steve guttenberg audiophiliac speakers steve guttenberg audiophiliac speakers

If you're of a certain age and remember how the original held sway, this new one will rekindle your love of music. That says a lot about the BasX A-100's quality. Steve, Thank you for inviting us in and sharing some of your "stuff". 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. The African percussion and drums are unprocessed and natural. I'd suggest you apply for work at Consumer Reports, but even though they're not audiophiles per se, and they don't have the perspective to properly review most botique or esoteric goods, they are pretty honest. I know the math, and most individual reviewers like this don't get wealthy. Using the right music to evaluate speakers and headphones is vitally important. Through the review, Steve often visits this idea of wholeness, weight, and fullness that contributes to the believability of the sound. My reviews generally run between 2200-3200 words. This small, two-way bookshelf speaker sports a 1-inch (25mm) soft dome tweeter and a 6-inch (165mm) woven Kevlar mid-bass woofer in a ported cabinet. oh the humanity ! I admit it seems like an odd match, a cappella and Zappa, but it really works. Think of it this way: A manufacturer of a quality component wants reviewer x, y, or z to review his product. Uncompressed dynamic range is a rare and beautiful thing. Steve Guttenberg - Audiophiliac | Page 5 | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. 2) By all means get the cheapest consultants you can find. The sampler is very good in my opinion. With the help of a generous friend, I self-repaired that unit for the cost of friendship and a few nice records. They come with Koss' lifetime warranty for headphones in the US. It would provide for an illuminating experience. A look-see at those Closets, under beds, kitchen shelves, etc. The iSine 10 doesn't look or sound like any other in-ear headphone -- it's $400 in the US, 346 in the UKand AU$499 in Australia. ($69 a pair, US only), The Special 40s are really special in that they're unusually small high-end speakers, they're just 7.8 by 14.2 by 12.1 inches (198 by 360 by 307mm) and ideal for apartment-dwelling audiophiles. My rigs are comprised of mostly high quality vintage gear circa 1978, 1985, 1994 and 2002, along with a pair of currently available speakers, and most of it was self-purchased prior to my reviewing efforts, along with a handful of currently available products. I am frequently amazed at the nearly 120-db dynamic range of my ears (that's a loudness ratio of one trillion to one), and just as amazed that I can often hear a 1/2 db difference in some tracks with a tiny equalizer adjustment. >them a lot of attention from potential customers, Take another glance, however, and youll see that the long XLR cable also provided says otherwise. Considering the speakers' modest size, they play high-energy music with remarkable ease. The fact that the BasX A-100 even has a 4-ohm rating is noteworthy; few AV receivers selling for three or four times the BasX A-100's modest price can happily drive low-impedance speakers. Wharfedale offers dedicated floor stands for use with. It was developed by Dr. Sean E. Olive, acoustic research fellow, and Todd Welti, distinguished engineer, Harman International, hence the other term, Olive-Welti curve. A pure audiophile recording of massive drums, gongs, chines, cymbals, bells and a vast range of percussion instruments. I don't know what your motivation would be for all the negativity, or why you would want to assign a $10/hour dishwasher to a job that he has no idea about. Founded Date 2009. The Audiophiliac's top music tracks for testing speakers and headphones It's nearly impossible to learn what sounds good with bad-sounding recordings. Is audio file compression just decreasing dynamic range? Something like theNaim Uniti Atom HEmakes a perfect pairing. And on the compensation comment you are still wrong. If I had a "Customer Base" like Mr.Steve G, back in the 1980s, I wouldn't have left the Consumer Audio Business, Phew. So if you own a CD collection and you're looking for a new player, the C 538 will bring out the best in their sound. But I might be wrong--the best way to clarify this is for reviewers to start publishing their educational achievements and professional experience next to their reviews. This flat, 1-inch (25 mm) square tweeter promises clearer, lower-distortion sound than many dome tweeters can manage. Is that what we want audio to be/remain? Tyll did a story from the Harmon Lab. If we DIY, it's cheaper, but we never factor in our time. UK pricing isn't yet available. You have to see one in person to really appreciate how beautiful the shape and finish is. This [insert random hi-fi gear] is simply wonderful, its sound is [insert random flowery highly metaphorical laudatives]. Sound quality is rich, but not overly so. It is true that $10k will not make you wealthy, but it is still $10k for free. ($12,495; 10,000 per pair), Hsu Research is best known for its line of high-performance, yet affordable subwoofers, but it also makes speakers. So the deal is that getting equipment for an "accomodation price" is no more or less ethical than getting that equipment for free. These come with a longer cable terminated in an XLR jack. The P4 blows the A2 away -- it's not even close. It's made in the US and sells for $179 in the US; alas, there's no UK or Australian pricing. Made in California, the Schiit Modi 2 Uber has USB, optical and coaxial digital audio inputs, and stereo RCA analog outputs. would've probably revealed a long history. Audeze pioneered planar magnetic in-ear headphones, which sound very coherent and spacious, with low distortion. The best hi-fi components transcend mere performance and become conduits into other people's minds. Perhaps we should label them "Audiophile Adventures", something like Carl Hass's "Adventures in good music" Radio Program from Interlochen, Mi. Full stop. It's a fair and salient question. :)))), You said, "I conjecture that most audio reviewers have little to no engineering education. They work for me, but wouldn't necessarily help you. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. It's a self-powered design, and it works really well with computers or as a home iPod speaker. Thank you Mr. JA ( with only one Acid-spitter, maybe ). AB comparisons sure, but blind.. whatever, I ain't got the time and I ain't going to lie to myself. Sheesh, sounds like a bad case of sour grapes. The Denton is a honey; I love the way it hearkens back to the classic 1980s UK sound, and still sounds great today. I applaud that. Your entire argument here is purely dishonest. I think to call it "your" system you actually have to purchase it with "your" money. The Wharfedale Diamond 220 sports a 1-inch (25mm) soft dome tweeter and 5-inch (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer. The Sony STR-DN1080 sounds great and offers all of the features you could want in a modern receiver -- multiroom music, Chromecast streaming, AirPlay, Dolby Atmos -- and a slew of 4K-compliant inputs. Steve currently reviews audio products for CNET and works as a freelance writer for Stereophile. Good work- Jana. I'll sumnarize it for you: "Admit nothing. I kept coming back to it, prolonging the reviewing process precisely because it sounded so alive and visceral. The TX-8270's street price is $499, 539 and AU$1,199. >Most of the smart manufacturers are after reviews that get Included Cipher Lightning cable has a built-in DAC that improves sound quality for iPhone and iPad users. JavaScript is disabled. I am also always amazed with the size (or lack there of) of listening rooms in New YorkCheers! We are all different and our attentions are different as well. Hardly ever seen a negative review come out of him. I quickly discovered the Concept 300 is "format agnostic;" digital sounded great and so did analog. You do know Dr. Who was science fiction, don't you? Energy Take Classic 5.1 system ($400) Nevertheless, many audiophiles here, myself included, have managed to treat the rooms and tweak the systems to perform top tier, though we may not have a sweet spot that seats 10. I am a staunch DIY guy, vs. paying high prices for products that can be made at home (with better value and sometimes better quality). Ive turned down truly amazing sounding accommodation-priced gear that was still way out of my price range, often at the amazement of audio friends with deeper pockets. The sound is hugely satisfying, high in resolution, with wide stereo imaging. Bass is deep, fast and well-defined; midrange and treble are clear; and stereo imaging is precise. I am sure your sweet spot seats oneSo perfect.Cheers! The C316BEE V2 is a modern classic, an old school Class AB amp that harkens back to NAD's original 3020 amp from the 1970s. But with NYC real-estate prices being what they are, why would you be amazed at the lack of size of listening rooms? So, the key question is: are there negative externalities associated with subjective audio reviews? This Group, that John Atkinson pulled together, seems the best group of excellence that's ever been in Print. A Closer Look at the Epson CO-FH02, an Ultrabright and Ultracheap Projector, Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures), CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures), 2018 Ford F-150 Power Stroke reports for diesel duty, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Take the Bowers and Wilkins 606, it rocks with more authority than most speakers its size. ($749 per pair), A true statement design from Bowers & Wilkins that combines bona-fide-audiophile cred with the accuracy required for use as a recording studio monitor. If they got a 10 thousand dollar component free and did a really thorough review of it, they might break even. While the Celestee is a great headphone to take on the go, the Clear MG asks for a more stationary experience with a desktop headphone amplifier. Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 ($349) Regardless of any disclaimers on the part of the manufacturer or reviewer, the only thing you're really going to know is the review itself, and whether it's credible or not. There's a headphone jack on the front panel, and around back you'll find four pairs of RCA inputs, plus Bluetooth, but there are no phono or digital inputs. That takes learning. Despite all the naysayers, the compact disc format is far from dead. This headphone has an extremely balanced signature and will portray a wide variety of music in an exciting way. Have a look by Goggle searching Dr.Sean Olive, Harmon's head of research. Cable risers, footers, damping material the performance can all be quantified and created cheaply at home. So you can't infer their capacity for affording gear. Build quality of this Japanese-manufactured speaker is beyond reproach. Problem solved! Ive received 3 affordable gifted products from a manufacturer whom I befriended and consider a dear friend one of which I already owned one of and another that I've just mentioned in passing and not called out in a fun review. You proved your ability by being good at algorithms and delivering measurable results. In decades of reading that mag- I remember one really negative review -IIRR -it was a Sylvania reciever that had a small fire during output power testing - so did the replacement unit. Don't walk, run out and listen to the ELAC DEBUT 2.0 SERIES Home Theater HiFi There are differences in parts, but the SuperZero 2.0 is in the spirit of the original. The video represents the distillation of what SG has come across and then felt to be of high enough interest to him to keep around for the longer hall for pleasure, as a reference, etc. Some people have acute tonal awareness and can tell you 50 things that are off in a recording. It's downright lovable! At the risk of talking myself out of future reviewing after writing this, I want to give you my take as a reviewer for a high end site. Another $3.99 CD on Amazon. I am also touched by the fact you are saddened when an estate is broken up. You guess that it is "less and less each year", but you do not that. Here's a good reference on that: https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-143#LSVE1iTpzKwhMaq2.97. The Harman Headphone Target Curve is an industry gold standard for the frequency response of headphones. Operating Status Active. Top 10 great-sounding amplifiers from $40 to $450. It delivers 50 watts per channel for 8-ohm speakers, and 80 watts per channel for 4-ohm speakers. This is Part Two of this series, Part One featured under $1,000/pair speakers, https://youtu.be/OMonNxJjWvMToday's featured speakers:Ohm Walsh 2000 https://ohmspeaker.com/speakers/walsh-tall/Epos ES14 https://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/566/index.htmlB\u0026W 805D3 https://www.cnet.com/news/the-audiophiliac-speaker-of-the-year-bowers-wilkins-805-d3/TAD ME1 https://www.cnet.com/news/the-tad-me-1-ups-the-ante-for-small-high-end-audio-speakers/Wilson Audio Watt/Puppy https://www.stereophile.com/content/wilson-watt-series-3-puppy-2-loudspeakerSnell Type A https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/378snell/index.htmlKlipsch Forte III https://www.klipsch.com/products/forte-iiiKlipsch Cornwall IV https://youtu.be/M8H3Wx80V3YMagnepan 3.6 and 3.7 https://www.cnet.com/news/speaker-of-the-year-magnepan-3-6r/JM Lab Mini Utopia http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/revequip/jmlab_mini_utopia.htmVandersteen 2C https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/914/index.htmlQuad ESL63 https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2016/02/29/vintage-glory-quad-esl-63-and-electrostatic-solutions/Apogee Duetta https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/848/index.htmlDynaudio Special 25 https://6moons.com/audioreviews/dynaudio3/1.htmlKEF LS50 original/Meta https://youtu.be/oKTYvP7YQ0Q-------------SUPPORT--------------- Thanks for watching, this channel can be supported through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Audiophiliac/SUBSCRIBE-----------------https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9wBmplRUhaCi-aNrkfgeTgAudiophiliac T-Shirts and Mugs! The Debut B6.2 is an update of ELAC Debut B6 which betters the original on a number of counts, and costs just $20 more! This CD will project a huge soundstage, and over the best speakers you'll be in the room with the string quartet. I appreciate Steve's consistency, he's liked Schiit stuff, Pass stuff, Magnapans for the longest time, so, I get the idea he chooses well and stays for the long haul. Regardless of the equipment Ive reviewed or have on hand to review, Im always glad to see it go on its way after review I like the sound of my own systems. For this reason, they are not better qualified to review electronic equipment than any other individual.". New English Speaking jobs added daily. I'm sure he's a nice guy but it's very obvious that he was a hi-fi salesman in a former life. Kali Audio is the new kid in town, it's just one year old, and its LP-6 is a knockout. Terrasson's piano trio, recorded by Mark Levinson in a small room, sounds like a piano trio in a small room. Ive built as many of my accessories as possible, from a rack to record weights, tonearms and roller ball suspension devices. Legal Name Epidemic Sound AB. First, its clean, good looks put most similarly priced receivers to shame. What matters is that I completely disagree with your assumptions for two reasons. OK, then let's called them "practiced ears". Hearing can be very deceptive, while measurements are objective. The Yamaha YAS-108 offers clean, intelligible sound from a compact sound bar. I am very curious to see your math. A lot of has to do with writing well and conveying concepts that communicate music and sound, something quite hard to do. Specs published by manufacturers are often incomplete, even useless -- just like subjective reviews. It sells for $498 in the US, 439 in the UKand AU$1,178 in Australia. Lastly, approaching a manufacturer whose equipment you have reviewed favorably and asking for accommodation pricing on the component is not unethical in any way. Then there's your music, analog or digital or live experiences. And BTW, this forum is probably the worst place to voice doubts or skepticism about the host's honesty, because most of us are biased, and not blindly so. I put in as much effort reviewing a $800 product as I do a $250K product. Today, we're not just talking about affordable audio, we're discussing trulybudget-priced audio. Thankfully, I have the GREAT STEREOPHILE STAFF to guide me and create a set of rules to base my own judgment on, whether its sound quality or value. The opening track's flutes, strings, delicate percussion, and large thundering drums are exquisitely mixed. The Onkyo TX 8020 stereo receiver sounds is awfully good for a budget component; its only real downside is it lacks digital inputs. I would pay about $1 for a decent subjective review of the ergonomics of a piece of audio machinery -- it would save me the trip to the local audio dealer. Connectivity is better than average with two HDMI inputs, an optical audio input, and a minijack input. It's an amazing little thing, with great midrange and nice treble. It's 95 in the UK and AU$159 in Australia. There is no there there, no demonstrable special skill. It's 251 in the UK and AU$437 in Australia. If you're a millennial audiophile with deep pockets and want to treat yourself to a sound that fueled classic rock back in the day, the L100 Classic deserves a serious audition. It was an affirmation. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. The Audioengine A2 is a truly awesome design. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. But not all of it.) When is smaller better than bigger? You can't prove anything. Pioneer SP-FS52 ($260) Not surprisingly - if a reviewer gives negative reviews (and assuming they are valid and fair negative reviews) - he's going to have problems getting review samples loaned to him and especially have problems getting the "exclusive ,first review" sample that these guys understandably crave. Honestly, I think that audio industry is ripe for government intervention to sort through all these claims and establish some objective standards. You want "authorities" to decide what the customers *should* like and choose. Take a pill. Thanks to its conical-shaped stylus it's unfussy about setup, and sound is always sweet. But it got edited out to avoid the long chain of tone-deaf troll posts that would follow. Your fallacious logic is laughable. With a modest impedance and a short single-ended cable supplied, one might be tempted to think the Stellia is an expensive proposition for travel. This gives $63 for the cost of the report -- a much more realistic number than the one you came up with. The album is available for free download here: https://www.marecordings.com/ Look for: Rob. There is hardly an ounce of actual, useful information in his reviews that couldn't be acquired from reading the spec sheet of the given item he's reviewing. Four to six hours is plenty. I find better deals on second-hand equipment sites than the theoretical "free" review equipment. Obviously not the TAD Speakers. This is not just for reviewers, any other manufacturer in the industry would get same treatment, even dealers of other products, not their own. I guess very little. He owns a pair of Zu's as his reference system. ($699 per pair), Few audiophiles would have seen this coming, but Technics, the name we associate with DJ turntables, now makes one of the very best monitor speakers on the market. This all-tube headphone amp can also be used as a stereo preamp, but with very limited connectivity. However, like I explained, you do not actually know what their compensation is. However, dont let this fool youinto thinking the Clear MG is necessarily a difficult-to-drive headphone, see box below. The emphasis is on the lowest priced -- but still terrific-sounding -- gear for the money. oh the humanity ! It comes highly recommended for folks seeking quality sound from a very small pair of speakers ($359 per pair). The sound is pure and crystal clear. As mentioned many times before, who does blind testing? Bass doesn't go all that deep, but what's there is nicely done. It is not a gratuity. The tweeter and woofer were both completely redesigned to sound better and play louder, with lower distortion from the same amount of power than last year's tower speaker. Using the right music to evaluate speakers. The speaker is a total chameleon, because it so faithfully serves the music. The speaker earned its reputation by delivering surprisingly accurate tonal balance, exceptional detail, and transparency. I was skeptical, but the buzz was strong enough I requested a pair of their S300 MKII SE speakers for review. I think that we have ample proof that Mr. Steve Gutenberg is not well paid, he can't seem to afford a decent $50 Hair Cut, for gods sake. I've used this CD on countless reviews, and never tire of the music. Ive bought just 3 affordable items in over 3 years of writing at accommodation prices each sell for $800 in stores and all of which aid me in reviewing equipment and music. 10 of 30 Steve Guttenberg/CNET Audio Technica AT-LP60 turntable Despite its ultralow price the Audio-Technica AT-LP60 turntable features a built-in phono preamplifier, cast metal platter, a. You have provided a number of bad analogies. Did you expect the rooms were somehow magically going to be larger than their containing walls? Ill spend another 2 days listening to rips and writing and maybe, Ill get the other converter for maybe $100-150 after the review. Deep in his soul he knows he can't ever allow any of his notions to be put . Call, email, or chat with one of our sales specialists to find out how best the Cabasse Murano standmount, or the Murano Alto floorstander will fit into your system. You are using an out of date browser. Anybody can do it and the results are typically worthless -- just opinions of a random person. Audio reviewers claim to hear things that we, ordinary people, cannot. I seem to have the feeling that there is room for all the niche Cults that Mr.HR belongs to ( including his own ) buuuuuut I kinda feel the Vinyl Cult promoters are doing our Industry more harm than good: China, France and Italy have just outlawed single use plastic Bags. The LP-6 sells for $149 each. Here's Steve on what makes him tick as a self-confessed audiophile: The Audiophiliac, Steve Guttenberg, is a long time industry heavyweight, a prolific audio journalist, and a wild "As We See It" contributor to. One has to communicate without judgment all audiophiles are a really sensitive bunch, myself included. Deep in his soul he knows he can't ever allow any of his notions to be put to a blind test of any sort because to do so would make him look foolish. You either have it or don't. That is a clear conflict of interest and a violation of journalistic ethics in any industry. The pint-size Lepai LP-2020TI mini power amplifier dishes out 20 watts! I've long been an advocate of stereo home theater, but there was one stumbling block: stereo receivers and integrated amplifiers lacked video switching of any kind, so I'm especially happy to report Onkyo's TX-8270 stereo receiver sports four HDMI inputs and a boatload of other features like ultra high-resolution 32-bit/384 kHz digital converters, a moving-magnet phono input, Bluetooth, Chromecast, DTS Play-Fi, Spotify and AirPlay. following scientific procedures and allowing your claims to be objectively verified and your findings replicated. The 606 runs $799 per pair in the US, 549 in the UK. This speaker was designed by Andrew Jones, a man best known for crafting uberexpensive high-end speakers like the TAD Reference One. Only people who are trained metalurgists should be allowed to own guns. ($300 a pair), The Dayton Audio MK402, may be small in size and price, but tucked into a cozy bedroom or office it'll sound sweet. Good science helps to create good audio products, but ultimately it's a good ear that tells us so. Well, whatever it takes, the gear moves along the path of least resistance to the reviewer, and the job gets done. "It had a palpable presence.". I know of a big high-end audio dealer in NYC that took out a personal loan on a pair of Wilson Alexandria loudspeakers--the accommodation pricing he got PROBABLY exceeds his yearly compensation--I did not ask what that is. You mean like this? Starting with the looks. This compact monitor delivers shockingly deep, super-solid bass, vivid midrange and treble, and clearly focused stereo imaging. The Haier SBEV40-Slim sound bar is downright skinny. It sounds better overall too; a pair runs $300 in the US, 249 in the UKand AU$599 in Australia. I agree with you, it is about trust. Music reproduction is that important to him--he is also a musician. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Nope. But that is neither here nor there. Deadline to make decision expired and SR ran the noteciiably negative review. This tower speaker measures 35.2 inches by 8.8 inches by 10.6 inches, and weighs just under 26 pounds. two weeks ,,,,,,,,,, he has been involved for 40 years ,,,,,,,. It takes practice over time, something anyone with working ears can do. Arent reviews paid-for advertisements cloaked as a review? It's like comparing Hi Fi gear amongst a group of friends, and it was nice of him to do. Street price runs around $250. So, how do you only break even after a gift of $10k? As an economist I would have to say yes, UNLESS there are negative externalities associated with the production or provision of said services. The Vista Spark is exactly what the audiophile world needs: A small, no-frills, no-nonsense high-quality yet affordable integrated amplifier. I am not negative. Nobody except Harmon Labs and that Olive guy, probably the most authoritative people in Audio ( consumer & Pro ). Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? : "http://www. Which leads us to blind testing. Sometimes no you don't want a lot of attention, I am also always amazed by the nasty trolls who can't. Priced at $549 a pair in the US, 625 in the UK, and AU$1,500 in Australia the RP 600M. I know Mr. Fremer pays for his equipment. It's a bit bigger, and unlike the A2, it needs to be used with a separate power amp. Even the average audiophile is limited in what they can hear. Turnbull's vision has captured the imagination of audiophiles and hi-fi stores the world over. It also offers unusually good isolation from external noise, Etymotic claims 35 to 42dB of isolation (depending on fit) while most competing in-ears deliver less than 30dB of isolation. -- First, you don't need 40 hours to review an amplifier and write the report. For instance as a high end audio dealer, I could, say, if participating in an audio show and found myself in need of a product I do not normally carry, like a power conditioner, to tame the notoriously bad hotel power supplies, I could call, say, PS Audio and identify myself as an audio dealer, explain the situation, and get a unit sold to me at dealer "accommodation" price. I see things that I think are overpriced, but unless I'm knowledgeable about the details and am willing to take the time to investigate, I let it go. I usually just check the videos where he features his viewers' systems, His use of language is quite interesting. Vlatko Stefanovski & Miroslav Tadic's Krushevo. Pioneer SP-BS22-LR ($130) Match any of the stereo speakers on this list with any amp from my post on "Top 10 great-sounding amplifiers from $40 to $450," and you'll get amazing sound value. So, please post your audiology evaluation reports. It is extended as a courtesy to industry insiders and thus called "accommodation".