Recording of February 1998: Sacred Steel
<B>VARIOUS ARTISTS: <I>Sacred Steel</I></B><BR> Arhoolie CD450 (CD). 1997. Robert Stone, prod.; Chris Strachwitz, exec. prod. AAD? TT: 74:29<BR> Performance <B>*****</B><BR> Sonics <B>****</B>
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1997 November Audio Sales Reflect Continued Interest in Systems
The <A HREF="http://www.cema.org">Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association</A> (CEMA) announced on January 23 that total November audio sales bounced back modestly from an anemic October, but were still off by 1% for both the month and year to date. Total dollars for the first 11 months of 1997 stand at $7.2 billion, compared to $7.3 billion at this time in 1996. Nevertheless, spectacular sales of audio systems are singlehandedly offsetting the lackluster sales in all other areas.
Carver Corporation Announces the Resignation of Three Directors
On January 28, <A HREF="http://www.carver.com">Carver Corporation</A> announced the resignations, effective January 21, 1998, of Mr. Thomas C. Graham and Mr. John F. Vynne as directors of the company so each can devote more time to his respective business. Carver Corp. also announced the resignation of Mr. Stephen M. Williams as a director of the company effective January 27, 1998. Mr. Williams is pursuing other business opportunities that preclude his continued service as a director of Carver Corp.
Mark Levinson No.33H monoblock power amplifier
Chances are you've never seen an amplifier quite like the Mark Levinson No.33H. That's because there's only one other amp that's anything like it: the Mark Levinson No.33, upon which it's based. Both amps are more tall than broad, looking almost as though they're resting on their ends; heatsinks cluster around their side-panels. In the city of the High End, the No.33 and No.33H are skyscrapers standing tall above the warehouses.
Speaker Design Contest Open to the Public
Attention all you amateur speaker designers furiously creating the world's next revolutionary crossover or cabinet design in your garage: <A HREF="http://www.iserv.net/~meniscus">Meniscus Audio</A>, a manufacturer of loudspeakers that sells directly to consumers through mail-order marketing programs, has announced a loudspeaker design contest that offers the winner the opportunity to have his or her design developed for distribution as a kit. First- and second-place prizes will also be awarded.
MedianiX Shows Virtual Surround-Sound at AES Meeting
Silicon Valley, Jan. 28---John Sunier, host of the nationally syndicated radio program <A HREF="http://www.btown.com/audio.html"><I>Audiophile Audition</I></A>, and I were here last night at Cogswell College for an Audio Engineering Society-hosted lecture and demonstration by <A HREF="http://www.medianix.com">MedianiX</A>. The Mountain View-based semiconductor company has pioneered a "virtual multi-axis" ("VMAx") surround-sound technology using only one pair of closely spaced loudspeakers.
What, in your opinion, has the greatest effect on a system's "sound"?
Conventional wisdom has always held that a pair of speakers can make the biggest difference in how a system sounds. But these days other components may be equally or more important, depending on the situation.
Stereofool Editor Involved with 21-year-old Tube Amp?
In a covert sting operation launched by <I>Stereofool</I>'s competitor, <I>Big iF</I> magazine, 24-bit/96kHz tapes have just surfaced revealing a conversation <I>Stereofool</I> editor Acker Johnson (AJ) had with a local dealer in used audio equipment.
Liquid Audio and Billboard Online Announce Web Audio Deal
B<i>illboard Magazine</i> announced an agreement this week with Liquid Audio, a developer of secure music-delivery systems on the Internet, to make <i>Billboard</i>'s extensive database of album reviews and audio previews available through <A HREF=" http://www.billboard.com/">Billboard Online</A>. The audio portion will be provided in <A HREF=" http://www.liquidaudio.com/">Liquid Audio</A> format by the Music Previews Network, the company that provides Music Previews for Billboard Online.
CD Recorder's Dirty Little Secret
The dirty little secret about consumer CD recorders has recently been getting out: In order to record on one of the new "inexpensive" consumer CD machines from such manufacturers as Pioneer or Philips, you have to purchase special "consumer audio" CD-Rs that can cost three to four times as much as the same CD-R formatted for use with a professional or computer-based CD recorder.