Introduction The Line 3 from Sonic Frontiers is the flagship of their preamplifier lineup. It’s a two-box system, with a separate power supply enclosure attached via a sizable umbilical cord to the Line Stage Preamplifier unit. Each enclosure measures in at 19 inches wide, 14-1/4 inches deep, and four-and-a-half inches tall, a size consistent with much of the Sonic Frontiers line. The combined weight is approximately 60 pounds. The Line 3 is a fully balanced tube preamplifier, incorporating a fully dual mono design. The Line 3 uses five 6922s and one 6U8A tube per channel, for a total of 12 tubes. There are sufficient input options, including two sets of balanced and four pairs of single-ended inputs. As for output options, there are two pairs of balanced and two sets of single-ended outputs for you to chose from. There are also external loops for tape in and out and a surround processor input which, ...

Introduction Some of you may be a bit surprised to see a review of a video gaming system here in the pages of Audio Revolution. Home video game systems can be a significant part of home entertainment and are relatively inexpensive and easy to add to your home theater. The Sega Dreamcast is the current king of the hill and will not face any serious competition until Sony’s second generation Playstation is out (reportedly later this year). The Dreamcast is a technical powerhouse with many new and innovative features. The Dreamcast has a 200 mhz, 128-bit CPU. Coupled with the unit’s NEC VR chip set, this allows intricate three-dimensional graphics to be drawn quickly and smoothly. Most other console games have either 32- or 64-bit processing. The Dreamcast’s 128-bit processor allows processing of data in groups two to four times larger in size. The result is faster and smoother gaming. For audio processing, Sega went to Yamaha. Yamaha ...

The Sony PFM 500 plasma is a $10,000 high-definition ready, 42-inch diagonal television or data grade, 16x9 aspect ratio video monitor. At six inches deep, it is not the most slender in its class, but compared to traditional CRT sets, Sony’s Plasma is easily twenty inches narrower. It can be hung on a wall with an additional bracket ($900) or it can be set on a flat surface by engaging the feet built into the monitor. Note: I am calling the Sony Plasma a monitor. It is not a television, as it does not have the built-in tuner, amplification or speakers that you’d find on a conventional TV set. The Sony Plasma is ready for HDTV in neighborhoods where this technology is already available. You will need a $1500 HDTV tuner and after-market antenna set-up in order to receive your NFL ...

Introduction The Strata 800 from XS Technologies is a Power Management System featuring an Uninterruptible Power Supply [UPS] and a detachtable remote control. The Strata 800 protects up to six A/V components from spikes, surges and power losses. The UPS function provides 20 additional minutes of power, allowing electrical devices to be turned off safely during a brownout or blackout. Due to their microprocessor based circuits, today's electrical devices are even more sensitive to power fluctuations. Many of these products, such as home automation systems, cable and WebTV boxes, and A/V or Satellite receivers, are dependent on a certain amount of memory which can get lost during a power outage. While power sags and surges are generally unnoticed and seemingly insignificant, power fluctuations can cause long-term damage to your components. Most surge protectors only handle short duration events. According to a recent report ...

Introduction Along with both Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, the Theater Grand from Sunfire is the only high-end digital processor/preamp I've reviewed with a 40 preset AM/FM Tuner and phono stage. When you consider that the Sunfire offers many more features than many heralded (and ultra-expensive) processors, it may surprise you that its price tag is well below the competition at $2,995. Proof that it doesn't require a second mortgage (just a good credit line) to have a terrific sound system. Interfacing Details When it comes to I/O connections, the Theater Grand is extremely well equipped. There is a total of five digital inputs (5 coax, 2 Toslink) and nine analog audio inputs (including the five grouped with composite and S-video connectors). There are two pairs of component inputs and a single set of component outputs. This is smart. If you have both a DVD and a DSS, you'll need a switcher, since most TVs equipped with component ...