Even with bass rumbling, the Technics SL-1200GR turntable won’t skip. The aluminum platter (a.k.a. the playing surface) of these house speakers has a rubber lining, the footings are silicone, and polymer tubes string through the body—all absorbing bad vibes. $1,700 (needle cartridge sold separately). The preamp gets an audio signal ready for the amplifier to crankify. Unlike many big-box-store—even high-end—models, the Audio Research GSPre has inputs for modern devices and a circuit, complete with a pair of vacuum tubes, devoted to turntables. $15,000. Delivering 450 watts apiece to two speakers, the McIntosh MC452 is among the loudest stereo amps. Ironically, though, it makes quiet work of pushing out massive sound. Inside the 110-pound behemoth, each channel has two amps that cancel out one another’s tremors. $8,000. The midrange driver (the one for guitars and vocals) on the Bowers & Wilkins 800 D3 rings true at high volumes. A new woven composite stops vibrating faster than its Kevlar predecessor. Meanwhile, a 1-inch tweeter pings highs, and two 10-inch subwoofers go low. $30,000 (pair). This article was originally published in the May/June 2017 issue of Popular Science.
