Over the past year, the Recording Industry Association of America (<A HREF="http://www.riaa.com">RIAA</A>) has made significant headway in its multi-front war against commercial piracy, according to a detailed report issued by the trade group October 21.
New York's ailing Bottom Line music club has attracted some heavyweight help. Rock icon Bruce Springsteen and Viacom president Mel Karmazin have joined a campaign begun by New York–based satellite radio service <A HREF="http://www.siriusradio.com">Sirius Radio</A> to save the legendary venue.
From the October issue, Art Dudley mounts the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showarchives.cgi?947">Dynavector DV10x5 MC phono cartridge</A> (on his tonearm, that is) and spins a few records. AD explains, "This is the first entry-level Dynavector to incorporate the company's colorfully named <I>flux damping</I> and <I>softened magnetism</I>."
<I>Stereophile</I>'s John Marks wonders how frequently audiophiles attend live classical concerts, recitals, or opera?
<B>MIGHTY SAM McCLAIN: <I>Give It Up to Love</I></B><BR> AudioQuest AQ-LP1015 (LP), AQ-CD1015 (CD). Joe Harley, Sam McClain, Lorne Entress, prods.; Michael C. Ross, Dan Bosworth, engs. AAA/AAD. TTs: 47:46, 54:06
Make the <I>wussy-wussy</I> sound: Merely because of the way it looks, I didn't think I'd like the Simaudio Moon i-3 integrated amplifier ($1750). But the Moon prevailed (I resisted writing <I>rose</I>) over whatever prejudice I had against it, and so far it's been the biggest and best surprise in my ongoing and casual survey of affordable integrateds.
I first became familiar with Israeli speaker manufacturer Morel, founded in 1975, back in the late 1970s, when they had a drive-unit plant in the UK. Their drivers have always been well-respected—I was mightily impressed with a sample of their T33 1" soft-dome tweeter when I had the opportunity to measure it a decade or so ago—so when I heard their Octwin 5.2 dual-speaker system at the 2002 CEDIA conference, I asked for a pair for review.
Manufacturers and retailers don't expect an upswing in electronics sales next year. That's the consensus of members polled by the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A>, published in mid-October.
In <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?1758">other news</A> this week, the music business is in a tailspin, and searching for ways to save itself. The National Association of Record Merchandisers (NARM) has just published its chairman's message, with several clues about what consumers may see from the industry in the coming months.
A drop-off in business these days seems to produce one inevitable consequence: a cutback in jobs.