Lamm LL1 Signature Stereo Tube Preamplifier – An Audiophile’s Dream

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Lamm introduces their LL1 Signature preamplifier, which is the partner to their ML3 Signature power amplifier. Both the LL1 and ML3 are cost-no-object products using only the finest parts that can be found anywhere in the world. The design is based on Vladimir Lamm's 50 year career in design of tube components that perform at the extreme limits of sonic perfection. The LL1 is a $43,000 four-chassis, 114 pound, state-of-the-art masterpiece.

Preamplifiers

Editorial: MP3 Music and Undersaturated Movies

John E. Johnson, Jr.

I received an interesting e-mail today, from a reader who was concerned about all the movies that have been released over the past few years with little to no color in the image.

I have been planning to write an editorial about why I think young consumers are into MP3 music and don't really care about the high quality of lossless digital music that the rest of us have been trying to get them to switch over to, or at least give it a listen.

Editor's DeskEditorial
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Sony ES Product Announcements and 3D Studio Tour

Adrian Wittenberg and Chris Heinonen

Senior Editors Adrian Wittenberg and Chris Heinonen were invited to represent SECRETS at  Sony's unveiling of their new receivers and Blu-ray products in the flagship ES line. The press event took place at the prestigous SLS hotel in Beverly Hills and finished up at Sony Pictures where everyone got a glimpse of a few of the production facilities used in movie picture creation and 3d movie picture creation.The Sony 2010 ES lineup includes three receivers and one Blu-ray player. The most significant change that Sony will be making this year is that Sony ES products will no longer be available for purchase from mass retailers or online retailers and will only be available through AV specialty and installation dealers.

Press

Naim Audio DAC

Rick Schmidt

A Naim DAC. Oh how long we have waited. Naim Audio is hi-fi company with its own ideas. For years they held steadfastly to their claim that the only by keeping the spinning CD in the same box as the DAC could jitter be controlled and high fidelity playback be produced. While other hifi companies made similar claims most would relent at least occasionally and offer up a DAC or two.

DACs

Home Theater Movie Renter’s Guide – July, 2010

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Shutter Island (Blu-ray), The Book of Eli (Blu-ray), The Unborn (Blu-ray), Ladybugs (Blu-ray), The Man With No Name Trilogy - A Fistful of Dollars (Blu-ray), Darkman (Blu-ray), 12 Monkeys (Blu-ray),  The Man With No Name Trilogy - For A Few Dollars More (Blu-ray), Coach (DVD) , The Seventh Seal (Blu-ray) , Dog City: The Movie (DVD), The Man With No Name Trilogy - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Blu-ray), Green Zone (Blu-ray) , The Illusionist (Blu-ray)

Movie Reviews

Anthony Gallo Acoustics Reference Strada Speakers and TR3 Subwoofer

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Anthony Gallo Acoustics has been known for many years to make very unique, high performance loudspeakers that can deliver world-class performance at reasonable prices and in everyday rooms. I was so impressed with their Reference 3.1 speakers when I reviewed them in 2007 that I bought the review pair. In the past several months, Gallo has significantly upgraded their reference line. The Reference 3.1 has just been replaced with the much more expensive Reference 3.5, but a new speaker system has taken up a new position in the Gallo line at a price point very close to the old Reference 3.1.

Bookshelf Speakers