tailieunhanh - Stereophile

I m fortunate to own some ver nice hi-fi gear: Different turntables tonearms, and pickups for differen records. Two pairs of really super full-range loudspeakers. A choice o mildly exotic amplifi ers my favorit combination of which (a stereo pream plifi er and a pair of monoblock powe amps) sells for a little over $21,000. Th average American consumer woul think that s insane. The average American consume would be correct, but only insofar as i applies to his or her own buying habits After all, we re nothing if not a natio of customers, and the customer is al ways right. From where I sit, the dis cretionary buying habits of my fellow countrymen are not only grotesque but almost heartbreakingly. | SPECIAL ISSUE AMPLIFIERS AT ALL PRICES JANUARY 2010 High-EndAu We test theXenar Essence ST STX soundcards Source 20 PERFECT BASS from Paradigm s Sub15 Subwoofer AFFORDABLE from Rogue THE FLAMING LIPS RETURNING TO THEIR ROOTS OR FLAMING OUT bargain-basement AMPLIFIERS from Marantz Cambridge Audio HIGH-POWER AMPLIFIERS from Aesthetix Bryston Online Authority US CAN I I I II 0 1 7902 5 34967 A SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA PUBUCATIQN THE KING V2 H A N s -E N Desired by many owned by few. The level of realism is shocking. These speakers just disappear leaving a full deep bass an enormous dynamic range with plenty of air. - A reference and that s all there is to that. - Harry Pearson Absolute Sound HANSEN AUDIO INC. I .8434 AS WE SEE IT Art Dudley Happy New Year I m fortunate to own some very nice hi-fi gear Different turntables tonearms and pickups for different records. Two pairs of really superb full-range loudspeakers. A choice of mildly exotic amplifiers my favorite combination of which a stereo preamplifier and a pair of monoblock power amps sells for a little over 21 000. The average American consumer would think that s insane. The average American consumer would be correct but only insofar as it applies to his or her own buying habits. After all we re nothing if not a nation of customers and the customer is always right. From where I sit the discretionary buying habits of my fellow countrymen are not only grotesque but almost heartbreakingly sad. Especially during the holiday season when I m dashing off this piece it seems as if most of them are buying goods simply for the sake of buying goods in bulk and motivated not by need or even desire but by the same level of reflexive titillation that makes a crow dive for a gum wrapper. I blame the marketers of course but today that s the same as saying I blame the corporate media. Indeed on daytime television in .