LATEST ADDITIONS

Last week we asked about the relatively low-resolution MP3 format. Now let's get your opinion on ultra-hi-rez: the Super Audio CD.

There's not a lot of music in the bottom octave, and there's not a lot of information in the low bass of a movie soundtrack. But there <I>is</I> a lot of power down there in the rumbling subterranean region&mdash;power that adds palpable realism to every type of home entertainment. That's why we go to extremes in our search for low-frequency reinforcement: full-range loudspeakers, and multiple subwoofers, and digital room-correction systems.

The FM radio spectrum could soon get a lot more crowded, thanks to rules recently adopted by the <A HREF="http://www.fcc.gov/">Federal Communications Commission</A>. New stations with broadcasting power of between 1W and 100W will be cropping up soon in communities all over the country, provided they don't interfere with existing stations, and provided they remain strictly noncommercial.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.commandaudio.com">Command Audio</A> announced $56 million in new funding from several media, technology, and venture capital companies for its audio-on-demand service. The company says that the new funding will help fuel the rollout of their entertainment and information service to major US markets in the coming year.

Where Sony goes, the electronics industry follows. And Sony is going on the Internet&mdash;not merely with product information and links to dealers, but with sales direct to consumers. The announcement was made late in January by <A HREF="http://www.sony.com/sel">Sony Electronics</A> president Teruaki Aoki. "We cannot neglect the customers' viewpoint," Aoki said, acknowledging that serving consumers is a higher priority for the electronics giant than protecting dealers.

I've always wanted to review one of Madrigal's Mark Levinson products, and finally my prayers have been answered. The chosen victim? The No.32 Reference preamplifier. Note that "Reference" moniker. The No.32 is the first Mark Levinson preamplifier to carry such appellation. They're not kidding.