REL

REL Acoustics, Ltd. of Bridgend, Wales was founded in 1990 by Richard Edmund Lord. Dissatisfied by the commercially available subwoofers of the day...

NAD D 3020 Hybrid Digital Stereo Amplifier

When I left home for college in 1984, I brought my stereo system along. It consisted of a Kenwood receiver, Technics turntable, and a pair of Fisher 3-way speakers. After discovering a few high-end stereo shops in Boston, and having my turntable set up properly; I started shopping for a better amp. My meager funding ruled out separates but the proprietor of a small hi-fi shop pointed me to that now-familiar brown box. I returned to my dorm room clutching a brand-new NAD 3020, for which I believe I paid around $220. My reward was the cleanest sound I'd ever heard, bar none. I used that amp all through college and probably for another 10 years after. Today, NAD has recreated this amazing product for the digital age. Where we once relied on vinyl and ferrous tape, now it's all about bits and bytes. The timeless philosophy of clean high-quality sound, versatile operation, and a low price has now given birth to the all-new D 3020 Hybrid Digital Amplifier.

Power Protection: Fancy Power Protector or UPS or Simple Surge Protector?

I just bought a Samsung UN65F8000 LED TV, a Piooneer VSX-1128-K receiver which will power a pair of polk audio RTiA1's a CSiA4 Centre and PSW10 Sub. Also in the setup is HD Satellite box, a PS3 and a PS4 when it arrives in three weeks along with a BoxeeBox and some other crap. My question is about power protection. Should I get a fancy power protector for several hundred dollars, a UPS or simple surge protector? I don't mind spending a few hundred bucks if it will serve a purpose. Our power isn't bad but goes out acouple times a year and we get a brown-out now and again.

- Jack M.
Halifax, Canada

RHA

RHA is a specialist British headphone company. We stand for true-to-life audio reproduction and lasting quality. With these values at our core...

THIEL CS2.7 Floor-Standing Speakers

Sometime around 2007, Thiel introduced what was then (and still is) an astounding speaker in the CS3.7 which for the most part was significant because Thiel was engineering their own driver designs, versus buying OEM. The 3-way design was pure Thiel, soft and rounded yet muscular in design, Jim Thiel showcased the corrugated midrange and tweeter "coincidentally" mounted configuration. The CS2.7 is the result of that success in a more affordable package.

Bryston 28BSST2 Monoblock Power Amplifier

Lately I had been sampling the Bryston Mini T Bookshelf speakers with my reference amp, a modest Marantz Integrated, and though they matched well I wondered how they would fare with some serious Bryston power behind them. So when Bryston offered up some 28BSST2 's for review I had one stipulation: let me try them with the Mini T's.

Sonus Faber Venere 3.0 Home Theater Speaker System

This Sonus faber home theater speaker system is based on the new Venere 3.0 floor standing speakers, the flagship of the Venere line. The Veneres are designed in Italy and include drivers designed from the ground up specifically for this speaker line. The drivers are made exclusively for Sonus faber by some of the best suppliers on the planet. The Veneres even have the famous Sonus faber lyre-shaped cabinets.