Although the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) officially runs from Thursday, January 8 through Sunday, January 11, the day before the show has traditionally been reserved for press conferences by the major electronics companies. In recent years, audio news has been overshadowed by home-theater and video announcements, since that is where the big boys have decided the mass market has gone. This year was no different, but that's not to say there was <I>no</I> audio news.
As Paul Messenger states in his 2000 review of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/analogsourcereviews/200linn">Linn Arkiv B phono cartridge</A>, "This <I>Stereophile</I> review is long overdue. Furthermore, this review addresses a complaint often directed against reviews and reviewers: that we rarely spend enough time with a component to gain a properly balanced, long-term perspective."
Is the music industry in the early stages of a turnaround? Sales of recorded music in the US declined by less than 1% in 2003, according to figures released December 31 by Nielsen SoundScan.
British loudspeaker manufacturer <A HREF="http://www.mission.co.uk">Mission</A> has announced a major marketing push into North America with the launch of its new distribution arm, <A HREF="http://www.mission-usa.com">Mission U.S.A.</A> The company, founded in 1977 and noted for using one of the first polypropylene-cone drivers in 1978, had been distributing its products in the US through Denon Canada.
<B>JOE HENRY: <I>Short Man's Room</I></B><BR>
with The Jayhawks<BR>Mammoth MR0037 (CD only). Joe Henry, prod.; Brian Paulson, eng. AAD? TT: 45:51
Bass management? We don't need no stinking bass management. We use full-range speakers all around!
Maybe Dan D'Agostino was destined to develop and build a line of products distinguished by their sheer might. After all, he grew up just blocks from a natural phenomenon synonymous with power: Niagara Falls. Even today, when the 56-year-old D'Agostino returns to his boyhood home to visit his parents, he enjoys pulling on a pair of shorts and going for a long run in the adjacent park, which resounds with the Falls' unrelenting thunder.
Ten years ago, I'd probably have got pretty good odds from industry insiders on a bet that <I>Stereophile</I> would still be reviewing phono cartridges into the new millennium. Linn's Arkiv B may not be a brand-new design—I heard my first sample in mid-1997—but phono-cartridge technology is about as stable as anything in hi-fi today. This <I>Stereophile</I> review is long overdue.
Do audiophiles really love music? Reader David Lockwood wonders if it's really true that audiophiles spend more on their gear than on their music collections. How many discs do you have (combining all formats)?
We all know that audiophile products are dangerous to the pocketbook, but one high-end audio manufacturer is notifying its customers that one of its subwoofers may be dangerous to the listener's health as well.