LATEST ADDITIONS

After dozens of thorny issues slowed its progress (see <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10281/">previous report</A>), last week the <A HREF="http://www.dvdforum.com/">DVD Forum</A> announced that its Steering Committee has approved Version 1.0 of the DVD-Audio Disc specifications, making it the fifth of the DVD format family after DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, and DVD-R. According to a statement, the DVD Forum says it will soon publish the DVD-Audio Format Book, which contains the detailed specification of the format, and make it available to authorized companies by "early spring of this year."

Because online music retailers like <A HREF="http://www.cdnow.com">CDNow</A&gt; and <A HREF="http://www.Amazon.com">Amazon.com</A&gt; have likely taken a bite out of record-club sales, last week Internet company <A HREF="http://www.aol.com">America Online</A> and direct music marketer <A HREF="http://www.columbiahouse.com">Columbia House</A> announced a marketing agreement for both online and offline advertising and promotions, including product bundling, direct-mail initiatives, and co-marketing and advertising campaigns. Under the multi-year agreement, Columbia House, with more than 13 million members, will promote its music, video, and DVD clubs on AOL's Shopping Channel, as well as on AOL.com, CompuServe, Digital City, and Entertainment Asylum.

When it comes to delivering audio/video programming to the home, there's no substitute for bandwidth. Typically measured in megahertz (MHz) for analog signals or megabits per second (Mbps) for digital datastreams, the amount of bandwidth your system can access determines how much programming you can receive and at what level of quality.

<B>BECK: <I>Mutations</I></B><BR> DGC 25309-2 (CD), Bong Load 004 (LP). 1998. Nigel Godrich, Beck Hansen, prods.; John Sorensen, eng. AAD/AAA. TT: 49:17<BR> Performance <B>*****</B><BR> Sonics <B>****</B>

Most audiophiles' record collections include LPs <I>and</I> CDs, but one format invariably is played more than the other. In yours, which one is it, and by how much?

Last week, the Analog Option Coalition, a loose-knit umbrella group that sponsored forums on analog recording during the 1997 and 1998 AES conventions, annouced that it has restructured as Analog Options Consulting, a division of Wavelength Communications.

Online readers rejoice: <I>Stereophile</I> is posting the first of what we hope will be many equipment reviews in our Archives database. First up is the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/86/">Linn Sondek CD12 CD player</A> (recently reviewed in <I>Stereophile</I>), along with a review of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/85/">Linn AV 51 System</A> (from the February 1999 issue of <I>Stereophile Guide to Home Theater</I>).