LATEST ADDITIONS

While Bowers & Wilkins' new 802 D3 Diamond loudspeaker, reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, takes pride of place on the cover of the June Stereophile, to judge from the many comments posted to our recent story on MQA, it will be Jim Austin's review of the MQA-capable Meridian Explorer² on page 102 and John Atkinson's technical evaluation of MQA on page 108 that readers will turn to first. . .

Saturday May 14, from noon–6 pm, Crescendo Fine Audio (6760 W 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033) is holding a special Technics Open House. The featured guest will be Matt Frazer Manager of Retail Services for Technics.

Positioned at a height reachable only by the towering Gary Yacoubian, the CEO/President/Managing Partner/Chief Window Washer of SVS, the aptly named Prime Elevation (approx. $399/pair) is part of the company's year-old Prime Series…

Thursday May 12, The Audio Salon (The Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave (Gallery F1), Santa Monica, CA 90404), 4:45pm–8:00pm, is hosting an evening with David and Daryl Wilson, to celebrate Wilson Audio Specialties' first 42 years. Dave and Daryl, beginning at 5:00pm, 6:00pm, and 7:00pm, will give three 50-minute presentations in the art gallery area. As well as discussing the culture and history of Wilson, what has changed since those nascent days when Daryl sat on his father's lap and listened to the first prototype WAMM, they will demonstrate Wilson's new Alexx loudspeaker.

"Are you an audiophile?" I find myself yelling into my semi-functional smart phone, sitting in my dimly lit cubicle in Stereophile's New York office.

On the other end of the line is my close friend and long-time mentor, David Binney. We're FaceTiming in slow, fragmented motions as he eats his dinner in a lively restaurant before a gig in central Belgrade.

"No, definitely not." He says quite matter-of-factly. "I subscribe to Stereophile but I don't consider myself an audiophile. I wish I was, but it's too expensive.

MQA's game-changing breakthrough has arrived. On 9am UK time on May 6, 2016, Warner Music Group (WMG), whose vast catalog includes everything from the Beatles to Maria Callas, announced a long-term licensing deal with MQA (Master Quality Authenticated). The agreement makes it possible to digitize the entire WMG catalogue in the superior MQA-encoded format of various resolutions, and disseminate the files via download and streaming services in a far more efficient and user-friendly manner.

Pro-Ject Audio System's founder and President Heinz Lichtenegger debuted three products in Manhattan this past April 28. Among the upbeat Austrian's new wares were the Vertical turntable (above), the Classic turntable, and the DAC Box DS2 Ultra. Presented at World of McIntosh's SoHo townhouse, visitors were given a tour of the 1890s-built former New York City power substation, now beautifully renovated and stuffed floor to ceiling with audio gear from Sonus Faber, McIntosh, and of course, Pro-Ject.