LATEST ADDITIONS

A reviewer's life is not all fame and fortune. There are downsides, too, one of which is that, while many great-sounding components pass through your listening room, only a few get to stay there on anything like a permanent basis. (And that involves money changing hands, as in [gasp!] "purchase.") Before I bought my long-term reference loudspeakers—a pair of B&W John Bowers Silver Signatures—back in 1994, the speakers that had spent the most time in my 2900-cubic foot listening room were a pair of Thiel CS2 2s. I reviewed the '2 2 in the January 1993 issue of Stereophile (Vol.16 No.1), and although it was relatively affordable ($2250/pair at the time of the review), it did most of what I wanted a speaker to do. Other than a limited dynamic range in the bottom audio octave and a slightly exaggerated top octave, the CS2 2 sounded effortlessly smooth and free from coloration throughout the midrange and treble. It was also a real imaging champ.

Although standalone music systems will always be part of the audio hobby, it appears that computers are becoming increasingly important. Improvements in data transmission and storage are reported almost daily, and several services now offer downloads of music. When will a computer become part of <i>your</i> music system?

Several companies spanning the personal computer, communications, and consumer electronics industries announced March 4th the formation of a working group that will develop a specification for wireless communications in the home. This specification will allow PCs, peripherals, cordless telephones, and consumer electronic devices to communicate and interoperate with one another.

Move over, <A HREF="http://www.cdnow.com">CDNow</A&gt;, <A HREF="http://www.n2k.com">N2K</A&gt;, and <A HREF="http://www.musicblvd.com">Music Boulevard</A>---<A HREF="http://www.Amazon.com">Amazon.com</A&gt; and <A HREF="http://www.bestbuy.com">Best Buy</A> want to play.

Members of San Francisco's legendary Grateful Dead have announced plans to reunite for a six-week, 25-city tour beginning in June. The group---whose core consists of original Dead members Phil Lesh (bass), Bob Weir (guitar), and Mickey Hart (drums)---will call itself The Other Ones, after an old Dead tune. The group will headline the third annual "Furthur" tour.

The ProAc Response One S was one of the very first products I reviewed for <I>Stereophile</I> back in 1994 (Vol.17 No.9). That review was such an over-the-top rave that John Atkinson felt obliged to audition the speakers himself before running my report. I assume he liked 'em too&mdash;after all, my review did see the light of day.

<B>ARTURO DELMONI & NATHANIEL ROSEN: <I>Music for a Glass Bead Game</I></B><BR> <B>J.S. Bach</B>: Two-Part Inventions 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13. <B>Kod&#225;ly</B>: Duo for Violin & Cello. <B>Giordani</B>: Duetto II. <B>Martinu</B>: Duo for Violin & Cello. <B>Handel</B>: <I>Passacaglia</I><BR> Arturo Delmoni, violin; Nathaniel Rosen, cello<BR> John Marks Records JMR 15 (CD). John Marks, prod.; Jerry Bruck, eng. DDD. TT: 62:34