01 / 30 / 04
Japanese high-end audiophile manufacturer Almarro
has announced their new koro-500A system. Their new new system includes the A50125A ($2,850) stereo integrated amplifier and a pair of M50A large floorstanding
loudspeakers ($3,900). The A50125A employs eight 6550 output tubes, and a pair each of the 12AT7 and 5687
triodes. Operating in push-pull configuration the A50135A produce 125 watts per channel is stereo, or 250 watts in monoblock configuration. Frequency
response is rated from 15Hz to 120kHz. The M50A floorstanding loudspeaker handles 300 watts and produces frequencies from 27Hz to 23kHz. The Eminence Delta Lite 2510 woofer is mated with a Dyton Pt2 planar tweeter and a pair of 4-inch midbass drivers.
01 / 29 / 04
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has release attendee
numbers. With an outstanding 1.38 million net square feet of show space, over 129,000 industry professionals, 2,400 exhibiting companies, and 18,000 international travelers from 110 countries attended the show. This compared favorably to their 2003 figures that were 118,000 industry professionals, over 2,200 companies, and 16,600 international attendees. Naturally
Enjoy the Music.com provided virtually live show coverage, yet we have also just released three new show reports! Please
click here to see all our show coverage to date.
01 / 28 / 04
Quite a
bit going on in the music world as
Macrovision has released a more relaxed version of CD protection scheme,
Napster developer Shawn Fanning works on a pay for play peer-to-peer software called
Snocap, meanwhile the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) targets
vinyl. Macrovision's latest generation of copy-protected music on CDs, called CDS-300, now allows content owners (i.e. record labels, music artists) to set "usage rules" on the Microsoft Windows Media files. This, in turn, will dictate how many times and to where a copy of the music can be made. Adam Sexton, Macrovision's vice president of marketing, said "Before, you had the 'second session' that was bolted to the disc. We're pleased we can now deliver the same functions and can go 'mano a mano' with the online services." Previous versions of their software blocked the ability to burn copies onto CD-R. This new move is in tune with Apple Computer's iTunes and Napster that also allow for CD-R copies of purchased music.
Shawn Fanning of Napster fame is now moving forward with Snocap that will allow users to pay for content while also enjoying the
luxury of a peer-to-peer (P2P) file swapping network. "It's a pretty well thought-out idea, but the success of it hinges on everybody in the ecosystem getting involved," said one record label executive familiar with this new software. "The key to its success is the peer-to-peer
companies agreeing to participate. If they do participate, it could be phenomenal."
Not one to ever rest on their laurels, the
RIAA settled with a vinyl pressing plant to the tune of $200,000 for alleged unauthorized pressing of vinyl. Pressing plant United Record Pressing LLC was accused of making unauthorized vinyl copies of music. Cary Sherman, President of the RIAA, said "We are pleased to have reached a settlement with United Record Pressing. This settlement should serve as a clear notice that the music community is serious about piracy in all music formats and in all types of media. Vinyl manufacturers, no less than other entities such as CD plants or online sites, must take steps to ensure that the proper licenses have been obtained for all their customers' products." The RIAA claims that 35 illegal stampers, a main part
employed to press vinyl, contained over 170 unauthorized sings from musical artists including Mary J. Blige, Earth, Wind & Fire, Ricky Martin, and Barry White.
01 / 27 / 04
Virus Alert!
A new computer virus, called "mydoom" or "W32.Novarg.A@mm",
is spreading at an alarming rate via e-mail attachment. Please see: www.mcafee.com
or www.symantec.com.
According to Symantec this "is a mass-mailing worm that arrives as an
attachment with the file extension .bat, .cmd, .exe, .pif, .scr, or .zip. When
a computer is infected, the worm will set up a backdoor into the system by
opening TCP ports 3127 thru 3198. This can potentially allow an attacker to
connect to the computer and use it as a proxy to gain access to its network
resources. In addition, the backdoor has the ability to download and execute
arbitrary files." While we here at Enjoy the Music.com™
have not been infected with this virus, it can spoof/forge an outgoing e-mail address
to hide where said e-mail actually originated.
Legendary racing and
automobile manufacturer Ferrari has unveiled their F2004 Formula 1 race car. While Ferrari is celebrating 50 years in the United States of America, this is also
the
50th design built by Ferrari to compete in the Formula 1
championship. With a new chassis, lower weight, redesigned bodywork, exhausts and the rear end, Ferrari hopes to once again prove they are the world's best. The front and rear suspension has been revised in order to improve the vehicle’s dynamic handling which leads to a greater efficiency in terms of getting the most out of
Bridgestone tires. According to Ferrari "The F2004 represents a further step forward in the history of Ferrari's single seaters. A great deal of time and attention was paid to making the most of the new materials and to optimizing the various design stages as well as the quality control methods, all aimed at improving overall reliability and performance while making the car as safe as possible." Team Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro won both drivers and
manufacturer's championships for each of the past few years. Driver Michael Schumacher has earned an unprecedented, world record setting six-time championship while
2003 was the team's fifth consecutive manufacturer's title (the team's thirteenth since Formula 1's inception). Ferrari's F2004 Formula 1 car
details are as follows:
CHASSIS
Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Ferrari longitudinal gearbox.
Limited-slip differential
Semiautomatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox
Number of gears 7 + reverse
Ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes
Independent suspension, push-rod activated torsion springs front and rear
Length 4545 mm Width 1796 mm Height 959 mm
Wheelbase 3050 mm
Front track 1470 mm
Rear track 1405 mm
Weight with water, lubricant and driver 605 kg
Wheels (front and rear) 13"
ENGINE
Type 053
Number of cylinders V10
Cylinder block in cast aluminum
Number of valves 40
Pneumatic distribution
Total displacement 2997 cm3
Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection
Magneti Marelli static electronic ignition
01 / 26 / 04
As reported within the Enjoy the Music.com
Industry News page on September 26, 2003, "Sharman
Networks Ltd., known for their KaZaA
peer to peer (P2P) file-sharing software, has filed a federal lawsuit directly
accusing various entertainment companies of employing illegal versions of
software in hopes of discovering KaZaA users' identity... Sharman Networks
has claimed that various companies have been using unauthorized versions of
their software to thwart piracy, which is in direct violation of the terms for
using their network... Naturally there is concern from Sharman Networks Ltd.
as they do not want those who use their software to face legal charges filed
by the Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA)." Now a U.S. federal court agrees and Kazaa may sue the entertainment industry for copyright
infringement. These lawsuits could include various recording studios (both
audio and video). While various recording studios/companies petitioned U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson in Los Angeles
to throw out the Sharman Networks lawsuit, the Judge declined to do so. Naturally
the RIAA has commented on this situation by saying "The court does not appear to want these claims to proceed at this point. If they ever proceed, Sharman will have a very difficult time providing evidence to support their allegations."
While loudspeaker manufacturer Platinum Audio loudspeaker received critical acclaim and sold many products, they are not no
longer in business. Those customers who had purchased Platinum Audio loudspeakers and now have had driver failures can find replacements from their head designer Phil Jones who said
"I am happy to say that I have built a few replacement drivers for anyone out there who has had problems with Platinum speakers. I can be contacted at
phil@philjonesbass.com
and would be happy to help them."
01 / 23 / 04
The new Simaudio Ltd. MOON Limited Edition Series of only 250 each that consist of five separate components that make up two unique music
systems. The first system, referred to as the MOON Limited Edition Balanced Differential System is comprised of the MOON Eclipse LE CD
player (pictured here), MOON P-5 LE Dual-Mono Preamplifier and MOON W-5 LE Dual-Mono Power Amplifier. The second system, the MOON Limited Edition Reference Music System is made up of the MOON Nova LE CD Player and MOON i-5 LE Integrated Amplifier. With their new Limited Edition Series, Simaudio has been more about evolving their highly rated products than starting from a new sheet of paper. Unique features include polished chrome accents, a 0.5-inch thick brushed and anodized silver faceplate, a custom 2 meter Cardas power cord and a Limited Edition serial number plaque. The
MOON Eclipse LE CD player features four 24-bit DACs with an 8X oversampling digital filter in a fully balanced differential circuit. The result is an internal upsampling rate which achieves a 24-bit/352.8kHz level of resolution. On the other end of the spectrum, their The MOON i-5 LE dual-mono stereo integrated amplifier produces 75 watts per channel into 8 ohms (125 watt into 4 ohms),
offers five inputs, tape loop, and pre-amplifier output.
01 / 22 / 04
Moving forward with their plan to bring justice to those illegally sharing copyrighted music, yesterday the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 532 individual computer users for
allegedly illegal distribution of copyrighted music on peer-to-peer networks. Employing the "John Doe" process, the 532 suits sue defendants whose names aren't known, yet their numerical Internet
Protocol (IP) computer address is. "Our campaign against illegal file sharers is not missing a beat," said Cary Sherman, President, RIAA. "The message to illegal file sharers should be as clear as ever - we can and will continue to bring lawsuits on a regular basis against those who illegally distribute copyrighted music."
DH Labs Inc.
has introduces three new Revelation XLR interconnect ($350 for 1 meter), HC Alloy locking banana plug ($15 each), plus their SP-10 and SP-14 angled step spades ($1.10
each). The Revelation XLR interconnect claims to "provide a wider soundstage, increased dynamics and a quieter background." This is a balanced (XLR) version of the RCA cable as reviewed by
Enjoy the Music.com™ in September 2003's Review
Magazine. DH Labs HC Alloy locking banana plug feature high copper content with a connector that locks to ensures the connection will not come loose. Lastly, their SP-10 and SP-14 angled
step spades is said to solve the problem of various sized loudspeaker binding posts. With "one size fits all" SP-10 and SP-14, the spades are wider at the mouth, but taper inward to accommodate wide and standard binding posts. The barrel of the spades are also angled at 30-degrees for easy connection to an amplifier or receiver. The main difference between the two are in the
gauge of wire they can be terminated to. Specifically, 10-12 AWG for the SP-10 and 14-16 AWG for the SP-14.
01 / 21 / 04
While we here at Enjoy the Music.com™ have just completed our virtually live coverage of both
The Home Entertainment Show (T.H.E. Show) and Consumer Electronics Show (CES), with more show reports by various writers coming online shortly,
Montreal's Le Festival Son & Image show in only a few months
away. As the largest exhibition in Canada, both trade and the public are invited to
attend to experience top quality audio and video gear. Held at the downtown Delta Montreal and Four Points Hotels in Montreal from April
2nd through the 4th, this show is surely not to be missed. Details are as follows:
Show hours:
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Friday April 2nd, 2004 (for professionals only)
1:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Friday April 2nd, 2004
10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Saturday April 3rd, 2004
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday April 4th, 2004
Where:
Delta Montreal Hotel Four Points
475 President Kennedy 475 Sherbrooke W.
Montreal, Qubec
Price:
Admission: $10.00
2 day passport: $15.00
3 day passport: $20.00
Chris Sommovigo
(Stereovox)
and Stuart Marcus (Vampire Wire) have announced a joint project that will produce reference-quality precision-machined connectors for the audio and video
industries. The project will be operating under the corporate moniker
"Xhadow" (pronounced "shadow"). They have released the first
product of this line. Specifically, an audiophile-quality XLR plug. The XLR was slated as the first product to release because of the
perceived limited availability of audiophile quality XLR connectors. The Xhadow XLR features machined contacts of pure copper that have been plated in silver, pure Teflon dielectrics, machined and anodized aluminum cases, and mirror-polished engraved
"gender-modules" that mate to an aluminum back-shell. Terminations can be made via set-screw, solder, or both depending on the desire of the end-user.
In the works are new loudspeaker binding posts, RCA plugs, RCA chassis-mount jacks, XLR chassis-mount
jacks, bananas, and spades.
01 / 20 / 04
The Recording
Academy, who award Grammys to legendary musical artists, have announced the newest additions to their Hall Of
Fame. A total of 33 recordings have been added to their Hall Of Fame that now consist of 639 titles. Artists recently added include Miles Davis, Al Jolson, Duke Ellington, Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, and Queen. "This year's inductees span nine decades and represent a diverse array of genres from classical and show tunes to blues, jazz and rock and roll," said Academy President Neil Portnow. "They exemplify the best qualities that make the recording arts such a vital part of our culture — and each not only uniquely reflects the zeitgeist of its time, but also possesses the enduring power of transcending time." The 33 recent additions are as
follows:
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM
The Everly Brothers
Cadence (1958)
Pop (Single)
AQUARIUS/LET THE SUNSHINE IN (THE FLESH FAILURES)
5th Dimension
Soul City (1969)
Pop (Single)
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Queen
Elektra (1976)
Rock (Single)
BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX
Glen Campbell
Capitol (1967)
Country (Single)
CHOPIN: THE COMPLETE NOCTURNES
Artur Rubinstein
RCA Red Seal (1965)
Classical (Album)
COME FLY WITH ME
Frank Sinatra
Capitol (1958)
Traditional Pop (Album)
COURT AND SPARK
Joni Mitchell
Asylum (1974)
Pop (Album)
ELLINGTON AT NEWPORT
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Columbia (1957)
Jazz (Album)
EVERYDAY I HAVE THE BLUES
B.B. King
RPM (1955)
Blues (Single)
FUNNY GIRL
Original Broadway Cast; Barbra Streisand And Sydney Chaplin
Capitol (1964)
Musical Show (Album)
GOLDEN JUBILEE CONCERT: RACHMANINOFF CONCERTO NO. 3
Vladimir Horowitz With Eugene Ormandy cond. New York Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA Red Seal (1978)
Classical (Album)
HE'S A REBEL
The Crystals
Philles (1962)
Rock & Roll (Single)
HOLIDAY FOR STRINGS
David Rose And His Orchestra
RCA Victor (1943)
Traditional Pop (Single)
I'VE GOT THE WORLD ON A STRING
Frank Sinatra
Capitol (1953)
Traditional Pop (Single)
JOHNNY CASH AT SAN QUENTIN
Johnny Cash
Columbia (1969)
Country (Album)
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Billy Joel
Columbia (1978)
Pop (Single)
LAST DATE
Floyd Cramer
RCA (1960)
Country (Single)
LED ZEPPELIN
Led Zeppelin
Atlantic (1969)
Rock (Album)
LET IT BE
The Beatles
Apple (1970)
Pop (Single)
LET'S GET IT ON
Marvin Gaye
Tamla (1973)
R&B (Album)
LOVE IS STRANGE
Mickey And Sylvia
Groove/ RCA (1957)
Rock & Roll (Single)
MILESTONES
Miles Davis Sextet
Columbia (1958)
Jazz (Album)
NIGHT AND DAY
Leo Reisman And His Orchestra; Vocal Refrain By Fred Astaire
RCA Victor (1932)
Traditional Pop (Single)
A NIGHT IN TUNISIA
Dizzy Gillespie & His Sextet
Victor (1946)
Jazz (Single)
PENNIES FROM HEAVEN
Bing Crosby
Decca (1936)
Traditional Pop (Single)
ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY
Al Jolson
Columbia (1918)
Traditional Pop (Single)
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
Motion Picture Soundtrack
RSO (1977)
Film & TV Soundtracks (Album)
SEE SEE RIDER BLUES
Ma Rainey
Paramount (1925)
Blues (Single)
THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE
Simon & Garfunkel
Columbia (1965)
Pop (Single)
THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD
Earth, Wind & Fire
Columbia (1975)
R&B (Album)
WALT DISNEY'S FANTASIA
Motion Picture Soundtrack; Leopold Stokowski cond. Philadelphia Orchestra
Buena Vista (1956)
Film & TV Soundtracks (Album)
WEST SIDE STORY
Motion Picture Soundtrack
Columbia (1961)
Film & TV Soundtracks (Album)
YOU'RE SO VAIN
Carly Simon
Elektra (1973)
Pop (Single)
Korsun's
new MM/MC phono stage offers separate inputs for MM and MC while an outboard power supply
is used to avoid interfering with the critical analog stage. The MC stage offers various resistance settings (47, 220, 1k, and 47k ohms) while the MM stage's capacitance is also adjustable (1,2,3, and 4 x100pf). The RIAA equalization section is accurate to
within +-0.5dB from 20Hz to 20kHz while the overall frequency response is from
10Hz to 40KHz (-3dB). Overall signal to noise ratio is 96dB for MM and 81dB for MC stage with a total harmonic distortion of less than 0.008%
(1kHz at 1V). Dimensions for the power supply and phono stage chassis are 86 ×208 ×270 (WxHxD in mm).
Gold plated single ended (RCA) inputs and separate grounding for each stage is
also provided.
01 / 19 / 04
Buggtussel,
LLC has introduced their new Acephalic line of loudspeakers. Their chief engineer, Dr. Kevin Blair, began producing custom loudspeaker systems in 1979. In 1985 Buggtussel initiated its foray into instrumentation development, leading to, among many things, a transducer utilized in the ground breaking POSDAM (POSition Dependent Amplitude Modulation) analysis of driver dynamic linearity and symmetry. Through the judicious application of modern electro-acoustical filter theory to the real life mechanics of driver, cabinet, and labyrinth
reactance, the theoretical advantages of transmission line loading are realized in q-TSAL (quasi-Thiele/Small Actuated Labyrinth) without the unpredictable sonic limitations of primitive 1/4l based designs. Their new Acephalic line consists of their Circa monitor ($450 per pair), Mirac floorstander ($700 per pair) and top-of-the-range Sumo floorstander ($1,000 per pair). With frequency responses down to 45Hz, 35Hz and 25Hz (respectively), each unit reproduces sound up to 20kHz. All three models employ a 0.75-inch tweeter, though the Circa includes a single 5.5 driver, the Mirac has a pair of 6.5-inch drivers. The top line Sumo,
pictured here, adds to this a pair of 8-inch woofers and has a sensitivity of 91dB/W/m.
PayPal, an online payment service that has been mired with controversy due to their payment system, is now offering a micro-payment system for high volume online digital music companies. While doubtful any mainstream company would use them due to PayPal's added fees, these
new fees are at a rate of 2.5% plus $0.09 for each transaction. Virtually all current online music providers have chosen their own payment system to better maximize their bottom line versus having to deal with PayPal and their controversial uninsured banking system.
01 / 16 / 04
Linn's new Unidisk SC employs their Silver Disc Engine that identifies source material and outputs signals in their native format. This mean that CD, SACD, DVD-Video and DVD-Audio are handled independently and
optimized with the precise decoding solution for which they were designed. The Unidisk SC also has digital inputs to decode external source components - both stereo and surround sound - while both fixed and variable analog audio outputs allow the Unidisk SC to be
directly connected to amplification without the need of a pre-amplifier. The Unidisk SC player incorporates a comprehensive range of video outputs including progressive scan, component, S-Video and composite.
01 / 15 / 04
Longstanding audiophile music label
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MFSL) is now
offering their new ULTRADISC CD-R. MFSL's engineering team started experimenting with CD-Rs in the lab and found that many were melting incorrectly and 1s were being read as 0s and vice-versa. Pinholes within the CD-R would cause a decoder into high error correction mode, thereby "making up" data in the error correction
circuitry. After researching and various prototypes, MFSL now offers their 24 Karat Gold ULTRADISC CD-R. It is said to be "designed for professional, data critical, music and graphic archival use, and all other data storage applications where there is no room for error or loss.
These specially-gold-plated CD-Rs ensure excellent reflectivity, no corrosion, and dramatically improved resistance to light and heat. Additional features include instantaneous pit burning (burst burning) for superior pit formation and extremely low to no error rate; and a patented, specialized, scratch resistant, protective surface. In addition, the ULTRADISC CD-R undergoes an unprecedented four levels of quality control. Plus, MFSL offers a lifetime warranty for each CD-R. The average CD-R has a projected lifespan of 20 years
— if stored in ideal conditions. But, accelerated aging tests show that the 24KT Gold ULTRADISC CD-R retains its specifications for more than 300 years." A 50-pack of raw CD-Rs is tentatively priced at $99.98 while a 10-pack with MFSL's trademark, deluxe, lift-lock
case is tentatively priced at $29.98.
It appears Mark Levinson of Red Rose Music, with ventures such as Cello
Music that went out of
business leaving no warranty for their customers, then started a new venture
called Red Rose Music is now facing
hard times. The below appeared on the door of the
Red Rose Music room at the recent Consumer
Electronics Show (CES).
For Immediate Release
Collett, Tiscareno Depart Red Rose Music
New Venture Will Bridge Multimedia, Home Theater, Traditional Audio
LAS VEGAS - January 8, 2004 - Engineer Victor Tiscareno and marketing
executive Byron Collett have announced their departure from Red Rose Music, effective
January 1.
Declining to renew their employment contracts, the longtime business partners
I have decided to pursue other interests in a technology company as yet unnamed.
Mark Levinson remains CEO of Red Rose. The departure was an "amicable
agreement" by all parties, Tiscareno noted. "We wish Mark continued success with Red
Rose," he stated, "Byron and I simply felt that we had compelling interests elsewhere."
The founders of the acclaimed Audioprism brand, Tiscareno and Collett plan to
introduce a full line of two-channel and multi-channel amplifiers, pre-amplifiers,
loudspeakers, and multimedia products over the coming year, under the umbrella of the
San Juan Group, an investment consortium named for Puget Sound's San Juan Islands.
"We will also provide sales and support of legacy products," Tiscareno added. He
and Collett are demonstrating prototype loudspeakers at CES.
The partners have yet to decide on a name for their new company. CES attendees
who wish to help them choose a name can win a pair of loudspeakers (or the product of
their choice) by writing their suggestions on the back of their business cards and dropping
them in the bowl in Tiscareno's and Collett's room. Finalists must pass legal research for prior ownership of the name. The winner will be notified by
email.
For more information, contact:
Victor Tiscareno
(425) 41 7-1 720 (voice)
vtiscareno@earthlink.net (email)
01 / 08 to
01 / 14
Enjoy the Music.com
offers virtually live show reporting of both the Consumer
Electronic Show (CES) and also The Home
Entertainment Show (T.H.E. Show). With over 67 shows reported online, Enjoy
the Music.com™ has long been considered an
authority in offering live show reports on a daily basis during the event.
01 / 05 / 04
The January edition of Enjoy the Music.com's
Superior Audio magazine is now online. Equipment reviews include
the Krell KAV-400xi integrated amplifier and VTL's TL-7.5 Reference line
pre-amplifier. In the VTL review, Wayne Donnelly proclaims "Every
audiophile knows the old saw that the perfect pre-amplifier would be “a
straight wire with gain.“ But the more I listen to every kind of music
through the 7.5, the more it seems to me like "no wire with
gain." This extraordinary component imposes less sound of its own on
music than anything else I have heard."
01 / 01 / 04
We are proud to announce the
January edition of Enjoy the Music.com™'s Review
Magazine. In this issue we proudly announce our Audiophile Product Of The Year Awards 2003 by the
Enjoy the Music.com™ Staff! Bill Gaw's Audioholics Anonymous covers Allen Wright's Vacuum State DPA Amplifier as the editorial by Steven R. Rochlin explains why the high-end audio industry should not ignore the newfound video game consumer marketplace. Our equipment reviews within this month's
Review Magazine include:
New! Art Audio Diavolo Stereo Power Amplifier
New! Fi X 2A3-45 Integrated Amplifier
New! Fun With MP3's
New! Sophia Electric 300B Amplifier Mk. II
New! Stereovox LSP-600 And HDXV Cables
New! The StudioLAB Reference One
New! The Ah! Super Tjoeb CD Player
Flashback! The Miyabi-47 Moving Coil Cartridge
Flashback! Benz-Micro L2 Series 2
Cartridge
Click here to see the January
edition of the Enjoy the Music.com™ Review Magazine.
High-Performance Audio Reviews
