Added to the Archives This Week
Time does fly when you're having fun, and it's hard to believe that the <I>Stereophile</I> website is two years old—so it's time for a party and some presents!
LATEST ADDITIONS
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Matsushita, JVC Delay DVD-Audio Rollout
Audiophiles eager to try DVD-Audio will have to wait just a bit longer. Matsushita Industrial Electric Co. and Japan Victor Company have decided to hold back their new DVD-A players, in the wake of the widely publicized decryption of the format's copy-protection scheme by a Norwegian computer hacker. The hacker published his workaround of the encryption on the Internet late in November.
Von Schweikert Back from the Flood
As reported last March, loudspeaker manufacturer Von Schweikert Research closed its doors after a disastrous flood hit the factory (see <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10413/">previous report</A>). Many thought this was the end of the story, but last week, Dr. Edward Gonzaga, of the Gonzaga Investment Group, announced the formation of a new version of the company, to be named <A HREF="mailto:albertvonn@aol.com">Von Schweikert Audio</A>.
Harvey Electronics and CoolAudio.com Propose Merger
Last August, we <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10515/">reported</A> that brick-and-mortar retailer Tweeter Home Entertainment Group had aligned itself with online retailer Cyberian Outpost to leverage each company's respective strengths, both on- and offline. The trend continues as, last week, brick-and-mortar retailer <A HREF="http://www.harveyonline.com">Harvey Electronics</A> announced that it has reached an "agreement in principle" with <A HREF="http://www.coolaudio.com">CoolAudio.com</A> (see <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10479/">previous story</A>) to merge the two companies through an exchange of common stock.
Thin is In
The quest for new speaker technologies has resulted in some novel approaches to the reproduction of sound, as witnessed by products announced in the last few years by <A HREF="http://www.nxt.co.uk/">NXT</A> and 1 . . . Ltd. (See <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10234/">previous story</A>.) Some of <I>Stereophile</I>'s readers may also recall that, back in May 1996, <A HREF="http://www.atcsd.com">American Technology Corp.</A> shook things up in the audio world by announcing what the company described as its "breakthough" new technology, the much-debated HyperSonic Sound (HSS). This was followed up in February 1997, when ATC announced the introduction of its Stratified Field Technology SFT, which company literature touted as "a significant improvement over conventional loudspeakers."
Stereophile's Products of 1999
Since 1992, Stereophile has named a select few audio components its "Products of the Year." In doing so, we recognize those components that have proved capable of giving musical pleasure beyond the formal review period.
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Dynamics & Dynamic Range
One of the delights of being published by a multinational conglomerate that grows through acquisition, as Emap Petersen does, is that <I>Stereophile</I> finds itself in interesting company. Like <I>La Nouvelle Revue du Son</I> in France, for example, edited by the legendary Jean Hiraga, who turned me on to the sonic importance of wires and passive components almost 25 years ago. And <I>Mojo</I>, an English music magazine tightly targeted on baby boomers like me, who bought their first stereo systems in the '60s to better appreciate the progressive rock we lived and loved by. (I wonder if turn-of-the-millennium college students gather 'round a new G4 Mac to get off on MP3s the way, 30 years ago, we gathered 'round our precious vinyl.)
Mark Levinson No.360 D/A converter
Unlike the imposing mbl and Burmester DACs that I review elsewhere in this issue, the Mark Levinson No.360 is New England conservative in appearance. Its operation was simple to master despite the sophistication and flexibility on tap. Flanked by Fasolt and Fafner, the Levinson No.360 seemed as amiable as Freia.
Do you think music (any genre you prefer) is getting better, worse, or staying the same? Please explain.
It would seem that every generation remembers the good ol' days of music, before the kids turned it all into mush. Or is that just a fallacy proven wrong by every new release?
Blue Man Group Says It Can't Fit into Stereo
One of the challenging attributes of the new DVD-Audio format is the ability to release music in high-resolution multichannel (four or more) sound. For some this will be a thorny issue: Can previously released recordings be remixed to take advantage of the extra channels without sounding gimmicky? Should classical and/or live recordings use the surround channels for concert-hall ambience? How long will it be until consumers even care about setting up their systems to take advantage of more than two full-bandwidth channels?