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Audio-On-Demand Gets Some Major Funding

Jon Iverson Jan 30, 2000 First Published: Jan 30, 2000

Last week, Command">http://www.commandaudio.com">Command Audio 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.

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Sony Will Embrace Internet Sales, Aoki Announces

Barry Willis Jan 30, 2000 First Published: Jan 30, 2000

Where Sony goes, the electronics industry follows. And Sony is going on the Internet—not merely with product information and links to dealers, but with sales direct to consumers. The announcement was made late in January by Sony">http://www.sony.com/sel">Sony Electronics 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.

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Added to the Archives This Week

Stereophile Staff Jan 30, 2000 First Published: Jan 30, 2000

Getting a good connection to ground can make or break a fussy audio (and video) system. Jonathan Scull reveals several tips and tricks in "Fines">http://www.stereophile.com//finetunes/195/">"Fines Tunes" #9. As J-10 states: "Of course, the 'Fine Tunes' brief is low- or no-cost techniques for improving your system's sound. So let's consider that unruly beast called Ground. Aside from walking on, what's it good for?" The answer awaits.

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Tweeter to Acquire United Audio Centers in Chicago

Jon Iverson Jan 23, 2000 First Published: Jan 23, 2000

Last week, Tweeter">http://www.twtr.com">Tweeter Home Entertainment Group announced that it has reached an agreement in principle to acquire United Audio Centers, located in the Chicago, Illinois area. United Audio describes itself as a seven-store specialty consumer electronics retailer with annual sales of approximately $48 million, and says it has been in business in the Chicago market for over 40 years. The companies expect to complete the transaction on or about April 1, 2000, and note that the agreement in principle to acquire United Audio is subject to various terms and conditions, as well as to regulatory approval.

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Time Warner, EMI in Music Merger

Stereophile Staff Jan 23, 2000 First Published: Jan 23, 2000

Several news sources reported Saturday, January 22, that Time">http://www.timewarner.com/">Time Warner is close to completing a merger with EMI">http://www.emigroup.com/">EMI Recorded Music. The combined company will be worth an estimated $20 billion, making it the world's second-largest music conglomerate, exceeded in size and scope only by Seagram Ltd.'s Universal">http://www.umusic.com/">Universal Music. News of the deal came less than a week after the announcement of an impending mergerhttp://www.stereophile.com/news/10648/">merger; between America Online, the world’s largest Internet service provider, with Time Warner, one of the world's largest media conglomerates.

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Mission in Management Buyout

Paul Messenger Jan 23, 2000 First Published: Jan 23, 2000

It's been no secret that leading British speaker brand Mission was up for sale—the situation had been spelled out last fall in the Annual Report of parent company NXT plc. NXT is busy pioneering its new flat-panel speaker technology, and shareholder interests were clearly not being well served by "carrying" for any length of time a box-speaker brand whose recent financial reports had been mostly in the red.

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Added to the Archives This Week

Stereophile Staff Jan 23, 2000 First Published: Jan 23, 2000

Recognizing that high-end audio is anything but plug'n'play, Jonathan Scull examines the details of getting the best from alternating current in "Fines">http://www.stereophile.com//finetunes/192/">"Fines Tunes" #8. As Jonathan writes: "Bill Gates would have you believe we live in a plug'n'play world. Apple has proselytized same since day one. But I'm here to tell you it just isn't so for high-end audio."

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RIAA to MP3.com: See You in Court

Barry Willis Jan 23, 2000 First Published: Jan 23, 2000

On January 17, we reportedhttp://www.stereophile.com/news/10650/">reported; a new service by MP3.comhttp://www.mp3.com/">MP3.com; in which it would store, on its site, digital copies of tunes purchased by music lovers for them to access from any location. Beverly Hills attorney Ken Hertz, who sometimes consults with MP3.com, said he would be "surprised if the recording industry didn't sue," despite glowing statements from MP3.com chief Michael Robertson about all the benefits and new sales the recording industry would enjoy from his venture into uncharted waters.

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Audio Magazine Throws In the Towel

Stereophile Staff Jan 18, 2000 First Published: Jan 18, 2000

After 53 years of publication, Audio magazine, owned and operated by Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, is closing its doors this week. Often rumored to be on the ropes, the magazine had recently attempted a new editorial direction and artistic facelift.

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While Consumer Music Sites Struggle, Professional Use Thrives

Jon Iverson Jan 16, 2000 First Published: Jan 16, 2000

The buzz about digital audio downloads from the Internet would lead one to think that the only way we'll be buying music in the not-too-distant future is through the Web. But the reality this past holiday season looks quite different. Reuters is running stories saying that there was "No Santa for the Internet Music Industry," and record companies attempting to get online are having a tough time (see related">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10648/">related item). MP3 for Dummies author Andy Rathbone states bluntly: "It [the digital music business] hasn't taken off as much as analysts expected," and EMI Records' Jay Alan Samit laments, "this year, over a billion songs were downloaded. None of our artists got paid."