The Return of Physical Media?
The Sony Cards are in!!!! The Sony Cards are in???
LATEST ADDITIONS
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We're like Freemasons and Julian Schnabel
We spent almost all of today proofreading the April 2008 edition of "Recommended Components." One day of proofreading, however, is not enough.
Polk Enters the Apple Stores
On February 5, <I>This Week in Consumer Electronics</I> announced that Polk Audio had announced plans to sell its I-Sonic ES2 iPod docking tabletop hi-fi ($499) and miDock Studio portable iPod speaker through the Apple website and freestanding store network. This came less than a week after Polk announced that Best Buy would carry its TSi loudspeakers, PSW powered subwoofers, select RM series drive-units and, of course, the SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater (all of which are currently available from the rival Circuit City chain).
Anti-Node: Active Room-Acoustics Correction
Recently, I assessed four disparate room-correction systems based on digital signal processing (DSP): Copland DRC205, Lyngdorf Audio RoomPerfect, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/musicintheround/1105mitr">Velodyne SMS-1</A>, and <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/musicintheround/706mitr">Meridian DRC</A>. I concluded that Meridian's approach—which applies IIR (Infinite Impulse Response) "anti-resonance" filters to suppress room resonant modes, if only partially—was, in many respects, the best. What I particularly like about Meridian DRC is that, unlike the Copland and Lyngdorf processors, its approach to system tonal balance is largely hands-off. Yes, it lightens up the extreme bass a little, as you'd expect, but it doesn't recast the system balance in any way that might prove undesirable. If you like your system's tonal character as it is, Meridian DRC behaves just as you'd want a room-correction system to behave: it quells room resonance effects while leaving the system's essential sound well alone.
Recording of May 1992: P.D.Q. Bach: WTWP Classical Talkity-Talk Radio
<B>P.D.Q. BACH: <I>WTWP Classical Talkity-Talk Radio</I></B><BR>
Prof. Peter Schickele and the Usual Cast of Clowns; many instruments, some of which you'll recognize<BR>
Telarc CD-80295 (CD only, as if we had to tell you that). Robert Woods, Elaine Martone, prods.; Jack Renner, Michael Bishop, engs. DDD (as if we had to tell you that, too). TT: 61:39
Junk Shop
Omar and I left my apartment and stepped into the chilly night air, on our way to Binny's Liquors.
The Holmes Brothers!
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What are some other fun audio websites?
The internets have brought audiophiles a wealth of information never before available. Sure you are reading Stereophile.com right now, but what are some other fun audio websites?
Torus Power RM20 Audio/Video Power-Isolation Transformer
When I arranged to review the Bryston 28B-SST monoblock power amplifier, I wanted to be certain that the 1kW amplifier wouldn't be starved for current. Bryston advised me that Plitron, who manufacture the 28B-SST's toroidal transformer, also make Power Isolation Units (PIUs), under the brand name Torus Power. Torus explained that its PIUs combine surge suppression with massive toroidal transformers to provide AC power conditioning and protection from voltage surges.
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Music in the Round #28
I had planned to feature a few intriguing new products I saw at CEDIA's Expo 2007 held last September in Denver, but I did that on the <I>Stereophile</I> <A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/cedia2007">website</A>. Instead, I'll just tell you about the only big audio trend I saw there: HDMI.