Paul McGowan: High-End Survivor
"I don't believe it!"
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Added to the Archives This Week
Jonathan Scull stuffs as many "relatively inexpensive" building tweaks as he can fit into <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//finetunes/230/">"Fine Tunes" #21</A>. Find out about basic room and electrical treatments on the relative cheap.
Pay the Man to Play the Band
In an effort to smooth the way for websites that wish to legally reproduce copyrighted music, <A HREF="http://www.bmi.com">BMI</A> announced last week that it has now become the world's largest online digital rights management company with the launch of its Digital Licensing Center (DLC) and "Klick-Thru" online copyright licensing system. The company says that the DLC is intended to help Internet companies digitally obtain a music-performance license through BMI.com, allowing them to publicly "perform" any of BMI's 4.5 million copyrighted works from its 250,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers.
Sony Announces New Affordable SACD Player
A year after <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10445/">introducing</A> the Super Audio Compact Disc player to upscale audiophiles, <A HREF="http://www.sony.com/sel/">Sony Corporation</A> has decided it is time to make the technology available to a wider audience. On May 17, Sony announced that its third-generation SACD player will be launched in Japan in June at approximately $730 US (¥80,000). The company's current SACD players, which debuted last fall, list at $3200 and $5000.
FTC Ruling Against Major Labels Sparks Class-Action Suits
The gold rush is on in the wake of a <A HREF="http://www.ftc.gov/">Federal Trade Commission</A> decision effectively ending the music industry's policy of minimum advertised pricing (MAP) on compact discs. Attorneys in California and New York wasted no time in filing class-action lawsuits against the music industry's major conglomerates, following the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10744/">FTC's announcement</A> May 10 that it had reached a negotiated settlement with them over a longstanding noncompetitive pricing policy.
Total Audio Sales Up Nearly 10% in First Quarter
The <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) reports that factory-to-dealer sales of audio products soared in March, with dollar volume increasing by 14% over March 1999, to a total of more than $721 million. According to the CEA, sales in the first quarter of this year were 10% ahead of first-quarter 1999, at approximately $1.75 billion.
Powerful Surround-Sound Wiring Solution?
Last week, the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) announced that it is working to establish a single standard for high-data-rate home networking using the powerlines already installed in consumers' homes. Stating that it is "recognizing the need for a baseline technology standard," the CEA says it has invited integrated-home-systems industry stakeholders to participate in the creation of a standard for residential powerline networks, to be completed by year's end.
Lamm Industries ML1 monoblock power amplifier
The last Lamm product I had my hands on was a pair of M1.1 monoblocks (see Vol.18 No.4, Vol.22 No.7). I liked those hybrid tube/solid-state amps quite a lot.
Audio & Alternative Medicine
A long, relaxing listening session can be good medicine. But I've never heard a doctor prescribe, "Listen to your favorite recording three times and call me in the morning." At least, not yet.
What is the most memorable live music performance you have ever seen and heard?
Many of us have had our musical attitudes completely recalibrated after witnessing an important musical event. What has done it for you?