LATEST ADDITIONS

NAD has been out there on the leading edge of entry-level high-end sound long enough that some audiophiles reckon they <I>invented</I> the category. Sure, we should give serious props to the likes of Creek, Rotel, Musical Fidelity, Arcam, Denon, and Parasound, all of which have made significant contributions to the musical aspirations of budget-conscious pilgrims. But I continue to harbor warm feelings about my last extended visit with an NAD component: the inexpensive yet supremely musical L40 CD Receiver, which I reviewed in the June 2000 <I>Stereophile</I>.

We've got the music business singing the blues with record sales down across the chart. Do you think the music from 2001 stacks up to that of previous years?

Film sequels are a mixed blessing. If an action movie holds my attention, I can't wait to see the sequel: same characters, same actors, new adventures. And if the first film was successful, studios are more than willing to oblige. So <I>Jurassic Park</I> begat <I>The Lost World</I>, which begat <I>Jurassic Park III</I>. But the results are often unsatisfying.

It's a brave new music world.

Genesis Technologies, one of the audio industry's most respected names throughout the 1990s, has ceased operation and has filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 7 of US bankruptcy law. The company's website (www.gen-tech.com) has gone dark. Genesis was more than a million dollars in debt near the end, according to a source familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

As Jonathan Scull reports in his review of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/474/">Class&#233; Omega Super Audio CD player</A>, "Class&#233; has guts. These are uncertain times, but here they are with an audiophile classic: an expensive two-channel Super Audio CD player." Read how one of the first SACD machines from a high-end audio company stacks up.

Well known in the European audiophile community, British hi-fi manufacturer <A HREF="http://www.cyrusaudio.com">Cyrus Electronics</A> is preparing for the introduction of its brand in America. The company says it plans to use the upcoming 2002 Consumer Electronics Show next month to scout out US dealers and introduce several new products.