Computer audio has come a long way since I purchased my first PC back in 1996. It was a Hewlett Packard model that ran on Windows 95 and had a pair of speakers that clipped onto each side of the monitor. That bulbous display and plastic speakers served as my first computer audio console, and though the sound was abysmal the prospect of having a glut of music at my fingertips was pretty cool. I watched as computer audio went from its humble beginnings to challenging home audio component space for pride of place. Many audiophiles are ditching their CD players for hard drives and CDs for audio files; others are treading into the waters slowly. Want to have your brain toasted? Visit an audio chat forum, ask what's the best way to set up a computer audio system and ...

It was 1976, I was 9 years old and having my first experience with “high-end” audio gear. My dad had just brought home a stereo system for our living room, including a receiver, cassette deck, turntable and speakers. The heart of it all was a Marantz Model 2235 Receiver. By audiophile standards, the 2235 was modest, but it still carried a hefty price tag of $450 – roughly equivalent to $1,700 in 2009. At 35 watts per channel, the 2235 wasn't going to shake our house, but it was the source of much enjoyable listening in a living room that really became the “entertainment” room. More than anything the receiver just looked cool. I loved how the blue light illuminated the front panel and how you could tune in radio stations with the Gyro Tuning Wheel – the wheel that ...

Introduction While the debates rage on over the newest HD formats and the subsequent gear and accessories needed to render beautiful images, I decided to detour my attention for a bit to focus on something that makes a bit more sense: two-channel audio. It’s been a while since I’ve sat down with a strictly two-channel component in my otherwise home theater and multi-channel audio-dominated home. While the Bel Canto e.One S300iu integrated amp is far from being just another two-channel component, my return to seeming simplicity was not only welcome, but eye-opening. My last foray into strictly two-channel fare was a few years ago, when my system comsisted of a series of boutique-style SET tube amps and a pair of incredibly efficient loudspeakers. Since then, I’ve gone on to build not one but three dedicated home theater spaces in my house, all but eliminating not just my investment in stereo, but my need for ...

Introduction The Fully Balanced Integrated Amplifier or F.B.I. is Krell’s no-holds-barred solution to an integrated two-channel audio system. Integrated amplifiers are often considered to be more or less lifestyle pieces. Not so with the 104-pound FBI. This massive $16,500 integrated amplifier started life as a separate amplifier/preamplifier combination. During the design process, it became apparent that the combining the two pieces would create a synergy that was not likely to be achieved when they operated separately. Krell has long been known for their large, high-power amplifiers, capable of providing some of the industry’s most powerful and detailed bass. The amplifier portion of the FBI is comprised of the popular FPB 300cx stereo amplifier. The FPB 300cx is part of the Full Powered Balance (FPB) series of amplifiers, which consists of completely discrete, fully balanced, dual differential single-channel and stereo amplifiers. These amplifiers, as well as the FBI, feature a Class A output, which is arguably the most ...

Introduction The Jolida JD-202A Level 1 Modification amplifier will most certainly capture the attention of those enthusiasts looking for performance tube gear that doesn’t require a armored truck delivery of funds to make it affordable. The modified JD-202A integrated amplifier is the latest product incarnation from high-end audio veteran Walter Liederman (co-founder of Hi-Fi Buys). Under his new company moniker “Underwood HiFi,” (formerly the Grahm Company) Liederman buys the stock JD-202A and has it modified at the Parts Connexion. This product takes its place beside other Liederman modified gems from Jolida and Shanling in the Underwood HiFi line. The amplifier in question starts life as a standard $750 Jolida JD-202A, then is shipped to The Parts Connexion, where it is extensively modified with tubes and components designed to substantially increase the performance of the product, all without dramatically increasing the price. The Jolida JD-202A with Level 1 mods is a 40-watt-per-channel stereo integrated amplifier that measures 12.5 inches ...