LATEST ADDITIONS

Because I'm suspicious of just twiddling knobs to make the sound "nice," I didn't rely solely on my ears when I used the Z-Systems rdp-1 that I review elsewhere in this issue for speaker and room contouring. Instead, I used the ETF speaker/room-analysis software from <A HREF="http://www.acoustisoft.com">Acoustisoft</A&gt; to help me manipulate the equalizer properly. This program can measure the first-arrival, on-axis speaker response, as well as the room response with its early and late reflections and its resonances.

Audio systems can often be a synergistic challenge, with a delicate balance of every component in the chain. Reader Al Marcy submitted this question, which gets at the heart of the audiophile life.

In a move that acknowledges the increasing convergence of consumer electronics and computer technology, <A HREF="http://www.sony.com"&gt; Sony Electronics</A> has reorganized its US sales and marketing structure, and will emphasize digital performance in its new line of products. Foremost among these developments is Sony's recent announcement that its new line of audio and video products will prominently feature its VAIO personal computers. The notebook computers have editing features for video and motion-picture technology, and are quite popular in Japan, where around 100,000 have been sold.

A key benefit of working with <I>Stereophile</I> is enjoying the expertise of fellow audio nerds. After the HI-FI Show just held in Los Angeles, Jonathan Scull and Kathleen Benveniste spent a week riding up the California Coast and paid us each a visit.

For the last few months, random postings kept appearing on internet newsgroups and in my e-mail box: "Anybody know what happened to Counterpoint?" At last count there were 10,000 Counterpoint preamps, power amps, and loudspeakers fanned out across the planet, some dating back to 1977, when the company launched its first product: the SA-1 tube preamp, designed by Ed Semanko.

Audio technology marches on, but reader Dave Brown wonders: Does it always increase your enjoyment of music without decreasing your bank account?

On June 23, <A HREF="http://www.burr-brown.com/">Burr-Brown Corp.</A> announced the PCM1728 digital-to-analog converter (DAC), designed for consumer and professional audio applications.