Stereophile

Stereophile is a monthly publication dedicated to premium audio gear, including speakers and amplifiers, as well as the latest news in the audio world, like online streaming. It was established in 1962 by J. Gordon Holt.

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Brilliant Corners #28: The McIntosh MC225 and Jerome Sabbagh's Analog Tone Factory

3 days ago | stereophile.com | Alex Halberstadt

There are things that make me feel so unpleasantly lightheaded that some days I worry my cranium might float away like a helium balloon. Like baby animals generated by AI that I can no longer distinguish from real ones. Skin care for tweens. Headlines about American politics that read like headlines about Turkmenistan. The music of Charli XCX. And being middle aged. Even the term is a con.
KLH Model Seven: a 13" Woofer in a Standmount, and a Design That Still Sings

6 days ago | stereophile.com | Mark Henninger

The reborn US brand KLH debuted its Model Seven loudspeaker ($5998/pair) at High End Munich, proclaiming it the first of its kind: an acoustic suspension speaker with a 13" woofer. KLH and acoustic suspension designs go hand in hand. Co-founder Henry Kloss helped introduce the concept in the mid-50s and established KLH in 1957. The key principle is to use the spring effect of air in a sealed cabinet to control the woofer's movement.
MBL Seeks Investors After Filing for Insolvency

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Mark Henninger

High-end speaker and audio electronics maker MBL—best known for its groundbreaking Radialstrahler loudspeakers—has hit a financial rough patch. The Berlin-based company filed for insolvency on May 27, 2025, and is now actively seeking investors. The court tapped restructuring expert Frank Brachwitz of PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH as provisional insolvency administrator.
Soulution's 787 Turntable and the Platter That Slid

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Ken Micallef

Soulution's 787 Turntable and the Platter That Slid AXISS Europe and Soulution's Cyrill Hammer presented a formidable system in Munich, featuring the debut of the Soulution 787 turntable. Remarkably, the 787 achieves linear tracking not by moving the tonearm, but by sliding the platter itself.
Needlework: Chord’s Ultima Phonostage Threads the Groove

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Ken Micallef

Needlework: Chord’s Ultima Phonostage Threads the Groove Designed by Chord Electronics’ founder and owner John Franks, Chord’s new flagship Ultima Phonostage expands the Ultima Reference range, joining the Ultima Pre preamplifier and Ultima Mono power amplifiers. The US price is TBA; the projected UK price is £18,000 (about $24,300). Franks was available for demos and interviews, accompanied by Chord’s Dan George and Maurice Tryner.
GAIA Goes Neo: IsoAcoustics Plants a Firmer Foot

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Ken Micallef |Jason Victor Serinus

Ken says: At High End Munich, IsoAcoustics introduced its new GAIA Neo and GAIA-TITAN Neo series of isolation feet. Designed for both consumer and OEM use, the Neo models improve on the established GAIA line with updated engineering. The first custom versions will be integrated into the new JBL Summit Makalu, Summit Pumori, and Summit Ama speakers, as well as the Marten Coltrane Extreme loudspeakers—all of which debuted at the show.
Tables Turned: Thorens Goes From Big to Bite-Sized

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Ken Micallef

Tables Turned: Thorens Goes From Big to Bite-Sized While Thorens CEO and owner Gunter Kürten was busy with customers, company representative Michael Gorny walked me through the brand's latest lineup of high-end products.
VPI Forever Model One Record Player

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Ken Micallef

The first commandment for a Stereophile reporter is to remain neutral about any product under review. But when a company has a history of making things you like, that isn't always easy to do.
The Commercial Impact of Tariffs (and of Vinyl)

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Jim Austin

As I write this, the current US president recently put into effect large import tariffs on almost every country except (oddly) Russia and North Korea, then paused for most countries (including EU countries) for 90 days (except for 10%, and then another 10%). The 145% tariff on Chinese exports wasn't paused (except for computers and smartphones). Tariffs are the dominant force in our industry right now, due partly to the added cost but also to the uncertainty they create.
Abbey Road Has a New Number: 801

1 week ago | stereophile.com | Mark Henninger

Bowers & Wilkins and Abbey Road Studios have announced the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition loudspeaker, a model that commemorates the companies' 45-year relationship. Production is capped at 140 pairs. The new loudspeaker starts with Bowers & Wilkins's flagship 801 D4 Signature platform and adds studio-inspired cosmetic changes. Each cabinet is finished in Vintage Walnut and trimmed with red Leather by Connolly, a nod to the control room in Abbey Road's Studio Two.