LATEST ADDITIONS

The continuing legal attacks on <A HREF="http://www.napster.com/">Napster</A&gt;, the free file-sharing software, and on <A HREF="http://www.mp3.com/">MP3.com</A&gt;, the downloadable music site, have spooked investors, according to the financial press. MP3.com's stock got hammered hard, dropping by about 40% almost immediately in the wake of a <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10737/">recent decision</A> by US District Court judge Jed S. Rakoff in favor of the <A HREF="http://www.riaa.com/">Recording Industry Association of America</A>'s copyright-violation complaint against the Internet startup.

MP3 may be under constant attack by audiophiles, and by music-industry attorneys in the courts, but the format shows no indication of disappearing. Santa Clara, CA&ndash;based <A HREF="http://www.s3.com/">S3</A&gt;, maker of the Rio portable audio player, has reason to believe that MP3 has plenty of growth potential. The company is going after licensees for the Rio to make knockoffs, and has plans to produce Rio-type players for home and car audio this summer.

In early June, <A HREF="http://www.toshiba.com/">Toshiba</A&gt; will institute a new retailing program that embraces the Internet but favors traditional retailers. The electronics manufacturing giant will have "a defined group of Internet retailers" that will be built on a base of traditional retailers, according to an announcement made in late April. Later, the program will be expanded in stages to include Internet-only retailers. The announcement follows <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10662/">an announcement by Sony Corp.</A> late in January that Sony would begin direct Internet sales this year.

It's mating season for entertainment-industry giants. <A HREF="http://www.sonymusic.com/">Sony Music Entertainment</A> and <A HREF="http://www.umusic.com/">Universal Music Group</A> are in talks to develop a jointly operated subscription music service for the Internet, according to a report the two companies issued in the first week of May. The news followed by only a week an announcement of a <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10729/">possible merger</A> between record clubs Columbia House and BMG Music Club.

"Here's somebody who just <I>loves</I> to sing." Over the telephone, Peter Guralnick sounds sad, incredulous. "But he's unable at the end of his life to force himself into the recording studio&mdash;the fear of completion, fear of exposing your untrammeled idea to execution. What a terrible thing to lose that ability, that faith in yourself."

Reader Bill Huey reminded me recently that I'd promised to cover pre-War buildings that have hot and neutral electrical service but no ground. Why the rush? Bill was about to move into just such a dwelling. (Hey, never mind the furnace and the roof—what about my stereo?!)

Sometimes you have to wonder why big corporations gobble up small speaker companies. Most such firms are built by individualist entrepreneurs chasing an elusive dream&mdash;an up-close and personal thing that is the antithesis of the corporate mentality. That's why speaker companies are so often named after the founder.