High-End Audio / Hi-Res Audio (HRA) Audiophile Industry News

  
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01 / 30 / 16

Last Days To Save On AXPONA 2016 Tickets
AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) returns to the Westin O'Hare in Rosemont, IL, for their 2016 event being held from April 15th through 17th. Early bird discount ticket pricing ends this weekend so hurry and buy yours today! Enjoy the Music.com's AXPONA 2016 show report will offer music lovers, audiophiles, and musicians details from this three day jam-packed event filled with incredible sounds, technology, presentations, design, and the very latest products within the industry. AXPONA seeks to define the high-end consumer audio shows within the United States of America and Enjoy the Music.com will once again bring you our exclusive AXPONA 2016 show report. Now in its seventh year, AXPONA offers something for everyone – from the novice music lover to the seasoned audio expert looking to enhance their sound with the latest technology. In addition to a series of special events, live performances and educational presentations, music lovers will have the opportunity to experience the very best in sound in more than 125 listening rooms. We live streamed during AXPONA 2015 and AXPONA 2014 and look forward to bringing you our AXPONA 2016 show report. We deliver you the latest information from AXPONA and will be offering high-end audio's official Press Center for AXPONA 2016! Of course to fully experience all the great gear at AXPONA 2016, and hear your music though millions of dollars of high-end audio equipment, you needed to be there in person. Learn more about AXPONA 2016 at this link.

01 / 29 / 16

iHeartRadio Surpasses 80,000,000 Registered Users
While online streaming music services fight it out for dominance, terrestrial radio giant Clear Channel has racked up over 80 million registered users within their iHeartRadio streaming audio service. iHeartRadio continues to reach user milestones at a rate faster than Facebook or any other radio or digital music service. The number of registered users do not account for the millions of listeners who tune in to iHeartRadio's live radio radio stations, which does not require registration. iHeartRadio has been downloaded a staggering 850 million times, has 80 million social media followers and is now available on more than 80 unique device platforms spanning in-home entertainment, wearables, gaming, mobile and automobile. Launched in 2011, iHeartRadio is a free all-in-one service that offers listeners access to thousands of Clear Channel (and we presume other) live radio stations from across the country, custom stations from a catalog of more than 24 million songs and 830,000 artists, on-demand podcasts and its newest feature "My Favorites Radio" which combines all of a listener's favorite artists and thumbed up songs in one station just for them. In addition, last fall iHeartMedia introduced iHeartRadio Family, iHeartRadio's first multi-app brand extension: a standalone app designed specifically for families with kids ages 4-11. "In just five years, we've seen continued powerful growth in our registered user base - a testament to the power of radio and listening," said Darren Davis, President of iHeartRadio. "Our listeners have many new ways to enjoy our stations and programming, and we want to continue to deepen their listening experience and ensure we're available everywhere they expect us to be." 

Just Posted: Hi-Fi World's March 2016 Edition Is Now Online
Enjoy the Music.com has just posted the latest issue of Hi-Fi World that is packed with great reviews and articles. This issue features Audio Research Reference 75 SE tube amplifier, Quadral Chromium Style 8 loudspeakers, Tannoy Revolution XT 6F loudspeakers, Riva Turbo Box speaker, Chord Hugo TT DAC, FiiO X1 portable music player, Furutech ADL Stratos preamplifier, Naim NAP 200 DR power amplifier, Gear4 Soundwave Bluetooth speaker / Xqisit XQ S20, and the vintage Sanyo micro cassette deck. Within his editorial, Noel Keywood says "With its huge market and great wealth, the USA produces products that the UK could never support – and we see only half of it. Many US companies don't even bother to export – it isn't worth the effort. Overseas sales are minuscule compared to their own – and that includes the UK. Perhaps sometime the UK economy will forge ahead, when we at last re-embrace manufacturing on the sort of scale Japan and Germany manage to achieve, but in the meantime we can at least enjoy some of what the USA produces, even if it is often pricey. I'm thinking of Martin Logan, McIntosh and Audio Research in particular. They all produce hi-fi of unusual style and quality and that's why I review the new Reference 75 SE power amplifier from Audio Research this month – see p10. What a beast it was! Of enormous size and solid build, with a slick but at the same time restrained and authentic professional style, the Reference 75 SE was a lovely piece of Americana. I hope you find it interesting: just remember, you may win the Lottery tomorrow!" See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi World at this link.

Industry News 15 Years Ago
World Economic Forum In Davos Discusses Napster's Business Model
The big question: Can you sell what millions of people once enjoyed for free? After all, why buy the cow if the milk can be enjoyed for free? While the "oldest profession in the world" seems to be strong on sales, will music be able to also succeed as well? Peer to peer music website Napster will be asking for a fee to use their service by June of this year. Their new subscription model will also bring with it the legal downloading of music which websites like mp3.com enjoys today. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Middelhoff said, "I'm convinced we can introduce in June or July of this year a subscription model, with a real working digital rights management system."

01 / 28 / 16

Wolf Ear Audio KITOKI Class A 1.5 Watt Stereo Amplifier
Wolf Ear Audio, a small Aboriginal business located in Canada that designs, builds and sells high value tube stereo amplifiers and accessories, is now offering their KITOKI low power S.E.T. vacuum tube stereo amplifier ($1599.99). Wolf Ear Audio's KITOKI is a true Class A stereo amplifier made to compliment high efficiency speakers (93dB/W/m). The company says it is a very honest and accurate sounding amplifier with minimal parts in the signal path and no feedback is used within the circuit. All of their amplifiers are made with care and point-to-point wired and do not use any PC boards in their assembly. This is a no nonsense amplifier and in order to keep the price down, it does not contain any unnecessary parts or add-ons such as current meters. They choose to focus on the amplifier itself in order to bring you the best possible sound for your dollar. Wolf Ear Audio's KITOKI uses a single tube for its power rectification, the EZ81 rectifier tube. All the capacitors within the power supply are high quality film type. There are no electrolytic capacitors here! Unlike electrolytic capacitors, film type capacitors never dry out and perform significantly better than even the very best electrolytic capacitors. The KITOKI's quality choke filtered power supply helps give a very quiet and steady power signal throughout the amplifier, filtering out noise and improving performance. Both the driver and output stage are a constant current design, so that they draw the same amount of current at all points of their operation, to provide an easy load for the power supply, which results in very consistent and reliable behavior from the amplifier. This also means you will never have to change or adjust the tube bias, ever. This amp is designed to use the excellent and affordable 6N1P-EV, which utilizes one section for the voltage gain and the other section to drive the output tube. This section is tube rollable with 6DJ8 and 6922 type driver tubes, though the 6N1P-EV will provide the most linear performance. The output tube is a constant current output stage which operates in its most linear region and uses the 6P15P-EV, which is also roll-able with other 6P14P-EV and EL84 types. Coupling capacitors used between the driver and output stage are a very high quality film capacitors known for their high sound quality and reliability. The output transformers used in this amplifier are the best possible custom output transformers available and have an exceptionally wide frequency response. Power output is 1.5 Watts RMS and the KITOKI has loudspeaker taps for both 4 and 8 Ohm speakers. Overall frequency response is from 20Hz to 100kHz (+/-1dB) with less than 2% distortion at full output. Dimensions are 320mm x 220mm x 80mm (WxLxH) and it weighs 7.8 kg.

Audience Releases Their Top-Of-The-Line Au24 SX Cables
Audience, founded nearly two decades ago by John McDonald and Richard Smith as a design and production company focused on building the best possible audio and video equipment, has announced their new top-of-the-line Au24 SX interconnects, loudspeaker, phono and digital cables. Their goal is to achieve extraordinary audio performance and musical accuracy to complement the finest audio systems. Audience's Au24 SX substantially exceeds the performance of the company's long-standing and acclaimed Au24 cable lines by the use of improved XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) dielectric material, higher-purity six nines copper, and by improvements to the cable geometry. The Au24 SX loudspeaker cables are of a heavier gauge than previous Au24 lines. In comparison to the previous versions, the new SX cables are more relaxed yet more dynamic sonically and have a richer tonal palette. The RCA connectors are a new proprietary solder free design. The XLR interconnect is an entirely new true dedicated differential cable designed from the ground up solely for use in balanced circuits. Audience Au24 SX cables, like all previous Au24 cables, are low mass and low eddy current resistance designs using minimal jacketing materials. They retain music's natural timing and timbre. "Anyone who has been a fan of our previous Au24, Au24e or Au24 SE cables should be thrilled when they hear the new Au24 SX," said John McDonald, President of Audience. "The new cables deliver even greater transparency, improved focus, higher resolution of micro-detail, a richer tonality and a more pristine soundstage." The new Audience Au24 SX cables begin at one-meter pair of Au24 SX cables with RCA terminations has a suggested retail price of $1800 per pair.

ESS Technology ES9038PRO: Is Your DAC Now Old And Outdated?
ESS Technology SABRE ES9038PRO is the world's highest performance 32-Bit DAC featuring 140dB DNR. Widely recognized as the gold standard in Audio Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) technology, ESS Technology introduces its professional series flagship – the ES9038PRO SABRE DAC. This first member of the ESS PRO series of SABRE DACs offers industry-leading performance in a 32-bit, 8-channel DAC and features the industry's highest dynamic range (DNR) of 140dB. The ES9038PRO SABRE DAC sets a new standard for a truly immersive, Hi-Res Audio (HRA) experience. As high resolution content proliferates through new, high-end music download services, users are looking for equipment that fulfills the promise of a sound experience matching the artist's original performance. The ES9038PRO SABRE DAC delivers on that promise enabling the highest quality sound possible, regardless of file format or device. The ES9038PRO SABRE DAC was designed for premium audio and home theater equipment including Blu-ray players, preamplifiers, all-in-one A/V receivers, network streamers and may be used within portable audio players. For serious audiophiles, the new ESS Technology SABRE ES9038PRO provides the most immersive listening experience – bringing music to life. Recording studio environments can leverage the ES9038PRO SABRE DAC's industry-leading performance for professional audio workstations and other equipment. The PRO series also enables studio professionals to recreate popular signature sound styles, using third party DSP and specialized software packages, while remaining true to the artists' musical vision. The ES9038PRO SABRE DAC features ESS' patented 32-bit HyperStream DAC technology with up to 140 dB DNR in mono mode and –122 dB (0.00008%) total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N). The HyperStream architecture is responsible for both the outstanding sound quality of ESS SABRE DACs and the extremely low THD+N. A typical competitive, 32-Bit 8-Channel DAC using a delta-sigma architecture features –107 dB THD+N (0.0004%), which when subjected to listening tests does not equal the clarity and sound stage of the ES9038PRO. A first in the industry, the ES9038PRO also enables audio gain calibration across multiple DACs for high channel count systems. It also has 500 mW power consumption at 192kHz sampling and 100 MHz MCLK. Advanced power management features enable a low-power idle mode the audio signal is absent. New hardware features include:

• Full-scale manual/auto-gain calibration reduces device-to-device gain error
• Programmable volume control ramp-rate with +18 dB option
• DoP to DSD decoder minimizes external processing
• Total of eight preset filters for maximum design flexibility
Programmable functions:
• Customizable output configuration: Mono, stereo, 8-channel output in current-mode or voltage-mode based on performance criterion
• Customizable filter characteristics: User-programmable filter allowing custom roll-off response
• Programmable THD compensation to minimize THD caused by external components.

01 / 27 / 16

JBL SpeakerAngle And SpeakerPro iOS Apps
AudioApps, a company that specializes in audio guiding systems for smartphones, has partnered with JBL for two new iOS apps JBL SpeakerAngle and JBL SpeakerPro. These apps allow users to get the most from their stereo and home theater systems. Developed in conjunction with JBL, the world's leading manufacturer of loudspeakers and professional studio monitors, these two new apps ensure precise speaker placement. JBL SpeakerAngle, which is completely free of charge, is the first-ever digital tool which allows users to correctly set and match the toe-in angling of their speakers for maximum audio fidelity. JBL SpeakerPro, priced at just $ 1.99, adds the ability to optimize setup by measuring distances from speaker to listening position and speaker to speaker directly from the iOS device. The resultant data can be stored, shared, and printed, and is used by the app to make intelligent toe-in recommendations based upon the specific listening environment. JBL SpeakerAngle and JBL SpeakerPro can be used with any stereo or surround sound system (up to 7.1), and with any make and model of speaker. They are compatible with all iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch models running iOS 7.0 or later. "We're thrilled to have worked with JBL on the development of these two groundbreaking apps," said Howard Massey, founder of AudioApps. "I'm convinced that both products will be of tremendous benefit to anyone who loves great-sounding audio, from audiophiles and home theater aficionados to owners of home studios and staff at professional recording studios."

01 / 26 / 16

CANADA HiFi's Latest Edition Now Available For Free Download
Enjoy the Music.com has just posted the latest issue of CANADA HiFi. This issue features a very special shopping guide for portable high-resolution digital music players and smart TVs. You can also see Enjoy the Music.com's extensive TAVES 2015 show report at this link. Reviews within this issue of CANADA HiFi include the Alpha Design Labs 24-bit/192kHz GT40 Alpha USB DAC/ADC with phono stage, Acoustic Signature WOW XL turntable with TA-1000 tonearm, VIZIO M-Series 65" 4K Ultra HD TV. Within his editorial, Suave Kajko says "Hello and welcome to the holiday edition of the CANADA HiFi magazine! Our annual gift guide makes this the funnest issue of the year for George de Sa and I to work on - and we hope that enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. You'll find a great spread of hi-fi and home theatre items on our list, ranging from a device that can turn any TV into a "smart TV" all the way up to fantastic amplifiers, speakers and more. The guide is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! We are equally as excited to feature CANADA HiFi's first portable music player shopping guide in this issue, written by Frank Labonte. This guide will not only teach you how to select a portable music player, it also contains a great number of players that would make a fantastic holiday gift for the music lover on your list. Think of it as "part 2" of our holiday gift guide." See what's within this issue of CANADA HiFi and you can download the complete magazine for free at this link.

01 / 25 / 16

Selling Audio To The "Lost Generation"
Article By Gary Yacoubian, CEO of SVS

RBH Sound BT-100 24/192 DAC With 50 WPC Amp And Headphone Out
High performance audio products manufacturer RBH Sound (RBH) has introduced their RBH BT-100 stereo amplifier with 24/192kHz DAC and Bluetooth capability ($329). The BT-100 amplifier features a built-in Bluetooth 4.0 radio, and is capable of delivering a hearty 50 Watts per channel of high fidelity, Class D power into a pair of 4 Ohm speakers. RBH Sound also incorporated the aptX codec into the BT-100, giving the compact amplifier improved sound quality and increased streaming efficiency with enhanced overall dynamic range. Virtually any Bluetooth enabled device, such as a smart phone, easily pairs with the BT-100, allowing the user to wirelessly stream a playlist through their favorite speakers, making it the most convenient amplifier RBH has produced in its 40-year history. RBH also added three additional inputs: a 1/8" (3.5mm) analog stereo headphone jack auxiliary input, a set of unbalanced RCA analog input jacks and an industry-standard S/PDIF TosLink optical digital input that gives the BT-100's built-in digital-to-analog converter the ability to decode and play up to 24-bit/192kHz high resolution audio formats. Also found on the rear panel of the amplifier is a single RCA-style volume tracking subwoofer pre-out that allows listeners to add a powered subwoofer to the system for added bass support. Switching between the amplifier's inputs and adjusting the volume is easy and convenient with the included slender infrared remote control or via the multi-touch rotator knob on the front panel of the BT-100. RBH Sound's BT-100 measures 7.5" x 5.5 x 2" (WxDxH) and weighs just under 3 lbs. "Any speakers lying around the house can, with our new BT-100, become Bluetooth enabled and be listened to within a few minutes," said Daren Egan, RBH's Marketing Director. "Most people want ease and convenience when listening to their music. If it's not easy or if it's not convenient, most people will either forego listening to their music altogether or they'll find an easier way to do it. That easier way, unfortunately, may be to simply listen to their phone's speaker, the quality of which is poor at best. When it comes to first setting up the BT-100, most people can have their music streaming from their phone in less than five minutes, start to finish. Simply connect the BT-100 to a pair of speakers, plug it in, turn it on, pair your Bluetooth enabled device, and you're ready to go. And, you'll get much better sound quality than you'll ever get with a portable Bluetooth speaker."

Industry News 10 Years Ago
IFPI: Online Music Sales Are Achieving Impressive Results
Online music sales have reached amazing figures as the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the organization that promotes the interests of the international recording industry worldwide with membership comprising of over 1450 major and independent companies in more than 75 countries, reports that digital music in 2006 grew to over 2 million songs online with sales reaching impressive results. Mobile music revenues earned $400 million, with $1.1 billion for record companies, this is up from $380 million in 2004. How big is the worldwide sales of music you ask? Like online audiophile magazines where music lovers worldwide benefit, music fans worldwide downloaded 420 million single tracks and accounts for a multiple of twenty times more than only two years earlier. According to the IFPI, digitally downloaded music now "accounts for 6 percent of record companies' revenues, up from practically zero two years ago." IFPI Chairman and CEO, John Kennedy, said "Two years ago, few could have predicted the extraordinary developments we are seeing in the digital music business today. And there will be further significant growth in 2006 as the digital music market continues to take shape. Already in the UK and Germany - two of the biggest digital markets worldwide - legal buyers from sites like iTunes, Musicload and MSN actually exceed illegal file-swappers." If we fast-forward to 2016, online music sales and music streaming services are generating more revenue for recording labels than CD / LP formats.

01 / 22 / 16

Musician Series Featuring David Chesky
Enjoy the Music.com's Musician Series focuses on legendary talents from around the world.
Interview By Steven R. Rochlin

Nagra Classic DAC Handles 32-bit/384kHz And 2x DSD Hi-Res Audio
Nagra's new CLASSIC DAC handles 24-bit/384kHz and 2x DSD digital audio files. Their CLASSIC DAC features using the DSD 2x version of the format that operates at a level 128 times superior to that of traditional CD and twice that of SACD. The sampling frequency reaches 5.6 MHz and the internal calculations use 72 bit precision. The USB input is Nagra's own proprietary design and can handle signals up to DXD (384kHz/32-bits) and DSD 2x. It is compatible with PC and MAC computers. On the analog side, the signal-to-noise ratio of the output stage boasts an impressive 145dB! A number rarely reached by any competitive product at any price level. The output section is based on a Class A discrete transistor topology. It includes no less than nine matched transistors, of military and high-end origins, per channel. The Nagra CLASSIC DAC features a built-in mains power supply that offers excellent performance, but can be further improved by the use of the Nagra MPS full-chassis power supply, though a 12 V DC Lemo connector. The power supply has also been carefully designed and includes no less than 25 dedicated internal power supplies. In typical Nagra way, each stage is carefully decoupled to ensure the best performance. Digital inputs include two S/PDIF (RCA and BNC), AES/EBU, optical TosLink, USB and I²S. Analog outputs are both unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR. The Nagra CLASSIC DAC will be available in April 2016.

01 / 21 / 16

High-End VIPs Praise Enjoy the Music.com's CES 2016 Show Coverage

01 / 20 / 16

AVA Motorcycle By Bandit9
A rolling, and functional, work of art.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin

Nike Air Pressure Sneaker
Nike goes back to the 1980's.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin

Skull Armchair And Iconic Stool: Arnold
Paris once again bestows upon us great objects of art.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin

Industry News 15 Years Ago
Chesky Records Delivers High Resolution DVD-Audio Disc
Audiophile recording label Chesky Records has officially been chosen by Japanese electronic manufacture Pioneer to supply a free DVD-Audio disc with selected Pioneer DVD-Audio players. This compilation DVD-Audio disc includes high resolution naturally recorded multi-channel music by artists such as Chuck Mangione, Paquito D'Rivera, The Conga Kings, Jon Faddis, The Coryells, Dave's True Story, Christy Baron, Carla Lother, Allison Brewster Franzetti, and David Chesky. As a special for Enjoy the Music.com Mailing List members, an upcoming contest planned for February 2001 includes giving away one of these not for sale discs to five lucky Mailing List members.

01 / 19 / 16

Where High-End Audio Missed the High-End Lifestyle Bus
Article By Sandy Gross, GoldenEar Technology

Everything But Тhe Box Announces Their BoXXeR HM 0.4 Speaker
Everything But Тhe Box announced their BoXXeR HM 0.4 (~€1500 each) as the first loudspeaker of the company's new BoXXeR series. EBTB applied a very different aesthetic approach and style for those who may enjoy a more vintage design. They carefully selected each part and material plus spent many hours in the anechoic chamber to produce the best loudspeaker. Both woofer and tweeter are top of the line products of Seas and Vifa, with the crossover using high quality Mundorf components. For midrange and woofer duties the 4.5" Seas Excel magnesium cone woofer is used. For tweeter duties EBTB chose the 25 mm Vifa silk dome tweeter with central waveguide and neodymium magnet. EBTB's BoXXeR HM 0.4 front and back plate are CNC cut from 10mm solid aluminum alloy sheet. They are covered with invisible lacquer to protect the surface, thus giving it a very natural feeling when touched. The shell is made from 11 plies of Birch plywood as EBTB feels this is the most musical wooden product. The shell is covered with the highest quality vegetable tanned full grain leather from Tuscany, Italy. On the rear of the unit are a pair of gold plated loudspeaker binding posts. Sensitivity is 85dB/W/m, power handling is 70 Watts and overall frequency response is from 60 Hz to 40 kHz.

01 / 18 / 15

Cary Audio Is Now Shipping Their DMS-500 Digital Music Streamer
Cary Audio's new DMS-500 Digital Music Streamer is now shipping ($4995). As a groundbreaking design that not only meets the high-fidelity demands of today, but also the future, the DMS-500 streams native PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD 64 to 512. Connecting the DMS-500 to your wired or wireless home network opens up a new world of musical enjoyment like never before. Easily stream any files from any MAC or PC computer, NAS drives, and Internet Music Services. To go one step further, directly connecting USB hard drives, thumb drives, or SD Cards allows for "computer-less" playback of digital music. Whether network or computer-less, the DMS-500 will transform your digital files effortlessly into beautiful analog rich music at a level you've come to expect from Cary Audio's long history of renowned digital products. Used in your reference Hi-Fi system, or as a hub within a digital only system paired with a set of powered speakers, the DMS-500 will not only please your ears but the 5" full color HD display is also easy on the eyes. Additional features include built in Tidal, Spotify, aptX lossless fi Bluetooth, plus legacy inputs including two S/PDIF coaxial, TosLink optical, AES/EBU. Outputs are S/PDIF coaxial and TosLink optical, analog RCA and XLR fully balanced outputs, OSO Re-clocking, and a full 3 Volt variable volume control. Dimensions of the Cary Audio DMS-500 are 3.75" x 17.25" x 16.25" (HxWxD) and weight is 23.5 lbs.

01 / 17 / 15

Ferguson Hill FH007 Version 2 Features Elegant Clear Acrylic Horns
Ferguson Hill has just launched their new and improved FH007 speakers to now reach Version 2.0 status (£595 including V.A.T.). The FH007 desktop speaker system is a five piece system consisting of two stand mounted clear acrylic horn speakers, two bass spheres and an integrated Class A/B amplifier. The system has been designed to work fantastically around a desktop computer but can be used with any sound source. The original FHOO7 was critically-acclaimed by many magazines since going on sale to the public years ago and has established a reputation across Europe as the "most stylish speakers in existence". Ferguson Hill's FH007 Version 2 features virtually unbreakable polycarbonate horns and upgraded drive units in both horns and bass spheres for improved frequency response. The FHOO7 Version 2 is easy to plug and play with any device with an audio out line. Simply use the mini-jack leads and phono lead provided to connect to your iPod, PC/Mac, TV, or traditional Hi-fi systems. The FHOO7 is not just an I-pod speaker but also a speaker system for all your sound systems. A Bluetooth receiver is included so that you can can stream music wirelessly straight from your computer, tablet or phone. Dimension of the two main horns are 43 x 27 x 18cm (HxWxD) and the two bass spheres are 20cm in diameter each. The included Class A/B integrated amplifier is 14cm cubed, and produces 64 Watts with two dedicated stereo amplifiers and an active crossover.

Industry News 15 Years Ago
Legally Download Dave Matthews Band's "I Did It" On Napster
Legal copyrighted music downloading on Napster? You bet! Napster, with the blessing music label owner Bertelsmann, is making the very first music single from the upcoming Dave Matthews Band album available for download. While the Dave Matthews Band much-anticipated fourth studio album titled Everyday will be released on February 27^th, members of Napster can download and listen to the song "I Did It" right now.

01 / 15 / 16

Enjoy the Music.com Launches Our Special Musician Series Videos
Enjoy the Music.com's special first video within our Musician Series, hosted by Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin, features artist, inventor and musician Terry Bozzio. Our interview with Terry Bozzio discusses his early career, his many creative talents with inventing drum hardware, plus as a longtime legendary drummer with Frank Zappa and many others. Terry is a critically acclaimed percussionist and visual artist too! Legendary and award winning melodic drummer Terry Bozzio is releasing worldwide what he calls a "Life's Work" project of Art & Music on the Japanese label Ward Records. Please check out Terry Bozzio's latest album, Composer Series, which features Hi-Res Audio recordings showcasing Terry's many musical talents. You can see our interview with Terry Bozzio at this link.

01 / 14 / 16

AXPONA 2016 High-End Audio Show Coverage By Enjoy the Music.com
AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) returns to the Westin O'Hare in Rosemont, IL, for their 2016 event being held from April 15th through 17th. Enjoy the Music.com's AXPONA 2016 show report will offer music lovers, audiophiles, and musicians details from this three day jam-packed event filled with incredible sounds, technology, presentations, design, and the very latest products within the industry. AXPONA seeks to define the high-end consumer audio shows within the United States of America and Enjoy the Music.com will once again bring you our exclusive AXPONA 2016 show report. Now in its seventh year, AXPONA offers something for everyone – from the novice music lover to the seasoned audio expert looking to enhance their sound with the latest technology. In addition to a series of special events, live performances and educational presentations, music lovers will have the opportunity to experience the very best in sound in more than 125 listening rooms. AXPONA attendees may sit and enjoy comparing superbly designed, high performance systems and components from some of the world's most prestigious manufacturers. In all, more than 400 manufacturers, retailers and brands will gather at AXPONA 2016. Enjoy the Music.com, will be celebrating our seventh consecutive year bringing you our exclusive AXPONA show coverage! We live streamed during AXPONA 2015 and AXPONA 2014 and look forward to bringing you our AXPONA 2016 show report. We deliver you the latest information from AXPONA and will be offering high-end audio's official Press Center for AXPONA 2016! Of course to fully experience all the great gear at AXPONA 2016, and hear your music though millions of dollars of high-end audio equipment, you needed to be there in person. Learn more about AXPONA 2016 at this link.

01 / 13 / 16

Updated! High-End Audio's Official CES 2016 Press Center
We've added more press releases @ high-end audio's official CES 2016 Press Center!

aptX HD Provides Music Enjoyment At 24-bit Hi-Res Audio Via Bluetooth
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-gen wireless technologies, has introduced their Hi-Res Audio wireless Bluetooth technology called aptX HD. Over the last two years there has been a move towards Hi-Rez Audio, and Qualcomm is meeting these desires with aptX HD Bluetooth technology that can wirelessly stream 24-bit/48kHz. Qualcomm's aptX HD audio codec platform supports better than CD quality audio over a wireless connection. As well as accepting a 24-bit audio input, 24-bit audio resolution is maintained by using an extra two bits in each of the four sub-bands of processing. This results in lower signal-to-noise ratio (the signal strength signal strength relative to background noise) through the encode/decode cycle and less distortion, making aptX HD ideal for use as part of a high-resolution audio solution. aptX HD is immediately available as part of the CSR8675 Bluetooth audio system-on-chip (SoC) platform which supports 24-bit audio end-to-end. The CSR8675 provides increased digital signal processing (DSP) performance and more capable I/O subsystems than any of its predecessors. It's designed to be a superior vehicle to bring aptX HD to the Bluetooth headset and speaker space. Qualcomm's aptX HD source is initially launching for Android devices such as tablets, personal media players, and smartphones, but during the course of the next year or so it will be deployed more widely. "aptX transformed the Bluetooth stereo audio ecosystem, providing near CD-quality audio without the need for wires, and consumers now seek out the quality the aptX brand has come to represent," said Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President and General Manager for IoE at Qualcomm Technologies International. "Today consumers enjoy the benefits and freedom of wireless audio on the wide variety of aptX enabled devices available but demand for higher resolution audio is growing to fulfill the desire for the most premium listening experience possible. With aptX HD, we are helping device manufacturers to reduce development time and quickly meet demand." aptX audio technology has a long history in the pro-audio and broadcast ecosystems. The technology is used to deliver high quality audio in over 30,000 radio stations and 20,000 cinemas across the world. In 2009, aptX was introduced to consumer electronics to provide quality wireless audio – and today, has been adopted by over 320 leading audio brands making it available in millions of headphones, speakers, soundbars, automotive and other Bluetooth audio products worldwide. It's also widely enabled in mobile devices and is now available in flagship Android smartphones and tablets from Samsung, Sony, HTC, Motorola and LG, as well as in other operating systems including Windows 10, MAC OS X and Blackberry.

01 / 12 / 16

Nielsen 2015 U.S. Music Report Shows Vinyl Sales Up 29.8%
Nielsen, a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers watch and buy, has released their 2015 music survey. According to the 2015 Nielsen music U.S. year end report it is Adele's 25 was the sales story of the year, despite only being available for the last six weeks. Catalog of music continues to be the biggest share of on-demand streams, with songs over 18 months old accounting for approximately 70% of all streaming music. Week ending 12/24 was an all-time weekly record for streaming music, reaching nearly 7.5 billion on-demand streams. Vinyl LPs continued to set new all-time highs with nearly 12,000,000 units sold in 2015 (+29.8%), and this marks the 10th straight year of growth for vinyl LPs and surpasses last year's previous record volume by 2,800,000 units. It is no surprise that independent record stores continue to be the biggest driver of vinyl LP sales with over 45% of market share. Rock continued to be the leading genre for album sales, achieving 33% of all album sales. Pop music dominates track sales with 23% of all track sales coming from this genre. In total, digital track sales reached 964 million, which is a decline of 12/5% as compared to 2014 1102.5 million. On-demand streaming for music has achieved double-digital growth, with 2015 earning 317.2 billion versus 164.5 billion in 2014 (a staggering 92% increase for those keeping score). Total digital music consumption reached 411.3 million in 2015 as compared to 326.4 million in 2014 (+26%). Top vinyl LP sales goes to Adele for her album 25, reaching 116,000 copies sold. This is followed by Taylor Swift 1989 (74,000), Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon (50,000) and The Beatles Abbey Road (49,800). The average person enjoys 24 hours of music per week, with 91% of Americans enjoying music. It is interesting to note that 75% listen to music online each week and 44% listen to music on their smartphone per week. The top three reasons for selecting a music streaming service is cost, followed by ease of use and song library. The reason many might not pay to subscribe is due to streaming service costs, followed by the ability to enjoy music for free and then the possibility of not using the service enough (to see any value in paying for music we assume). Over the next six months, the odds of someone paying for a streaming service is 6% very/somewhat likely, then 13% neither likely/unlikely and 78% are somewhat to very unlikely.

01 / 11 / 16

 
CES 2016 Live Stream Broadcast Videos Are Now Available Online!
Enjoy the Music.com has posted many videos from our CES 2016 live broadcast!

01 / 09 / 16

We've Added More! High-End Audio's Official CES 2016 Press Center
We've just included more press releases within our CES 2016 Press Center!

01 / 06   Through  01 / 09

CES 2016 Live Streaming Broadcast By Enjoy the Music.com
Our third annual CES 2016 broadcast streaming to you live online!

01 / 05 / 16

Enjoy the Music.com Just Posted Hi-Fi+'s January 2016 Edition
Enjoy the Music.com has just added Hi-Fi+'s January issue that celebrates their Awards 2016 product of the year! This issue includes reviews of the Kronos Sparta and Helena upgradeable turntable and tonearm, Entotem Plato media player, Optoma NuForce DAC80/STA120 digital converter and power amplifier, Devore Fidelity Orangutan O/93  floorstanding loudspeakers, Pryma 01 closed-back dynamic headphones, Mad Scientist Audio Yanam analogue interconnect cables, and Townshend Audio Seismic Podium loudspeaker support platforms. Within his editorial, Hi-Fi+'s Alan Sircom says "It's a fairly standard piece of audio folklore in the UK that awards issues appear toward the end of the year, highlighting the benefits of the previous year's products in time for the 'selling season' from September to January. We think that's bunkum! The 'selling season' is a crude and outdated concept, based on the idea that as the nights draw in, so people with nothing to do will buy their hi-fi systems to keep them entertained." You can see this special 2016 Awards issue of Hi-Fi+ at this link.

Industry News 15 Years Ago
Intel Announces Their First Portable MP3 Player
The world's largest chip maker, Intel Corporation, announced they are getting into the portable MP3 player market. Providing up to four hours of music programming and more than 20 hours of spoken-word audio, their new product called the Intel Pocket Concert Audio Player ($299.99) is equipped with 128 MB of memory for storing digital audio in MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA) formats. An optional Intel Audio Accessory Kit ($59.99) is available that includes a home stereo dock and car audio adapter so consumers have more ways to access, use and enjoy their music. The audio player is powered by two AAA batteries that deliver approximately 10 hours of continuous playback. The player's firmware is re-programmable, permitting compatibility with future music file formats and music purchased over the Internet. File transfer is via the Universal Serial Bus (USB) for fast transfer rates and quick connectivity and setup to the PC. FM Radio reception is also included for storing up to 10 preset stations.

01 / 04 / 16

Amadeus Philharmonia Speakers Co-Designed By Jean Nouvel
California-based Source Systems, Ltd. has been named the United States of America distributor for the newly released Amadeus 'Philharmonia' speakers by Jean Nouvel ($39,900 per pair). Amadeus, the French 'Pro Audio' manufacturer who is known for live, installed and custom studio sound reinforcement systems, chose Source Systems to enter the USA Hi-Fi market because of their high-end audio solution expertise and experience. The Philharmonia speaker is a two-way high definition monitoring system that combines 35 years of innovation and technology creation at Amadeus with a modern 'architectural' style, and a pristine sonic character. Source Systems expects speakers to be available in the US for sale, and demonstrations in California, by early February, 2016. "We had the pleasure to encounter Mark Gurvey of Source Systems at the Munich High End Society trade show where we showed-off the new Philharmonia speakers," said Gaetan BYK, Marketing Manager at Amadeus. "We met through a mutual friend, François Gourdain, who distributes Philharmonia both in France and Benelux, among other prestigious brands such as VPI Industries, Pixel Magic Lumin, and Esoteric. Mark's expertise in the high-end consumer electronics market, earned at many prestigious Hi-Fi companies, his people-oriented attitude, and his immediate understanding of the Philharmonia philosophy and positioning, convinced all of us at Amadeus that he was the right choice for breaking into the US market." The new two-way, bi-amplified Philharmonia speakers were initially created specifically for the Philharmonie de Paris recording and mastering studios, which were built to record performances in the new concert hall space. The speakers were co-designed by Michel Deluc, Amadeus' Director of Research & Development, along with world-renown architect Jean Nouvel (who designed the new Philharmonie de Paris concert hall.); Jean Nouvel stated, "I am not a designer. I am an architect who makes design." Mark Gurvey, CEO of Source Systems, Ltd., added, "Amadeus brings a fresh, unique and innovative approach to high-end audio engineering and design, with the Philharmonia speakers, both in sound and style. The speakers fit a key aspect of the very highest end audio components, they are absolutely unique looking and yet so modern and beautiful. It will be very exciting to see and hear the reactions of listeners in the US. The Philharmonia has an amazing sound; unlike anything we have experienced before. With such a unique origin of professional and evolutionary audio expertise, we expect to 'Wow!' a lot of ears." To arrange a demo of the Philharmonia speakers or for other information please contact California-based Source Systems, Ltd at (949) 369-7729 or visit their website.

We've Updated High-End Audio's Official CES 2016 Press Center

01 / 01 / 16

Enjoy the Music.com's January Review Magazine Is Now Available
Enjoy the Music.com is celebrating 2016 with the opening of high-end audio's official Press Center, celebrating our third annual live broadcast of CES, and, oh yeah, we still have that Review Magazine thing goin' on. Are you curious what'll be at CES? We already have many press releases online from a variety of manufactures; with more to be posted in the next few days! Enjoy the Music.com's Creative Director, Steven R. Rochlin, will once again host our live broadcast of CES. Expect some great info from manufacturers, you can come text chat with us, and we have a few special guests planned too! As the industry's only professional video studio, our live broadcast will be in high quality, with all on-air sessions being available shortly after CES in 1080 resolution for your on-demand viewing pleasure. And that's all folks, it's a wrap.

Oh, wait, we hear you asking what is within our January Review Magazine. Eh, not much really... except a review of the latest version of beeb's LS3/5A by one of the world's leading experts who owns 20(!) different versions. Joseph shares with you his deep knowledge about this legendary two-way small monitor and tell you why he loves the new Falcon LS3/5A. Turntable lovers rejoice as we give you the break down, or should we say build-up, of the Kronos Sparta 0.5 turntable and then dolling it all up to full Sparta status. Rick Becker walks you through the sound difference from going Sparta 0.5 to full-on build status. Meanwhile Brett Rudolph unleashes his system with the bang-for-the-buck Coincident Speaker Technology TRS / IC Extreme and CST Power cables. Don't want to spoil it for you, yet he seems to be one very happy guy this holiday season. We also just posted part 5 of Rick Becker's TAVES show report. There is no doubt Rick gives you the most in-depth report from this terrific Toronto consumer electronics event.

Being a global magazine with millions of readers, our world traveler and longtime industry expert insider Roger Skoff writes about the Chinese becoming audiophiles despite themselves. It is no secret that China's GDP has surpassed that of the USA, so manufacturers take note! Lastly, Steven R. Rochlin wants high-end audio shows to put Enjoy the Music.com out of business. If that got your attention, then read his article titled "Can High-End Home Audio Keep Up Within Today's Modern Landscape?" You see, this is what happens when Editor Tom Lyle takes the month off. Steven comes out to play and, well, we're not sure if that's a good thing. You can see Enjoy the Music.com's January Review Magazine at this link.

Remember to check out our live CES 2016 broadcast starting January 6th at 9:00am Las Vegas time. We'll have our professional-grade TV studio humming along with many special guests. You can sit back and relax watching the action or text chat live with our host Steven R. Rochlin and the many featured on-air guests. You can also make a peep with a Tweet and we'll read your question there toot-sweet. As always, in the end what really matters is that you...

Enjoy the Music,

Steven R. Rochlin
Creative Director
Enjoy the Music.com

Updated! Just Posted Part 5
Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show Report -- TAVES 2015
See all the great high-end audio gear within our extensive TAVES 2015 report!

We've Updated High-End Audio's Official CES 2016 Press Center
We've just added more great press releases within our CES 2016 Press Center!

 
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