Sabian 18″ AAX Omni (Crash and Ride) Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Jojo Mayer requested that Sabian design a cymbal that could be all-purpose, namely crash and ride. Of course, you can crash and ride any cymbal, but the sound that is produced is not often suitable. So, Sabian came up with the Omni. Currently, they are available in two sizes, 18" and 22". This review covers the 18" version, and I have to say that the design works very well.

Cymbals

Sabian 22″ HHX Legacy Heavy Ride Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Cymbals that jazz drummers often seek, but have a difficult time finding are rides that have a dark wash, and a ping that is just above the wash to be heard but not distract from the soloist. The Sabian 22" HHX Legacy Heavy Ride is just such as cymbal.

Cymbals

A Home Theater Build Project – Part II

Mark Vignola

In this installment I am discussing my upgrade paths and the decisions that went into each change: Video, Audio and Other cconsiderations, including power conditioners. I've presented the changes that I decided on in a chronological manner, as I think that many of us approach our decisions in this way...

Custom Home Theaters

Secrets Best of 2010 Awards

SECRETS Editorial Team

The SECRETS Editorial Team is pleased to announce the Best of 2010 Awards. This year we have added some new categories for Media, so look for our awards in the Blu-ray, CD and Vinyl Recordings. And we have established a new award (it is so "Bad", you will have to go to the second page to see it). The Editorial Team also wants to highlight the technologies that we will be paying attention to in 2011, so look for the "Technologies on the Rise Awards".

Congratulations to all of our 2010 WINNERS!!

Best Of Awards

Sony SCD-XA5400ES SACD Player

Secrets

Sony originally came out with the SACD format in 1999. Unfortunately for those of us that invested in the format, mass market support never really came around, though in the audiophile community the format still thrives. The SCD-XA5400ES is one of Sony's latest iterations, and is their current reference model.

SACD Players

Meinl 20″ MB10 Medium Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Meinl's MB10 series is made from B10 bronze, which means 90% copper and 10% tin. The high copper content results in a bright sound, and although high copper content usually gives the cymbal a more reddish color, the MB10's look like B20.

Cymbals

Mark Levinson No 53 Monoblock Power Amplifier

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Mark Levinson is a state-of-the-art brand, whose products are purchased by consumers whose bank accounts are also state-of-the-art. Levinson makes no apologies for their prices, nor do they have to justify them. The axiom is simple: If you want the best, it costs a lot. The latest addition to their power amplifier line takes a huge leap from the previous designs, which were Class AB, and which usually were biased well into Class A operation. The Mark Levinson No 53 is a monoblock power amplifier that is a switching design, i.e., the output stage is operated in switching mode, but it is unique in that it interleaves eight switchers to produce a fully balanced output, at a realized switching frequency of 4 MHz.

Power Amplifiers

Sabian 22″ APX Ride Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

One of Sabian's more economical lines of cymbals (mid-priced) is called APX. They are made from sheet metal rather than cast, but they still use a bronze alloy (not brass). This particular one is the 22" APX ride cymbal, and I have to say that the ping from this cymbal cuts through like a razor. It has a very sharp and lightning fast attack, with very little wash. So, all the energy goes into the ping. You can ride the heck out of it without developing a wash that buries the ping. So, don't overlook this moderately inexpensive series. It might have what you need.

Cymbals