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Bang & Olufsen Gets Branded

Jon Iverson First Published: Dec 27, 1998

Branding was once reserved for cowhide and breakfast cereals, but changes in the retailing landscape have fostered new approaches for everything from running shoes (Niketown) to cartoon-character merchandise (Disney and Warner Bros. stores) to clothes (Gap, etc.). In the audio market, Bose stores are now common sites in shopping malls, but few higher-ticket companies have taken the brand-store plunge.

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1998 Audio News in the Rear-View Mirror

Barry Willis First Published: Dec 26, 1998

What a year. Stereophile.com ran hundreds of stories in 1998, covering events big and small in the intersecting realms of business, publishing, technology, and music---with some irresistible oddities thrown in here and there as journalistic spice. It's overwhelming to look back over Stereophile's first full year of online publishing and see exactly how much has happened. We've gone far, and sometimes wide, to bring you the news from an audiophile perspective.

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Secure Digital Music Initiative Formally Announced by the RIAA

Jon Iverson First Published: Dec 20, 1998

As expected, the Recording">http://www.riaa.org">Recording Industry Association of America held a press conference last week to announce the formation of the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI), with which they hope to develop Internet downloading technologies for music. The move comes after a rough year for the music business, which has seen thousands of unauthorized websites offer copyrighted material for free using the MP3 audio format.

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Tower Can't Wait for no RIAA

Stereophile Staff First Published: Dec 20, 1998

Getting a jump on the RIAA's move to create a new music-download standard (see">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10338/">see related article), Tower Records announced last week that it will feature a new song-download service, created by Atlanta-based amplified.comhttp://www.amplified.com">amplified.com;, on the Towerrecords.comhttp://www.towerrecords.com">Towerrecords.com; website.

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The Secure Digital Music Initiative Formally Announced By The RIAA

Jon Iverson First Published: Dec 20, 1998

As expected, the Recording Industry Association of America held a press conference last week to announce the formation of the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) which hopes to develop internet downloading technologies for music. The move comes after a rough year for the music business who has seen thousands of unauthorized websites offer copyrighted material for free using the MP3 audio format.

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Audiophile Club of Athens Debuts Website

Christos Skaloumbakas First Published: Dec 19, 1998

We recently received the following from Christos Skaloumbakas, President of the Audiophile Club of Athens, Greece. The ACA website is easy to navigate, with pictures and descriptions of members' systems---including listening rooms' floor construction and furnishings. Except for a few letters and opinion pieces, text is in clearly written English. The club is completely noncommercial, has no position regarding any of the usual audiophile controversies, and encourages open discussion. A love of music and a desire to share it are the only requirements for membership.---BW

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CEMA: Holiday Shopping Season Looks Promising

Barry Willis First Published: Dec 19, 1998

The holiday retailing picture looks promising, according to several recent reports. Both the Consumer">http://www.cemacity.org/">Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association and the Recording">http://www.riaa.com/">Recording Industry Association of America were predicting up seasons after mid-year numbers came in higher than expected. Overall, retail sales were up 0.6% in November, reported the Wall">http://www.wsj.com/">Wall Street Journal on Monday, December 14.

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Audiophile Sales Booming Online: One Entrepreneur's Tale

Jon Iverson First Published: Dec 13, 1998

The recent success of online retailers---especially when launching initial public offerings---has been phenomenal. In the past two years, Internet shopping has taken off in a big way, and shows no indication of slowing down. Technology trendwatcher Forrester Research predictshttp://www.forrester.com/Press/Releases/Standard/0,1184,114,00.html">pr…; that worldwide Internet commerce will hit the $3.2 trillion mark within four years, accounting for 5% of all commerce.

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New Hendrix Due Out on CD and Vinyl

Stereophile Staff First Published: Dec 13, 1998

For those of you who need yet another Jimi fix, Experience Hendrix/MCA will release a 2-CD collection of music from Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys concerts at New York City's Fillmore East, which took place on December 31, 1969 and January 1, 1970. Drawn from the guitarist's four legendary performances, the new package will contain 16 tracks, 13 of which have never before been released in any form, with two additional tracks making their CD debut. Jimi Hendrix: Live at the Fillmore East will be released on CD and 180gm vinyl (three LPs) on February 9.

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