THIEL SCS4T Floor-Standing Speakers

Jim Milton

The late Jim Thiel and company have been making speakers in the heartland of Kentucky for over 30 years. THIEL has amassed a staggering 55 accolades from international press, including the high performance audio industry's most prestigious publications. The SCS4T is part of the J.E.T. series and offers the most affordable line of speakers that THIEL currently manufactures.

Floor Standing Speakers

GoldenEar SuperCinema 50 Home Theater Speaker System

Jim Milton

I consider myself a lucky guy. Not only did I get a chance to go to Las Vegas to cover CES, I also got to sit down with Sandy Gross and have a personal audition of his new Triton 2 towers. Sandy has had an illustrious career with Polk Audio and Definitive Technology and has more recently helped start up a new company called GoldenEar Technology. Here, we review their new SuperCinema 50 Home Theater Speaker System.

Surround Sound Speaker Systems

Zildjian 22″ K. Zildjian Constantinople Medium Thin High Ride Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Zildjian has re-introduced the K. Zildjian Constantinople series of rides and crashes, described as being mellow, dry, dark, and warm. Frankly, it is difficult to translate adjectives to the sound, but the proof is in the listening, and I think all four words accurately portray the sound of this particular cymbal, the K. Zildjian Constantinople Medium Thin High Ride. They also have a Low Ride, which we have reviewed, and which sounds somewhat different, but not extremely so. Either one would make a great ride for jazz drummers.

Cymbals

Axiom Audio M22 V3 Bookshelf Speakers for the Audiophile

Tyler Stripko

Being recognized as the audio/video guru in your circle of family, friends, and co-workers is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is highly rewarding when people ask for your advice (and even better when they actually take it). On the other hand, just about every time I give a recommendation I am inexorably demanded to "find something cheaper." ......Axiom Audio has been a haven for consumers who want excellence and value in a hi-fi system. Here, we review their M22 V3 bookshelf speakers, which are very affordable and deliver the goods in the sound department.

Win a pair of M22 V3 bookshelf speakers!!

Bookshelf Speakers

Marc Audio

Secrets

Marc Audio was started in 2010 by Aaron Slepekis as a way to more fully pursue a long time interest in audio and sound reproduction.


AV Directory

Nixeus Fusion HD Digital Player (Multi-media Streamer)

Chris Eberle

It seems only appropriate that I follow my recent review of the Apple TV with a look at another digital player, the Nixeus Fusion HD. This product is another example of a multi-media streaming device. It has the ability to play back a wide variety of formats for video, still photos, and audio. To this it adds Internet functionality in the form of a web browser plus access to services like YouTube and Flickr. It also offers file management in the form of BitTorrent and easy connectivity with your networked computers via Ethernet or WiFi.

AV DirectoryMedia Streamer

Emotiva XDA-1 Differential Reference DAC for the Audiophile

Jim Milton

As general rule of thumb, I try not to review equipment from manufacturers of products that I personally own as it can lend an air of bias on my part. I'm just letting you know up front that I own a UMC-1 pre/pro and three amplifiers from Emotiva. I find their products to perform very well and are true bargains in the A/V world.

DACs

GoldenEar

Secrets
GoldenEar's founders and their engineering team have literally hundreds of years of combined experience and have created...
AV Directory

Pass Labs XP-25 Phono Preamplifier

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Pass Labs is highly renown for their audio components, some of which are pure Class A. Besides preamplifiers and power amplifiers, they also produce phono preamplifiers (also called phono stages), having begun with the Aleph Ono in 1997. The XP-25 is their latest version, which was designed by Pass Labs engineer Wayne Colburn.

Phono PreamplifiersPreamplifiers

Zildjian 22″ Z3 Rock Ride Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

The Z3 represents Zildjian's series of high power (heavy) cymbals that are made for metal drummers who want to project their sound all the way into the restrooms at concerts. They have large bells and symmetrical hammering, which are factors that are partly responsible for their high volume output. This 22" Z3 ride typifies the sound you can expect. It will punch through, with a bright, crisp ping, no matter how many guitarists you have.

Cymbals

Gig Grips for Drumsticks

John E. Johnson, Jr.

There have been many accessories invented over the years to assist in controlling the drumsticks in your hands when playing. Gig Grips consist of thick rubber bands with holes on each end that you push the stick through until it is in the location on your stick where your fulcrum finger would be when holding the stick. They can be used in traditional or matched grip and are a very useful addition to any drummer's kit, but also, they would be a good teaching accessory for beginning drummers learning how to control stick movement.

Accessories