Volume - I Issue - VII February 19th, 1988 Network AAA U U DDDD IIIII OOO A A U U D D I O O AAAAA U U D D I O O A A U U D D I O O A A UUU DDDD IIIII OOO BBBB IIIII TTTTT SSS B B I T S BBBB I T SSS B B I T S BBBB IIIII T SSS & Audio Software Review (c) Copyright 1988 by Michael A. Murphy All original materials Copyright by the Author ======================================================================== CONTENTS Editorial Compact Disc Reviews 1) Pictures Of Earth + Space - Jim Bartz 2) To Be Free - District Six 3) Live On The Double Planet - Michael Hedges * By Michael Dow * 4) Never Give In - Pato Banton 5) Motown Elite 9000 Sampler - Various Artists Artist Spotlight - Jane Siberry The Walking The Speckless Sky No Borders Here Record Reviews 1) WisconsInsane - Sigmund Snopek III 2) Double Image - Frank Morgan and George Cables 3) Morning Walk - Metamora Equipment Reviews * By Dave Holmes * 1) Magnepan Magneplanar MG-IIIa speakers Concert Watch ======================================================================== EDITORIAL Welcome to the seventh issue of Network AUDIO BITS & Software Review! This issue has something of a 'Wisconsin connection' to it. With reviews of material by Jim Bartz and Sigmund Snopek III each of whom call the dairy state home, the 'Wisconsin connection' is explained. This issue also features two sides of Windham Hill in Michael Hedges and Metamora. Hedges is a one man guitar rock show who also slows the tempo down for quiet pieces. Metamora's music is quiet and relaxing, allowing one's mind to ease up and focus on life's beauties rather than it's daily struggles. More and more, these days, artists, studios and record companies are taking advantage of digital technology to record new works. Five of this issue's reviews are digital recordings. Some of the results of digital technology are astounding, especially within the realm of Compact Discs where there is so much more sonic capacity than an LP or pre-recorded cassette. I've found very few recordings that made use of digital technology in the recording process that were not excellent recordings. Occasionally I've come across a digitally recorded Compact Disc which is not quite as ambient as its analog counterpart, but these are becoming fewer and fewer now that more and more people are using and beginning to learn the limitations (or lack of them) of digital technology. I'd like to start a feature in this issue that probably will not appear every issue, but hopefully will be an informative and entertaining feature that will appear when merited. The feature is an artist spotlight and this issue's spotlight is on Jane Siberry who has just released her latest album "The Walking." Ambient. Ambience. Nice word. Very applicable to most of the recordings reviewed in this issue. Many other new albums are hitting the records stores now or will be there soon. New albums by Robert Plant, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Smithereens, Bruce Hornsby & The Range, Jerry Harrison (of Talking Heads), Carly Simon, Timbuk 3, Chaka Khan, Robyn Hitchcock, Talking Heads, James Taylor, The Clash, Sade, 'til Tuesday, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ziggy Marley should all be out by mid-March or so. Oh, my aching wallet...! Now, on to the reviews! ======================================================================== Pictures Of Earth + Space Observations Jim Bartz Channels (intro) Producer: Jim Bartz T Colour Stills Engineer: Jim Bartz R Ostentasia I & II Audion SYNCD 311 A A Passage Thru Released: 1987 C Edges Total Disc Time: 36:50 K Over Oceans Source - CD S Terraqueous SPARS Code - DDD Skies Performance: 8 Sound Quality: 10 Guitarist Jim Bartz was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is currently 24 years old and has played in various cover bands in the local Milwaukee music scene. Bartz enrolled in a studio engineering course and was hired by Royal Recorders Studios. With no previous experience, Bartz began work as an assistant on a project for a major label. Bartz' progressive rock influences are evident in his music, especially those of Patrick Moraz. I am also reminded of a lot of early Alan Parsons Project music while listening to "Pictures of Earth + Space," especially portions of "I, Robot." Bartz obvious knowledge of the studio is also evident on this disc. He uses all the equipment he has access to to produce the desired sounds. I hesitate to label this music, but I fear that if a label must be placed, it would have to be called 'New Age' music. There is an ethereal quality in the music that is reflected by our own inherent perceptions of space. The moods and feelings on this disc would not be out of place in, oh, say the 2001 soundtrack and thus they do hold true to the title of the disc. I've found that this is a very good headphone disc and is great to listen to when you just want to let your mind flow freely and wander where it may. The stars the limit... ======================================================================== To Be Free Ke A Rona (Power to the People) District Six Into the Light Producer: District Six T Etlon-Tu Engineer: Nick Horne R Songs for Winnie Mandela Editions EG EEGCD 53 A a) Reasons of the Heart Released: 1987 C b) Kwa Tebugo (at Louis's House) Total Disc Time: 57:26 K c) Unity Dance Source - Compact Disc S Kali-Mba (Night Song) SPARS Code - AAD Mbiso Performance: 8 Sound Quality: 9.5 District Six have been a part of the UK jazz scene since the early eighties. The initial idea of the group was to develop the music familiar to founding members Mervyn Africa, Russel Herman and Brian Abrahams from life in their native South Africa. 'District Six' actually existed at one time near Capetown. It was a place where refugees and 'undesirables' were placed by the South African apartheid government. The district no longer exists, but the essence of life there is captured within the spirit of the band. That spirit, however, is elusive on this disc and is discovered in spots, but remains a flitting and furtive figure over a good portion of the disc. Currently the band members are Abrahams (drums), Jim Dvorak (trumpet), Harrison Smith (reeds) and Dill Katz (bass). Joining them on piano for the "To Be Free" sessions is South African pianist Chris McGregor. Together they create music that is both challenging and lukewarm. I may be expecting too much since I have been listening to a lot of great American Jazz lately and these able performers certainly do not share the same history as American jazz performers. With all the tension and chaos that has been going on in South Africa, I think that this recording would be much better if it had a little more anger reflected in the music. Parts of this disc are very inspired and can really move the listener. Most of the two long musical excursions ('Into the Light' at 16:41, and 'Songs for Winnie Mandela' at 17:30) are like this, moving in and out of moods and tempos and taking the listener along with them. These songs comprise over half of the disc, so the disc is worthwhile even if the rest of the music is not up to the same standards. The rest of the tracks are all listenable, but really don't reach out and grab one like 'Into the Light' and 'Songs for Winnie...' do. 'Kali-Mba (Night Song)' is probably the best of the rest with it's relaxed rhythm giving a bit of what the night might bring in a racially torn area like Capetown, South Africa. But it sounds too relaxed to me. I can't imagine District Six, the place, having a relaxed and soothing atmosphere. Technically, the playing here is faultless and the sound of the disc is quite excellent. Analog mastering in the eighties has come a long way from analog mastering in years past. ======================================================================== Live From the Double Planet All Along The Watchtower Michael Hedges Because Its There Producer: Michael Hedges Silent Anticipations T Ready Or Not R A Love Bizarre Engineer: Bernie Grundman A Breakfast In The Field Windham Hill WD-1066 C Rikki's Shuffle Released: 1987 K Woman Of The World Total Disc Time: 44:13 S The Double Planet Source - Compact Disc The Funky Avocado SPARS Code - DAD Come Together Two Days Old Performance: 10 Sound Quality: 10 If it is at all possible, Michael Hedges has bested his previous albums with this collection of recordings of his recent live performances. Hedges' unique style has reached a new level of creativity and sophistication since "Aerial Boundaries". His live performance brings to bear the personality behind his talent and raises it to heights never seen in other instrumentalists. He combines the musical life of Leo Kottke, the melodic power of Pierre Bensusan and the laughing, lilting, almost dizzying joy he projects to his audience to create an enthralling atmosphere of musical presence. With his combination of original and adapted compositions, he paints a wide picture of the diversity to be found in music. Michael Hedge's musical ability has grown in leaps and bounds since his first solo album, "Watching My Life Go By" (1981). His clear voice (with its incredible cutting edge) couples with his guitar style to form musical power that is only limited by the constraints of his instrument. Listeners will be able to see a varied progression of this growth in the selections which appear on "Double Planet". His adaptations of Sheila E's "A Love Bizarre" and Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" bring to life the creativity found in all of Hedge's music. His performance on the 'Harp Guitar' (a very unusual instrument featuring a six string guitar and a 5 string acoustic bass all in one instrument) shows the diversity with which he creates his music. A particularly notable song, "Ready Or Not" is one which has a contagious melody sure to captivate the listener and bring a smile as Hedge's calmly flies through the easy- going refrain. The final track, "Two Days Old" is a bonus track unavailable on the LP. This is a truly remarkable disc, in the Windham Hill style. There is no one type of music on it, rather there is a diversity that will appeal to listeners of all types of music. ======================================================================== Never Give In Pato & Roger Come Again Pato Banton Never Give in Producers: Pato Banton, G.T. Don't Sniff Coke Haynes, Jack Butler, Paul T Settle Satan Shaffer, Ranking Roger R Hello Tosh Engineers: Pato Banton & A Absolute Perfection G.T. Haynes C Don't Worry Primitive Man IRSD-42119 K Handsworth Riot Released: 1988 S Gwarn! Total Disc Time: 55:30 Too Much War Source - Compact Disc Pato's Opinion SPARS Code - ??D King Step Performance: 8 Sound Quality: 9.5 Pato Banton has the driving reggae beat down pat. His vocals are captivating and hypnotic at times throughout "Never Give In." The only problem with this disc is that the songwriting does not stand up to the framework its been thrust into. There are moments of brilliance, which makes this disc very worthwhile. An entire album of songs of the caliber of "Never Give In", "Don't Sniff Coke", "Settle Satan" and "Absolute Perfection" would be an aural pleasure! There are no songwriting credits listed in the liner notes and given the oft self-indulgent lyrics and song titles it's a safe bet that Pato wrote the songs. "Never Give In" contains some political stabs and a little bit of humor. But both are mostly superfluous. A littler harder edge on both would make this a much better recording. If Tipper Gore had her way, this recording would contain the warning 'Content objectionable to some conservatives!' Throughout most of the disc, Pato adheres to a basic reggae sound. He does stray a bit into an electro-funk area with "Hello Tosh." "Hello Tosh" is the 'best of the rest'. The other seven songs are all listenable and in some cases rather catchy, but are all substantially less noteworthy than the songs already mentioned. With some better material Pato Banton could hold his own when mentioned in the same breath as Bob Marley & The Wailers, UB40, Jimmy Cliff and other reggae greats. A couple of minor notes: Paul Shaffer (of Late Night with David Letterman fame) co-produces and shares lead vocals on the song "Absolute Perfection". The compact disc contains two extra songs, "Pato's Opinion" and "King Step." ======================================================================== Motown Elite Sampler Various Artists T L Producers: Various R i B | Engineers: Various A s e | Motown MCD00900MD C t l | Released: 1987 K e o | Total Disc Time: 57:25 S d w \ / Source - Compact Disc SPARS Code - A?D Performance: 9.5 Sound Quality: 8.5 The Motown Elite 9000 Series Sampler is chock full of hits, mostly from the 60's. The songs and artists all pretty much speak for themselves. These songs have all stood the test of time well, though I could do without Michael Jackson's "Ben". I bought my copy of this disc for $3.99! That's right. A CD that's almost an hour long for $3.99. Someone is finally beginning to listen to the consumer. The notes on the back of the folding cardboard 'jewel' box explain that this sampler is a preview of Motown's Elite 9000 series of Compact Discs that are supposed to be priced like records and tapes. I haven't seen any of the 9000 series discs in stores as yet, but it will be interesting to see what their prices are. There's certainly some excellent music in the Motown vaults and to get this music onto CD for a reasonable price just may be a step in the right direction for *all* CD prices. The sound quality of this sampler is about what one can expect from a CD made up of songs primarily recorded in the sixties. Overall, the sound is very good, but there is some noticeable hiss and a bit of harshness in a very few places. All in all, a very worthwhile CD! How many records have you bought recently that contain this much *good* music? *Editor's Note* The tracks are listed below since size constraints make it difficult to list them in the format I've adopted for most other reviews. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Shop Around - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes Fingertips (Pt. II) - Stevie Wonder (Love is Like a) Heatwave - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Where Did Our Love Go - Diana Ross & The Supremes Reach Out, I'll Be There - Four Tops I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye Someday We'll Be Together - Diana Ross & The Supremes The Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles I'll Be There - The Jackson 5 Let's Stay Together - Al Green Ben - Michael Jackson Keep On Truckin' - Eddie Kendricks Daddy Could Swear (I Declare) - Gladys Knight & The Pips Papa Was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations Three Times a Lady - The Commodores ======================================================================== The Walking Jane Siberry Producers: John Switzer and The White Tent the Raft Jane Siberry T Red High Heels Engineer: John Naslen R Goodbye Duke Street DSR 31040 A Ingrid and the Footman Released: 1987 C Lena is a White Table Total Disc Time: 57:40 K The Walking (and Constantly) Source - LP S The Lobby Digitally Recorded The Bird in the Gravel Performance: 10 Sound Quality: 10 Jane Siberry first started becoming known in Canada when her song 'Mimi on the Beach,' from her first album for Duke Street Records entitled "No Borders Here," became a hit. "No Borders Here" gives us an indication of things to come with some very imaginative lyrics and striking musical arrangements. Where Suzanne Vega's music and lyrics are sometimes shocking and Christine Lavin's music and lyrics are wry and humorous, Jane's music grabs one's attention just as quickly with it's sometimes quirky rhythms and lyrics. This is particularly evident on songs like 'The Waitress', Extra Executives' and 'Symmetry (The Way Things Have to Be)' from "No Borders Here." The images and feelings Jane expresses on her albums have to be experienced. One cannot do this by just playing her music as a background. Jane's music was designed for listening. Each listening can bring new revelations; exposure to new layers of Jane's music. In 1985 Jane released "The Speckless Sky" which was a little more relaxed, though it picked up right where "No Borders Here" left off. Songs like 'Seven Steps to the Wall', 'The Empty City', and 'Map of the World (part II)' give one that same odd sensation first felt on "No Borders Here." Jane toured intensively in Canada in support of 'The Speckless Sky'. At about this time Windham Hill released "No Borders Here" in the U.S. on their Open Air label. Open Air followed this with a spring 1986 release of "The Speckless Sky." Jane earned a gold record in Canada for "The Speckless Sky" and has won Casby awards for 'Best Female Vocalist' in 1985 and 'Album of the Year' and 'Producer of the Year' (along with John Switzer) in 1986. Jane was also nominated for a Juno award as 'Best Female Vocalist' in November of 1986. On "The Walking" (released in fall 1987 in Canada and spring 1988 in the U.S.A. on Warner Brothers Records) Jane has relaxed her music just a bit more, though her lyrics and arrangements remain complex. "The Walking" is a much more reflective album than either of her last two. If a picture is worth a thousand words then the cover photo of "The Walking" captures the essence of the music within. Hazy, unfocused and dreamlike, the cover picture of Jane with a light blue background suggests an autumn coolness which hints at the nature of the album. "During the making of this album I lost and found myself by walking, and walking... unwinding the songs from their hidden states, unrolling other thoughts that occupied me into a better understanding..." With Jane's new multi-record contract with Warner Brothers Records she will be receiving world-wide exposure. Perhaps the best decision both sides could have made in regard to the contract is for Jane to retain 'creative control' and produce her own records. Bravo for Warner Brothers! I can't imagine anyone else producing Jane other than Jane (with John Switzer). With these three albums ("No Borders Here", "The Speckless Sky" and "The Walking") Jane has established herself and has become one of my favorite artists. She has also become one of my favorite poets; her lyrics and images grace a printed page as well as they grace their musical frame. Jane's feelings about "The Walking" can best be summed up by the final thank-you in her liner notes: "and also to these songs and the ones i never finished for being my constant companions this winter 1986-87 ever riotous, ever willing, ever walking". Discography: In Canada --------- 198? Jane Siberry 1984 No Borders Here Duke Street DSR 31006 1985 The Speckless Sky Duke Street DSR 31019 1987 The Walking Duke Street DSR 31040 U.S.A. ------ 1984 No Borders Here Open Air OA-? 1985 The Speckless Sky Open Air OA-6-0305 1988 The Walking Reprise 25678-1 ======================================================================== Wisconsin Waltz Shake the Fruit WisconsInsane On the Way to Oconto Sigmund Snopek III The Rose of Wisconsin Producers: Victor DeLorenzo and Sing For Me Sigmund Snopek III T Plainfield Engineer: Dave Neitzke R One Hand Washes the Other Dali DLP-20010 A On Wisconsin Released: 1987 C Aina Hey Total Disc Time: 39:55 K Thank God This isn't Cleveland Source - LP S Summer Guest I'm So Tired of Singing About the Sky Performance: 8 8th and Oklahoma Sound Quality: 9 Movie Songs Call Me in Wisconsin (Before the War) Wisconsin Waltz "WisconsInsane" is an album that is fun, witty, melodic and folky. There's a good balance between the music and the vocals and there are enough odd things happening on this record to keep the listener just slightly off balance. 'Slip Away' is arguably the best and perhaps the catchiest tune on "WisconsInsane." I've found myself humming it on numerous occasions after listening to the album and the tune sticks in my head usually for several hours. It reminds me a bit of some of George Harrison's past solo work (ie 'Faster' and 'Crackerbox Palace'). Snopek involves other family members on a short track on "WisconsInsane," much like John Cougar Mellencamp did on "Scarecrow." Snopek's parents do a quaint and dryly humorous bit discussing coupons and fish sticks. Snopek has put together an all-star Wisconsin group of guests and band members. Brian Ritchie and Victor DeLorenzo of Violent Femmes are featured on the entire album and numerous other guests appear on one or more tracks. These include Xeno, Robin Pluer, Steve MacKay and Peter Balestrieri. Snopek plays keyboards, flute and contributes some of the vocals. Some of the best cuts are the aforementioned 'Slip Away', 'Sing for Me' which is catchy and touching, 'Thank God This isn't Cleveland' which pokes fun at Cleveland (obviously) and is rather an amusing track, and 'I'm So Tired of Singing About the Sky' which is also a wryly humorous song. The album is obviously Wisconsin oriented and does have it's share of portions that one might consider "not quite sane". Thus, the title is very appropriate. On 'Thank God...' there are bagpipes wailing that add a nice touch to the end of the song. ======================================================================== Double Image All the Things You Are Frank Morgan, George Cables T Virgo Producer: Not Credited R Blues For Rosalinda Engineer: Greg Scott A After You've Gone Contemporary C-14035 C Helen's Song Released: 1987 K Love Dance Total Disc Time: 45:39 S Love Story Source - LP I Told You So Digital Recording Performance: 9.5 Sound Quality: 9.5 The music on "Double Image" is music one might might expect to find, say, late at night in a hazy, smoky barroom near closing time. Only one or two customers are left in the place and Frank Morgan (on alto sax) and George Cables (piano) are jamming on stage. Their music here is laid back and bluesy, intimate and personal. Neither tries to outdo the other, yet both play with skill and feeling. Atmosphere such as this is hard to come by. One might almost call it magical. Particularly enchanting are the tracks 'Blues for Rosalinda' and 'I Told You So'. And I've never heard 'Love Story' done so well! "Double Image" is best when experienced either alone with one's thoughts or when it is shared with that special someone. It's not a party record, though it certainly would be an acceptable record to put on when a party is winding down and reaching it's more intimate closing stages. A key word for "Double Image" is 'Intimacy'. You can't get much more intimate with the music or the performers. With anything larger than a duo, these songs would still go over well, but they would lose some of the magic that has been created here on "Double Image." Cables and Morgan come from vastly different backgrounds. Cables has had a consistent and stable career playing with many of the jazz giants over the last 20 or so years. He has played with groups headed by Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Art Pepper and Dexter Gordon, among others. Morgan, on the other hand, put out a single album in 1955 and then did not record again for nearly 25 years. During those 25 years Morgan struggled with his addiction to heroin and was incarcerated a number of times. In the late seventies Morgan made a tentative reappearance on the jazz scene playing an occasional club date or working as a sideman. In 1985 he was signed to Contemporary records and released his first album since 1955. Morgan has now recorded three albums for Contemporary ('Easy Living'/C-14013, 'Lament'/C-14021 and 'BeBop Lives!'/C-14026) which have all received critical acclaim. Another album is due this spring with the McCoy Tyner Trio. Morgan also has taken up a bit of acting. He made his debut last November in an off-Broadway production of "Prison- Made Tuxedos", a play largely based on Morgan's life. Cables and Morgan have expressed a desire to get together and record another duo album. We can only hope that they do it soon. Contemporary Records is a part of the Fantasy Record Group and if your local record store does not carry their products you can write to Fantasy for a catalog and information at: Fantasy Inc. Contemporary Records Tenth and Parker Berkeley, California 94710 ======================================================================== Morning Walk Through the Woods Metamora Morning Walk Producer: Philip Aaberg T North in the Mountains Engineer: Stephen Hart R The Lullaby of Muffe Windham Hill WH-1068 A Lord of the Sky Released: 1988 C Siri's Arrival Total Disc Time: 38:19 K The Long View Source - LP S Rhubarb An All Digital Recording Sunlight The Inside Passage Performance: 10 Sound Quality: 10 "Morning Walk" is an apt title for Metamora's first Windham Hill album. They have two previous recordings on the Sugar Hill label, each member has released one solo album and Dalglish and Larsen have teamed up for three other collaborative albums. Their music is peaceful and relaxing like an early morning walk. At points throughout the album I can picture a walk in the woods after or during a light rain in summer or early fall. Metamora are Malcom Dalglish (hammer dulcimer, vocals), Grey Larsen and Pete Sutherland. Larsen and Sutherland play a wide variety of instruments on this recording including flute, whistles, piano, synthesiser, anglo concertina, Hardanger fiddle, guitar, fiddle and vocals. Producer Philip Aaberg, a fellow Windham Hill artist, lends a hand playing piano on 'Rhubarb' and 'Morning Walk' and synthesiser on 'Through the Woods' and 'The Long View'. "Morning Walk" is a digital recording which produces superb sound, which is not unusual for a Windham Hill recording. Dalglish's hammer dulcimer is perhaps the dominant instrument on the album, shining through quietly, but clearly. No one track on "Morning Walk' stands out, though I like 'Siri's Arrival' just a bit more than the rest, and this is one of the albums strengths. The instrumental abilities of each of the three musicians are also very strong, especially Dalglish, who is featured on hammer dulcimer. Eight of the ten tracks were written by Metamora, either individually or collectively. The other two tracks, 'North in the Mountains' and 'The Lullaby of Muffe' are arrangements of 'Nordafjels', a traditional Norwegian Hardanger fiddle tune, and 'La Berceuse De Muffe', a traditional Belgian melody, respectively. ======================================================================== Product Review: Magnepan Magneplanar MG-IIIa Manufacturer's Specifications: Description : 3-Way, Combination Planar/Magnetic and True Ribbon Tweeter Frequency Response: 32 Hz to 40 kHz, +/- 3dB Recommended Power : 75 to 200 Watts RMS, 8 Ohms Sensitivity : 85 dB @ 1 Watt/1 Meter Impedance : 4 Ohms, Resistive Dimensions : 68 3/4" H by 23 3/4" W by 1 3/4" D Finish : Oak, brass, or chrome side panels with off-white, black, or brown grill cloth List Price : $1995.00 per pair Before I really get started I have to warn everybody that I've moved into the upstairs apartment and as a result the listening room has changed substantially. It is now approximately 30'L by 14'W by 8' H. The carpeting is wall to wall and fairly heavy and all of the equipment save for the amplifiers and haunted fish tank (television) have been moved off into a side alcove. Bass response is much better now due to the fact that the room is considerably larger and I am having much less resonance problems than before. It's a little brighter than I'd like but right at the moment there isn't much that can be done about it. Now that that's out of the way.... On to yet another speaker review. This time we're going to stretch the price point a little from the past reviews I've written, well quite a lot actually. I realize that a lot of people are on really tight budgets but I happen to believe that it's always interesting to see how the more expensive stuff compares to what is available to the "common man" as far as sound quality is concerned. This review will concern itself with the sound of the Magneplanar MG-IIIa speakers. Magnepan first opened their doors as a small audiophile speaker company back in 1971 at which point the speakers were mostly hand made. Since that time they have grown into a 50,000 square foot manufacturing plant and have sold roughly 130,000 pairs of speakers over the years. The line of Magnepan speakers range in price from $500.00 per pair for the SMG-a all the way up to $3800.00 per pair for the top of the line Tympani-IVa. As of this writing I have experienced the sound of the entire line, with the noticeable exception of the Tympani-IVa's, which I haven't heard at all. The entire line shares the same basic driver technology for the midrange and bass panels. They use what they refer to as a planar-magnetic driver (hence the name Magneplanar). This consists of a very low mass sheet of mylar, .0005" in thickness, with a pattern of aluminum wire that covers most all of the radiating area. Behind that sits an array of bar magnets which in turn provide the force to drive the entire diaphragm as if it were a single unit. All of the speakers use this type of design for both the midrange and bass units on all the speakers. Actually on any of the models below the MG-2.5/R the midrange panel is actually a midrange/tweeter panel. The MG-2.5/R, MG- IIIa, and Tympani-IVa all use a separate ribbon tweeter, of various lengths, for the upper frequencies rather than depending on the planar magnetic design to supply them. The MG-IIIa uses a 2.5 micron thick, 60 inch long ribbon tweeter. Magnepan claims that this is the lowest mass ribbon on the market. I can only take their word for it as I have no idea what the mass is on the Apogee line of pure ribbon speakers, the only other manufacturer of a ribbon design that springs instantly to mind. Enough of the technical background, now on to how they sound. Let me start off by saying that I have been listening to Magneplanar speakers on and off for many years at a local dealership. My experience goes back as far as the old MG-Ia's and MG-IIa's (they're now up to the letter "c" in their product designations on these models). Quite frankly I'd always been more than a little disappointed with the older models that were out. The old MG-IIa's didn't image all that well and I always got the distinct impression that there was an awful lot of detail missing in the upper end. Then along came the MG-IIb's which have come a long way from the older models (I still haven't had a chance to give the new IIc's a serious listen). They have gotten rid of a great deal of the "vertical venetian blind" effect that the old ones had. This is typified by an incredibly narrow listening "window". Any movement of the head horizontally from perfect center made for large shifts in the image. They also sounded terrible if you were standing up, not that I ever do any serious listening standing up mind you. What all this is leading up to is that I have never been overly impressed with the Magnepans I had heard over the years. They had some very fine strengths but I felt that the weaknesses were more than I was willing to put up with in a relatively expensive speaker. Then a friend of mine who works for the the local dealer cajoled me into sitting down and listening to a pair of the MG-IIIa's for a while. I made it quite clear to him that I really never did like the sound of any of the line but I admitted to how I had never had a chance to listen to the IIIa's. I am never too much of a snob to give anything a chance so I agreed to plunk down and give them a listen for a while. Not to mention I had seen some good write ups of them elsewhere and was curious, and more than a little skeptical, about the reviews I had read. The skepticism disappeared within the first few minutes of listening. The MG-IIIa's are like no other Magneplanar I have ever heard. The dull high end that I had always associated with them was gone entirely. The high frequencies are reproduced with an almost ethereal delicacy. There is a huge amount of detail and the openness is nothing short of astounding. They seem to have gotten rid of the typical "Maggie midrange" too, which the entire line has had since the very beginning and I have found to be more than a minor annoyance. It's not that the midrange was ever bad but you were always left with the impression that it was the kind of midrange you'd hear out of just about any reasonably competent speaker design. At $1200.00 per pair for the MG-IIb's, they should have sounded a lot better in the midrange than the Spica TC-50's but in fact they didn't hold a candle to them. The Spica's when mated to the VMPS subwoofer was, to my ears, a much better overall system for roughly the same price. Better low end extension, better midrange, and equally detailed in the high end. Neither one of them is the last word when it comes to detail but they are both quite reasonable. With the MG-III's you get the impression that numerous veils are being lifted from the music. It can turn you into a true believer in ribbon speakers very quickly, for it is obviously the tweeter that is the reason for most of the benefits in the way they sound. The midrange also has an immediacy that I haven't heard from any of the other ones, save for the MG-2.5/R's, but more on them at the end of the review. The midrange on the MG-III's is a very noticeable improvement over the Spica's and a phenomenal improvement over the cheaper Maggies. I assume this is attributable to a larger panel size on the MG-III's when compared to the rest of the cheaper Magnepan line or possibly changes in the crossover. Both of the midrange and woofer panels are larger than those used in the less expensive models and it really shows in bass output as well as midrange accuracy. The low end out of these is nothing short of amazing for a panel loudspeaker. I'm getting good flat bass response down to about 40 Hz. This is not as good as with the VMPS subwoofers, by a good 10 Hz or so, and you do notice a lack in the deep bass extension but the naturalness with which the MG-III's reproduce the bass they have is quite good. I think it's only fair to point out that the main reason for the good bass I'm getting is due to the room size. I have been told by many reliable sources that the MG-III's do not typically have as good a low end response as I have been getting in my room. I also know of more than a few people that complain about how little low end they really have. As always, room acoustics play a large part in the sound of any speaker and it would appear as if I have a room that is well suited to the speakers in review. In other words, "your mileage may vary." The MG-III's provide a very seamless transition over the entire frequency range. This is one of the smoothest speaker systems I have ever heard regardless of price. This however is very dependent on room placement and any acoustical materials in use. They really need to be set up optimally or else they will sound terrible. You can expect to spend a good couple of weeks tweaking them into the right place in your room before they really start to sound their best. A friend with a good ear can be a huge aid in set up. At the asking price of the speaker the dealer should also be willing to deliver and install them for you, assuming you don't live too far away of course. It also takes a couple of weeks to a month of break in before the bass and midrange output really gets up to snuff. I had huge problems with set up at first because I had too MUCH acoustical foam in my listening room. I actually had to remove four of the eight Sonex panels I had installed because it was making the bass so bloated sounding that the speakers were really unlistenable. I cannot emphasize enough that you take the time and effort to get these set up properly. Since they are a true bidirectional radiator you may also need to put something behind them, curtains for instance, to help tame the backwave reflecting off the wall behind them. For an extra $50.00 you can buy a passive crossover from Magnepan so you can biamp the MG-III's. A friend of mine was good enough to give me an extra one he had lying around. This used to be included in the price of the speaker but now is an option, given the quantity and quality of the parts used it really should still be included. If you're handy with a soldering iron you can go down to your nearest Radio Shack and get all the necessary parts to build your own for a grand total of about $10.00. When you biamp these speakers they really come to life. For the first month or so I just listened to them using a single amp. Using one amp they sound very good indeed. When switching to a biamp configuration you get a huge improvement in imaging and clarity. I highly recommend that you biamp these if you can afford it at all. As I said you get a very noticeable improvement in every aspect of the sound. One very noticeable change you're likely to get with these is actual stage height. Since the speakers are roughly 6 feet tall you get a realistic image of the performers, assuming a well miked recording of course. The MG-III's do quite well on all types of material from classical to hard rock and roll. They can play incredibly loud without strain and attain levels of around 110 dB. They are of reasonable efficiency and are quite easy to drive due to their resistive load. I am using an Adcom GFA-555 for the woofer panels and my beloved Dyna ST-70's (one for each side in bridged mono mode) for the midrange and tweeter sections. This makes for a very nice combination. The midrange really shines with the Dyna's and you get very controlled and dynamic bass output with the Adcom. I have to admit that the Dyna's are a little rolled off in the high end but it still makes for a very nice sound overall. The midrange of these speakers with well recorded voice is quite good. Any of you out there with Elton John's "Madman Across The Water" cd should run right to your system and listen to "Indian Sunset". It's very closely miked and well recorded. You may notice that I mentioned the cd and not the album. Well I haven't heard any of his albums that sounded good and this can be directly attributable to the MCA pressings. The cd's I have heard are much better. At any rate, "Indian Sunset" starts off with Elton singing a capella and on a good set of speakers (and ancillary equipment) the voice really jumps out at you, it has a very palpable feeling to it. Violins and brass are also reproduced very faithfully with these speakers as well as the dynamics you get with classical music. You never get the feeling that the range is being compressed at all but is very natural and true to the ebb and flow of the music. In conclusion I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the MG- IIIa's are one of the best bargains in speakers today. The sound you get for your $2000.00 is of a quality that you generally can't get in a speaker at this price. I have heard speakers that sounded as good but at prices which are much higher, by as much as 2 to 3 thousand dollars higher. This is not the end all speaker in it's class by any means, but at it's price point I really don't think you can get the high frequency extension, midrange accuracy, and low end heft and control all in one package. There are speakers that cover a certain band of the frequency better but it is due to trade offs in other areas that you really don't make with the MG-III's. The Quad ESL-63's have a certain quality that really makes you want to sit and listen for hours on end, however, they do not have the low frequency extension or the dynamic capabilities that the MG-III's have and at a third more money. The Apogee Duetta's are also a real contender in this general price range but again I think the MG-III's are a much better value and offer comparable, if different, sound quality. Now, earlier I promised a little note about the MG-2.5/R. These retail for $1550.00, you lose the ability to biamp, but you gain the coveted ribbon tweeter, albeit a shorter one. There is a noticeable difference in sound between these and the MG-III's, pretty much throughout the entire range. The 2.5's use a smaller midrange and bass panel and the ribbon is roughly 30" long as opposed to 60" for the MG- III's. However, the sound quality is still very good and for the extra $400.00 you save you could use the money saved on something else you had your eye on. These are also a serious contender and should be auditioned by anyone who is even thinking of spending this kind of money on a speaker system, or possibly even less, you just might want to go the extra nine yards after hearing them. Even if you're not in the market for a new pair of speakers you owe it to yourself do make a trip down to your local Magnepan dealer just to get a taste of what true high end sound can be like. Highly recommended! DMH ======================================================================== CONCERT WATCH ***NOTE*** All information concerning concert dates is subject to change without notice. Jane Siberry will be touring in Canada throughout March and early April. Her dates will include the Arts Centre (3/8/88 - Pictou, NS), Rebecca Cohen Hall (3/11/88 - Halifax, NS), Playhouse Theatre (3/12/88 - Fredericton, NB), Grand Theatre (3/16/88 - Kingston, ON), Le Spectrum for possibly two shows (3/17/88 - Montreal, PQ), National Arts Centre (3/18/88 - Ottawa, ON), War Memorial Hall for possibly two shows (3/19/88 - Guelph, ON), Centennial Hall (3/23/88 - Waterloo, ON), Massey Hall (3/24/88 - Toronto, ON), The Playhouse (3/29/88 - Winnipeg, MB) Broadway Theatre for possibly two shows (3/30/88 - Saskatoon, SK), Jack Singer Concert Hall (3/31/88 - Calgary, AB), The Sub Theatre for possibly two shows (4/2/88 - Edmonton, AB), Harpos for possibly two shows (4/7/88 - Victoria, BC) and York Theatre (4/8 & 4/9/88 - Vancouver, BC). There are also concerts scheduled for Quebec City, PQ (3/14/88), London, ON (3/22/88) and Thunder Bay, ON (3/28/88) where the places are still to be announced. The Washington Squares are currently touring the Eastern seaboard and will be playing a couple of March dates in New York state. Their dates include Amagansett, NY on 3/17/88 and Piermont, NY on 3/18/88. Bruce Cockburn will be touring the West Coast during the latter part of February. His dates include Seattle, WA on 2/20/88, Portland, OR on 2/21/88, Eugene, OR on 2/22/88, Santa Rosa, CA on 2/24/88, Berkeley, CA on 2/26/88, Los Angeles, CA on 2/27/88 and La Jolla, CA on 2/28/88. Michael Hedges has been touring all month long and will finish up February in St. Louis, MO on 2/20/88 and Urbana, IL on 2/21/88. This is one guitarist who is sure to please. I saw his show here in Orono, Maine on Tuesday 2/16 and he is an amazing performer. His live shows far outstrip any of his recorded performances, all of which are excellent recordings, mind you. In March Hedges will be teaming up with Leo Kottke for shows in Ann Arbor, MI on 3/1, Milwaukee, WI on 3/2, Chicago, IL on 3/3, Cleveland, OH on 3/4, New York City on 3/5, Boston, MA on 3/6, Philadelpha, PA on 3/8, Washington, DC on 3/10, Pittsburgh, PA on 3/11, Toronto, ON on 3/12, Boulder, CO on 3/19, Tulsa, OK on 3/20, Baton Rouge, LA on 3/22, Oklahoma City, OK on 3/23, Dallas, TX on 3/25 and Austin, TX on 3/26. John Hiatt will be performing dates in Los Angeles, CA on 2/25 and 2/26, Charleston, WV on 3/13, Halifax, NS on 3/18 and 3/19, Los Angeles again on 3/25 thru 3/27 and Vienna, VA on 4/7. The Robert Cray Band will be performing in Daytona Beach, FL on 3/23, New Orleans, LA on 4/30, and Saratoga, CA on 6/4 and 6/5. ========================================================================