Contents. 4 Becoming a Better Listener... 29

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1 Foreword...xi About the Author xii 1 What is High-End Audio? Getting Started Defining Your System How to Choose an Audio System Defining Your Needs Setting Your Budget The Complete vs. the Incremental Purchase Value vs. Luxury Components...17 Allocating Your Budget to Specific Components Upgrading a Single Component How to Read Magazine Reviews System Matching Do s and Don ts of Selecting Components Your Relationship with the Retailer Used Equipment Product Upgrades Becoming a Better Listener Listening vs. Measurement Introduction to Critical Listening Audiophile Values...30 Pitfalls of Becoming a Critical Listener...33 Sonic Descriptions and their Meanings Tonal Balance...35 Overall Perspective...35 The Treble...36 The Midrange...37 The Bass...39 Soundstaging...41 Dynamics...43 Detail...44 Musicality...44 v

2 5 Digital Source Components Compact Disc High-End CD Playback: Dedicated CD Players and Separate Transports and Processors High-Definition Compatible Digital (HDCD) Digital Connections High-Resolution Digital Audio: SACD and DVD-Audio SACD...50 DVD-Audio...50 DualDisc...52 Universal Disc Players...52 Multichannel Output on High-Resolution Players Bass Management in SACD and DVD-A Players The Future of High-Resolution Digital Audio Music Servers Computer-Based Digital Audio and File Formats How to Choose a Digital Source What to Listen For Turntables, Tonearms, and Cartridges The Turntable The Base and Plinth...66 Sprung and Unsprung Turntables The Platter and Bearing Assembly...67 Platter Mats and Record Clamps...68 The Drive System...69 The Tonearm The Phono Cartridge Moving-Magnet and Moving-Coil Cartridges...72 The Stylus and Cantilever...73 How to Choose an LP Playback System What to Listen For Preamplifiers Types of Preamplifiers How to Choose a Preamplifier Tubes vs. Transistors...81 vi

3 Balanced and Unbalanced Connections...83 Audio/Video Controllers and Multichannel Preamplifiers Phono Preamplifiers RIAA Equalization...86 Phono-Stage Gain...86 Cartridge Loading...87 What to Listen For Power and Integrated Amplifiers A Survey of Amplifier Types Monoblock, Stereo, Three-Channel, and Multichannel Amplifiers...92 Integrated Amplifiers...93 Tubed Power Amplifiers...95 Single-Ended Triode Amplifiers...96 Single-Ended Solid-State Amplifiers...98 Class-D ( Switching ) Amplifiers...99 How to Choose a Power Amplifier Output-Power Specifications: Read the Fine Print Why Two 100W Amplifiers Can Have Different Output Powers Other Power-Amplifier Considerations Balanced Inputs Bridging What to Listen For Loudspeakers How to Choose a Loudspeaker Other Guidelines in Choosing Loudspeakers Finding the Right Loudspeaker Before You Buy What to Listen For Loudspeakers for Home Theater Loudspeaker Types and How They Work The Dynamic Driver The Planar-Magnetic Transducer The Electrostatic Driver vii

4 viii The Dipolar Radiation Patterns of Ribbons and Electrostatics Horn Loudspeakers Loudspeaker Enclosures Enclosure Shapes Air-Suspension and Bass-Reflex Enclosures Passive Radiators Powered and Servo-Driven Woofers Crossovers Digital Loudspeakers Subwoofers Audio for Home Theater and Multichannel Music Overview Surround Sound Should You Choose a 5.1-Channel or a 7.1-Channel System? Overview Audio/Video Receivers, Controllers, and Amplifiers Overview Home-Theater Loudspeakers A/V Receivers How to Choose a Receiver Inputs, Outputs, and Source Switching Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Surround-Decoding Formats Channel Analog Input Analog-Bypass Mode Automatic Calibration Channel Playback from 5.1-Channel Sources Multi-Room and Multi-Zone Power Output in AVRs Satellite Radio: XM and Sirius FM Tuner Performance THX Certification of AVRs and Controllers Multichannel Power Amplifiers How to Choose a Home-Theater Power Amplifier Loudspeakers for Home Theater

5 The Center-Channel Speaker Adding a Center Speaker to Your System Left and Right Speakers Surround Speakers Dipolar and Bipolar Surround Speakers Surround-Back Speakers for 7.1-Channel Sources Subwoofers Setting up a Home Theater Basic Setup Acoustical Treatment Speaker Placement Surround-Speaker Placement Surround-Back Speaker Placement for 7.1-Channel Sources Center-Speaker Placement Left and Right Speaker Placement Subwoofer Placement and Connection Calibrating a Home Theater Bass Management Setting Individual Channel Levels Adding Home Theater Without Compromising Music Performance Addendum: Surround-Sound Formats Cables, Racks, and AC Conditioners How to Choose Cables and Interconnects How Much Should You Spend on Cables and Interconnects? What to Listen For Binding Posts and Cable Terminations Bi-Wired Loudspeaker Cables Interconnects: Balanced and Unbalanced Cable and Interconnect Construction Equipment Racks AC Power Conditioners ix

6 12 How to Get the Best Sound From Your System Room Layout Loudspeaker Placement Dipolar and Bipolar Loudspeaker Placement Subwoofer Placement and Setup Multichannel Loudspeaker Placement Loudspeaker Placement Summary Optimizing Your Listening Room Common Room Problems and How to Treat Them Acoustical Do s and Don ts Digital Room Correction Accessories and Cable Dressing Glossary Index x