LATEST ADDITIONS

The <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/694krc2">Krell KRC-2</A> can be regarded as a remote-controlled successor to Krell's successful KSL preamplifier of a few years back. The outboard Krell Phono Equalizer (KPE) is a separate box powered from the KRC-2. Priced at $850, it contains a printed circuit board very similar, in fact, to the $499 unit that can be fitted within the KRC. The KPE and KRC phono stages are well-designed universal units; if someone has the need for a stand-alone phono equalizer of Krell KRC standard, a separate power supply may be purchased for the KPE. It is also an advantage to be able to locate the KPE head amplifier in a hum-free zone near the LP turntable.

There's always a certain amount of jockeying for position at the very top of the High End. Every few months, a new star burns brightly, getting all the attention. While the constant turnover at the cutting edge helps to define the state of the art, audiophiles should keep their eyes on the longer term. It's a company's track record&mdash;examined over a period of years&mdash;which defines its position in the market and the credibility of its products.

This is not a new component, but like most others that aspire to very high standards of performance, it has undergone some changes (for the better) since it first went into production.

A consortium of media and Internet companies announced a set of guidelines to protect copyrights online on October 19. Among the group, which has been negotiating for nine months, were Walt Disney Co.; Microsoft; NBC Universal; Viacom, Inc.; CBS Corp.; News Corp.'s MySpace and Fox constituents; Veoh Networks, Inc.; and Dailymotion S.A. Noticeable for its absence was Google, including YouTube, which has recently been sued for $1 billion for infringement by Viacom.

When Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Goldman Sachs decided to <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/news/092407harman/">call off</A> their <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/news/043007harman/">projected $8 billion takeover</A> of Harman International Industries, Inc., industry experts predicted the audio company would take the two financial firms to court, if not to gain the $225 million termination fee, to force them to abide by their material adverse effect statement and complete the transaction.

Dr. Lajos Nagy offers cosmetic surgery that shapes your pinnae to points. Why? I'll let the good doctor tell you.

I've written before about my immense regard for Garry Trudeau's <I>The Sandbox</I> milblog. Today, Owen Powell (<I>aka</I> SGT Roy Batty) posts about his experiences in DC promoting the book <I>Dunesbury.com's The Sandbox</I>, visiting the Pentagon, the Vietnam memorial, and Walter Reed Hospital.