Wyred4Sound DAC-2 AND STI-500 Integrated Stereo Amplifier

Secrets

Recently the external DAC has made a bit of a comeback in popularity. While they were once most commonly paired with a digital transport, now you're more likely to see them hooked up as part of a home media server. With disk space now cheap enough that anyone can keep their entire collection archived in a lossless format, and even keep a backup copy of it around, people are using their PC to serve up their audio collection. However, getting the most out of that lossless archive has been a challenge for many as most computer sound cards left much to be desired in the audio quality realm. In this review, we cover the Wyred4Sound DAC-2 and STI-500 Integrated Stereo Amplifier.

DACs

Home Theater Movie Renter’s Guide – January, 2011

SECRETS Movie Review Team

Strictly Ballroom (DVD), House (Blu-ray), Battlestar Galactica: Razor (Blu-ray), Cronos (Blu-ray), The American (Blu-ray), Salt (Blu-ray), Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy: Christmas Caper (DVD) , Backdraft (Blu-ray), Swat Kats The Complete Series (DVD), Catfish (Blu-ray), Battlestar Galactica: Season Four (Blu-ray), Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (DVD), The Films of Rita Hayworth (DVD), Yojimbo & Sanjuro (Blu-ray), Death Race 2 (Blu-ray), Secretariat (Blu-ray), Gone Madigan (Blu-ray), Triggerman (DVD) 

Movie Reviews

Pioneer VSX-1020K 7.1 A/V Receiver

Andrew Yang

The marketplace for receivers is undergoing a rather interesting transformation. In the early days, most of the pieces that went into a receiver were a result of in-house development. This was also a time when the audio components dominated. These days the audio specifications nearly show up as an afterthought behind a laundry list of audio formats. It seems the majority of manufacturers have accepted the reality that keeping in-house solutions competitive with third party solutions is difficult and costly. Pioneer's VSX-1020K is a 7.1 receiver with all the bells and whistles for only $549. It delivers very good performance for that price range. Read our review for the details.

Receivers

Sabian 18″ AAX X-Plosion Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

With the high sound volume levels being used in concerts performed by today's rock groups, there is definitely a need for crash cymbals that will cut through the thousands of watts in the guitar amplifiers, not to mention an auditorium full of screaming fans. Such cymbals have to be bright with a full bodied, piercing sound. Sabian's X-Plosion crash cymbals serve this purpose. This review covers the 18" X-Plosion Crash, which would be classified as a medium weight. The "X-Plosion Fast Crash", which is covered in a separate review, would be equivalent to medium-thin.

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ AA Medium Thin Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

If one were to be asked what is the second most often used crash cymbal model, regardless of the brand, it would probably be the Medium Thin Crash (the most popular is probably the 18" medium crash). Sabian has one in their AA line, which is reviewed here. It has a neutral tonality, slightly brighter than its "medium" cousin, but not too bright. It has more wash than the medium version as well. The medium and medium thin are perfect mates.

Cymbals

Sabian 18″ AA Medium Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

If one were to be asked what is the most often used crash cymbal model, regardless of the brand, it would probably be the Medium Crash. Sabian has some in their AA line, and the 18" is reviewed here. It has a neutral tonality, and is not too bright, not too dark, not too loud, not too soft. Just right.

Cymbals

Sabian 22″ Vault Artisan Medium Ride Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Sabian's Vault Artisan line focuses on the methods used to make cymbals that are hundreds of years old, and refrains from the use of machines, except perhaps the electric motor that turns the lathe, instead of using foot power. The finished cymbal looks a bit like the 22" Legacy Heavy Ride that we have also reviewed. The differences are that the Artisan has more extensive hammering, wider lathing, and a slightly smaller bell. The results are a dark but distinct ping, and a deep wash.

Cymbals

Sabian 21″ Vault Holy China Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

In the 1950's Avedis Zildjian got together with Gene Krupa to make something that would be called a Pang cymbal. It looked like a regular cymbal with the edge turned upward, and it had a distinctive Far East sound quality. The Swish cymbal, a variation on the Pang, was also developed, and it had a higher pitch with more wash. Jazz drummers started using Pangs in their kit, and these days, many drummers have several of them, calling them simply China cymbals. While the first one didn't look distinctive except for the turned up edges, the China cymbals of today have all kinds of distinctive characteristics, including engravings. Sabian collaborated with Chad Smith and introduced what they call the Holy China cymbal, because it has holes in it. Drilling holes and slots in cymbals, calling them Special Effects cymbals, is very popular now, and Sabian has done this with the Holy China line. Available in 19" and 21" sizes, the present review covers the 21".

Cymbals

Pioneer VSX-32 7.1 A/V Receiver

Chris Heinonen

Last year I had the opportunity to review one of Pioneer's Class D receivers, the SC-27, and I came away completely impressed with the performance of that product. While I would love to know how their new version of the SC-27 performs, I also wanted to experience another model of the Elite line and see how well one with a more conventional Class AB amplifier would perform. So, in this review, we take a look at the Pioneer VSX-32, which is a seven-channel receiver.

Receivers

Sabian 19″ Vault Holy China Crash Cymbal

John E. Johnson, Jr.

In the 1950's Avedis Zildjian got together with Gene Krupa to make something that would be called a Pang cymbal. It looked like a regular cymbal with the edge turned upward, and it had a distinctive Far East sound quality. The Swish cymbal, a variation on the Pang, was also developed, and it had a higher pitch with more wash. Jazz drummers started using Pangs in their kit, and these days, many drummers have several of them, calling them simply China cymbals. While the first one didn't look distinctive except for the turned up edges, the China cymbals of today have all kinds of distinctive characteristics, including engravings. Sabian collaborated with Chad Smith and introduced what they call the Holy China cymbal, because it has holes in it. Drilling holes and slots in cymbals, calling them Special Effects cymbals, is very popular now, and Sabian has done this with the Holy China line. Available in 19" and 21" sizes, the present review covers the 19".

Cymbals

Sabian 22″ 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 22" version, and I have to say that the design not only works well, but the two versions make a nice set.

Cymbals

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