Audio Research's first 21st-century, audiophile-quality line-stage preamplifier combines retro-tech vacuum-tube amplification and power-supply circuitry with innovative, remote-controlled gain, balance, tape monitoring, and signal routing. The price is also 21st-century: $9995. As in ARC's Reference phono section, the Reference Two's pair of vertically mounted circuit boards results in a single, relatively tall chassis.

Venture capital group Shared Ventures is now the legal owner of the assets of <A HREF="http://www.wadia.com/">Wadia Digital Corporation</A>. Wadia's majority shareholder, Shared Ventures, acquired the company's name, intellectual property, and physical inventory at a public auction in Minneapolis on September 12. The law firm of Siegel, Brill, Greupner, Duffy, and Foster, P/A, of Minneapolis, managed the auction. Originally scheduled for late August, the auction was postponed for two weeks after a flurry of interest following the publication of an official notice in the <A HREF="http://www.startribune.com/"><I>Minneapolis Star-Tribune</I></A>.

With new audio formats such as SACD and DVD-Audio hitting the market, audiophiles will soon have more choices than ever for playing back music. But along with all of these options comes the hard part: choosing which path to take and hoping not to be dead-ended, as Beta video owners were years back. For consumers, the promised universal audio players (expected to play DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, CD, and SACD) will reduce the risk significantly.

E<I>ditor's Note: This is Part Four of a six-part series from reader Herv&#233; Del&#233;traz of Switzerland, who is chronicling the development of his DIY (do-it-yourself) audio amplifier. Part One is <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10825/">here</A&gt;, Part Two is <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10832/">here</A&gt;, and Part Three is <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10839/">here</A>.</I&gt;

Michael Fremer writes, "I've never heard a pair of the Italian Sonus Faber speakers I didn't like. What I've never liked was the US price: too high. And then you have to put them on costly stands." In his review of the floorstanding <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/269/">Sonus Faber Concerto Grand Piano loudspeaker</A>, Fremer grapples with the price/performance ratio of this $3500/pair speaker and answers the important audiophile question: Enough magic for the money?

Last week, the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) released numbers indicating that factory audio sales (as opposed to sales through to consumers) for the first six months of 2000 have surpassed all previous mid-year dollar sales. The CEA adds that the $3.85 billion in sales to dealers put audio sales 12% ahead of the same time last year.

One of the industry's most ambitious digital distribution programs has been announced by <A HREF="http://www.timewarner.com/corp/about/music/wmg/index.html">Warner Music Group</A>. In November, WMG will make more than 1000 albums and singles available as downloads through several online music retailers, using <A HREF="http://www.realnetworks.com/">RealNetworks</A>&#039; RealPlayer software. Music fans in the US and Canada are the target audience for the download program, according to a September 11 press release.

You've probably seen the ad in <I>Stereophile</I>: a very personal account by Avantgarde-USA president Jim Smith, describing how, during a 30-year career in high-end audio, he had become increasingly disappointed with conventional loudspeakers' ability to communicate the emotional impact of live music, and how he found the answer with the Avantgarde horn loudspeakers. It's advertising copy in the best I-liked-it-so-much-I-bought-the-company tradition&mdash;with the exception that Smith did not actually buy Avantgarde Acoustic, but <I>did</I> become their North American distributor.

You've probably seen the ad in <I>Stereophile</I>: a very personal account by Avantgarde-USA president Jim Smith, describing how, during a 30-year career in high-end audio, he had become increasingly disappointed with conventional loudspeakers' ability to communicate the emotional impact of live music, and how he found the answer with the Avantgarde horn loudspeakers. It's advertising copy in the best I-liked-it-so-much-I-bought-the-company tradition&mdash;with the exception that Smith did not actually buy Avantgarde Acoustic, but <I>did</I> become their North American distributor.