Where do you find the best bargains on quality used LPs?
Many audiophiles are also record collectors. There are many ways to add to your collection. Which one works for you?
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Online Database Aids Music Search
Questions for music lovers: 1) Have you been racking your brain trying to remember who recorded <I>Ruby Vroom</I>? 2) Do you know how many Tim Hardin recordings are available on CD? 3) Which album featured Head East's "Never Been Any Reason," considered by some connoisseurs the greatest rock song ever?
Music Playback via PC is Increasing
Is it merely the tip of the iceberg, or a temporary diversion? Hard to say just yet, but a recent report from the <A HREF="http://www.cema.org">Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association</A> (CEMA) suggests that increasing numbers of folks are using their PCs in place of, or in addition to, regular audio systems.
More Audio Statistics Indicate Growing Markets
Specialty audio manufacturers did better than expected in 1997, with factory sales as high as $1.4 billion, as reported <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10148/">last week</A>. More figures from the <A HREF="http://www.cema.org">Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association</A> indicate that the High End's good fortune is part of a bigger trend.
Music Business Targeted by California Assemblyman
Do offensive lyrics in pop music contribute to violent behavior and teen suicide? Some lawmakers believe so, and think public investment in the entertainment business is immoral.
Assuming you have good speakers of average sensitivity, how much amplifier power is necessary for good imaging and dynamics?
Audio amplifiers are now available in power ratings of as low as a few watts. At the other end of the scale are gigawatt amps of 1000W or more. Most fall somewhere in the middle. How much power does a good system really need?
ASCAP and Liquid Audio announce Strategic Alliance
On April 15, <A HREF="http://www.ascap.com/">ASCAP</A> (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), the music performing-rights organization, and <A HREF="http://www.liquidaudio.com">Liquid Audio</A>, a developer of secure online music delivery systems, announced a strategic alliance to protect ownership of music on the Internet. According to a Liquid Audio press release, the initiative encourages, streamlines, and simplifies music-rights licensing and reporting, and will benefit website creators as well as music writers, publishers, and composers.
New Audio Standard for Personal Computers and the Internet Slated for MPEG-4
Everyone claims "CD-quality" sound over the Internet these days, but the reality always seems far short of that promise. As a result, work continues to develop an encoding scheme worthy of the CD-quality title. Recently we <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10133/">reported</A> on developments at <A HREF="http://www.att.com">AT&T</A> regarding the <A HREF="http://www.a2bmusic.com">a2b</A> format, and both <A HREF="http://www.liquidaudio.com">Liquid Audio</A> and <A HREF="http://www.realnetworks.com">RealNetworks</A> compete on a weekly basis to grab headlines for their audio technology announcements.
High End Exceeded $1 Billion in 1997, CEMA Says
One billion dollars in 1997---thatÆs the <A HREF="http://www.cema.org">Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association</A>'s first-ever estimate of the high-end industry's factory-sales volume. The number could be as high as $1.4 billion, according to a CEMA projection for the entire industry based on sales data of a representative sample of 32 companies. The results of the survey were published March 23 on CEMA's website.
PARA Conference to Emphasize Upscale Retailing
PARA, the <A HREF="http://www.paralink.org/">Professional Audio-Video Retailers Association</A>, is bringing its annual management conference to the Hyatt Regency in Hilton Head, South Carolina, this week. The five-day event, running April 22-27, will focus on improving retail strategies. Representatives from more than 600 retailers, suppliers, and industry publications are expected.