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Satellite radio goes high-end: Beginning early next year, <A HREF="http://www.krellonline.com/">Krell Industries</A> will enter the booming market for satellite radio receivers with an XM Radio tuner. The $4000 unit will reportedly also receive traditional AM and FM broadcasts; an optional module will let it stream Internet audio via 802.11g wireless connection to a broadband modem, according to the September 27 edition of <I>This Week in Consumer Electronics</I> (<A HREF="http://www.twice.com">TWICE</A&gt;). The tuner will join Krell's line of custom installation products. In a similar but less expensive vein will be new Sirius tuners from <A HREF="http://www.russound.com/">Russound</A&gt;. At $699 and $999, the two new models will also include AM/FM tuners.

There's a certain commercial symbiosis between audio companies and public performance spaces. Tokyo has its <A HREF="http://www.yamaha-hall.co.jp/">Yamaha Hall</A>; New York has its Avery Fisher Hall (<A HREF="http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/abram/abram.html">1</A&gt;, <A HREF="http://www.lincolncenter.org/visitor/halldescriptions_afh.asp?ws=">2</A…;), named for the hi-fi pioneer whose products were among the best available in the early 1960s.

Jack English noted in March 1994, "I lobbied ProAc designer Stuart Tyler tirelessly to take a crack at a truly full-range speaker which would preserve the strengths of the Response lineup. My wish came true in mid-1993, with the release of the monstrous <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/394proac">ProAc Response 4 loudspeaker</A>."

It's one of leading audio controversies: Do different audio cables

If the sole criterion for choosing a winner in today's hotly contested premium arms race was original thinking, the Immedia RPM-2 might well come out on top. While some of its design details resemble those found on other products, in many significant areas the arm is unique&mdash;not for uniqueness's sake, but in order to efficiently implement some clearly considered goals. If the unipivot RPM-2 bears a resemblance to any other contemporary arm, it is Naim's highly regarded ARO&mdash;which I've never heard. The similarity, though, would appear to be superficial.

"Speakers are difficult," says Lars.

Reviewing audio equipment has always been a blast. With each passing month, some potentially wonderful new piece of audio gear finds its way into my system. But as an audiophile, I don't want to be constantly changing the equipment in my system&mdash;I want to put together the best setup I can and spend my time optimizing its performance. In spite of the revolving equipment door, I try to listen to the majority of music on my own equipment.