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A Peek into the Audio Future

Stereophile Staff First Published: Dec 27, 1998

Time to yank out the old oxygen-free crystal interconnects and gaze into audio's future for 1999. Now that www.stereophile.com has a year under its online belt, we should be able to read the sonic omens with greater resolution, or at least confine our mistakes to minor stumbles. First, we'll see how our prognostications">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10067/">prognostications for 1998 panned out, and spin them a little to tune in 1999. We'll add reader predictions at the bottom. Got your own predictions? Send">mailto:jiverson@stereophile.com">Send 'em in!

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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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