From the current issue, Wes Phillips and John Atkinson tell the story of <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//features/714/"><I>Against the Dying of the Light</I>: the Second Cantus CD</A>. Phillips sets out to find the true genesis of this astonishing new recording from the Minnesota-based male-voice choir, while JA fills in the technical details.
<A HREF="http://www.cirruslogic.com">Cirrus Logic</A> has become the latest chipmaker to license audio watermarking technology from San Diego–based <A HREF="http://www.verance.com">Verance Corporation</A>. Cirrus will integrate Verance copy-prevention and copy-tracking technology in "a new line of high-performance chipsets for DVD devices," according to a November 20 announcement. Cirrus Logic's entry into the DVD-A arena may help boost market acceptance of the DVD-A format, executives conjectured.
Disc piracy is a profitable but increasingly risky business, with bootlegging-related shootings and armed robberies on the rise. Modern pirates have begun to imitate their sea-going ancestors, using force to acquire assets and territory.
How much does it cost to license DVD-Audio patents to create players or discs? That information was revealed last week when the <A HREF="http://www.dvd6cla.com">DVD6C Licensing Agency</A>, which represents the founders of the DVD Forum (formerly called the DVD Consortium) in the area of patent licensing, announced that it expects to start global licensing of essential patents for DVD-Audio and recordable DVD products on or about January 1, 2003.
When do fractions of pennies add up to millions of dollars? Answer: When they are accumulated unpaid royalties for one of the most popular albums of all time.
Linn's early decision to develop hard-disk audio systems first got our attention when the Kivor project <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10645/">was announced</A> back at the 2000 Consumer Electronics Show. The Linn Kivor has now spent almost two years on the market, garnering a positive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/497/">review</A> from John Atkinson and a special "Editor's Choice" mention in this month's 2002 Products of the Year.
How much fun can you have with an audio component? Fun for me is having a Nakamichi BX-300 analog cassette deck running into Musical Fidelity's evolutionary, revolutionary CD-Pre<SUP>24</SUP> preamplifier, with the unit's <I>digital</I> output feeding the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/605/">Alesis Masterlink</A> hard-drive-based digital recorder, and being able to monitor the <I>digital</I> loop through the preamp once again in the analog domain.
Over the course of several months, during which time I auditioned the Vacuum Tube Logic TL-5.5 tubed line-stage preamp with a variety of power amps and loudspeakers, I began to reassess many long-held notions about the "characters" of solid-state and tube components. Sometimes the TL-5.5 revealed its musical pedigree with all the midrange juiciness and sublime textural detail that one traditionally associates with a triode front-end, while at others it evinced a level of focus, transparency, and frequency extension I more readily associate with solid-state purity—all in a stylish package featuring a remote volume control and a full range of performance enhancements that belied its affordable price.
Unpacking and installing a new component is always cause for excitement, even if one does it with almost mechanical regularity, and the anticipation is greater when the component is from a manufacturer of almost mythic reputation. So when John Atkinson asked if I'd like to audition Nagra's new PL-L preamplifier, I feigned calm as I accepted the assignment, even while remembering those years in college radio when I had to schlepp big Ampexes and Maggies. The sexy, portable Nagras were the stuff of dreams. Finally, I thought, I'd get my hands and ears on one.
Some of us find ourselves turning into music lending libraries; the rest of us keep our discs under lock and key. Can your pals borrow your discs?