LATEST ADDITIONS

News
Sales of Audio Products Remain Hot through the Summer
Stereophile Staff  |  Oct 29, 2000  |  0 comments
According to the latest figures from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the month of August showed positive gains in the overall factory sales of audio products to dealers. The CEA reports that sales for the month rose six percent compared to the same period last year, resulting in year-to-date sales of $5.3 billion, an 11.2% rise over last year.
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News
Two Paths To Digital Audio Bliss?
Jon Iverson  |  Oct 29, 2000  |  0 comments
It's a brave new audio world: Coinciding with last week's release of Medeski, Martin & Wood's latest work, The Dropper, to retailers' shelves as a polycarbonate-and-aluminum CD, Liquid Audio announced that the title was simultaneously being made available as a full-album digital download. Liquid reports that this is the first time a Blue Note title has been released in a digital format at the same time as its physical release.
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News
BMG Launches Moscow Affiliate, Vows Anti-Piracy Campaign
Stereophile Staff  |  Oct 29, 2000  |  0 comments
Five years after opening a research office in Moscow, BMG Entertainment has launched an affiliate called BMG Russia OOO, which will work from the capital. The intent is to develop the Russian market for BMG products, discover and sign new musical talent—and combat piracy.
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News
Claims and Counterclaims in SDMI Hack Challenge
Barry Willis  |  Oct 29, 2000  |  0 comments
A group of researchers has claimed success at cracking four digital audio watermarking technologies presented in a challenge by the Secure Digital Music Initiative in September. The claim has been denied by David Leibowitz, chairman of Verance Corporation, creator of one of the challenged watermarks. SDMI has made no public statement on the claim, and has resolved to remain silent until all 447 submitted hacks are evaluated.
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News
Added to the Archives This Week
Stereophile Staff  |  Oct 29, 2000  |  0 comments
John Atkinson points out that "a much-touted benefit of DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD is that these new media can store digital audio data extending one or more octaves higher in frequency response than the capabilities of the CD." But is this a difference that makes a difference? Atkinson examines the mounting pile of data in What's Going On Up There? Is there recorded life above 20k? The answer may surprise you.
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News
Clinton Signs Repeal of "Works for Hire" Law
Barry Willis  |  Oct 29, 2000  |  0 comments
Artists' groups are celebrating what they hope will be more than a symbolic victory over the recording industry in the wake of legislation signed by President Clinton the last week of October. Known as "The Works Made for Hire and Copyright Corrections Act," the repeal negates a provision that was inserted into last year's "Satellite Home Viewer Act" at the insistence of the Recording Industry Association of America, designating musical recordings as "works for hire." Such a designation catergorizes a musical recording as a commodity that can be purchased at a fixed price, such as a table built by a furniture craftsman, rather than as a performance subject to syndication and royalty fees.
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Features
What's Going On Up There?
John Atkinson  |  Oct 29, 2000  |  0 comments
A much-touted benefit of DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD is that these new media can store digital audio data extending one or more octaves higher in frequency response than the capabilities of the CD. In the August issue's "Industry Update" (pp.27-29), Paul Messenger reported on an add-on supertweeter from English manufacturer Tannoy that would extend the ultrasonic response of loudspeakers so they can reproduce this new information. Putting to one side for now the issue of whether a loudspeaker really needs to be able to reproduce frequencies that no one can hear, the subject of how much ultrasonic content is present in real musical signals is still a contentious one.
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Floor Loudspeaker Reviews
Naim NBL loudspeaker
Paul Messenger  |  Oct 25, 2000  |  0 comments
I've long been a fan of Naim electronic gear, and have used it for many years. I also have admiration and respect for the company's uncompromisingly consistent and determinedly individualistic approach to the various tasks and problems of loudspeaker design. But my enthusiasm for Naim speakers has long been tempered by a feeling that mechanical aspects of the design are given priority over acoustics and styling.
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Vote
Setting aside sampling and bit rates for the moment, what type of channel configuration would you like to see on DVD-Audio and/or SACD discs?
Stereophile  |  Oct 22, 2000  |  0 comments

With multichannel DVD-Audio and SACD discs close to reality, record companies can encode their discs in a variety of multichannel formats (see recent <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?849">Chesky interview</A>). Any preferences?

Setting aside sampling and bit rates for the moment, what type of channel configuration would you like to see on DVD-Audio and/or SACD discs?
2 channels only
57% (174 votes)
5.1 channels (3 front, 2 rear, sub)
20% (60 votes)
6 channels (2 front, 2 side, 2 rear)
11% (34 votes)
Other
12% (37 votes)
Total votes: 305
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News
Group Claims RIAA Does Not Speak for All Musicians
Jon Iverson  |  Oct 22, 2000  |  0 comments
The Recording Industry Association of America has recently been getting press ink by the bucketful for its defense of the music business against the perils of the Internet. But the Future of Music Coalition is urging the US Copyright Office to be wary of efforts by the RIAA to establish itself as the sole and exclusive collection agent for digital performance royalties for sound recordings. Instead, the Coalition has proposed that an independent body would be a more appropriate vehicle to collect and distribute these and other monies, including Audio Home Recording Act of 1992 royalties.
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