LATEST ADDITIONS

The packed house that was Home Entertainment Expo 2001 on Saturday thinned to a manageable level on Sunday the 13th, allowing most of the <I>Stereophile</I> crew ample opportunity to visit all the displays they had missed the previous two days. Toward the 6 o'clock closing time folks were still wandering the halls, and talking amicably and enthusiastically with friends they see once or twice a year. There is always a great deal of continuity in these shows, not only in the products, but also in the people.

In suite 949, Nashville, TN-based <A HREF="http://www.nearfieldacoustics.com"><B>Nearfield Acoustics</B></A> debuted an unnamed new model in its PipeDreams series of tower loudspeakers, one that sounds very promising. To sell for an estimated $10,000/pair, the speaker boasts a 98dB sensitivity rating and improved coherence over its predecessors, the result of using a horn-loading technique for the tweeters, according to company principal Craig Oxford. The new cabinet design is rounded in the back, allowing a single piece of veneer to be wrapped around it, yielding a literally seamless look. There are big bucks awaiting whoever comes up with a suitable name for the product, Oxford mentioned. "Opium" was my suggestion. Hey, it works for perfume.

<IMG SRC="/images/newsart/he2001.1.jpg" WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=119 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Although Gary Shapiro emphasized digital television in his keynote address at Home Entertainment 2001, the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org"><B>Consumer Electronics Association</B></A> president didn't ignore the importance of audio advancements. "SACD is a fantastic sensory experience," he told reporters at the May 11 press luncheon.

Last week's vote question about vinyl prompted a landslide of votes. Which impels us to ask, what is the ratio of CDs to LPs that you own?

Out of action for more than a year, Mobile Fidelty should be returning soon. Online retailer <A HREF="http://www.amusicdirect.com">Music Direct</A> has purchased the remastering and re-release specialty company, according to an <A HREF="http://pages.prodigy.net/amicus1/end_los.htm">announcement</A&gt; made April 24.

Analog playback equipment, the high art of 20th century audio, will be the theme of the "Analog Ballroom" in the Regent Parlor on the 2nd Floor of the New York Hilton during <A HREF="http://www.homeentertainment-expo.com/">Home Entertainment 2001</A>.

Home Entertainment 2001 arrives at the Hilton Hotel & Towers in New York this week for three days, May 11-13. There will be more than 80 rooms stuffed with the latest high end audio and video gear, including dozens of brand new products. For more information about the show, go to the <A HREF="http://www.homeentertainment-expo.com">HE 2001 website</A>.