LATEST ADDITIONS

<B>ELVIS COSTELLO: <I>2&#189; Years</I></B><BR> Including: <I>My Aim Is True</I> (RCD 90271. Bazza, eng. TT: 60:22), <I>This Year's Model</I> (RCD 90272. TT: 52:46), <I>Armed Forces</I> (RCD 90273. TT: 63:29), all available separately, and <I>Live at El Mocambo</I><BR> Rykodisc RCD 90271/74 (4 CDs). TT: 3:45:33<BR> <I>All above (except as noted):</I> CD only. Nick Lowe, prod.; Roger Bechirian, eng. & re-mastering. AAD.

"Boy, that's flat!" I whistled. I was looking at a quasi-anechoic TDS response Avalon Acoustics' Charles Hansen had produced for his latest brainchild, the two-way Eclipse loudspeaker that he was setting up in my listening room.

What did you on your wedding night? I know what I did. All three times. But Casey McKee? He spent his wedding night at the end of October installing the new Lingo power supply on his Linn LP12. I know. I was there.

<B>GILBERT & SULLIVAN: <I>H.M.S. Pinafore</I></B><BR> Richard Suart, The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B.; Thomas Allen, Captain Corcoran; Michael Schade, Ralph Rackstraw; Rebecca Evans, Josephine; Felicity Palmer, Little Buttercup; Donald Adams, Dick Deadeye; Richard Van Allan, Bill Bobstay; Welsh National Opera Orchestra & Chorus, Sir Charles Mackerras<BR> Telarc CD-80374 (CD only). James Mallinson, prod.; Jack Renner, eng. DDD. TT: 73:42

As of February, 1982, the ownership of this publication passed to other hands. In total despair about its precarious finances, JGH accepted with alacrity an offer by Larry Archibald (an occasional contributor in recent years) to purchase the magazine. This has now come to pass, and it is because of the resulting infusion of money that you are holding this issue in your hot little hands now instead of three months from now (and that is probably being a little optimistic about the way things were).

<B>WAGNER: <I>Siegfried</I></B><BR> Teldec 4509-94193-2 (4 CDs only). TT: 4:00:09<BR> <B>WAGNER: <I>G&#246;tterd&#228;mmerung</I></B><BR> Teldec 4509-94194-2 (4 CDs only). TT: 4:27:03<BR> Siegfried Jerusalem, Siegfried; Anne Evans, Br&#252;nnhilde; John Tomlinson, Wanderer; G&#252;nter von Kannen, Alberich; Graham Clark, Mime; Philip Kang, Fafner, Hagen; Bodo Brinkmann, Gunther; Waltraud Meier, Waltraute; Birgitta Svend&#233;n, Erda, First Norn; Eva-Maria Bundschuh, Gutrune; Hilde Leidland, Forest Bird, Woglinde; others; 1991 Bayreuth Festival Orchestra & Chorus, Daniel Barenboim<BR> <I>Both:</I> John Mordler, prod.; Gernot R. Westh&#228;user, eng. DDD.

For a while, I've been hearing rumors that the record-club editions of popular compact discs differ from the original versions produced by the record companies. I've met listeners who claim their club versions are compressed in dynamics, and some have reduced bass. Perhaps the clubs, in their infinite wisdom, think the typical member has a lower-class stereo system (in fact, the opposite may be true). Maybe these lower classes could benefit from some judicious dynamic compression, equalization, and digital remastering.