More compact discs that attempt to restrict how you use them are coming to a record store near you. BMG announced last week that its Arista Records division will be the company's first label in the US to release a commercial CD using copy-restriction technology.

It's just about impossible to imagine a worse public relations campaign than the one being waged by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the nation's courtrooms.

Audio companies create products that are based on a variety of technologies, provoking lawsuits every once in a while when patents are involved. One such lawsuit erupted earlier this year as Robert W. Carver, designer for and founder of <A HREF="http://www.sunfire.com">Sunfire Corporation</A>, filed a US patent lawsuit against <A HREF="http://www.audioprods.com/">Audio Products International</A> (API).

We kick off three speaker reviews from the September issue with Brian Damkroger's assessment of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/919/">Audio Physic Virgo III loudspeaker</A>. A perfect meld of minimonitor <I>and</I> full-range bass extension? BD reveals all.

Johnny Cash, the 71-year-old American icon, died September 12 of respiratory failure caused by complications from diabetes. The singer/songwriter had been released from the hospital the preceding day after a two-week struggle with an unspecified stomach ailment.

There is one date I dread every year: my wife's birthday. After nearly 16 years of marriage, I have exhausted every last iota of my spousal resources in trying to think of a suitable present. Nothing too ordinary, nothing too <I>out</I> of the ordinary, nothing that will trigger those dreaded words, "You <I>did</I> keep the receipt, right?"

<B>FRANCK: Violin Sonata in A<BR>RACHMANINOFF: Cello Sonata in g</B><BR> Renaud Capu&#231;on, violin; Gautier Capu&#231;on, cello; Alexandre Gurning, Lilya Zilberstein, piano<BR>EMI Classics 5 57505 2 (CD). 2003. Carlo Piccardi, prod.; Ulrich Ruscher, eng. DDD. TT: 65:33<BR>Performance <B>****</B><BR>Sonics <B>****</B>

I reviewed JMlab's Mezzo Utopia loudspeaker in the July 1999 <I>Stereophile</I> (Vol.22 No.7). By chance, the Mezzos had followed a pair of <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/207/">B&W Nautilus 801</A>s into my listening room, and the substitution had proved rather interesting. For all their many fine qualities, the 801, with its 15" bass driver, was distinctly bass-heavy in my room, whereas the 11" drivers of the Mezzos seemed just right in this regard.

I reviewed JMlab's Mezzo Utopia loudspeaker in the July 1999 <I>Stereophile</I> (Vol.22 No.7). By chance, the Mezzos had followed a pair of <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/207/">B&W Nautilus 801</A>s into my listening room, and the substitution had proved rather interesting. For all their many fine qualities, the 801, with its 15" bass driver, was distinctly bass-heavy in my room, whereas the 11" drivers of the Mezzos seemed just right in this regard.

I reviewed JMlab's Mezzo Utopia loudspeaker in the July 1999 <I>Stereophile</I> (Vol.22 No.7). By chance, the Mezzos had followed a pair of <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/207/">B&W Nautilus 801</A>s into my listening room, and the substitution had proved rather interesting. For all their many fine qualities, the 801, with its 15" bass driver, was distinctly bass-heavy in my room, whereas the 11" drivers of the Mezzos seemed just right in this regard.