heads are entirely separ-ate. In the latter case you have a slightedge in optimizing the recording pro-cess in terms of maximum output andhighest frequency response, in thatsome of the units provide an azimuthadjustment. Which type of three -headsystem you select will depend on howcritical you are. You'll find three -headmachines in at least 20 nationally -ad-vertised brands, with prices starting atabout $300 for a model from Fisher,

ON OUR COVERFeatured on our cover this issue isthe Hitachi D-5500 cassette deck.Among its many features is an au-tomatic performance optimizing fea-ture which is m icrop roce s so r -controlled. Bias, equalization, andrecording level are automatically op-timized by this feature. Another fea-ture is its full function remote controlwhich operates as the function con-

trol panel during non -remote use,but is removable when the userwants to use it as a wireless remotecontrol. The D-5500 is a three -headcassette deck, with record and playheads in a single housing. At press -time, the Hitachi D-5500 is expectedto sell for about $1200. Circle ReaderService Number 72 for detailed in-formation on this unusual unit.

imirPriFREOA MUSIC SHOW

SHERATON UNIVERSAL MARCH 15, 16, 17 & 18Public Hours: Thurs. & Fri. 5-10 PM; Sat. 11 AM -10 PM: Sun. Noon -7 PM

75

and running as high as over $1,600 inthe Technics and Nakamichi brands.

Automatic Reverse. One of the mostvaluable features previously commonto reel tape recorders is gaining popu-larity in cassette decks. It is automatictape reversing. When a tape comes toits end, the machine is "triggered" intoreversing its direction, and continues tothe end of the second side of the tape.While a few cassette machines havehad this feature, it has been offeredlargely only in the playback mode. Nowyou'll find an increasing number of newdecks offering auto -reverse not only inthe playback mode, but also in the re-cord mode-a definite benefit. Amongthe recent corners with double auto -reverse are the Hitachi Model D-777at about $500, a model (number notavailable at presstime) from Akai atabout $500, and Sony Model TC-K96Rat about $620.

In checking out the comprehensive"candy -counter" display of state-of-the-art cassette machines, you'll see a fewmodels with an extra complement ofbuttons. These will likely be units in-corporating a microprocessor, in effect,a "mini -computer." They enable you to"program" a machine to perform cer-tain functions, as for instance, indi-vidual musical selection search on atape. Sharp, for instance, and its sistercompany, Optonica, have machines thatfeature Auto Program Locate Device-APLD that skips ahead or back to anysong you select (up to 19 selections)

on a cassette, and plays it automati-cally. Sony in its Model TC-K60 at$550 has "Automatic Music Sensor"for automatic playback of any one ofnine tape selections (separated by non -signal intervals), with digital readoutof preselection. Other companies arescheduled to offer some variations onthese themes in the near future.

A few companies offer features thatare exclusive to their products. Thesemay be of special value to the serioussophisticated recordist, and as such, areworth investigating. AIWA, for one,offers "Synchro-Record" in its full -logicModel AD -6900U, priced at $850.When used with AIWA's Model AP -2200 turntable, Synchro-Record acti-vates recording automatically when therecord is cued, and stops it when thetone arm lifts. Available as an optionis a remote control. The AD -6900U alsooffers a feature found on only a hand-ful of cassette decks-mic/line mixing.

Two -Speed Option. B.I.C. is the onlycassette equipment manufacturer offer-ing two -speed capability in its machines-four models priced from $299.95 to$849.95. They operate at the standardcassette speed of 1% ips, plus 3% ips.The faster speed results in dramaticimprovements in frequency response,dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio,and wow/flutter. The "Catch 22" is, ofcourse, the use of twice as much tapefor a given recording project, but theimprovements to a super -critical buffmay be well worth that. The two -speed

operation also results in quicker rewindand faster forward times at eitherspeed.

Tape Optimization Modules. TEACin its rack -mountable Model C-1 pricedat $1,300, offers an optional dbx inter-face module (DX -8) for recordists whoprefer that system to the built-in Dolbyof the machine. It has a selectionswitch for either system. The unit alsohas a proprietary approach to tapeoptimization; it incorporates inter-changeable modules to match thedeck's electronics to a specific brand oftape, and provides optional modulesfor additional tapes. Another featurevaluable to the super critical recordistis a pitch control to synchronize a tapewith certain musical instruments.

Automatic Spacing Pause. Our finalexclusive feature of note is Mitsubishi'sAutomatic Spacing Pause System-ASPS, that automatically provides threeseconds of silent tape between recordedselections at the touch of a switch. Itis available in the firm's new trend-setting Model T-01, a micro -compon-ent model measuring a mere 10% by 5%by 9% inches, that matches a trio ofseparate components all measuring 10%inches wide and which are the first ofmany such products that will soon bea "big excitement" for the audio in-dustry. The M -T01 features a win-dowless vertical front -loading system,a closed -loop dual capstan system, andsolenoid -controlled tape transport con-trols. It is priced at $560.

OPERA: CHRISTA LUDWIG (Continued from page 53)

in which she looked the seductress andsang with tones of purest honey, and aDido in Les Troyens that was unforget-table in its heartstopping purity andvoluptuousness all at the same time.

Miss Ludwig's career on records islong and distinguished, her voice onethat has been captured with remark-able accuracy by recording engineers.In a veritable treasure trove of record-ings, a favorite is impossible to pick,but there are certain performances atthe top. One of these is certainly theWaltraute in Gotterdammerung forKarajan (DG 271 6001). She also re-corded the same role in Sir GeorgSolti's Ring (London OSA 1604), oneof the few artists to do so, but theKarajan performance is preferable. Inthis reading of the great Narrative,she becomes the representative of allthe troubles of Valhalla and yet poursout her pain within the bounds of akind of classical antiquity rather uniquein The Ring. The low tones, the mid-dle and the high are exquisite to hear;there is richness on all fronts .

Another recording of equal value is

76

the Tristan and Isolde on DeutscheGrammophon, led by Karl Biihm andstarring Nilsson (271 3001). No otheralbum catches the sound of the Swedishsoprano's voice as does this live per-formance, but equal to her is MissLudwig's Brangane. She is at first afoil to Miss Nilsson, as human andwarm as Miss Nilsson is furious; thenin the "Einsam wachend" section, MissLudwig spins out the warning in avirtual definition of legato and control.

Of equal value is another Wagnerrole, one of the composer's most thank-less, Venus in Tannhouser. Here shejoins forces ideally with Sir GeorgSolti on London (1438), and the re-sults are a Venus never yet encount-ered in the opera house. It is theembodiment of the sex goddess-notcold as some make her but passionateand boiling with the premise of everysensual fulfillment. Sir Georg uses theParis version, so giving Miss Ludwigby far the richer Venus to sing; her"Komm, Geliebeter" is a clear con-nection to her Kundry in Parsifal,which she also recorded with Solti

(London 1510). Though the recordingis not as exciting all round as theTannhauser, her performance is re-markable. Here, one runs into the prob-lem of whether Kundry is right forthe clearly mezzo timbre of Miss Lud-wig's voice or whether it demands adramatic soprano. Under normal con-ditions, I think a soprano is betterbecause of its large number of highnotes (the range is higher than thatof the Walkiire Briinhilde), but in hercase she sings it with such command,such ease in the high register and suchoverall conveyance of the seductress -saint's character that she is challengedon records only by Marta Modl onthe old London set.

The role that Miss Ludwig per-formed the most in New York (andpossibly in Vienna and London) washer Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier,heard when the mezzo was very youngon the famous recording with Eliza-beth Schwarzkopf (Angel 3777). Ithas a special kind of freshness to itand though she later brought evenmore to the role, it is a fine recording


to have. In the last decade she hasexclusively performed the Marschallin.To me, her interpretation has alwaysbeen one of her weaker ones. As withso many singers, she works to act outthe character, and does not really'seem to let her life easily develop asit really should. She can be heard inan incredibly slow performance of thisrole with Leonard Bernstein (Colum-bia D4M-30652).

Her Wagner operas not discussedyet in which she gives memorablereadings include the Solti Die Walkure(London 1509) in which her Fricka;s a human, moving goddess, and theDie Meistersinger led by Rafael Kube-lik (DG 271 3011) in which shesings a wonderfully rich and uncom-monly expressive Magdalena. Wagnerdisciple Englebert Humperdinck fur-nished one of the great operas in theWagnerian school when he composedhis Hansel and Gretel, arguably theonly pure Wagnerian opera by any-

one other than Wagner that works. Ina casting unexperienced in any operahouse but absolutely in keeping withthe scoring, RCA cast Miss Ludwig asthe Witch. She colors the whole re-cording properly, and the results arefunny at the right times and musicallyinteresting, which is more important.If you want to hear how unnecessaryis the habit of casting a man to cacklein that role, listen to this recording(ARL 2-0637).

In an entirely different, but some-what German -influenced opera, CamilleSaint-Saens' Samson et Della, MissLudwig shows how persuasive she canbe in French. Her Dalila is fascinating-warm, sensual, firm and diabolic inher inevitable, inescapable seduction(RCA ARL 3-0662).

With such an artist, of course, notall is perfect. Her recorded MozaKt-both Cosi fan tutte and Don Giovanni(Elvira) as well as her portrayal ofone of the ladies in Die Zauberfloete-

lacks the ideal timbre of voice andseems somewhat heavier than is ideal.She is also stylistically weak as Adal-gisa on Maria Callas' second pressingof Norma (Angel S-3615), but she isinteresting to hear.

Finally, there is a wonderful record-ing now out of the catalogue, whichshould be reissued. Miss Ludwig wasnever asked to record the role thatmade her most famous-the Dyer'sWife in Die Frau ohne Schatten. Shedid, however, record the RecognitionScene from Elektra, a scene from DerRosenkavalier and the opening of thethird act of Frau with her then -hus-band, Walter Berry. It is one of herfinest recordings, showing all the ex-pression and color in her remarkablevoice. It was last available on RCA(VICS 1269), and it should be re-stored immediately to the catalogue.It is one of the treasures from oneof the great recorded mezzo-sopranosof this era.

CHOOSING BLANK TAPE (Continued from page 42)

who sold you the tape.Key manufacturers of ferri-chronu

cassettes as of presstime include Am-pex, BASF, Scotch and Sony.

Chromium dioxide tapes using man-made oxide particles "grown" to specialsize and shape, were pioneered bychemical giant DuPont and first mark-eted for audio use by Advent Corp. in1970. They were intended to providebetter high frequency response and bet-ter signal-to-noise ratios than thoseachieved by tapes then in existence.

Chrome tapes have their own specificCr02 bias position on modern cassettetape decks, or use the "high" setting,designated in various ways on olderunits. It uses 70 microsecond playbackequalization, a standard feature onmost quality home cassette decks andbeginning to appear in car stereoequipment that is taking on the charac-teristics of home audio equipment.

Key suppliers of chromium dioxidetapes at presstime include Ampex,BASF, Capitol, Irish, Memorex, RadioShack (Realistic brand), and Sony.

One of the first things to do beforesetting out to buy, is to define yourrecording goals and needs. If "basic"non -critical voice recordings is whatyou intend to do most, any tape, nomatter how inexpensive, will fill yourneeds. If you are critical and will bedoing primarily music recording, anyhigh performance tape matched to yourmachine will serve you well.

The best advice we can give relativeto buying cassette tapes is, don't buycheap to save pennies. As with somany other consumer products, you get

what you pay for. Look for nationally -sold and advertised major "name"brands such as those pictured here.

In shopping for the right tape (s) foryour recording needs, you will be con-fronted with all sorts of claims as to thesuperiority of this type of tape overthat, in terms of one brand over an-other, etc. In our own experience, we'vefound that the best way to the truth isto do some sampling-within tape types,and once the best type is determined,within the brands handling that type.

One of the reasons for our suggest-ing the above approach, is that thereare differences in hearing capability ofmusic lovers and recordists. A tape thatwould satisfy one person's auditory ap-paratus would be inadequate to an -other's. For instance, if you are sensi-tive to high frequency sounds, youmight find the "hot" high end of onetype or brand of tape to be too muchfor your ears.

Another variable is the recordingequipment which will be used withthe tape you choose, in terms of qualityand relative state-of-the-art technologyit offers. A tape that might sound fineto a friend on his equipment and tohis ears, might sound better (or worse),on your equipment and to your ears.Recommendations can only be regardedas very rough guidelines.

Another consideration is your record-ing capability. Buy the finest tape avail-able, and it's only as good as yourequipment settings-not only bias andequalization, but just as importantly,the recording level settings. Practicewith these before doing serious record-

ing. Part of your practice procedureshould involve checking a tape's "satur-ation"-its ability to absorb high signallevels without distortion. Optimizingthis capability is in your hands-it de-pends on your setting of the recordinglevel controls precisely. Better qualityor premium tapes with higher satura-tion capability permit recording athigher levels without distortion. Thebetter the tape quality, the less needto worry if the recording level indica-tors-whatever their form (meters, LEDreadouts, etc.)-move over into the "redzone" that warns of potential distor-tion.

Try Manufacturers RecommendedTapes First. About the only true refer-ence point you have as you take off foryour local audio/tape store is the list oftapes recommended for your machineby its manufacturer. But don't be sur-prised to learn that some of the tapes -recommended may no longer be avail-able. The blank tape industry is almostfanatical in its determination to outdoitself, steadily putting out ever -betterproducts, reflecting the latest techno-logical advances. If you like a particu-lar brand of tape, one of which wasrecommended for your particular deckbut is no longer available, ask thesalesman if that tape was superseded-by a Mark Two (or Three) Series, thatis designed to be even better than thetape originally recommended. All youneed do then is to observe the specifiedbias and equalization settings requiredby the newer tape.

Earlier we mentioned that cassettemachines of the future probably will

have a fourth bias/equalization posi-tion-to accommodate metal tapes. Thisprediction is based on the potential ac-ceptance of these new and revolution-ary tapes, the first of which are justbeginning to enter the marketplace.

Metal Tape Avoids Overload Prob-lems. Pure or fine metal particle tapesas they are designated in full, offer afew solid advantages for their markedlyhigher cost. In particular, they canrecord higher levels of sound at all fre-quencies thereby avoiding high fre-quency tape overload. Their dynamicrange potential is far better than anyother tapes now in the market, result-ing in superbly realistic, balancedsound. In effect, cassettes will be able

to offer the kind of sound quality previ-ously associated only with tapes madeon first-rate reel recorders. Metal tapesrepresent the most significant advancein tape since the introduction of chrometapes, in the opinion of experts.

But metal tapes have certain require-ments that must be met in order to beutilized. Heads in today's cassetteequipment cannot accommodate themetal tapes, thus new ones are beingdeveloped, as well as other technologyto realize the potential of the newtapes. Hence, there will be an entirelynew generation of decks equipped torecord and play metal tapes. (It is notfeasible to modify most existing equip-ment for metal tapes.)

Tandberg was the first to demon-strate a cassette deck with full metaltape capability. And scheduled for de-livery this year are metal -tape -capablecassette decks from JVC, B.I.C., aTechnics, and U.S. Pioneer.

Scotch brand "Metafine" tape wasthe first metal particle tape to bedemonstrated, but once things get roll-ing, other major tape manufacturersare ready and poised to come on thescene.

Tape and tape equipment technologyhas just begun its "take off." We canlook forward to new high levels ofpleasure for music lovers who like tomake and listen to their own tit?,recordings.

MOVING UP TO BETTER COMPONENTS (Continued from page 47)

is the start of a trend, only time willtell.

Magnetic -head technology has im-proved recently as well. In addition tonew materials such as Sendust to roundout the metal and ferrite technologythat has been used, we see severalmanufacturers using specially shapedpolepieces to smooth out the low -fre-quency response and avoid the "headbumps" that occur in the response dueto the contour effect.Record -Playing Equipment

There's been a resurgence of interestin exotic separate tonearms. The ideais to reduce the effective mass of thearm and so to improve the trackingability when playing warped recordswith a high -compliance cartridge. Ap-pearances can be deceiving however.The new Shure/SME 3009 Series HIlooks like a boat anchor but, as thecartridge sees it, it's as light as afeather.

Not an awful lot is radically new inturntables. Most are now directly drivenby servo motors although there are stillsome engineers convinced of the ad-vantages of a belt drive. Variable -pitchis, widespread with a strobe usually in-cluded to tell you when you're on themoney. Some platters feature digitalspeed readout.

The manual platter has given way tothe semi -automatic and fully -automaticsingle -play in pre-packaged units. Theless you have to handle the delicatearm, the better. Modern automatic

'mechanisms move the arm more pre-cisely and gently than you can, and,once the stylus is in the groove, themechanism disengages so it doesn'tdrag. Mitsubishi automatics even sensethe record diameter optically and posi-tion the tone arm accordingly. If youstill have a completely manual system,consider modernizing. And if you wanta changer, fear not. There are many

high -quality models on the marketwhose performance does not differmarkedly from a good single -play.

There haven't been any dramaticchanges in phono cartridges in the pastseveral years but progress has still beenmade. Some manufacturers seem to betaking more note of the cartridge's in-terface with the rest of the system.Shure's V-15 Type IV sports a "Dy-namic Stabilizer"-an appendage thatserves to damp the tonearm resonancewhile discharging the record and clean-ing the grooves. Stanton and Pickeringare re-emphasizing the advantages ofthe brush attachment that their pickupshave had for years. And top -of -the -lineOrtofon cartridges that require higher -than -average termination capacitancenow include a removable module thatadds some of this capacitance right atthe pickup. For moving -coil fans, thereare a number of new cartridges thatwill appeal to them.Loudspeakers

Recent moves in the loudspeakerarea have emphasized "time -align-ment," or "phase -coherence," or callit what you will. The idea is to get allof the various drivers to speak at thesame time-or, more precisely, to getthe sound from each of them to arriveat your ears at the same time. Sincewoofers are bigger and therefore deep-er than midranges (which in turn aredeeper than tweeters), when all driversare mounted on the same baffle board,the sound emanates from differentpoints. The low notes from the wooferstart from a point well within the en-closure, a cone midrange speaks fromslightly behind the baffle, a dometweeter from the surface. The commonway to "time -align" a speaker is tostagger the drivers so their effectivespeaking points line up on a commonaxis

There also seems to be a lot of cur-

rent interest in minimizing diffraction.When a sound wave reaches a sharpboundary, it tends to bend around itdifferently at different frequencies.Phantom sources are set up at the edgewhich in turn create diffraction patternsand upset the dispersion. So you'll seespeakers with rounded edges and withfoam inserts to absorb the radiation ofthese phantoms.

The advantage claimed for both time -aligned and minimum -diffraction sys-tems is an improvement in stereo real-ism especially in the apparent imagedepth. This being a subjective quantity,it's best that you experience what itdoes for yourself. Having heard someof these systems myself, I can say thatto my ears some of them do have anextraordinary ability to create a realis-tic stereo image.

More and more speakers are gettingon the Thiele bandwagon. Althoughmany enthusiasts still prefer the tightbass sound of an acoustic -suspensionsystem, there is little question that youcan achieve a better balance betweenefficiency, box size and bass responseby "venting" the enclosure. Now thatthe various parameters can be opti-mized mathematically rather than byblack magic, more Thiele -alignmenttype speakers are appearing. Some useducted ports, others auxiliary bass radi-ators (also called passive radiators ordrone cones). The result is the same-higher efficiency and deeper bass in asmall box.Accessories

From an obscure start, ambiencesimulators seem to be cropping upeverywhere-even in automobiles. AudioPulse and Sound Concepts are the twoinnovators of course, but now systemsare available from Advent, Bozak, andothers. Ambience simulators are design-ed to create a more spacious listening



LITERATURE

301. There are over 400 kits described in thenew Heathkit catalog for virtually every do-it-yourself interest -amateur radio, hi-fi com-ponents, color TV, test instruments, digitalclocks and weather instruments, radio controlequipment, marine, aircraft and auto acces-sories, and many more.

302. Elcctro-Voice will send complete infor-mation on Thiele -Small parameter speakersand systems which combine flat, wide re-sponse, high efficiency, and small size ( tohalf size of sealed systems) including Inter-face and Sentry systems. There's also infor-mation on new separate component speakers.

303. Crown offers a new four-color brochureillustrating and describing the company'scomplete line of hi-fi amplifiers, preamplifiers,speaker systems, control centers and taperecorders.

304. Sony's "High Fidelity Components" hasa glossary defining major specification, con-trol and convenience feature terminology,which complements the reference chart ofspecifications for components.

305. The new 20 -page, full -color stereo -phonecatalog from Koss features lively photogra-phy and art to show 15 of the company'sdynamic and electrostatic stereophones andlistening accessories. There is a specificationcomparison chart and prices.

306. Kenwood's wide range of receivers,amplifiers, tuners, tape decks, stereo com-pacts, and speakers is described in a newbrochure.

309. IBL offers four-color brochure whichdescribes the nine loudspekers which com-prise their current line. Included are theL300, D44000 Paragon, L65, L212, L166,L110, L50, L40 and L19.

310. Klipsch loudspeaker systems are attrac-tively presented, including explanation of theKlipschom corner horn and corner mirroreffect. Available for a few dollars are reprintscovering design, stereo re-creation, etc.

311. "Hearing Is Believing," a booklet fromESS, Inc., has a serious theme and a construc-tive purpose. Fundamentals of loud -speakingtechnology are examined. How to develop asuperior loudspeaker is spelled out.

313. Pickering has attractive specificationsheets on stereo headphones. Also offered isa colorful brochure on cartridges in theUV -15, XV-15 series, as well as the V-15Micro IV series.

315. TEAC has designed a 16 -page brochurewhich serves as a good introduction to multi-track recording. It's called Are You ReadyFor Multi -track? and it describes in detailthe steps involved in making a good multi-track recording, delineates the equipmentneeded, and examines such recording stum-bling blocks as the use of studio and PAmicrophones.

316. For tips from leading sound engineers.send for "The Music -Maker's Manual ofMicrophone Mastery" from Shure. It de-scribes how to match voices and instruments.

321. A new series of product literature is nowavailable from Jensen Sound Laboratories.The new catalogs feature four-color photo-graphs and graphic illustrations of the highfidelity line.

322. TDK has a new booklet, "SA ... a newstate of the cassette art," in which they claimgreat things: much lower noise levels, greatestdynamic range, unexcelled frequency re-sponse, high precision, among others. So sendfor the booklet to see if you agree.

323. A free consumer guide to car audio isnow available from Panasonic's Auto Products

Division. Included inthis 128 -page paper-back are tips on howto go about selectingthe equipment you'llbe happy with, whatyou need to knowabout specificationsand features, howmuch power do youneed, a directory of

what equipment is offered by Panasonic, howto install it yourself, and a listir.g of Pana-sonic service centers nationwide.

324. Before you purchase your hi-fi equip-ment, read "The Garrard Guide," what everyhi-fi shopper should know about Garrard au-tomatic turntables. There are 11 pages ofinformation and pictures.

327. Tandberg has an attractive color bookletdisplaying its tape decks, cassette deck, re-ceivers, speakers and accessories.

328. Pioneer value -packed receivers aregracing more and more living rooms as audio-philes turn on, and tune into, the qualitysounds of Pionee. Circle, the number 328and let Pioneer do the rest.

330. Make your own evaluation of whyAcoustic Research ( AR ) components, de-signed basically for home use, are oftenselected for critical professional and scientificapplications.

331. JVC offers three catalogs -"Tape -it -Live"is in English, French and German and fea-tures portable stereo cassette deck and acces-sories. "Listening for the Future" is all aboutthe JVC FM / AM -stereo receiver series. The"JVC High Fidelity Catalogue" is a 36 -pagefull -color delight.

332. Sherwood Electronics Laboratories hasliterature available on its full line of re-ceivers, amplifiers, and tuners. Included arespecifications and independent reviews.

337. The 32 -page Pioneer booklet, "How IInstall Car Stereo," by a 26 -year -old expertwho has installed nearly 5000 car stereo sys-tems shows in detail how to mount, wire,troubleshoot and maintain hi-fi in your auto-mobile.

338. Fuji has just made available a new book-let on their tapes -"Cassette Tape and Howto Make It Work for You." It is written ona nan-technical level and contains practicalinformation on the selection and use of cas-sette recorders/players.

341. Allison loudspeaker systems claim to beunique in producing in real -room environ-ments. This booklet on their models Onethrough Four explains in quite some detailhow they work. Each system is picturedalongside its specifications.

342. A new four-color brochure from VORdescribes in detail the inner workings of thepatented automatic "dry" vacuumn recordcleaner -the Vac-O-Rec. It cleans by liftingdust and dirt with mohair brushes, and a fanblows them away.

344 Beyer Dynamic's full -color brochure pre-sents their large assortment of dynamic micro-phones and headphones. They claim to havethe right headphone for every job -monaural,binaural, 2- or 4 -channel listening, hi-fi equip-ment, receivers, televisions and dictatingmachines.

345. Ce/estion speaker systems are created inEngland, but are now being made availablethroughout the world. Send for this brochureto see why they claim such excellence in thespeakers they conceive, design and produce.

347. Ace Audio Co. offers a short form cata-log of kits and wired units. Pictured are pre -amps, equalizers, and amplifiers. Descriptionsand specifications aid you in making yourchoices.

348. NCI Premium Distributors has a corn -plc tely illustrated 165 -page wholesale pricecatalog for S4. Send for information on howto get this display of all major brand radios,televisions, stereos and appliances.

349. Send for information on Dubie's Record-ing Control Systems with mixing, fading, andmonitoring controls. Special features and ca-pabilities are described, and specificationslisted. Check their customer satisfaction guar-antee and the one-year warranty.

L

HI -Fl STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE, Dept. LL -20 BE SURE TO ENCLOSE MONEY IBox 1849, G.P.O., New York, NY 10001 March/April 1979Please arrange to have the booklets whose numbers I have encircled sent to me as soon as possible.I enclose 250 for each group of 5 items, to cover handling (no stamps, please).

301 302 303 304 305 306 309 310 311 313 315316 321 322 323 324 327 328 330 331 332 337338 341 342 344 345 347 348 349

Are you a subscriber to this magazine? Yes No SPECIAL 50% -OFF 500 Enclosed rs $2.98 for 6 issues of HI-FI/STEREO

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER BUYERS' GUIDE. (Outside U.S.A. 34). Allow 6 to8 weeks for delivery of first copy. H9C 032

NAME (print clearly)

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CITY STATEThis offer expires August 29, 1979

ZIPAllow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery

II

MARCH/APRIL 1979 79

environment-either by enhancing whatreverberance there is (if any) in therecording, or by generating its ownreverb artificially.

Opinion on ambience simulation ispolarized-some can't live without it,others find that these devices blur theimagery. Best you listen and decide foryourself. Warning: if you get hookedon it, it may mean another pair ofspeakers and another amp although

some ambience simulators have therear -channel amp built in and alsocome with speakers.

The accessories field is loaded withnew toys-noise suppressors that stripthe clicks, pops and crackles from yourrecords, one -pass noise -reduction sys-tems that serve to quiet the hiss on anyprogram source, exotic parametricequalizers that not only offer the con-trol range of a graphic equalizer but

also give you a handle on the widthand frequency allocation of each bandas well. The list can go on and on.

One glance over the lineup of high-fidelity equipment and accessories onthe market convinces you that this isan alive, dynamic industry. Keeping upwith it will keep you trekking back tothe audio store at regular intervals andwith a little advance preparation youcan be sure of making a wise choice.

SPOTLIGHT ON: AIWA AD -6900U (Continued from page 48)

rule -flat response from 30 to 15,000 Hzin both the Dolby and non -Dolbymodes.

As for the peak signal level meters:Unlike the common type of peak meterwhich indicates the absolute maximumrecord signal level, AIWA's peak meteris referenced to the 0 -VU reading sothere is extra headroom metering thatallows for the high frequency recordequalization. By following the suppliedinstructions for utilizing the peak me-tering, the results are exceptional. It isvirtually impossible to distinguish theoriginal signal source from the cassetterecording.

The AD -8900U is a front -loading,

two -motor, three -head system machinesupplied in a "home" metal cabinet.Rack panel and crash handle adaptorsare available. Mixing microphone andline inputs are provided, and the lineinput is bridged to a front panel jackstereo -type phone jack. A memory resetcounter provides either the usual off/stop arrangement, and automatic repeatplay -

The tape mechanism is all -solenoidoperation, allowing total remote controlthrough a prewired remote controlsocket. No mention is made in the man-ual about a remote controller but onemust exist because the socket is there.A timer control switch permits the deck

to be started via a powerline timereither the play or record modes fro/capstan -disengaged preset.

The other, more common feaare detailed in the test report elsewlin this issue.

Summing Up. From every poil.t ofview the AIWA AD -6900U cassettedeck delivers exceptional performanceand convenience. As you might expect,it doesn't come cheap. The price tag isabout $800.00 for the basic machine;the rack mounting and crash handleoptions are extra.

For additional information on thisexceptional machine, circle No. 102 onthe Reader Service Card. A

JAZZ: THELONIOUS MONK (Continued from page 20)

Monk's first recordings were made in1941 during after-hours jam sessionsat Minton's. The most famous of thesesessions (recorded on a portable disc -recording machine by amateur engi-neer Jerry Newman) found Monk play-ing with considerable "technique"alongside Kenny Clarke and CharlieChristian. They have been issued re-peatedly and identically, most recentlyas part of Charlie Christian (Archive ofFolk and Jazz) and Dizzy GillespieVolume One.

The heart of Monk's music, as mightbe expected from so innovative andiconoclastic an artist, is in his work asa leader. All of his earliest work in thisvein is on: The Complete Genius (BlueNote), an essential collection with thefirst recordings (sometimes the only re-cordings) of many of his best pieces;a 1949 session by a pivotal group withMilt Jackson; and the beginnings ofthe Blakey -Monk partnership, whichripened considerably even during thoseyears between 1947-1952.

Apart from a single alternate takeof one piece, the twofer TheloniousMonk (Prestige) has all of Monk's1952-1954 Prestige outings. The condi-tion of the studio piano on most ofthese selections defies belief, but Monkwrings the utmost from it in maturetrio and quintet performances, includ-

80

ing his remarkably spare version of"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." All of thismaterial has been scattered on an as-sortment of single records-The GoldenMonk, The High Priest, Reflections,and Blue Monk-but the twofer isclearly the best buy.

Most of Monk's works from 1955-1960 have been reissued in twofers,but the earliest of these-low-key triosessions with Oscar Pettiford-are onlyimported, as The Unique TheloniousMonk and Monk Plays Duke Ellington(both Japanese Riverside). Brilliance(Milestone) has a raw, almost primi-tivistic 1956 session with Sonny Rollinsand Max Roach, and an underrated1960 date with Thad Jones; the lattercut is also on Five by Monk by Five(Japanese Riverside). Pure Monk(Milestone) has the pianist workingunaccompanied long before the Jarrettfad, and brilliantly in "I Should Care"and the blues "Functional." An earlierand less inspired solo session is nowfor sale as the identical TheloniousMonk (GNP), Thelonious Monk (Ar-chive of Folk and Jazz) and Pure Monk(Trip). The fascinating Monk -Coltranecollaborations of 1957 are on Mcmk/Trane (Milestone). From the nextyear, Johnny Griffin bustles throughlong tenor saxophone solos, pushingMonk into the background of the "live"

At the Five Spot (Milestone); thiscombines the otherwise available Mis-terioso and Thelonious in Action (bothJapanese Riverside). A better Monk -Griffin collaboration can be heard onThelonious Monk with Art Blakey'sJazz Messengers (Atlantic), which hassome of the pianist's most daring inter-'play with Blakey. And In Person (Mile-stone) is a more indifferent work fromconcert and club appearances, featur-ing some awkward attempts at orches-trating Monk for mid -size orchestra.

Ironically, Monk's celebrity in themid -1960s, during his partnership withsaxophonist Charlie Rouse, coincidedwith a repetitious and generally lessrewarding period in his work. The mostinteresting albums from these yearswere the earliest, such as the warm andeffervescent Monk's Dream and thebrittle Criss Cross (both Columbia Spe-cial Products) with drummer FrankieDunlon. Others include Monk's Time(Columbia) and Solo Monk (Colum-bia), another superb unaccompaniedalbum. One record of Who's Afraid ofthe Big Band Monk? (Columbia) hasanother (and quite superior) effort atorchestrating Monk for ten pieces, butthe other record of this set finds Monkwith a complete big band in his worstrecord ever-also available as Monk'sBlues (Columbia). Underground (Co-


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MARKET PLACEHI -Fl STEREO BUYERS' GUIDE -PUBLISHED Bi-Monthly. The rate per word for Classified Ads is $1.00 each

insertion, minimum ad $15.00 payable in advance. Capitalized words 400 per word additional. To be

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MARCH/APRIL 1979 81

Hi-Fi/Stereo BUYERS' GUIDEgives you the absolute tops innumber of equipment testreports per issue. We don't justtest the top of the line, wereport on all levels of moremanufacturers' lines than any-one else.

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III -Fl STEREO BUYERS' GUIDEINDEX TO ADVERTISERS

READERSERVICE NO. ADVERTISER

PAGENUMBER

4 Akai America Audio 1317 AKG Acoustics 299 Audio Technica 68 Audio Technica 256 Bose Corporation CV3

11 Dahlquist 1412 DBX, Incorporated 413 Discount Music Club, Inc. 12

Discwasher, Inc. CV239 ElectroVoice, Inc. 1814 Epicure Products Incorporated 2315 Finney Company 2035 Hitachi Sales Corporation 1116 J & R Music World .. 1218 Koss Corporation 519 McIntosh Laboratory Inc. 1034 Mitsubishi Car Audio 16, 1720 Nikki Audio 2221 Ohm Acoustics 322 Panasonic CV423 Studer Revox America, Inc. 3224 SAE 2125 Sansul 2728 Sharp 3841 Shure Bros 829 Shure Bros 9

5 Sony Corporation 7

38 Sound Concepts 2236 Speaker Labs 2430 Stanton 3126 TDK 1542 Toshiba27 United Audio 19

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lumbia) is of interest for its many newcompositions, written in a period whenmost of Monk's recordings sufferedbadly from a lack of new repertoire.There is no need to demean the likesof Monk, Misterioso and Straight NoChaser (all Columbia); these recordssimply add little to the profile providedby Monk's better work. And like mostsimilarly named collections, Monk'sGreatest Hits (Columbia) does notcover Monk's greatest achievements.

Recording -date attempts as a co-leader-Mulligan Meets Monk (Japan-ese Riverside) from 1958 wth GerryMulligan, and a 1961 Newport JazzFestival session with Pee Wee Russellon half of Miles and Monk at Newport(Columbia) -were notable mostly asnovelties.

Monk's recordings as a sideman havebeen rare. His first studio recordingswith Coleman Hawkins, his first major

employer, are duplicated on The HawkFlies (Milestone) and Bean and theBoys (Prestige). He gives reservedsupport to thrilling solos by CharlieParker and Dizzy Gillespie on CharlieParker: The Verve Years 1950-1951(Verve). An interesting but short ses-sion with an inappropriate saxophonist,Gigi Gryce, is part of Signals (Savoy),and half of Clark Terry's Cruising(Milestone) finds Monk in relaxed 1958form. Best of all of Monk's work withother leaders is the famous 1954 MilesDavis session with Milt Jackson, avail-able by itself on Modern Jazz Giants(Prestige) and on Tallest Trees (Prestige) with other Davis selections. "BrGroove" and "The Man I Love" /this session are perfectly bala-amples of the deliberation r _ spon-taneity that make up the best jazz per-formances at once so satisfying and soinimitable.

SOUND PROBE: CELESTION (Continued from page 28)

ing naturalness of instrumental tonecolor. You'd expect this from the un-usually flat frequency response, but itstill comes as a surprise and particu-larly benefits the strings. This makesthe Celestion attractive to classicallyoriented listeners, since the sound ofstringed instruments is the basic sub-stance of symphonic scoring as well asof most chamber music. Transient re-sponse, as evident in piano solos, isexceptionally clean, and the smoothoverall response allows the transients tocome through with all their naturalsharpness but without any exaggerated"bite."

It is precisely this inobtrusive, al-most reticent quality, that will delightsome listeners while perhaps puzzlingothers accustomed to a more aggressivekind of sound. We were impressed bythe speaker's ability to handle orches-tral climaxes without the least percep-tible change of coloration-probably a

function of its heavy magnets, whichtake power peaks easily in stride.

As for bass, it is definitely presentall the way down to the very bottom,but it is rather discreet. Listeners likingtheir bass a bit more on the gutsy sidewill have to crank up the bass controlon their amplifier. Thanks to its excep-tional linearity of response, the Celes-tion will accept this boost withoutbooming. The instructions suggest thatthe speaker should be placed off thefloor and be kept out of corners toavoid possible room resonance at lowfrequencies. But in our listening tests(and with our particular room acous-tics) we found that floor placementadds body to the otherwise pale bass-and frankly, we liked it that way.

In sum, we expect the Celestion 33will appeal mainly to listeners with aclassical bent who appreciate its politerefusal to dramatize the sound, lettingmusical reality speak for itself. A

SOUND PROBE: WHARFEDALE (Continued from page 28)

Lion-a setting which made everythingsound just fine.

And we do mean everything. TheE-50 was right at home with-and ontop of-some far-out jazz, full of shin-ing brass and biting percussion. But italso spelled out subtle touches of gui-tar, not spoiling the softness of suchsounds. Human voices remained hu-man, with no false treble edging theirnatural timbre. The piano soundedbright without being clangy.

The E-50 also did well with theclassics, putting clean bass under sym-phonic scores and sorting out the in-

struments very nicely. The strings, wefelt, didn't have much warmth. Butthey weren't harsh, either-just cooland accurate.

The treble fanned out evenly, let-ting us move almost anywhere in theroom without feeling much change intonal coloration. So you aren't boundto any particular listening location forproper tonal balances. Yet at the sametime, there was enough source defini-tion for accurate stereo imaging. Inshort, here is a quality speaker of un-matched efficiency, adding new lustreto one of the oldest names in audio.


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When it conies to turntable speed accuracy, we agreewith of t competitors. You can't beat quartz -locked directdrive. But when it comes to total turntable performance,many professionals agree. You can't 'eat Technics.

That's why so many rzelo stations and discos use Technicsqua, tz-locked turr tables.Because they need performancelike wow and flutter of 0.025% WRMS, rumble of only- 78 dB (DIN B), and speed accuracy of - 0.002%. Thoseare impressive specs. And if you've wondered why you don'tsee specs like these in our competitors' acs, it's usuallybecause you won't find them in our, ,competitors' turntables.

You will find these specs in Technics new 5000 Series:the SL- 5100 manual, the SL- 5200 semi -automatic, theSL -5300 automatic (shown be ow) and the 51-5350Clanger. Along wish a lot more.

Like a full -cycle detection servo system packet into threehigh -density IC "chips." It assures proper rotatioral speeds,even wider heavy loads. And TNRC, a unique TedlmicsNon -resonant Compound virtually eliminates feedback.

At the same time, a highly sensitive statically balanced"S" -shaped tonearm drastically educes friction to only 7 mgon both vertical and horizontal planes.

Each turntable features a prism -stylus illuminator to helpprevent miscues. While front -panel controls with dampedcJeing make operation easy, even w th the dust caverc osed. There's also an anti -skating control.And pitchcontrols vadat:0:e by - 6%.

Now you know what many discos and radio stations alreadyknow: Quartz isn't the last word in tc rntables,Technics is.

Technics

Many hi-fi buffs think quartz isthe last word in turntables.Technics knows it's just the beginning.

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