E<I>ditor's Note: </I>Stereophile<I>'s new release, </I>Bravo!<I>, is available for order through the <A HREF="https://secure.stereophile.com/stereophile/record.html">Recordings page</A> of this website.</I>

Ultra-high-resolution audio formats like the Super Audio Compact Disc and DVD-Audio are just around the corner, but music lovers' CD collections will never be obsolete if companies like dCS have anything to do with it. The British electronics company, noted for its high-quality D/A converters, has introduced a 24-bit/192Hz upconverter that is claimed to elevate the performance of ordinary 16/44.1 CD to near DVD-Audio level.

Former PolyGram Music Group president Roger Ames has been named to head the <A HREF="http://www.pathfinder.com/corp/wbmusic/index.html">Warner Music Group</A>, parent company <A HREF="http://www.pathfinder.com/corp/tw">Time Warner</A> announced August 16. Warner's music division, formerly the top domestic money-earner, has been stagnant in the past few years. Still one of the top five music conglomerates, it now trails Seagram's Universal Music, Bertelsmann AG, and Sony Music in total business, but retains the #2 spot in total number of albums sold, according to the <A HREF="http://www.wsj.com/"><I>Wall Street Journal</I></A>. Warner's foreign business is far weaker.

<B>DUKE ELLINGTON: <I>The Centennial Edition: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings</I></B><BR> Duke Ellington, piano; and his bands, 1927-73<BR> RCA Victor 63386-2 (24 CDs). 1999. Orrin Keepnews, coordinating prod.; Keepnews, Steven Lasker, reissue prods.; Steve Backer, exec. prod.; Lasker, Dennis Ferrante, digital transfer engs.; Lasker, Paul Brizzi, CEDAR restoration engs. AAD? TT: 27:33:35<BR> Performance <B>*****</B><BR> Sonics <B>****</B>

Ithaca, New York-based <A HREF="http://www.netdrives.com/">Netdrives</A&gt; says it has introduced the world's first MP3 player capable of playing MP3 audio files without using a personal computer. Called the Brujo (Spanish for "wizard" or "sorcerer"), the machine has a built-in CD player that can play more than 11 hours of MP3 music. The device can be connected directly to any home stereo system, and also works as a normal CD player.

The Internet offers unprecedented opportunity for manufacturers to bring their products directly to their markets, but many companies have been reluctant to embrace it for fear of upsetting their established dealer networks. This has been especially true of mid-to-high-end audio companies, who have traditionally sold their wares through specialty shops.

Wes Phillips explains that Adcom is one of those companies that is easy to take for granted. "To break through our complacency, Adcom would have to produce an outright unlistenable turkey&mdash;or a product that raised the bar so high that any audio manufacturer would get a hernia just <I>thinking</I> about raising it again."

Last week, GlobalNet Systems announced that violinist Itzhak Perlman has joined its subsidiary <A HREF="http://www.OEN.com">On-Line Entertainment Network</A> as consultant and advisory boardmember. The company says that Mr. Perlman will consult on its acquisition and production of live classical-music events and the licensing of master catalogs of recorded classical music. He also joins an advisory board that will advise on future trends and opportunities for the company. The company intends to add other major artists to its advisory board in coming months.

While all of the attention was on SDMI and watermarking earlier this month, <A HREF="http://www.diamondmm.com">Diamond Multimedia</A>, the <A HREF="http://www.riaa.com/"&gt; Recording Industry Association of America</A> (RIAA), and the Alliance of Artists and Recording Companies (AARC) quietly announced the settlement of all pending litigation related to Diamond's Rio portable Internet music player. (See <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10324/">previous story</A>.) All three parties say they have dismissed their legal actions, and have announced the mutually satisfactory resolution of outstanding legal issues.