LATEST ADDITIONS

Wednesday, June 23, was an auspicious day for <A HREF="http://www.musicland.com/">Musicland Stores Corporation</A>. That day the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based music and video retailer took its sales online. Four websites, each mirroring one of Musicland's four divisions, went live simultaneously with a promotional contest offering customers the chance to win daily and weekly prizes and a $10,000 grand prize---including a Sony home entertainment system. Participants can also win a trip for two to the <A HREF="http://www.wwf.com/">World Wrestling Federation</A> Summer Slam in Minneapolis on August 22.

Are audiophiles and recording engineers natural adversaries? From the many slings and arrows hurled back and forth between the camps, it would certainly seem so. Robert Harley asks, "But <I>are</I> recording engineers less concerned about sound quality than are audiophiles? If so, why? Isn't someone who has devoted his life to recording music more caring than the hobbyist audiophile? If not, why not?" Read his analysis of the issues in "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//asweseeit/119/">A Clash of Values?</A>" Also included is a lively volley of readers' letters.

The Internet is beginning to pose quite a dilemma for high-end audio manufacturers, especially ones with limited distribution in major markets such as the US. Do you risk alienating potential bricks-and-mortar dealers in an effort to gain widespread exposure by offering your products online? Or do you slowly build distribution through the traditional stores that for years have been high-end audio's haven?

Collectors will go to to any lengths to track down the objects of their obsession. Record collectors, a particularly extreme species, are known for their incredible attention to detail and their astounding capacity for absorbing vast quantities of minutiae.

Audio experts can come in all shapes and sizes: a great dealer, an audiophile friend or relative, an audio consultant---even a magazine writer. How much do you value their opinions?

Almost every audiophile, whether hobbyist or professional, has taken a stab at building loudspeakers. Combine the fundamentals of cabinetmaking with some basic electronic theory, connect a few good drivers to a well-designed crossover network, and you're on your way to pretty good sound. And now, with widely available resources like crossover design software and high-quality prefabricated cabinets, the task is easier than it's ever been.

The MP3 audio format has been rapidly gaining a solid reputation in the last several months. Portable products such as <A HREF="http://www.diamondmm.com/">Diamond Multimedia</A>'s Rio have hit the market, and websites (typified by MP3.com) have gained financial success. (See <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10358/">related story</A>.) But one area that has so far lagged is MP3-based playback and recording equipment for using the files at home without moving a computer next to the stereo.