[TONEPUB]

Hi All:

The new issue is ready!  (finally...)

You can go to the site or download it here directly:

http://tonepublications.com/MAGPDF/TA_017.pdf

As always thanks for reading.  We have some new fun stuff this issue and a new section
in the middle of the magazine that we hope you will enjoy.

And, to make it even more fun/interesting, seeing we always seem to have four typos
no matter how many of us read this darn thing cover to cover, the first four to email
me with a typo will get a $25 gift certificate from SoundStage Direct towards your
next vinyl purchase.

So, find a missing comma, get an LP!

Enjoy

[jkelly]

Bravo! What an incredibly awesome publication!

[cryoparts]

The photographs that you took at the live music events are really incredible.  I really love the one on page 48. 

Great job Jeff and everyone else at Tone!   

Peace,

Lee

[TONEPUB]

Thanks!

You going to be at RMAF?

[cryoparts]

Thanks!
You going to be at RMAF?

Unfortunately, due to my continued pressing family issues, plus moving cross country this week and then trying to get the new shop set up ASAP so the move will affect business as little as possible, I won't be able to exhibit this year.  Bummer...this will be the first year I've missed.     

However, I am going to try and attend at least a day or two so I can check out out the toys.

You exhibiting again this year?

Peace,

Lee

[Zero]

Great issue Jeff.

[timind]

I'll probably read it through this weekend but let me say this; I believe that may be the best looking on-line magazine I've seen. Advertisers should be knocking down your portal door.

[TONEPUB]

Thanks!

Well, no Bentley in the driveway yet, but managing to keep the writers
paid!

Thanks for reading....

[AliG]

Jeff,
So you like Audio Research PH7 more than VPS and Conrad Johnson? aa

[saisunil]

It is amazing how you and your team does it Jeff - issue after issue - all - free for public.
It is true service to the audio industry.

I loved the Channel Island DAC Review. I agree - the upgraded Power Supply is a must for good systems.
Since, the Power Supply upgrade is modular it can be done at any time as the budget allows.

Very nicely done review...

[TONEPUB]

Jeff,
So you like Audio Research PH7 more than VPS and Conrad Johnson? aa

As for VPS and ARC, it's a pretty close match there.  For me, having more than
one table, the Nagra gets the call in my system.  If I only had one table it would
be a more difficult choice.  They are both quite good.

Those two are so close, I think it would depend on the rest of your system
to make the ultimate call. (and how badly you need the remote!)

The CJ TEA-1 with all the upgrades and caps for 10k still gets the nod in ultimate
weight, dynamics and tonality, but it's 4k more!  Also the Aesthetix IO is still the
top of the heap for me, but as I explained in the article, too many tubes to use
10 hours a day!

[TONEPUB]

thanks for the help everyone....

Looks like we've found the glitches and a corrected version will be uploaded in about an hour. 

I'll extend the prize a bit, seeing I made so many mistakes this time.

The good news is the final editor (me) is getting fired and we've hired a much better replacement!  SO, it's gonna be harder to find those typos next issue.

Thanks for playing!

And thanks for reading....

[kenreau]

Another fantastic job Jeff (and gang). 

Amazing high quality photos and excellent broad coverage of gear, music (pre recorded and live shows) and stuff.

I really enjoyed the Frampton piece.  I think I wore out two copies of that "Frampton Comes Alive" lp, back in the day.  Would have really enjoyed seeing the covers of BH Sun and My Guitar...   I recently saw him perform a concert on one of the HD channels (HDNet?) and was really impressed.  He hasn't lost anything, but his hair.

[tablaloops]

I'll probably read it through this weekend but let me say this; I believe that may be the best looking on-line magazine I've seen. Advertisers should be knocking down your portal door.

Truly, This is the best-looking online mag so much so that sometimes I wish for a glossy print copy of TA for my coffee table...  Also  to the new format a la lifestyle mag..

On the gear stuff... I really enjoy reading your reviews on phono stages and admire your passion for analog. So yet another pointed question  -  Many moons ago, you had reviewed the Sim Audio Moon LP5.3 - How would you compare the LP5.3 with the Black Cube SE especially since they are in the same price range ?  aa

[TONEPUB]

I'll probably read it through this weekend but let me say this; I believe that may be the best looking on-line magazine I've seen. Advertisers should be knocking down your portal door.

Truly, This is the best-looking online mag so much so that sometimes I wish for a glossy print copy of TA for my coffee table...  Also  to the new format a la lifestyle mag..

On the gear stuff... I really enjoy reading your reviews on phono stages and admire your passion for analog. So yet another pointed question  -  Many moons ago, you had reviewed the Sim Audio Moon LP5.3 - How would you compare the LP5.3 with the Black Cube SE especially since they are in the same price range ?  aa

Thanks for the comments.  We will never become a print magazine for many reasons that I've listed elsewhere
since we started publishing.  Print is on the way out and it's just not cost effective.  If we wanted to have a print
edition of TONE with the level of quality necessary, it would be 20 bucks an issue.  No one is going to pay that
much for a hifi/music magazine.  I also just don't see it as terribly environmentally responsible either...

Not that I wouldn't love to walk into Barnes & Noble and see people reading my magazine!

As for the Sim vs. the black cube, that's pretty close soundwise.  The big advantage to the Sim is the balanced outputs
if you have a fully balanced system. 

[vinyl anachronist]

I'll probably read it through this weekend but let me say this; I believe that may be the best looking on-line magazine I've seen. Advertisers should be knocking down your portal door.

Truly, This is the best-looking online mag so much so that sometimes I wish for a glossy print copy of TA for my coffee table...  Also  to the new format a la lifestyle mag..

On the gear stuff... I really enjoy reading your reviews on phono stages and admire your passion for analog. So yet another pointed question  -  Many moons ago, you had reviewed the Sim Audio Moon LP5.3 - How would you compare the LP5.3 with the Black Cube SE especially since they are in the same price range ?  aa

I have to assume this is for me since I did both reviews.  I had two completely different systems for these two reviews, since they were written about 18 months apart, so it's tough to do a direct comparison.  I was equally impressed with both, however. I bought the Lehmann, BTW.

[kbuzz3]

Love tone audio. Please let me echo one the prior comments above that i would love a print edition.  The pdf file is large and cumbersome.

the content however, is refreshing and wonderful.

[tablaloops]

Thanks for your comments, both Mark and Jeff.. While I was in the market for a phono stage, I was considering both the LP5.3 and Black Cube - but finally went with the LP5.3 (and that was after I read the TA review ; I also liked the comment on where you likened the LP5.3 to a "chameleon"    ) I'm currently using balanced outputs going to the Melody I880.

As for a print copy - would be a nice option to "custom order", but I'm sure the economics of publishing would not make this option feasible.. some day maybe..

[TONEPUB]

Nope, the print to order services are very low quality.  We would never be able to get the quality that we get on screen and those guys would charge about 75 bucks for one off copies.

Print just doesn't make sense for us in today's world.

The PDF is no larger than the digital download of Stereophile or any of the other magazines that you can buy from Zinio or the couple of other online outlets. Considering the price and the fact that about eight years worth of TONE will fit on one DVD as compared to a pile of one hundred print magazines that will be dog-eared by that time, I still think it's a deal.

A print magazine today for what we do just doesn't make that much sense economically for the publisher or the reader.

If it was 15 years ago, we might have considered it.....

Either way, thanks for reading!

[kwl]

Great issue!  You rated the CI VDA2 w. VAC1 a "giant killer" among DACs.  How did it compare to the other DACS you had on hand, particularly those in the same general price category (i.e., Benchmark, PS Audio Digital Link III)?