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Introducing Sanyo Super Beta.The video recorder that brings you 20% closer to reality.

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The Sanyo Super Beta 7250VCR delivers a picture so true tolife, it practically jumps out atyou. A picture that's a full 20%sharper, with finer reproductionof detail and texture than anyVHS system ever made. It's evenbetter than regular Beta

systems.The resolution you getwith Sanyo Super Beta is solife -like it brings every detailof a dragonfly's wing, everytexture nature has to offerinto clearer focus. For a picturethat stays remarkably sharper,clearer, and more intense from

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edit to edit, generation togeneration.

A picture that combines withthe superior 80dB dynamicrange of our Beta Hi-Fi to bringyou a sight and soundexperience that is a giant leapcloser to life itself.

tiimulatecIVORIme. SANIfC3THE MODERN ART OF ELECTRONICS.

Volume 35 Number 9 September 1985

HIGH IDELITY

AUDIO & V i 0E04 Currents

SCES video: 8mm steals the show, plus VHS's next -generation VCRs

15 Special SCES Report: New Products '86by Robert Long, Michael Riggs, and Richard Warren

The latest gear, from 8mm video/digital-audio cassette decks

to see-through loudspeakers

TEST REPOR TS

58

42 NEC CD -607E Compact Disc player43 Magnum Electronics FT -101 tuner45 Sansui S -X1130 receiver47 RCA FLR-2622 monitor/receiver50 Genesis Model 33 loudspeaker

MUSICClassical

52 800 Upcoming RecordingsCompiled by Mildred Camacho and Theodore W Libbey, Jr.

Our annual preview of scheduled LP releases

Popular/Backbeat67 The 12 -inch Report

by Vince Aletti

Beach blanket bingo

DEPARTMENTS2 Editor's Page

11 Crosstalk12 The Autophile51 Medley68 Popular Reviews75 Jazz Reviews80 Advertising Index

Cover Design: Robin Pelkki

Cover Photo: David Arky

On the Cover: NEC CD -607E Compact Disc player (top) and Sansui S -X1130 receiver.

15

21

Mat FIOEUTY USN 0010-1455) is published monthly at 825 7th Ave, New York, N.Y. 10019. by ABC Leisure Magazines. Inc., a subsidiary of Amerocan Broadcasting Companies, Inc.f.opy-

right 5) 1985 by ABC Leisure Magazines. Inc. The design and contents are fully protected by copyright and must not be reproduced in any manner. Second-class postage paid at New York,

N.Y., and at additional mailing offices. Authorized as second-class marl by the Post Office Department. Onawa. and for payment of postage in cash. Yearly subscription in the U.S.A. and Pos.

sessions 51395; elsewhere 520.95 Single copies 51.95. Subscribers, Send subscophons. inciumes. and address changes to HIGH FIDELITY. P 0. Box 10759. Des Moines. Iowa 50340.Change of address- Give old and new addresses. including ZIP codes. Enclose address label from last issue and allow five weeks for change to became effective. POSTMASTER: Send change

of address to HIGH hectic". P.O. Box 10759. Des Moines. IA 50340.

IGH FIDEL

Publisher Steven I. RosenbaumEditomn-Chief/Associate Publisher William TynanEditor, Musical America Shirley FlemingSenior Editor Michael RiggsSenior Copy Editor Ken RichardsonCopy Editor Patricia Reilly

TECHNICALDEPARTMENTTechnical Editor Michael RiggsConsulting Technical Editors Edward J. Foster,Robert LongContributing Editors Frank Lovece, Jay TaylorEditorial Assistants Sandra C. Foster, Andrea K. Otanez

MUSICDEPARTMENTClassical Music Editor Theodore W. Libbey, Jr.Popular Music Editor Georgia ChristgauAssistant Editor Mildred CamachoAssistant Mark I. GarrisonContributing Editors Vince Aletti, Robert E. Benson,Crispin Cioe, R. D. Darrell, The Reverend Thomas L Dixon,Steve Futterman, Edward Greenfield, Thomas Hathaway,Paul Hume, Joyce Millman, Paul Moor, John Morthland,Thomas W. Russell III, RJ Smith,David Patrick Stearns,Noah Andre Trudeau, James Wierzbicki, John S. Wilson

ARTDEPARTMENTArt Associates Robin Pelkki, Michael 0. DelevanteTechnical Art Roy Lindstrom, Nina Wallace

PRODUCTIONManaging Editor Kathleen GreenAdvertising Production Manager Janet CermakEditorial Production (Annuals) Paula BallanProduction Associate Jonathan TesserAtex System Manager Karen Walsh Asher

CIRCULATIONVice President, Circulation Stephen J. BernardCirculation Director/V.P., Newsstand MarketingDominic MustelloNational Sales Manager/Newsstand Michael GerardoCirculation Director/Subscriptions Lillian GmitrukCirculation Subscription Staff Mary Beth Colucci,Barbara Donlon, Timothy Farrell, William Johnson,Janice RaifordCustomer Service Mary Losi

Assistant to the Publisher Randi Vaughan -Assistant to the Editor -in -Chief Darlene D. Edwards

;WAMagazine Publishers Assoc alien

Hai Fawn and HIGH HOWIY/PreuSICAL AMERICA are published monthly by ABCLeisure Magazines, Inc. a division of ABC Publishing, Inc and a subsidiary ofAmerican Broadcasting Companies. Inc.ABC Publishing. Inc Roben G Burton.President ABC Leisure Magazines. Inc Steven I Rosenbaum. Vice President.HIGH Fite Group, Herten Koala, Senior Vice Resident. Photographic Publishing Division. Margaret Gilman. Vice President. MCCALCS NEI OLEWOHe & CRed TS.

James A. Casella. Vice President, Operations. Ronald Stuart. Vice Resident. Fi-nance. Joseph DeFalco, Controller. Ernest G Scafone. Vice President. Graphics and

Production. Stephen J Bernard. Vice President. Circulation. Dominic Mustello. VicePresident. Newsstand Marketing. Member Audit Bureau of Circulation Indexed inReader's Guide to Periodical Literature. Current and back copies of HIGH F1011itYand HIGH FIOEHT,MUSIU4 AMERICA are available on microfilm from UniversityMicrofilms, Anil Arbor, Mich 48106 Microfiche copies (1973 forward) are wail,able through Bell & Howell Micro Photo Div Old Mansfield Rd.. Wooster. Ohio44691ADVERTISING OFFICES

New York: ABC Leisure Magazines. Inc B25 7th Ave 8th Ma. New York. N.Y.10019. Tel (2121 265,8360 Richard J Marino. Advertising Director, MichaelH Goldberg, Eastern Advertising Mateo.. James R McCallum, Record Advertis-ing Manager. Mary McCormick, Network Adverting Manager. Candice Leyden.Classified Advertising Manager. Janet Gem*. Advertising Production Manager.Midwest High Fidelity. Hitchcock Building. Wheaton. III 60187 Tel 1312) 6538020 Stan Lane. Midwest Advertising Manager.lee Angeles: ABC Leisure Magazines. Inc_ 2020 Avenue of the Stan. Suite 245.

Century City. Calif 90067 Tel (213) 557-6482. Rita Weitzen. Western Adver-

tising ManagerEditorial correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, HIGH FIDUIPI, 825

7th Ave.. New York. N.Y 10019 Editorial contributions will be welcomed, andpayment for articles accepted will be arranged poor to publication. Submissionsmust be accompanied by return postage and will be handled with reasonable care.however. the publishes assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited photo-graphs or manuscrans

EDITOR'S PAGE

by William Tynan

Thoughts on SCES '85

The 1985 Summer Consumer Electronics Show is history now, and thou-sands of new 1986 audio and video products are on their way to dealersacross the country. These shows provide those of us in the press with aunique opportunity to see, in one spot at one time, everything being offeredin home electronics-from new models to prototypes of designs that maybe years away from actual production. Apart from introducing specificproducts, each show leaves an impression of what "the real stories" are.This time, there are two.

The influence of the Compact Disc was everywhere. Whether or notthe CD is the end of the quest for perfect sound reproduction is open fordebate. That it has advanced the availability of superior audio to a wideaudience is a fact. The first, $1,000 -plus CD players of late 1982 have beerlfollowed by equally or more sophisticated models at substantially lowerprices. Home units have evolved into players for car and portable use. Theinitial cluster of companies offering models has been met with a deluge ofnew brands. And the wide dynamic range afforded by CDs, which makesextraordinary demands on the rest of the music reproduction chain, hasresulted in a generation of higher -quality "digital ready" components.

The other story is more of a surprise. Who would have thought, even afew months ago, that 8mm would emerge as the most provocative format in

both video and audio? The arrival of 8mm combination video/digital-audiorecorders that use one standard tape has raised a series of fascinating ques-tions. For example, will 8mm supplant half -inch as the dominant video for-mat? Does it foreshadow the demise of Beta? Is there still a need to developa separate digital audio tape (DAT) format? Or is 8mm a developmentahead of its time-one that will find little software support and little accep-tance in a market where VHS is already so firmly entrenched?

NORMAN EISENBERG

Norman Eisenberg of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, a well-known audio critic andwriter who served as a senior editor of HIGH FIDELITY for 15 years, died on July12 at age sixty-three after a short illness. Norman joined HIGH FIDELITY in 1960as technical editor, later becoming audio -video editor and, in 1972, executive edi-tor. He also edited the quarterly magazine STEREO, as well as a number of HFannual publications. At the time of his death, he was a syndicated audio colum-nist for The Washington Post, The Newark Star Ledger, and The Detroit FreePress and for Playboy and Ovation magazines.

Norman occupied a special place in my career, serving as my mentor when Ijoined STEREO as assistant editor. Indeed, he was special to many people, includ-ing one of his longtime friends, Dr. Amar G. Bose, founder of the Bose Corp. andchairman of its board of directors. "I always considered Norman a real friend,"says Dr. Bose. "He was a cultured, kind person-a person who knew and lovedmusic. As you pass through a career, you meet a few people who make you happyto be part of the industry. Norman was one of them." We echo those sentiments.

2

The Teac PO -300Compact Disc Playerwon't add anythingto your music.No hiss. No pops.No wow. No flutter.Which means nothingcomes through but themusic, pure and clear.Random rremoryprogramming lets youchoose the selectionsyou want to hear in theorder you want to hearthem. You an repeat,edit, search, and seekwith the touch of afinger.When music is yourpassion, listen to Teac --made purely for music.

%kw

TEAC

CURRENTS

Consumer Electronics Show:

Video Heller Shelter

Introduction of new video products hasbeen an almost continuous story since thefirst of the year. As chronicled here overthe past several months, Sony has beenslugging it out with the VHS camp in thecamcorder arena and, most recently, setthe industry on its ear by introducing thefirst 8mm video/digital-audio cassette re-corder. Not that Sony was the only compa-ny working on this new format-Pioneerand Kodak showed their versions at theSummer Consumer Electronics Show (seealso pages 15-41)-but the sudden intro-duction of and commitment to a new for-mat immediately raised questions aboutthe future of Sony's half -inch Betamaxline, which has steadily lost market shareto VHS. (For a detailed look at the audioimplications of 8mm, see Robert Long'sanalysis on page 22.)

Kodak is one of the companies introducing an 8mm video/digital-audio cassette re-corder. The recorder section of the MVS-5380 can be detached from the base unitand TV tuner/timer for portable operation.

Although only three companies are in-troducing the 8mm audio -video machinesnow, everyone is keeping a close eye on re-action to the new format.

NEXT -GENERATION VHSNothing at all was said at SCES about

Toshibis CD playercomes completewith rack system.

Not only is a CD player standard equipment in Toshiba's outstandingSystem 150, so is the double cassette deck with double -reverse, high speed dub-bing and Dolby*B and C NR. As well as AM/FM stereo digital synthesizer tuner,100 watt per channel integrated amplifier**, direct -drive turntable, 4 -way speakersystems and 14 -band graphic equalizer. All in a sleek glass -top cabinet.Toshiba's System 150. The only option is to buy it. InTouch withTomorrow

*TM Dolby Labs *100 watts per channel minimum RMS power into 8 ohms from

20-20,000 Hz with no more than 0.005% THD. Toshiba America, Inc 82 Totowa Road. Mayne, NO 07470TOSHIBA

what could well be the next move by theVHS camp in the continuing Beta -VHSchess game. While in Japan after theshow, we learned that the VHS manufac-turers are hard at work completing theirupgrade of performance standards.

As reported here earlier, Sony and theother manufacturers in the Beta Group in-troduced Super Beta in January. (A com-plete report on the technical aspects of Su-per Beta will appear in our October issue.)Essentially, the enhancement involvesshifting the luminance carrier frequencyup, thereby capturing more high -frequen-cy information. The result is increased pic-ture detail.

The VHS camp is taking a differenttack. Instead of changing the carrier fre-quency, they are altering the high -fre-quency pre -emphasis used to reduce videonoise. The conventional forward -horizon-tal EQ is being reduced slightly, which pre-serves more high -frequency information(and therefore detail) when the signal isfrequency -modulated onto the carrier. Butreverse -horizontal and vertical pre -empha-sis are being added, yielding an overall de-crease in noise and a further increase inresolution. (A thorough explanation of thisprocess will appear as an adjunct to nextmonth's article on Super Beta.)

We have learned that some elementsof this scheme already are being used in afew VCRs being sold here in the U.S. byVHS inventor and licensor JVC. Andsources in Japan say they understand thatwhen the whole package is ready and ac-cepted by VHS licensees, the enhancedformat will be announced formally. Theyalso say sentiment is running strongly

4 HIGH FIDELITY

ThChniCS

TVstereo.VCR stereo. AM/FM stereo.And you were going to settle

for an ordinary receiver.Technics introduces the audio receiver that's also

a video switching center.Now Technics allows you to channel your audio and video

into one advanced component. To give you not only anextraordinary audio experience, but an astonishing televisionexperience as well.

It's the new Technics SA -560 audio/video receiver. More thanjust AM and FM stereo, it also gives you true stereo TV soundwith an ordinary TV All coming through your stereo systemwith 70 watts of power.

In addition, there's VCR stereo -2, And cable TV sound:, -; Plusinputs for a compact disc player, cassette deck and turntable.All with one remarkable receiver.

Beyond that, Technics also gives you Stereoplex circuitry. Toexpand monaural sound into a spectacular stereo -like effect.

So why settle for an ordinary stereo receiver, when you canhave one extraordinary audio/video receiver. The choice isyours. The receiver is Technics.

TechnicsThe science of sound

SA -560

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* Stereo TV sound where available. * *70 watts per channel at 8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz with 0.007% THD Stereo VCR required. Cable TV converter requirec

against calling it Super VHS.

SUPER -SOUND VCRsAt SCES, the Hi-Fi format-whether Betaor VHS-was clearly the focus of manu-facturers' 1986 lines. Most top -of -the -linemodels now offer five heads (for improvedspecial effects) and remote control. Mostalso are designed to fit in cosmeticallywith the manufacturer's audio compo-nents.

This is particularly noticeable as tradi-tional audiophile companies move into thevideo market with their first VCRs.Brands we've seen thus far include modelsfrom Denon, Yamaha, Pioneer, Teac, Ken -wood, Technics, Sansui, and Harman Kar-don. You might wonder what separatesthese VCRs from all the others. A quicksurvey shows them ranging in price from$550 to $1,200 and offering wireless re-mote control, four or more heads, and Hi-

01111.1MINIMOdliga.

,111.111.esu

What shouldyou expect

from a Swissreceiver?

You shouldexpect thoughtful

designand quality

construction.And

you'll findit in the new

B285 AM/FMreceiver

from Revox.The

285 is

elegantlystyled, meticulously

crafted,and solidly

built. As you'dexpect

What youmight not

expect is the mostsophisticated

microprocessor

control systemavailable

in any receivermade

an in theworld

Two microcomputersare built into

the 8285: onecontrols the

quartz -from the Swiss.

lockeddigital tuner

while the othergoverns

an unprecedentedarray

of programmingand control

functions.All input sensites

are stored

in digital memory,along with

separatelevels for

each of the 29AM or

FM stationpre-sets.

A multi -modeLCD display

gives a completestatus

check of all tunerand pre-amp

functios.For your added

convenience,

the B285 - alongwith all other

Revox componentsmay be operated

with a singleinfrared remote

control unit (optioal).Multi room remote

control, aswell as external

computercontrol, is possible

through the

The B285's class

AB power stage,with a rise time

of 3 vseconds,

delivers transparentlydetailed high

frequencytransient

response.And

the exceptionalsignal-to-noise

performanceprovides a

silent back -B285's

serial data bus.

As withall Revox components,

the B285receiver

is built in quiet

drop for optimumdigital

sound repthe

defianceof planned

obsolescence.Because,

since youexpect a Swiss

receiver tocost more, Visitld

also expect itto be the best

of its kind

-fora long,long time.

your Revoxdealer for an

audition.Bring high

expectations.

SEVOX1425 Elm

Hill Pike, Nashville,TN 37210/(615)

2545651

L

Fi sound, to name a few features. For ex-ample, Yamaha's $999 YV-1000 VHS Hi-Fi

unit has MTS (stereo) TV reception capa-bility, enhanced still -frame picture resolu-tion, and LED peak -level audio metering,while Teac's $1,200 MV -800 (also VHS Hi-

Fi) includes 7X shuttle search, instant re-cording in multiples of 30 minutes, andrandom-access channel selection via infra-red remote control.

Two segments in the VCR market aretaking longer to develop than originallyforecast: the emergence of playback -onlymachines and a flood of lower -pricedVCRs from Korean manufacturers. Onefactor undoubtedly is the continued ero-sion of retail prices on standard non-Hi-Firecord/play models from Japan. In highlycompetitive markets, such as New YorkCity, these are regularly advertised in the$190 to $250 range.

CAMERASVideo cameras are evolving into two maintypes: those geared to the creative ama-teur or semipro and those designed pri-marily for ease of use and portability, thelatter perhaps best represented by the in-creased interest in all -in -one camcorders.In Japan, JVC told us that it is mostly us-ing solid-state CCDs (charge -coupled de-vices), which are less effective in low lightthan imaging tubes, in its consumer cam-corders and improved imaging tubes in itssemipro models. JVC also confirmed thatit is looking into an extended-play versionof its VHS -C Videomovie camcorder,which now is limited to 20 minutes record-ing time. However, within the next year itwill market a smaller version of the Video -movie, and the company is now discussingproduction of VHS -C gear with another,unnamed manufacturer.

MONITORS AND RECEIVERSTelevision monitors and receivers are de-veloping in several directions. First,square screens are more prevalent. Thus,for the first time you'll see even -numberedinches (20, 26) advertised alongside the fa-miliar 19, 21, etc., as you simply see moreof what has always been there. You'll alsonotice an increasing number of "digital"monitors. In most cases, this amounts tothe ability to view two pictures at the sametime on a single screen. One is fairlysmall-about one -ninth the size of the full

6 HIGH FIDELITY

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AUDIO VIDEO STEREO RECEIVER S -X1130

SPEANCRI SYSTEM

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140./.433.3 ANDIER 60l043 home. 4100.13A 6161.1136461301 nalK 14.7. 1.133 -

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t

S -X1130 Audio/Video/Stereo Receiver

Introducing AIone brilliant ideaon top of another

Unmatched FM Stereo/AM Stereo reception and video control makes them fantastic. X -Balanced circuitrymakes them phenomenal. Sansui's 130 watt S -X1130 and 100 watt S -X1100 Quartz PLL Audio/Video receiversare so far advanced, they even have a special decoder that lets you receive broadcasts of all AM stereo systems.What's more, their unique X -Balanced circuitry cancels out external distortion and decisively eliminates IHM,for the purest all-around listening pleasure.

But the advantages don't stop there. Both receivers are complete Audio/Video control centers that areradically different-and significantly more versatile-than any others on the market. The S -X1130 delivers allthe highly advanced audio and video performance of the S -X1100, with the added bonus of sharpness and fadercontrols for enhanced video art functions. And both units offer additional audio dexterity with multidimension"for expanded stereo or simulated stereo, plus sound mixing capabilities.

For more brilliant, innovative ideas, check out our full line of superior receivers.You'll know why we're first, the second you hear us.

There's more worth hearing and seeing from Sansui. Write: Consumer ServiceDept., Sansui Electronics Corp., Lyndhurst, NJ 07071; Carson, CA 90746; SansuiElectric Co., Ltd., lbkyo, Japan. Sctrisui

PatufglicaieReadiateigcyaid.

Infinity's self -powered Video Refer-ence Standard One shielded speaker

screen-and can be inserted in any quad-rant of the main display. Primary uses areviewing one channel while keeping trackof what's happening on another, monitor-ing what you are recording off a secondchannel onto your VCR, or checking on

your children via a remote TV camera.A number of monitor/receivers are be-

ing offered with built-in MTS decoders; al-most all of the top -of -the -line ones eitherinclude the circuitry or will accept externaldecoders.

VIDEO SPEAKERSSeveral new loudspeakers are designedexpressly for use near a video monitor or atelevision set. Among them are the Proton312 and 313, which match the company'sModel 600M and 602 monitors, respective-ly. They are biamplified two-way systemswith 13/4 inch tweeters and 41/2 -inch woof-

ers loaded by passive radiators. Price is$300 per pair for either model. Bose alsohas a powered system: a shielded versionof its single -driver Roommate, called theVideo Roommate, which can be pluggedinto a standard pin -jack output or into aheadphone jack. It will sell for $279 perpair.

New passive systems come from Pio-neer Video and Scott. The former showedits CS-V900D ($600), with a 12 -inch woofer,

a 43/4 -inch boron -cone midrange driver, and

a beryllium ribbon tweeter. Scott's firstvideo speaker is the $100 Model 206V,which is said to deliver both high sensitiv-ity and extended bass response.

Infinity has revised its line of fourVideo Reference Standard loudspeakers,priced from $199 to $799 per pair. The toptwo models-the VRS-1 and VRS-2-arepowered systems. NAD's latest is a biam-plified video speaker, the Model 8100($149). And Yamaha has introduced whatmay be the first powered video subwoofer.The $225 NS-W2's 10 -inch driver is mag-netically shielded, so that the unit can beused as a base for a television set or videomonitor.

This report was prepared by Robert An-gus, William Tynan, and Michael Riggs.

Are you neglecting the most important component in yoursystem, your listening room? Then make room for the new YamahaGE -60 graphic equalwer.

With 10 bands of ±15 dB fixed bandwidth equalization control,it can give you perfectly flat frequency response in any listeningenvironment. Easily. And quickly.

That's because we've provided the GE -60 with a built-in pinknoise generator and 10 -band frequency spectrum analyzer. And anoutboard electret condenser microphone.

Just place the mic where you would sit, and while reading thepink noise level at each frequency on the spec itum analyzer, makeprecise adjustments with the EQ controls for each frequency band.Right before your eyes, the frequency response of your room is flat-

tened. So you hear your music with all the realism it should have.Especially compact discs.

You can do all this without any output level imbalance. Becausethe GE -60 has right and left output level controls to match the totaloutput level of the EQ On mode with the EQ Defeat mode.

Or you can do most of this with the GE -40 and GE -3 graphicequalizers. Whichever model you choose, you'll love what they do toyour room. And to your music.Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA, P.O. Box 6660, Buena Park, CA 90622

OYAMAHA

We get you back to what its all about

it

In 1967 we started makingloudspeakers in a garage withnothing to guide us but a know-ledge of physics and a passion formusic. Our first product was aninstant classic, a loudspeakercalled the Servostatic I, whichwas considered by many to bethe ultimate audio transducer ofits time.

Since then we've always hadan ultimate loudspeaker in ourproduct line, and we've usedthese dream systems to showcase

Music.a host of new speaker technologieswe've developed. We immodestlydubbed these systems ReferenceStandards -as indeed they mustbe since many aspects of theirdesigns have been widely copiedin the industry.

No company in audio canclaim a greater commitment tosignificant research, developingpractical and accurate polypro-pylene woofers, midranges,tweeters and state-of-the-artEMIT and EMIM planar drivers.

And we've used the results ofthat research to improve soundreproduction in a multitude ofapplications and at virtuallyevery price point - from under$40 a pair for our A32 autospeakers up to about $35,000 farour finest system, the InfinityReference Standard. Today we'rein the home, the automobile andnow in video.

But our research doesn't stop atthe laboratory. We still listen tomusic, and we still get excited by it.

oInfniInfinity Systems, Inc. 9409 Owensmouth Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311 (818) 709-9400

MAXELL TAKESCOMPACT DISC QUALITY

OUT OFTHE LIVING ROOM.

Ah, the comforts of home. They're tough toleave behind. Especially when it comes tothings like your compact disc player.

But even though you might not be able totake the player with you, you can take the bril-liant sound quality If you record your compactdiscs on Maxell XL -S cassettes.

By producing smaller, more uniform mag-netic particles, we can pack more of thoseparticles on the tape surface. Which makes itpossible to record more information on a givenarea of tape.

As a result, AC bias noise is greatly reduced. And maximumoutput levels are significantly increased. In fact,the dynamic range of XL -S is ex-panded so much, it can captureeverything from the subtle passagesto the extreme bursts inherent tocompact discs.

So record your compact discs onMaxell XL -S.

Then you can enjoy their soundquality wherever you feel

athome. .1991 t98m,11 o,Uaouon of rkrne cc w Orono ve MoonocNe N107074IT'S WORTH IT

CROSSTALK

DOUBLE POWERWhat is the real difference be-tween receivers that have asingle power supply and thosewith a double supply (HarmanKardon, Luxman, etc.)? Deal-ers who sell lines with twinsupplies claim that they arefar superior in that they deliv-er the same amount of powerat all times to both channels,while a single power supplyhas to be shared by the twochannels. I've never heard ofthis issue from anybody else.C. ThoresonSaskatoon, Sask., Canada

Aside from that `far superi-or," which is arguable, thedealers have been telling youthe unvarnished truth. In asingle -supply amp, it is pos-sible for a large signal peakin one channel to drain thecurrent reserves for both, sothat the other channel willclip at a lower level than itwould under less stressfulconditions. This is why wedrive both channels simulta-neously when we measure anamplifier's maximum poweroutput. hi an amplifier withdual power supplies, eachchannel should clip at thesame level regardless of whatis going on in the other.

The second argument forhaving independent suppliesis that it prevents signalcrossmodu lotion betweenchannels through the com-mon power source. This sortof distortion is most likely tobe apparent when there is astrong signal in one channel

and a weak one in the other.With a well -designed ampli-fier of either genre, it shouldbe inaudibly low under nor-mal conditions of use. But ifyou want the closest possibleapproach to perfection-anaim of high fidelity from thevery beginning-you mayprefer separate power sup-plies for each channel even ifyou can never demonstrablyhear the difference.

VHS IN DEPTHThere probably are many peo-ple who, like me, held off buy-ing a Beta Hi-Fi deck untilthey could see how the formatcompared to VHS Hi-Fi. Yourreport on the latter in June1984 was detailed and infor-mative, but I can't find an-swers to two questions: Howare the frequency responseand other audio specificationsaffected when VHS Hi-Fi'sdepth -multiplexing system re-cords the video informationover the audio, and does thissuperficially recorded videosignal suffer from instabilityor lose information when it isplayed back many times?Neil DarbyNashville, Tenn.

All of the specifications andtest data represent the finalcondition, after the audiohas been recorded and thevideo superimposed on it. Infact, there's no way of record-ing or measuring the Hi-Fiaudio without the superim-posed video, even if there's nopicture. So our test resultsare what you actually get.And the video information isrecorded no more superfi-

by

Robert

Long

dolly than it would be with-out the previous pass of theHi-Fi audio heads, so itshould be no more subject todegradation than regularvideotapes are-which isvery little in normal use.

CURING WARPSI have a limited -edition albumthat is very badly warped.How can I unwarp it withoutimpairing playability? I canuse a photographic dry -mounting press, if necessary.Stuart MizutaHomewood, Ill.

Forget the dry -mountingpress, which is likely to alterthe record beyond recogni-tion, let alone playability. I'dsuggest that you get two slabsof heavy (%inch) plate glassat least 13 inches square (tooverlap the record edges) andsandwich the disc betweenthem. Then preheat an ovento about 110 degrees. (Use anatmospheric thermometer-not an oven model, whichmay be very inaccurate atsuch low temperatures.)Turn off the oven and insertthe sandwich. Keep an eye onit. As soon as the record isflat, remove the sandwichfrom the oven and let it coolto room temperature beforeyou disassemble it. If the rec-ord doesn't become flat with-in a half-hour or so, removethe sandwich (so it won't ac-cidentally be overheated), re -warm the oven, and tryagain. It may take hours tocorrect a serious warp this

way, but it's safer than themore radical alternatives ofdirect sunlight or higheroven temperatures, whichcan cause permanent dam-age unless you have a way ofmonitoring the temperaturewithin the record itself.

TIRED TAPE?I've heard rumors that audiotape "relaxes"-that is, itloses its signal to some ex-tent-a year or two after be-ing recorded. Is there any-thing to this?Robert T. Slog*.Williamsburg, Va.

Not that 1 caWell. At onetime, "cobalt Toped" tapeshad a tendency to lose highsin regular use, but the tech-nology has become muchmore sophisticated sincethen. The manufacturers I'vetalked to say that some testsshow very minor losses ofthis sort, while others shownone of any significancewhatever, leaving the matterindeterminate only to thatextent. Even BASF, whichuses chromium dioxide in-stead of the cobalt -modifiedferric pigments that most ofits competitors employ intheir Type 2 formulations,gives high marks to the pres-ent state of cobalt technolo-gy. The company says that intesting cobalt formulations,it finds some losses due topressure, but nothing com-parable to the severe losses ofyore.

We regret that the volume of reader

mail is too great for us to answer

all questions individually.

SEPTEMBER 1885 11

THE AUTOPHILE

Sound Advice

For Trip -Takers

For some reason, when peopleplan ahead for a trip that in-volves a lot of driving, theycheck out everything excepttheir sound system. A first-rate car stereo in top-notch op-erating condition immeasur-ably improves long drives. Onthe other hand, a thousandmiles of static is no fun. So, es-

pecially if you'll be squeezingin a last-minute vacation thissummer, here are some sug-gestions for more pleasureand less hassle.

First, consider whetheryou should replace your sys-tem's front end. Perhaps youstill have the car's original AMradio, or an AM/FM receiverwithout a tape deck. Now is anexcellent time to find bargainsin car stereo gear, becausemany dealers are clearing outtheir inventories in prepara-tion for the arrival of newmodels. If you do decide tobuy, be sure to allow enoughtime for your equipment to beinstalled before leaving on atrip.

Also, it is a good idea touse the system for a whilebefore setting out. This givesyou time to learn how to oper-ate it without having to takeyour eyes off the road. This isespecially important for nightoperation, when the controlsettings are almost alwaysvery difficult to see. Learningto work the front end primari-ly by touch and being able totell at a glance what differentswitch positions mean will notonly add to the pleasure of

by

Jay

Taylor

your listening experience, butwill also make your trip muchsafer.

Some general preventivemeasures and maintenancerules for car stereos are espe-cially applicable during thesummer, when heat and dustpose the greatest threats.First, be sure to keep yourtape deck's transport mecha-nism clean. That includes notonly the heads, but also thepinch roller and capstan. Andif you'll be away on vacation,don't forget to pack cottonswabs and head cleaner foruse on the road.

A frequently forgottenfact is that the temperature in-side a closed vehicle with itswindows tightly shut, inbright sunlight, can pushtoward 180 degrees. And ex-cessive heat affects both hard-ware and software. To mini-mize problems and preventpossible damage, you shouldobserve several precautions.Rule No. 1 is never get into ahot car and immediately pop ina cassette. If the tape doesn'tliterally melt, it may be stickyenough to adhere to the pinchroller and be pulled out of thecassette shell. Give the car achance to cool down. Proppingopen the tape slot door canspeed the process.

If at all possible, removeyour tape (or Compact Disc)collection when you leave thecar. Or you might create a sep-arate library of tapes just foruse in your car system. A fewtapes, such as Fuji's GT-I andhigh -bias GT-II and all of Lo-ran's, are specially designed towithstand temperatures thatwould warp a regular cas-

sette. Rule No. 2: Remembernot to leave cassettes on thedashboard or rear deck, wherethey will be exposed to thesun. And be sure to return cas-settes and CDs to their boxesas soon as possible after use inorder to keep them clean.

A dual library also letsyou record tapes with anequalization curve that takesinto account the acoustics ofyour car. To sound right in acar, most tapes will need aboost at the frequency ex-tremes and a cut in the mid -bass; determining the exactamount will require some ex-perimentation on your part.

Protection of a differentsort-an alarm-is especiallyworth considering when yourcar may be left unattended forlong periods of time, such asat a popular tourist attraction.In addition to lessening thechances that your stereo sys-tem (or anything else of valuein your car) will be stolen, analarm may enable you to takeadvantage of the comprehen-sive discounts offered bymany insurance companies.

An inexpensive alterna-tive to an alarm is one of themany new devices that dis-guise stereo installations.Usually they plug into the cas-sette opening of an in -dashfront end and are designed toresemble a cheap AM radio.My experience has been thatmost look cheaper than acheap AM radio, fit poorly,and wouldn't fool anyone withlarceny in his blood. However,a variation on this theme, theCoverup, makes no attempt tolook like anything and conse-quently is the most inconspicu-

ous of all. Installed over the in -

dash receiver of a Fiat 124Spyder (see"Ragtop Tunes,"July), it looks a lot like somekind of map light, ashtray, orother part of the dash. A smallstrip of Velcro at the top of thefaceplate holds it in place,keeping dust and moistureout, yet allowing for quick re-moval and access.

As car stereo product manag-er for Crutchfield, a lot ofequipment passes through myoffice during the course of ayear. One unusual deviceworth consideration that I re-cently came across is the IMXDimensional Enhancer fromSci-Coustic, Inc. (12'75 K St.N.W., Washington, D.C.20005). It is designed to go in -line between your front endand amplifier or to be insertedinto one of the increasinglypopular auxiliary processingloops.

I've always been morethan slightly skeptical aboutlittle black boxes that promiseto scramble the incoming sig-nal and then feed it back to mein superior form. But afterseveral weeks of listening tothe Sci-Coustics Enhancer, myoverall impression is very fa-vorable. Though I'm still notquite sure that I like every-thing it does to the music, theexpansion of the sound stageis more than welcome in thesometimes claustrophobic in-terior of a car.

I've just returned fromthe annual Summer ConsumerElectronics Show, and nextmonth I'll have a completewrap-up of the latest advancesin car stereo.

12 HIGH FIDELITY

DESIGNED To BE THE CA

L

oW

;:IM"'11,sama

AaA0110"`I

NEW JENSEN CLASSIC TRIAX SPThe technological evolution in sound con-tinues. We invented the first car speakermore than 50 years ago and then we in-vented the legendary Tim( car stereospeaker system. Now we have designedthe state-of-the-art car stereo speaker fortoday's music requirements. The newJensen Classic Triax car streo speakersystem.DESIGNED FOR PERFORMANCEEach speaker handles 150 sizzling watts ofpeak power with a torrid 80 watts RMS.Designed for use with today'scar stereo components and thenew high definition digitalrecordings. Yet so efficient,you get plenty of volume outof a standard car radio

DESIGNED FOR REALISMThe 40-25,000 Hz frequency responsemeans you'll hear all the music. The newunitized array and tuned pad ring improveresponse so you get all the dynamic rangein today's music. The bass is more clearthan ever before and the new midrangeand tweeter allow a smoother blendingof music than you've ever experienced.DESIGNED FOR ENDURANCEA classic stands the test of time. Sowhether you invest in the most advanced

audio components or explore thedigital world of compact disc,Classic Triax will handle it withunparalleled fidelity-today,tomorrow, and years from now.DESIGNED FOR SMILESEmotion should never be under -

4,..b wit 0,1

ri

t 50W...A7...1..0..1wWL.b,1i17lk !

81.1

Ole"_......,. , . T:: .."'

...,.

KER SYSTEMestimated. And youll smile every time youlisten. This sound is that good. In the finalanalysis, your sound system is only aspod as your speakers. If your speakerscan't play nt all, you won't hear it all. Sodon't buy backwards. Speakers first-andbegin with a Classic!

NSWTry Triax-citement!

c 1985 International Jensen, Inc.Jensen' and Triax. are registered trademarks of International Jensen, Inc.

NO OTHERHIGH -BIAS CASSETTE

CAN MATCH THESE NUMBERS:

10110010 II 0 0Ir./tv

EXTRA

_TDK

EXTENDED HIGH END HIGH MOL HIGH OUTPUT

LABORATORY STANDARD CASSETTE MECHANISM

Other Type II (high -bias) cassettes are a longway from home when i: comes to reproducingthe pure. dynamic sounds of digitally encodedmusic sources.

But, number for number. -OK HX-S audiocassettes are number one.

Their exclusive metal particle formulationreproduces a wider dynamic range and higherfrequency response. This enables HX-S tocapture all the crispness and purity of digitalperformance on any cassette deck with aType II (high -bias) switch.

With four times the magne:icstorage ability of other high -bias cassettes. HX-S virtually `IV'eliminates high frequency THE MACHINE FOR YOUR MACHINE.

90

saturation, while delivering unsurpassedsensitivity throughout the audio spectrum.

Additionally, HX-S excels in retention of highfrequency MOL, which no other high -bias for-mulation attains,

And HX-S superiority is not just numerical.To maintain its dynamic performance, HX-S ishoused in TDK's specially engineered, trouble -free Laboratory Standard mechanism. It's yourassurance of unerring reliability and durability,backed by a Lifetime Warranty.

For optimum results with Type II (high -bias)and digitally -sourced record-ings, get TDK HX-S. You'll feelmore at home with it, whereveryou go.

50 new Compact Disc players, 8mm audio -video gear,and remote control top the list of '86 show -stoppers.

7he semiannual gathering of the clan, in Chicago, brought one fascinating surprise: 8mmvideo/digital-audio recorders, which led the pack of new amps, Compact Disc players,speakers, and cassette decks. For a close look at what the brave new world of 8mm audio -video may mean to us, turn to Consulting Technical Editor Robert Long's analysis, kicking off hissurvey of signal -processing gear. Bob also covers cassette decks and CD players in this report. Chicagonative Richard Warren tackles electronics of all descriptions, and I bring up the rear with a look at thelatest in loudspeakers and record -playing paraphernalia.. Michael Riggs

ELECTRON ICS Audio electronics basked in the cool glow of shining video displays at the SummerConsumer Electronics Show: Finding a receiver unilluminated by a nearby CRT was like discovering aplant flowering in the dark. The catch phrase was (as it has been for several years now) "the marriageof audio and video." Much of what seemed new really amounted to little more than reworkings ofexisting models for remote control and better cosmetic integration with complete, prepackaged home

SEPTEMBER 1985 15

SCES

entertainment systems. Theintroduction of genuinely newreceivers, amplifiers, and tun-ers slowed considerably asCompact Disc players, VCRs,and video monitors stole thelimelight-or cathode-raylight, if you prefer.

ReceiversSony has upgraded and ap-plied a face-lift to its entirefive -receiver line, now knownas the AV (for audio -video) se-

ries. The low -end STR-AV260

($180) adds membrane touchswitching and direct -accesstuning, but stays at 25 watts(14 dBW) per channel and re-tains mechanical controls fortone, balance, and volume. Itshigh -end sibling, the $500STR-AV760, boasts completewireless remote control and 80watts (19 dBW) per channel. Italso includes a cable FM inputand video switching.

Akai's new receivers alsostress audio -video switching.The top -of -the -line AA -V401

($400) is rated at 80 watts (19dBW) per channel and has amaximum -volume memory tosafeguard your speakers fromaccidentally excessive levelsettings. And Pioneer contin-ues to make video a priority inits new receivers, with videoinputs and outputs (direct andRF) on all three and externalaudio and video processorloops on the top two. Pricesrange from $330 for the 60 -watt (17%-dBW) SX-V400 to$770 for the 125 -watt (21-dBW)

SX-V900, which includes thecompany's Digital Direct De-coder circuitry in its FM tuner.

Harman Kardon's receiv-ers offer what the companycalls high current capacity(HCC), enabling them to drivelow -impedance and reactiveloads with as much as fourtimes more instantaneous cur-rent than many competitors

with the same power ratingscan deliver. Interestingly, the$100 price -differential be-tween the least expensive ofthe new models, the $235 HK -385i and the $335 HK -395i, re -

fleets the additional cost ofputting a digital frequency -synthesis front end in the lat-ter's tuner section. Otherwise,these two 30 -watt (143/4-dBW)

units are identical. Also join-ing the line is the HK -495i($435), with frequency -synthe-

sis tuning and a power ratingof 45 watts (161/2 dBW) perchannel. It replaces the HK -590i.

Kyocera's three new re-ceivers, rated at 50 to 100watts (17 to 20 dBW) per side,mate with the company's newRC -101/ RT-102 remote -con-trol system, which with addi-tional sensors works from anyroom in your home. The pre-mier model, the R-861, in-cludes a three -band paramet-ric equalizer. Prices rangefrom $550 to $975.

The Carver Model 2000 re-ceiver ($1,495) incorporates al-most all of the innovationsthat have made the companyfamous, including Sonic Ho-lography and the Asymmetri-cal Charge Coupled FM cir-cuit, plus wireless remotecontrol. A new generation ofthe Magnetic Field amplifierenables it to deliver 200 watts(23 dBW) per channel.

At 125 watts (21 dBW) perchannel, the R-9 ($799) ranksas the most powerful receiverin Yamaha's history. It also isthe first to incorporate bothAuto Class A and Zero Distor-tion Rule circuits. A fine-tun-ing control permits deliberatedetuning in small steps (100kHz for FM, 1 kHz for AM)when necessary to block outinterference-a rare luxury indigital tuners. This featureand wireless remote control

1111111111111111=1111111111111

. ii iii i

IMIIMMIMIMIONON

AUDIO -VIDEOGEAR

Increasing numbers of

receivers and amplifiers

are outfitted for both

audio and video, with

features ranging from

simple video switching

to audio and video pro-

cessing. Shown here, top

to bottom: Sansui's S-

XV1000 receiver, Akai's

AA -V401 receiver, and

Pioneer's SA -V1160

audio -video amplifier.

are shared by the 85 -watt(191/2-dBW) R-8 ($599). The R-

3, rated at 25 watts (14 dBW)per channel, rounds out thefive -model line at $229.

Sansui might claim thecredit for cramming the mostfeatures into a single receiver,or (as the company calls the S-XV1000) remote -controllableaudio -video control center.This $599 package includes cir-

cuitry for audio and video sig-nal processing, separatestereo amplifiers of 80 watts(19 dBW) per channel for thefront and 8 watts (9 dBW) perchannel for the rear, a sur-round -sound decoder, a "basssynthesizer," an AM/FM tun-er with 16 station presets, afront -panel joystick video con-troller for color correction andhue adjustments, and an au-dio -video fader. Whew! Re-member Sansui's jam-packedQS four -channel receivers?

Clever styling makes Ken -wood's two top receivers, theKVR-A9OR ($550) and theKVR-A7OR ($400), look likestacked separate amplifiersand tuners. They use the samedigital frequency -synthesisAM/FM tuner section andhave built-in graphic equaliz-ers with real-time frequencyanalyzer displays. The maindifference between the twounits is power: 55 watts (171/2

dBW) per channel in the A7OR,

70 watts (181/2 dBW) in theA9OR. Marantz has four newreceivers (the top three ofwhich it is calling tuner/ampli-fiers). They range from the$190 SR -250, rated at 25 watts(14 dBW) per channel, to the$650 TA -150, at 150 watts (21%

dBW). The three tuner/ampli-fiers include graphic equaliz-ers and wireless remote con-trol.

Onkyo's TX -37 ($350), with

55 watts (171/2 dBW) per chan-

nel, includes the company'sAPR (Automatic Precision Re-ception) tuning, previouslyfound only on its more expen-sive receivers and separatetuners, and a stereo image ex-pander. For $100 more, theTX -47 includes video switch-ing and a stereo synthesizer.Audio -video switching is in-cluded in all three of Denon'snew AM/FM receivers. Thelowest -priced among them isthe $280 DRA-355, rated at 41watts (16 dBW) per channel.Besides more power (75 watts,or 18% dBW, per channel), thetop -of -the -line DRA-755 ($550)

includes Denon's Non-NFBpower -amplifier circuitry andits Super Searcher FM tuningsystem. Both it and the DRA-555 ($420) have pre-out/main-in terminals for connectingsignal processors.

16 HIGH FIDELITY

Parasound's DR -65, ratedat 65 watts (18 dBW) per chan-nel, comes with a wireless re-mote control. The $450 unit issaid to be capable of drivinglow -impedance loads withoutdifficulty. Remote control is afeature of one of Luxman'snew receivers, as well. The R-406 ($57i)) is rated at 60 watts(173/4 dBW) per channel. At$400, the R-405 lacks remotecontrol and has a slightly low-er power rating: 55 watts (17'/2dBW), a difference of just 1/4dBW. Otherwise, the two arevery similar, incorporating thecompany's Duo -Beta circuitryfor low distortion and digitalfrequency -synthesis tunerswith 16 station presets.

Amplifiers and TunersSeparate amplifiers and tun-ers abounded, as many compa-nies "unbundled" their receiv-ers and then rebundled themwith audio -video rack sys-tems. Technics's AV -500 andAV -300 systems illustrate thepoint. A single large 66 -func-tion remote control with itsown LCD readout operatesthe ST-AV500 preamp/tuner,which can deliver stereo TVsound as well as AM andstereo -FM radio. You also canprogram a specific FM stationto automatically provide thesound for selected CATVchannels for simulcasts.

Pioneer unveiled two au-dio -video separates, the SA -V1160 amplifier and the TX -V1160 three -band digitaltuner. The 100 -watt (20-dBW)amp includes a video RF inputand output, plus a dynamic ex-pansion circuit, for $330. Thetuner (also $330) can receivethe audio portion of broad-casts on any UHF or VHF TVchannel, in stereo, as well asAM and stereo -FM radio. Anoptional remote control (CU -760) costs $50. Among its con-

ventional components, Pio-neer has introduced the TX -1060 digital tuner, with specscomparing favorably withthose of some units costingtwice its $150 price.

Akai has added three inte-grated amplifiers and one tun-er, the $160 AT -A301, whichhas digital frequency -synthe-sis tuning and 16 station pre-sets. The amps range from theAM -A401 ($250), rated at 80watts (19 dBW) per channel, tothe AM -A90 ($500), rated at130 watts (21'/4 dBW) perchannel. Scott has two tuners

power into even low -imped-ance loads. The A-520 is ratedat 75 watts (183/4 dBW) perchannel and carries a suggest-ed list price of $300; the A-420is rated at 50 watts (17 dBW)and will sell for $200.

Rotel has upgraded itsRA -820B and RA -840B inte-grated amplifiers to the RA-820BX ($250) and RA-840BX($350). The changes mostly in-volve substitution of bettercomponents and internal ca-bling, which the company sayscontribute to superior soundquality. It reports that the

SCES

ception to its limits, providingthat stations transmit thequality of sound worthy of thenew tuner. Carver claims flatresponse to 15 kHz and an A -weighted signal-to-noise (S/N)ratio of 77 dB in stereo (82 dBin mono) with 35 dB of stereoseparation. He demonstrateda prototype to the press, usinghis own low -power AM trans-mitter radiating from a tinytower built from an erectorset. Though not on par withgood FM, the results were im-pressive. The improved tunercosts only $25 more than the

SUPER -

RECEIVERS

Remote control is offered with

several receivers, such as

Kenwood's KVR-A9OR (center).

Yamaha's R-9 (top) is rated at

125 watts per channel, while

Proton's D-940 uses a "Power

on Demand" circuit that is said

to increase its 40 W/ch to 150

watts for brief musical peaks.

and four integrated amps. Thelatter range from the $250, 45 -watt (161/2-dBW) Model 445SA

to the $450, 120 -watt (20%dBW) Model 495SA, all withbuilt-in five -band graphicequalizers. The 595T tuner($200) is digital, whereas the555T ($150) is analog.

The lower -priced of Yama-

ha's two new tuners, the $160T-320, also is analog; the $220T-520 is digital. To comple-ment them, the company hasintroduced two new integrat-ed amps, which it says are de-signed to deliver high dynamic

same approach has been takenin the design of the matchingRT-830 ($175) analog and RT-850 ($275) digital tuners.Rounding out the introduc-tions is the RB-880 power am-plifier ($875), rated at 100watts (20 dBW) per channel.That tells only part of the sto-ry, however, since Rotel hasdesigned it to deliver veryhigh current.

Bob Carver continues toamaze, adding a stereo AMtuner section to his alreadyoutstanding TX -11 tuner. Thenew TX -11B stretches AM re -

.$599 TX -11.

Proton incorporates itsnew Dynamic Power on De-mand (DPD) circuit in the D-540 integrated amplifier ($350)and D-940 receiver ($450). TheDPD concept provides largebursts of peak power, far inexcess of the unit's standardFTC power rating, at modestcost. The FTC rating of bothamp and receiver is a mere 40watts (16 dBW), but the dy-namic power for 200 millisec-onds into 8 ohms is said to be150 watts (21% dBW), and 200milliseconds is ten times the

SEPTEMBER 1985 17

SCESEIA standard interval for test-ing dynamic headroom.

From New Zealand comesa broadened line of Perreauxelectronics. Formerly, thecheapest Perreaux preamp/power -amp combination costmore than the new, $2,000three-piece system, which in-cludes the company's first tun-

LK-2 power amp is rated at 70watts (18'/2 dBW) per channel.

Formerly known strictlyfor loudspeakers, B&W takesits first plunge into electronicswith its MPA-810 mono poweramp and CU -810 preamp. Ac-tually, these are being pro-duced by John Bowers, Ltd.,an independent company

41

0011111111,---4

A/V LASERS

At least four companies

have announced combi-

nation CD/Laserdisc

players. including

Luxman's D-408.

er, the TU-1. The matchingSX-1 preamp is the company'sfirst to include tone controls,while the PMF-1050 100 -watt(20-dBW) MOS-FET poweramp includes dual speakerswitching on its otherwise un-adorned, beautifully machinedfaceplate. Luxman also has anew matched line, consistingof the C-02 Class A, Duo-Beta/S preamp ($500), the 140 -

watt (21'/z dBW) M-02 Duo-Beta/S power amp ($700), andthe T-02 digital AM/FM tuner

($400)."Off the beaten path" is

one way to describe Revox'sB-286 tuner/preamp, which isprogrammable and compati-ble with the company's B-205wireless remote control. Con-struction and specificationsare both to Revox's customaryhigh standards. And Linn isbringing out an amp andpreamp. The pair (expected tosell for less than $1,500) isboth unusually small and dis-tinctively handsome. All of theLK-1's controls are electronic,and an optional wireless re-mote will be available. The

headed by John Bowers ofB&W. While the preamp isclean and simple, in the Britishtradition, the power amp is abrute. It can deliver 680 wattscontinuously into 8 ohms and2.3 kilowatts on a transientinto 2 ohms, for a maximumcurrent output of 50 amperes.The amp costs $3,000 per side,which means $6,000 for stereo;

the stereo preamp is $2,000.Considerably meeker but

still respectable is the 30 -watt(14%-dBW) NAD 3130 inte-grated amp, along with thematching 4130 tuner, both ofwhich sell for $198 each. The1130 preamp ($178) incorpo-rates a new phono preamp, amoving -coil input, and a dedi-cated CD input.

Two of Onkyo's new inte-grated amplifiers-the 80 -watt (19-dBW) A-8067, at $400,

and the 60 -watt (173/4-dBW) A-

8057, at $300 -incorporate thecompany's Real Phase power -supply technology, which issaid to improve performanceinto reactive loads. The moremodest A-8037 ($210) is ratedat 50 watts (17 dBW) per chan-

nel. A new tuner, the T-4077,incorporates Onkyo's APRsystem and is expected to sellfor $350. The T-4037, at $165,

also is a digital frequency -syn-thesis design, but lacks APR.

New in Soundcraftsmen'sline of PCR (Phase ControlRegulation) power amps is the$1,199 PR -1600, with MOS-FET output devices for safeoperation into even extremelylow impedances without cur-rent -limiting protection cir-cuits. It is rated at 375 watts(25% dBW) per channel into 8ohms, 900 watts (291/2 dBW)into 2 ohms. Kenwood has twonew power amps: the 105 -watt(201/2-dBW) M -1A for $330 and

the 220 -watt (23'/2-dBW) M -2A

for $600. Both use the compa-ny's Sigma Drive circuit,which is said to eliminate theeffects of speaker cables onthe amplifier's output. AndCounterpoint's latest is a 135 -watt (211/2-dBW) stereo tubepower amplifier, the SA -4,priced at $5,225.

Richard Warren

COMPACT DISC PLAYERSThe news to keep your eye onthis year is the advent of com-bination Compact Disc/Laser-disc players. Industry insidersfrom both audio and video aretracking the announced prod-ucts as a bellwether of themuch touted marriage be-tween the two media. In fact,it remains to be seen whatquantities of combinationplayers actually will be ondealers' shelves in the nextfew months. But ever sincePioneer announced the firstsuch model less than a yearago (see test report, March),the rush has been on. Teac'sLV-5000DS has been upgrad-ed from January's prototypeto play 8 -inch "videos" in addi-tion to regular 12 -inch video-discs. NAD has announced the

Model 5900-for, as it says,the best of both worlds. AndAlpine Electronics has theLuxman D-408, with its propri-

etary Duo -Beta analog audiocircuitry. But again, it remainsto be seen how "real" theseproducts are. For the time be-ing, their importance may per-haps lie more in the watersthey test than in the depths towhich they plumb them.

Among audio -only play-ers, the Meridian MCD enjoysa special place. Made in Eng-land by a tiny company,Boothroyd Stuart, it is a cus-tomized version of a Philips101 CD player, with Meridiancircuitry replacing that of theoriginal in the analog stages inorder to add a final touch ofperfection to an already goodproduct-or to gild the lily, de-pending on your viewpoint.Because production is limited,few have been sold here (viaMadrigal, Ltd., in Connecticut,for $699), but the MCD has anenthusiastic following. NowMeridian has announced theMCD Professional ($1,400), in-corporating additional circuit-ry in a "base" below the mainchassis. Among the functionsit provides are a digital output,

an improved master oscillator,a new analog filter system, ab-solute -phase (polarity) correc-tion, and physical separationof the analog audio circuitryfrom the digital and laser -pick-

up servo electronics, to pre-vent inductive contaminationof the audio output.

A number of names famil-iar to U.S. audiophiles are en-tering the CD field for thefirst time. DBX's DX -3 ($599)

offers three proprietary fea-tures: a compressor option totame CD's extended dynamicrange when you want onlybackground music; DAIR(Digital Audio Impact Recov-ery), a version of the compa-

18HIGH FIDELITY

C 1985 Son, Tope Totes Co . A Dry of Sory Carp of Americo Sony .s o trodemok of Sony Corp.

A CLEAR CASE FOR SOUNDIFFERENT COLOR.

Vs different alright. Clearly different.In fact, it's unheard of.Imagine sound so rich and dazzling,

so dynamically out -of -this -world, so clearlyclear, so oh so colorful.

Imagine rock's sonic sounds soundingsupersonic. And soul's fiery tones breathing

fire And a very vivid Vivaldi. And jazz thatjumps.

Imagine all that explosive vibrancy ina clear cassette that gives you a clearview of exactly how much Sony tape is left.

Unheard of? Of course. Every othertape pales by comparison.

What most speakershave done toyourfavorite music

ia__

hear:WO g,rlOCIU1 lg to near.LookLook what they've done to

your song.They've distorted it. Colored it.

Added and subtracted from themusic. That's because most speak-ers depend on conventional conedrivers. Now, cones may be greatfor ice cream, but they don't giveyou the true flavor of great music.You see, sound waves are distort-ed by the cone's shape andcome to you uneven-ly. In fact, they're usu-ally biased toward thelow -end of the scale.

So what you reallyhear is the cone's in-terpretation of theoriginal. Prince'scone, for instance, in-stead of Prince. OrRubinstein's versionof the "MoonlightSonata" as interpretedby the cone.

The Dynawave

series from Sawafuji quency range. And it'sAmerica Corporation i about as close to the realgives you the real thing. Bach or B. B. as you canThese sophisticated getspeakers use Dynapleats, These speakers looka patented driver system as good as they sound. Be -developed after years alliallikia cause the flat -wave driversof research in flat -wave R ev°1= Y, ("7.sx im s . are slimmer and relativelytechnology. This revolutionary sys- light, they permit a more elegant

tem allows sound to and stylish cabinet design. A propercome off evenly andsimultaneously fromthe entire surface ofthe driver.

Just listen to thedifference.

The flat -wavesound is virtually freeof the distortion

caused by conedrivers. It's a natural,full, rich sound with su-perb imaging, widedynamic range andaccurate reproductionthroughout the fre-

setting for the music you love.The Dynawave series makes

this revolutionary sound technologyavailable at popular prices for thefirst time. There are three uniquemodels to choose from. And eachone gives you music the way it wasreally meant to be heard.

You may be shocked when youhear the truth.

DYNAWAVEfiySawafuji America Corp.

23440 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90505(213)373-0620

ny's peak-unlimiting ImpactRestoration circuitry designedexpressly to undo some of thesquashing of transients ap-plied by analog tape or heavy-handed producers, even in re-cordings destined for CD; andan ambience control to add ex-tra out -of -phase (L -R) mid-range information for an airi-er perspective or to mono upthe signal a little for a"tighter" image. The $498Model 5355 from NAD offerseight -track programming andincludes an infrared remotecontrol. Harman Kardon'sfirst model, the $600 HD -500,is built around analog circuit-ry designed to the company'soft repeated criteria: excep-tionally wide bandwidth, mini-mum phase shift, and lowfeedback. HK uses discretecircuitry (rather than ICs) inthe analog section and sepa-rate power supplies for it andthe digital electronics.

The $600 CD -74 and $400CD -150 from Marantz differonly in the convenience fea-tures they afford-random-access programming of asmany as 24 and 16 selections,respectively, for example. Thedifference between Sher -wood's $500 CDP-220 and its$400 CDP-200 is the wirelessremote control that comesonly with the former. Both usetwo-times oversampling, withdigital and analog filtering.

Sony, one of the compa-nies that started it all, has fouradditions, which brings its to-tal to eight home players (nineif you include the portable D-5). The $950 CDP-620ES forthe ES Series follows the basicdesign of the 650ESD and of-fers a number of automaticmodes. These include 20 -selec-

tion random access with indexsearch, for CDs containing theappropriate subcodes. The$300 CDP-7F, at the other end

of the spectrum, is a midsizeplayer with music search andaudible cueing and will acceptan optional remote control.Like the CDP-30 ($330) andCDP-70 ($350), it uses conven-tional digital -to -analog (D/A)circuitry with steep -slope ana-log filters, rather than theoversampling Unilinear con-verter with digital filtering in-stalled in the company's moreexpensive models.

Bang & Olufsen has twomodels, both with double sam-pling rate and digital filtering.The $699 CDX, one of B&O'sstand-alone components, canbe programmed for as manyas 40 tracks-a record (nopun) capacity, as far as I canrecall-and with as many asfour repeats, for a total of 160programmable tracks. Moretraditionally B&O in that it'ssystem -oriented is the $999CD -50 (also programmable),designed to be controlled bythe elaborate wireless remotemaster board of the Beosys-tem 5000. For mixed -brandsystems, you can buy the CD -50 plus its own separate re-mote terminal for $1,149.

Sophisticated error correc-tion is emphasized in ADS'snew Atelier CD -3 player($895). It uses two micro-processors, instead of the usu-al one, to assure smoothestpossible operation under eventhe most difficult conditions.And to minimize the numberof errors needing correction,ADS has carefully shock -mounted the entire disc trans-port mechanism on a cast alloysubchassis. The CD -3's D/Aconverter uses two-timesoversampling with a combina-tion of digital and phase -cor-rected analog filtering. Youcan program as many as 30 se-lections in any order and oper-ate the unit from an optionalRC -1 wireless master remote

control. (The RC -1 can also beused to control many othercurrent and future Ateliercomponents.) A back -paneldigital interface connector isprovided for possible futureCD-ROM applications.

Calling it a "third genera-tion" model, Yamaha hasadded the $499 CD -3, with a 12 -

function wireless remote con-trol. Or you can have it for $50less (as the CD -37) without theremote. Denon has made fouradditions to its line. The DCD-1800R ($949) has 15 -selection

SCES

programmability, index ac-cess, wireless remote control,and sophisticated circuitry, in-cluding the company's latestproprietary D/A converter(built into all of the new mod-els). The DCD-1500 ($580) of-fers the most convenience fea-tures, including 20 -selectionprogrammability, and a flat -phase analog section. The $360DCD-1000 and the $430 DCD-1100 are similar to one anotherexcept that the latter has wire-less remote control.

(Continued on page 22)

A CHOICEOF DESIGNS

At first, all CD players

were similar in appear-

ance. That's not so

today. Two primary size

categories-midi andstandard-are develop-ing, though as this

sampling shows, varia-

tions abound. From top

are B&O's CDX (closed/

open), Meridian's MCD,

Sony's CDP-620ES, and

NEC's CD -509E.

SEPTEMBER 1985 21

SCES

(Continued from page 21)Three of Pioneer's four

new models also offer wire-less remotes. In the Elite Se-ries, there's the $540 PD -9010X, with a built-in discstabilizer and an oversam-pling D/A converter. The $460PD -7010 will program 32 selec-

tions and is capable of audiblecueing and search by bothtrack and index numbers. Alsonew are the $350 PD -6010 andthe $300 PD -5010. Kenwoodhas added the $510 DP -900,with a 90 -selection memory (to

accommodate repeats) and a16 -selection indicator. Akai'stwo models-the full-size CD -A7 and midsize CD -M88 (each

$500)-are programmed inEnglish -language phrases, us-ing a keypad with extra but-tons that represent operatorwords. To play selections 2through 4 and 7 through 9, forexample, you could press, insequence, either "2, TO, 9,WITHOUT, 5, AND, 6" or "2, TO,

4, AND, 7, TO, 9."

Teac has added two units:the full-size PD -300 (price notyet announced) and the midiPD -22 ($430), both with 15 -se-

lection programmability. Au-dio-Technica's first CD playeris the $400 AT-CD10, with anoversampling D/A converter,digital filtering, and randomaccess. Aiwa has added the$450 DX -1200, with audiblecueing and repeat. Onkyo's$700 DX -200, with wireless re-

mote, displays both index andtrack numbers and is isolatedfrom external vibration bywhat the company calls Poly -sorb compound, a materialthat looks like rubber but hasall the bounce of modelingclay. It and the $400 DX -150offer digital filtering and 16 -selection programmability.

Both Sansui entries, themidsize PC -V100 and the PC -V750 for the Compo Series,

are $350 compact models.Sanyo has three $300 players:the CP-660, CP-667, and CP-760. NEC's low-cost ($449) CD -

509E offers 15 -selection pro-gramming, audible cueing,and display of both index andtrack numbers. Alpine Elec-tronics has added the LuxmanD-404 ($500), designed to work

with the remote -control R-406receiver and equipped foreight -selection programming,as well as the $1,500 D-03, with

its own wireless remote con-trol, many convenience fea-tures, and advanced circuitry(including Duo -Beta in the an-alog section). Kyocera's $550DA -610 can be used with thecompany's RT-102 infraredtransmitter and RC -101 receiv-er as part of a complete re-mote -control audio system.

Finally, Technics's latestentry is billed as the world'ssmallest portable: the $300 SL-XP7, with a face about the sizeof a CD "jewel box" and athickness of just 11/4 inches. Itcomes with an AC adapter; theaccessory SH-CDA7 carryingcase with rechargeable bat-tery pack costs $50. Despite itsminute size, the SL-XP7 hasrelatively sophisticated con-trols and circuitry, making it acandidate for home -system aswell as portable use.

Robert Long

SIGNAL PROCESSORSSignal processing classically isconceived in terms of out-board audio components, butthe major developments thisyear are built into video (orvideo -related) products. Yet itis precisely in these that themost exciting potential for au-dio's future-in the near term,at least-is to be found.

First there's the questionof home digital recording. Wealready have it in one form:outboard PCM processors de-

signed to feed their bitstreams to the video input of aVCR. They certainly workwell, and maximum recordingtimes far exceed those of reg-ular analog audio cassettes.But they seem rather bulkyand klutzy to anyone accus-tomed to conventional homeaudio recorders, and the entry-level price for VCR plus digi-tal processor is on the steepside even by comparison tothat of a really fine analogopen -reel deck.

Well aware of these fac-tors, major manufacturershave been feverishly at workon schemes to make straightPCM audio cassette decks,bringing digital technology toa tape format that's the de-light of a vast consumer mar-ket and a wunderkind of hi-fiin this generation. Trouble is,the participants can agreeonly on the importance of asingle standard if DAT (digitalaudio tape) is to repeat the an-alog cassette's stunning suc-cess. What they can't agreeon, it seems, is whether itshould be a rotary -head for-mat (like those for video) or astationary -head one, with mul-tiple tiny tracks running downthe length of the tape.

But suddenly it's a newball game. In rapid succession,three companies-Sony, Pio-neer, and Kodak-announced8mm video equipment withbuilt-in digital processors.Their purpose is not only toprovide top-drawer stereosound as an adjunct to videoimages, but also to offer a truePCM audio -only medium capa-

ble of extended recordingtime. In the video mode, thedigital audio occupies onesixth of each head pass, the re-mainder being occupied by pic-ture information; in the audiomode, the "video" portion ofthe tape width is divided into

five additional audio tracks.Thus, a "two hour" tape canhold two hours of pictures andsound or 12 hours of stereosound on six two-hour tracks(twice as much in the half -speed LP mode). And the cas-sette is barely larger than astandard audio cassette.

The quality of the sound issomething we will be able todetermine only after we havetested production hardware.The 8mm standard specifies 8 -bit PCM encoding, whichsounds unencouraging. (A 14 -bit format usually is consid-ered the minimum if noise anddistortion are to be lowenough for true high fidelityreproduction.) However, thesystem incorporates a com-pander that squeezes the ana-log signal so that it will fit into8 bits' worth of dynamic range(about 45 dB) and then"stretches" it back after D/A(digital -to -analog) conversion.

On the surface, it sounds like a

lot to expect of a compander ifthere is to be no audible noisepumping. But if it works, thesystem could make the wholeargument over DAT stan-dards academic.

In the first place, the 8mmcartridges are barely biggerthan conventional audio cas-settes, thus avoiding the stig-ma of bulk that videocassettesnow hold for the audio world.In the second, their continuousrecording capacity-up tofour hours at half normalspeed with a "120 -minute" car-tridge, the largest to be an-nounced so far-easily out-strips that of the CompactCassette, while the total re-cording capacity is far greaterthan that of half -inch video-cassettes with current PCMadapters. And then there's theappeal of a recorder that, with-out add-ons or extra expense,will provide technologically

22 HIGH FIDELITY

ACOUSTIC RESEARCHCONNOISSEUR LOUDSPEAKERS

MODEL 30 MODEL 20 WITH OPTIONAL STAND MODEL 19

THE BEAUTY OF ACCURATE SOUND.

Acoustic Research, Connoisseur Series loudspeakers, look as good as they sound and sound as good as they look.

Their beauty extends to every facet of system design. Each acoustic element is precisely combined to ensue accurate

reproduction for a refined listening experience. Unwanted sound wave reflections are reduced by rounded cabinet edges

and recessed drive units which enhance the loudspeaker appearance as well. A uniquely designed stand (optional, places the

system at the optimum listening height. A high quality Crossover Network, long -throw woofers and domed tweeters enable

optimum dispersion, smooth frequency response and large signal performance. The new Acoustic Research,

Connoisseur Series is available at select audio retailers. Stop by to see and hear for yourself, the beauty of accurate sound.

WTELEDYNE ACOUSTIC RESEARCH

Kyocera International, Inc 7 Powder Horn Drive. Warren NJ 07060-02271-800-922-1080

SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR OLD TURNTABLE.ENTER THE NEW STONE AGE.

Conventional turntables-possibly including theone you now own-can't completely protect yourmusic from air -borne resonance and drive systemresonance. The distortion that results can be as severeas the "Fowl" of acoustic feedback. Or as subtle as loststereo imaging and poor inner detail.

Today Kyocera is overturning the old standards ofturntable performance by harnessing a completelynew generation of materials: Fine Ceramics.

TURNTABLES FROM THE NEW STONE AGE.Recognized for their rigidity, thermal stability, and

anti -resonant properties, Fine Ceramics are true "21s1.Century" materials. That's why they're finding new usesin everything from high -efficiency car engines toadvanced computers. And now Kyocera is using FineCeramics to fight turntable resonance-in the base,platter, spindle, thrust bearing, and sub -chassis. Forexample, every Kyocera turntable suspends thetonearm and platter on a separate sub -chassis madeof Ceramic Compound Resin (CCR). This remarkablematerial is so inert, it deadens even severe vibration. Soyou'll hear quiet backgrounds, breathtaking detail,and spacious stereo imaging.

INDIRECT DRIVE.Direct drive may be a "must" feature in the mass

market, but direct drive must pass motor cogging andvibration directly into the music. Kyocera has selected

belt drive to isolate the motor from the platter for thecleanest possible sound.

THE BEST FOUNDATION IN TURNTABLES.Kyocera's magnificent PL -910 boasts a massive

CCR foundation, a floating CCR tonearm/platter sub -chassis, and an eight -pound Fine Ceramics plattertwice as hard as steel. If you want freedom to chooseyour own tonearm, that's one more reason to choosethe PL -910.

THE AUTOMATIC CHOICE.Underneath the conventional exterior of the PL -701

floats a tonearm/platter sub -chassis of Kyocera's anti -resonant CCR. Other advantages include a low -masscarbon compound tonearm, belt drive, ±3% pitchadjustment, record stabilizer weight, and a computer -controlled fully -automatic mechanism.

A LOT FOR A LITTLE.Perhaps your lust for high -end audio is held back

by your budget. Consider Kyocera's semi -automaticPL -601. It has almost all of the PL -701's adva"itages,including the anti -resonant CCR sub-chass s. And it'ssurprisingly affordable.

So if your current turntable is ready for upgrading orretirement, bid it a fond farewell. Welcome to The NewStone Age.

KYOCERa

Built right from the ground up.

HERE'S WHERE TO ENTERTHE NEW STONE AGE.

ALABAMA

Campbell's Audio VideoHuntsville205-539-9806

ALASKAMagnum ElectronicsAnchorage907-277-3393

ARKANSAS

Custom AudioLithe Rock501-227-9077North Lithe Rock501-758-0053

ARIZONA

Jerry's AudioPhoenix602-263-9410Tucson602-747-7267

CALIFORNIA

Audio ExcellenceSan Francisco415-433-1335Beverly StereoLos Angeles213-651-3523Catania SoundSan Rafael415-479-7043Santa Rosa707-526-7555Century MusicSan Jose408-998-7474D B AudioBerkeley415-548-8733Dimensions in StereoTorrance213-542-8521Garland AudioSan Jose408-244-6724Gross National ProductPasadena818-577-7767Hermary'sSan Carlos415-592-9480House of AudioGoleta805-967-2341Monterey StereoMonterey408-649-6303

CALIFORNIA

Safe and SoundSanta Monica213-392-3031North County StereoEncinitas619-753-2081Serra StereoColma415-992-5018Sound AdviceBakersfield805-323-0636Sound CenterWoodland Hills818-883-2811

Stereo DesignSan Diego619-573-0060Stereo ShowcaseVallejo707-552-1515Sacramento916-483-5141Stereo SolutionSanta Cruz408-458-9111

Systems Design GroupRedondo Beach213-370-8575Sherman Oaks818-783-9507VideolaserMission Viejo714-643-2403

COLORADO

Boulder SoundBoulder303-444-2640Innovative Home AudioColorado Springs303-574-3055

CONNECTICUT

AudiotronicsNorwalk203-521-7250'Aud-Vid Inc.Greenwich203-869-0666Car Stereo ConsultantsDanbury203-748-0311The Stereo Shop Inc.Hartford203-521-7250Audio, Etc.New Haven91-1!1-A9-L1A,17

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Myer EmcoWashington, DC202-293-9100

FLORIDA

Sound PerformanceCoral Gables305-446-8055Stereo by Design, Inc.Miami305-232-1812Tech ElectronicsGainesville904-376-8080

GEORGIA

High Fidelity SSSAtlanta404-237-6336The Stereo ShopLilburn404-925-7123

ILLINOIS

Absolute AudioRockford815-962-2806Audio ConsultantsEvanston312-864-9565Hinsdale312-789-1990Libertyville312-362-5594Audio EnterprisesChicago Heights312-754-6056Audio LabsSpring Valley815-663-6941Glen Poor's AudioChampaign217-356-5456Normal309-454-1493Paul Health AudioChicago312-549-8100Quintessence Audio Ltd.Naperville312-357-4190

INDIANA

Audio Specialists, Inc.South Bend219-234-5001

IOWA

Audio Labs, Inc.Des Moines515-288-2216Audio OdysseyDavenport319-391-2244

KANSAS

Audio MartLeawood913-648-1333

Audio PlusWichita316-688-0614Audio Specialists, Inc.Hays913-628-8313Kief's Gramaphone ShopLawrence913-842-1544

KENTUCKY

The Stereo ShopLexington606-278-7278

LOUISIANA

Wilson AudioNew Orleans504-866-3457

MAINE

Harbor Audio VideoCamden207-236-9596New England MusicScarborough207-883-4173

MARYLAND

Myer EmcoRockville301-468-2000

MASSACHUSETTS

Matrix Audio VideoW Hathield413-247-5689Prism ElectronicsBrockton617-588-9020Hanover617-826-4546Hyannis617-771-7280Stereo Shoppe of MANewton617-964-1020

MICHIGAN

Alma's Hi Fi StereoDearborn313-584-1860Birmingham313-644-5230Farmington Hill313-553-4360Stereo CenterFlint313-239-9474Ann Arbor313-663-3600

MINNESOTA

Audio by DesignWayzata612-541-1300

Hi Fi Sound ElectronicsMinneapolis612-339-6351Perfectionist AudioMankato507-345-7186

MISSOURI

Flip's StereoCrestwood314-842-1600Ballwin314-227-6121

NEBRASKA

Custom ElectronicsOmaha402-397-4434

NEW JERSEYAC AudioRaritan201-526-1777Audio AdvocateUnion201-467-8988Audio GuildEnglewood201-569-7766Franklin Lakes StereoFranklin Lakes201-891-4745CSA AudioUpper Montclair201-744-0600Hi-Fi ConnectionDeptford609-228-0002Sight & SoundMorristown201-267-6700Sound Inc.Northfield609-646-2200The SpeakermanHawthorne201-427-4967Woodbridge StereoWoodbridge201-636-7777

NEW JERSEY

Woodbridge StereoWest Long Branch201-542-5255

NEW MEXICO

MC2 Entertainment Inc.Los Alamos505-662-2016Sound IdeasAlbuquerque505-292-1188

NEW YORK

Audio BreakthroughsManhasset516-627-7333New York212-595-7157Audio SalonNew York212-249-4104Audio Visual ConceptsNew York212-532-8844Aurico SoundNew York212-319-6200Continental SoundRego Park718-459-7507Gala SoundRochester716-461-3000Harmony House IINew York212-751-9188Lyric Hi FiNew York212-535-5710Marrt ElectronicsCedarhurst516-295-2100Peformance Audio VideoFreeport516-378-4389Stereo EmporiumBuffalo716-874-3372Stereo ExchangeNew York212-505-1111

Thalia Hi-FiNew York212-861-0420The Listening RoomScarsdale914-472-4558

NORTH CAROLINA

Stereo ShowcaseCharlotte704-334-0744

OHIO

JamiesonsToledo419-536-8397

OHIO

Stereo ShowcaseCenterville513-435-0946The Audio Arts CompanyYoungstown216-758-2158

OKLAHOMA

Contemporary Soundsof OklahomaOklahoma City405-755-0795Imperial SoundTulsa918-622-6111

OREGON

Audio AlternativeBeaverton503-297-1127Hawthorne ElectronicsPortland503-234-9375

PENNSYLVANIA

Chestnut Hill Audio Ltd.Philadelphia215-923-3035House of RecordsErie814-456-6713

RHODE ISLANDSounds Unlimited, Inc.Cumberland401-765-5770

TENNESSEE

Watkins StereoKingsport615-246-3701

TEXAS

Audio ConceptsAustin512-459-3321Austin512-478-7421

Bjorn's StereoSan Antonio512-828-2559

TEXAS

HaroldsOdessa915-332-4842Hillcrest High FidelityDallas (2)214-528-0575214-352-9757

UTAH

Audio DesignSalt Lake City801-486-5511

VERMONT

Audio Den, Inc.S. Burlington802-863-4398

VIRGINIA

Audio Arts Ltd.Richmond804-644-8903Myer EmcoFalls Church703-536-2900Videorama Inc.Virginia Beach803-497-3802

WASHINGTON

Audiophile Mike'sWenatchee509-662-0751Definitive AudioSeattle206-524-6633

WISCONSIN

Flanner & HafsoosMilwaukee414-476-9560Fond du Lac Hi FiFond du Lac414-923-1785The Happy MediumMadison608-255-2887

KYOCERBBuilt right from the ground up.

Kyocera International, Inc.,7 Powder Horn Drive, Warren, NJ 07060-0227

SCES

A1111111111111111111111111111k

111111111111111111

iiIIIlIIllllii II

PROCESSOR POTPOURRI

Today's processors offer many creative possibilities. Shown

above are (from top) Yamaha's GE -60, a 10 -octave band

equalizer with pink -noise generator and spectrum analyzer;

Sansui's DS -77, combining a surround -sound processor with

a subharmonic synthesizer and "peak attacker" to counter

video -sound ills; and Audio Control's Phase -Coupled Activa-

tor, which seeks to restore lost fundamentals in band -limited

music. Pioneer's three -band EX -9000 expander (below) in-

cludes two switchable release times. And ADC's SS -V11

Sound Shaper has preset "rock," "pop," and "jazz" playback

curves and "car" and "portable" recording settings.

up-to-the-minute means ofcapturing both sound and pic-tures. Pretty heady. It couldbe too much for the buyingpublic to swallow all at onebite, or it may prove to be justthe combination of elementsthat millions have been wait-ing for all along.

Meanwhile, there's at

least one new digital proces-sor designed to work with '4-inch (Beta and VHS) VCRs:the Aiwa PCM-800 ($650). Its14 -bit A/D and D/A conver-tors are built onto a singlechip, not only for containmentof cost and bulk, but to pro-mote long-term reliability aswell.

A much more pervasivethrust than PCM encodingthis year, however, is sur-round -sound processing,which is showing up in oneform or another in all sorts ofvideo and audio -video prod-ucts. VCRs, switchboxes, andaudio -video systems-as wellas audio -video receivers-areamong the products in whichsome device of this sort can befound, spurred by the adventof stereo -sound TV and VCRs

(necessary for true DolbyStereo surround decoding, asopposed to some kind of simu-lation).

Under the CinemaSur-round rubric, Sansui is offer-ing a series of ambience prod-ucts. The DS -77 ($350)combines the processor itselfwith additional circuitry-asubharmonic synthesizer anda "peak attacker"-designedto counteract ills chronic invideo sound (bass rolloff andpeak compression, respective-ly). It also includes a stereoamplifier rated at 10 watts (10dBW) per channel to drive theback speakers. The DS -77 canbe used for surround effectswith any stereo audio input.Three processing options areprovided: THEATER (for Dolby

Stereo decoding), QS SUR-ROUND, and HALL (for ambi-

ence simulation). QS, if you'veforgotten, was a matrixedquadriphonic format intro-duced by Sansui in the Seven-ties.

Then there's the AV -C10($250), an audio -video switch-

ing/dubbing control that in-cludes a stereo simulator formono signals, the surroundprocessor itself, two 15 -watt(11%-dBW) channels of ampli-fication, and a five -bandgraphic equalizer. Also avail-able is the $200 MT -A25 decod-

er for stereo (or multilingual)TV sound, with a built-in amp

rated at 5 watts (7 dBW) perchannel. It can be used eitherto drive the main speakers in avideo -only setup or to powerthe back speakers in conjunc-tion with a full-scale audio -vid-

eo surround -sound system.Yamaha's $199 SR -30 pro-

cessing amp uses comb filtersto create synthetic stereofrom the mono signals of mostexisting TV sources but canalso process stereo to createsurround sound. The backchannels are reproduced via abuilt-in amp rated at 30 watts(14% dBW) per channel. Twobass -boost and two high -cutoptions are provided in addi-tion to the standard flat re-sponse. The $200 Pioneer EX -9000 is a three -band expandercapable of varying dynamicsindependently in the bass (cen-tered on 50 Hz), midrange (500Hz), and treble (5 kHz). Twoswitchable release times letyou tailor the expander's be-havior to the characteristics ofthe music.

As usual, graphic equaliz-ers abound. Sansui's 14 -bandSE -88 ($400) includes a memo-

ry that can summon up fivedifferent EQ curves (or theirreciprocals) and a control pan-el that detaches for remoteuse. Both of Yamaha's-the$370 GE -60 and $210 GE-40-have ten independent octave -band controls for each chan-nel. The GE -60 includes a pink -

noise generator, microphone,and spectrum analyzer.Among other ten -band modelswith separate left- and right -channel controls and a spec-trum display are the $200 Ken -

wood GE -700 and the $195Onkyo EQ-25. Teac's $160 ten -

band EQA-5 also has separatecontrols for the two channels.

The Audiosource EQ-Eight, also with ten bands perchannel and a spectrum dis-play, costs $180 and includes

Engbeering expertise never comes easy. It's acquiredover time through dedication, and it's Mitsubishi'sundaunted benchmark for quality.

Ko apply that expertise to every p