Affordable$$Audio's November Issue is now available for free download from: www.affordableaudio.org
As always, thanks for supporting this all-volunteer effort.

Thank you Mark.

I´ll post my comments later.

Jorge

i'm about half way through another excellent issue.

It was another good read.

Mr Hoffman has a way with words.

John is an excellent, detailed reviewer. I envy his skills every month.

I just had the opportunity to read through the October issue of the Affordable$$Audio with particular interest in the review of the Setton RS-440 receiver.

This review caught my interest as 1) I am an owner of this very fine looking series, 2) what could possibly be said that hasn't been said about this Frenchman "Lafayette in Pierre Cardin covering"?

I read this "review" twice! I was relieved to read this writers limited background in "serious" audio equipment ergo, his obvious inability to properly portrait the sonic qualities of this middle to lower middle of the road unit given the sadly lacking quality of his associated reviewing equipment.

I own this unit for its obvious attractiveness and it occupies a place of honor as my "garage" unit. It was treated to my usual Ken Bernacky of Stereosurgeons.com upgrading and alignment prior to putting in into use. this was not inexpensive In fact it cost me twice what the writer paid for his unit. Try as I might to find some redeeming sonic attributes of this unit, I cannot. No amount of tweaking or praying helped.

In fact it has been used with my Thiel Cs-3.6, Rogers Ls3/5a speakers, Paradigm Titan V3, Kimber 8TC, Straightwire Serenade and AudioQuest type4 speaker cables, Plus an Antenna Performance Specialists APS-13 Fm antenna. The Setton does not satisfy on any level except possibly appearance.

There is a member of this forum who is a dyed in the wool Setton collector, I find it surprising he has not chimed in about the writers failure to call it the way it is. It was refreshing however to read this attempt at a review of sorts given the shortcoming of the reviewers associated equipment (adjusting for the WAF).

From a serious receiver collector standpoint, forgo the Setton RS-440. Look to the Sansui G-8000, 9000, 9090, Kenwood Kr-9050, 8050, Yamaha CR-1010,1020 & 1040 et Al and a few other manufacturers (except Pioneer & later Marantz's). Setton is a impulse buy no more no less. Save your money. You want mine? I let you have it cheap!

All is not lost and I am a reasonable person:
I suggest to the publisher and to the writer to continue down this road. Search out the models I suggested along with other models and brands, then perform ad hoc reviews of these models for the entertainment of the readers. Let us forget the specs as "KING" as the impetus, rather how does it sound via a universally accepted speaker standard vis- a- vis Vanderstine 2C's. This will provide those among us who are less fortunate and never owned or experienced the wonderful performance or the classic receivers of 70-80's a hint of what they missed or are missing.

i was interested in the shenling because i sell it. i was very happy with the review. i was also impressed with the 200 wpc amp for 700.00 then i saw ians name at the end. i hope he gets good reviews. i also saw an old friends name connected to a speaker danny ritchie.
we started building speakers at the same time. he was using computer building. he was having his components built in korea. i was using alpha core and soinicaps plus alphacore wire for the internals.
i -*test*-('")ed his comp designs and they were flater to me. i just wonder if they are the same. i wish him all the luck in the world he is a good guy.
oh my music hall 2.1 got slammed bad on the review.