11 / 27 / 02
Sony's
protected music discs have been
causing problems with various consumers in the form of not just being able to share their music, but also in the ability to play their music within their computer's DVD/CD-ROM drives. In an answer to said
consumers, Sony has introduced the proprietary "Label Gate" technology within
their music discs. This new format can only be heard by having Sony's IBM-compatible Magiqlip software loaded within their computer. At this point in time there is no MAC software available. Decoding of the music on the disc is at no cost via Internet authentication and can only be performed once.
Subsequent decoding will be at an additional cost of approximately $1.64 for each song.
Magiqlip does allow for copies to be made of the disc, yet a special "key" is needed from Sony Music Entertainment to restore such data.
According to the Consumer Electronics Association
(CEA) manufacturer-to-dealer sales of separate audio components fared well during
September. "Increased sales for the month helped to boost year-to-date totals for the entire audio product category, steadying the course for year-end totals to meet or exceed those of 2001... Sales of separate audio components (comprised of electronic components and speakers) grew by two percent over last year to $111.5 million. Similarly, year-to-date sales of separate audio components grew by nearly three percent to $987 million."
11 / 26 / 02
The Cable Company
successfully raised well over $20,000 in their 2002 Summer Against Hunger
Fundraiser. Total program contributions to CARE and The International Rescue Committee
reached well over $20,000 making this their best annual fundraiser so far. Over the course of seven years, program totals including matching contributions now exceed
$112,000. The Cable Company donated 5% of their total sales in August to these two humanitarian relief organizations while the Cable Company's suppliers matched this 5% donation. Robert Stein, President of The Cable Company noted, "This annual fundraiser is one of those rare occasions where a good cross section of the companies involved in our part of the electronics industry participate together to support a worthy cause. Our industry is made up of companies and consumers who care about many things, only one of which is their audio/video equipment. Summer Against Hunger gives us an opportunity to offer something important to that half of the world which can never participate in our industry because they are too busy figuring out how to survive." Other Summer Against Hunger participating vendors included:
Acoustic
Zen Technologies
Analysis Plus
Arcici
Audience
Audio Desk Systeme
Audio Magic
Audioprism
Audioquest
Aural Symphonics/Univocal
Camelot Technology
Cardas Audio
Echo Busters
Furutech
GRADO Laboratories
Harmonic Technology
HAVE Sound & Video
Hovland Company
Immedia
JPS Labs
Kimber Kable
The Last Factory |
Magnan Cable
May Audio
Nirvana Audio
Nitty Gritty
Nordost Corporation
Polycrystal
Purist Audio Design
Shakti Innovations
Signal Guard
Siltech America
Shunyata Research
Sound Anchors
Straight Wire
Symposium Acoustics
Synergistic Research
Van Den Hul
Walker Audio
Wireworld
|
11 / 25 / 02
Audiophile remastering label Classic Records
is now taking orders for very limited edition box sets of both Led Zeppelin SV-P (RTH-3000, $200) and RCA
Heifetz box sets (CR-1000,
$250). The Classic Records Led Zeppelin four LP set on Quiex SV-P includes the first four titles (SD 8216
Zeppelin One, SD 8236 Zeppelin Two , SD 7201 Zeppelin Three , SD 7208
Zeppelin Four). A special free 45 rpm single sided test pressing 180g of "Stairway to Heaven" will be included. The Heifetz Quiex SV-P set consists of all nine of the Classic Records Heifetz reissues that consist of:
LSC 1903 Heifetz Brahms Violin Concerto
LSC 1992 Heifetz Munch: Beethoven Violn Concerto
LSC 2129 Heifetz Reiner: Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
LSC 2314 Heifetz Munch-Prokofiev Violin Concerto
LSC 2435 Heifetz Munch-Prokofiev Violin Concerto
LSC 2603 Heifetz Scottish Fantasys Violin Concerto
LSC 2652 Heifetz Sargent Bruch Violin Concerto
LSC 2734 Heifetz Glazounov Violin Concerto
LSC 2767 Heifetz Handl:Rozsa Violin Concerto
The Heifetz boxed set will be strictly limited to 500 sets. The retail price on the box is $300, though has been reduced to $250 for the holiday season/pre-orders. Both the Led Zeppelin and Heifetz box sets are exclusively available through Classic Records website.
11 / 22 / 02
Those looking for eight audio zones of Linn
sound via hard disc storage can look to their new Kivor Index music library. Linn's easy to install, high-performance eight zone hard drive source component designed for high fidelity distributed audio applications in both Linn and non-Linn multi-room systems. The Index comes in two
configuration to provide either 250 hours ($10,000) or 500 hours ($12,500) of audio storage on hard disc. An increase of tenfold is
achievable depending on the compression scheme chosen by the user while recording their music on to the Index system. Ease of installation and usage is aided by Linn's Linntek PC utility. Interfacing into a system upwards of eight zones is via the Linn Knekt system via Linnk or standard third party control via RS-232 and Ethernet. The Linn Kivor Index system is
available in either black or silver finish and dimensions are 177 x 482 x 505 (HxWxD in mm).
The Gotham City Audio Society's annual Audio Flea Market
will take place on Sunday, November 24th, from 2 to 6 PM at 525
West 50th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues), New York City. Buy,
sell, trade, barter components and software - or just schmooze! The club sets
up tables in a large indoor space so club members and other NY-area
audiophiles can display, sell, and buy older (and sometimes new) components.
We usually see a lot of accessories (cables, etc.) for sale, too. LP hunters
will have plenty of albums to choose from. Prices are always much, much better
than reasonable. There is dealer participation as several area retailers
usually bring a selection of choice goods. For more information and to reserve
a table, call the club hotline (212) 629-1933.
11 / 21 / 02
Acoustic Specialties
has introduced their new model 56MS ($79.95) flat-panel multimedia desktop loudspeaker
system. Utilizing NXT flat-panel technology, the 56MS is relative small in size and takes up very little desktop space, which is the same type of advantaged of using LCD flat panel computer screens, while the bass module can reside on the floor. The NXT flat-panel loudspeakers technology works according to an entirely different principle than conventional moving-coil cone and dome drivers. An NXT flat panel vibrates over its entire surface in a carefully calculated fashion for a claimed "broad, even dispersion, yielding natural stereo imaging and full coverage over a wide range of seating positions." The 56MS subwoofer employs a high-excursion four-inch driver, is computer-aided vented design, and an
enclosure constructed of MDF wood composites.
11 / 20 / 02
Germany based Finite Elemente
is now offering their CERABALL ceramic ball interface. Placed directly under the component's bottom plate, the principle of CERABALL is said to be "in the long-standing experience in designing resonance optimized audio furniture. Interfering resonances (from i.e. the mains supply) are deliberately deflected." The CERABALL directly couples the component to the audio furniture and claims to enhance resolution, improve soundstage, and increase dynamics. The picture here depicts:
1. Precision molded high-tech ceramic ball
made in U.S.A. for definitive contact and
fast resonance transfer
2. Elastomer collar for the centering and
damping of the top cap
3. Base and top cap precision machined from
solid aluminum with high densified and
hard anodized surface
11 / 19 / 02
With recent reports claiming online music sales down 25%,
peer to peer file sharing website KaZaA has achieved number one status on the Lycos 50 list of top search
engine keywords. Meanwhile it has been reported that Roxio has bid $5 million for
Napster's brand name, domain name and technology. Full court approval will continue on the Napster acquisition November
27th. Adding to this news concerning online music, MusicMatch is creating an "Artist On Demand" subscription service that will include music from four major
recording labels including BMG, EMI, Universal and Warner. Online music services
Pressplay and MusicNet (owned by AOL, BMG, EMI and RealNetworks) have
successfully procured licensing music from all five major recording labels adding Sony's huge music library to their list.
11 / 18 / 02
Founded in 1999 as EdgeAudio, now under the brand name of Aperion Audio, they have just announced their new S-10 subwoofer ($499). Designed for both music and home theater applications, the S-10 employs a 10-inch long-throw subwoofer and 200-watt amplifier. The S-10 is available for audition and purchase alone or packaged with Aperion's website. The S-10's cabinetry in produced from 1-inch thick HDF (high density fiberboard) with asymmetric internal bracing and covered in real cherry wood or a high gloss black painted finish (pictured here). Aperion's President Win Jeanfreau said "The true test of a speaker system is how it performs in your home, with your gear, with your music or movies. Customers have asked for a mid-size alternative to our 8 and 12-inch subs. The S-10 has the same powerful engineering as our popular S-12 but in a smaller package. It's an excellent mid-size option."
Click here for our news from
11/01 to 11/15
High-Performance Audio Reviews
