Golden Ear Club
HiFi-Plus 67: Top 10 21st Century Test Discs (part II)
Last time, we served up 10 discs that have been made in the in the last nine years, but still offered the ultimate in sound quality. Then we asked you to do the same. This is the result.
To recap, we tried to find the replacements to Couldn’t Stand the Weather, Famous Blue Raincoat and the rest of the pantheon of test discs all created more than a generation ago. The records had to be within the rock/pop/ contemporary realm (because jazz and classical enthusiasts usually know their genre well enough to know – or reject – what’s current) and not necessarily audiophile recordings, because these should be the sort of albums normal people can buy on the high street… if there’s still a place to by CDs on your high street.
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Exclusive Offers from Elite Manufacturers
Lots of different ones, depending on the manufacturer, currently ranging from:
- Bonus “incentives” on retail purchases
- Special “Golden Ear” versions of gear
- Access to B Stock and “Close Out” units
- “Commentary Seed Units” (limited number)
- Product loaners (sorry-no loudspeakers or turntables)
Other GEC Member Benefits
These are still “evolving.” We anticipate:
- Quarterly updates from TAS Editors
- Special events
- Feature review previews
- Passes (limited) to industry shows
- Unique GEC merchandise (for purchase)
- GEC excursions (may require fee)
Participating Manufacturers
Some of the companies that have agreed to make special offers to GEC members include:
- Audio Space
- BG Radia Corp.
- Castle Acoustics
- Electrocompaniet, Inc.
- Esoteric
- GINI Systems
- Guru
- Holographic Audio
- Hyperion Sound Design
- JPS Labs
- MartinLogan
- MBL of America
- Meridian America
- Musical Surroundings
- Odyssey Audio
- Quad USA
- Rega Research
- Supra
- Symphonic Line
- TEAC Reference Series
- Teresonic
- Usher Audio (North America)
- Vincent Audio
- Von Schweikert Audio
- Wharfedale USA
- Etc.
(Note: Each manufacturer determines the specific GEC offers they will make, which may be limited to special incentives for retail purchases only, have other restrictions, etc.)
