The original Spendor SA1 loudspeaker was released soon before the BBC LS3/5a in the early 1970s, and many people thought it sounded better than its more popular competitor. The SA1 you see here, on the other hand, is a distant cousin that has evolved much since then. Only the dimensions (305x165x190mm) and the usage of […]
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This was one of the swankiest British turntables at the time, having been released in 1978. The STD 305D was an attempt to bring comfort and ease of use to the high end – without sacrificing the beautiful sonics of the finest British decks – in a sea of Japanese direct drives that worked with
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This monstrous integrated amplifier, which cost £3,499 when it was first released a decade ago, was a Sugden A21a on steroids. The IA-4 set out to provide that crystalline Class A sound to a larger audience, with significantly increased power and additional features. The biggest difference between it and its smaller A21a S2 sibling was
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The story begins with the advent of Linn’s Ittok LVII tonearm toward the end of the 1970s. In an analog scene dominated by the SME 3009S2, which existed on practically every turntable motor unit at the time, it put the cat among the pigeons. There was also the Grace G707, which had been Linn’s preferred
Other manufacturers’ top-of-the-line designs look little and feeble in comparison to one of the most remarkable things ever to make a noise. This device, the monarch of Tannoy’s Prestige Range, is simply amazing in every way. Aside from its intimidating physical presence, Tannoy’s design philosophy is evident in its longevity. While fashions come and go,
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Sony CEO Akio Morita travelled to the United States in the early 1960s in an attempt to persuade Americans to listen to little transistor radios, as he relates in his brilliant autobiography Made In Japan. The consumer electronics business in the United States was initially skeptical that anyone would want to listen to something smaller
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It’s easy to dismiss Nakamichi as a seller of exorbitantly priced esoterica. The company earned legendary status thanks to its well-known Dragon and MusicLink lines. Its marque, like Luxman, MacIntosh, Revox, or Goldmund, had guilt-edged, twenty-four-carat gold-plated assurance. Isn’t it true that Nakamichi’s odds of doing anything even substantially affordable were slimmer than seeing flying
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This legendary electrostatic still has a magical quality to it fifty-seven years after development began. In comparison to other loudspeakers of the time, the ESL-57 provided excellent clarity because to its mix of superb sound quality and attractive appearance. Its outstanding transparency and speed drew the attention of BBC engineers, who quickly adopted it as
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This machine has recently received a lot of attention, and it is quickly becoming collectible. Of course, it has every right to be, as the world’s first commercially available CD player and not only Sony Corporation’s first silver disc spinner. It was first released on October 1, 1982, at a cost of Y168,000, but only
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NEAT Acoustics has been a full-fledged loudspeaker producer for several decades, although North East Audio Traders has long since ceased retail operations. Bob Surgeoner, the company’s founder, is a fascinating and amiable individual who is also a talented and prolific musician. It’s no wonder, then, that his speakers are consistently delightful to listen to. This
