Audiophiles with budget restrictions (most of us, I imagine) could be forgiven for feeling we're afterthoughts to most manufacturers. Even though we probably keep many companies in business by buying their "entry-" or mid-level products, we're always hearing about products designed "without compromise." <I>Waiter, could you bring the reality check, please?</I>

Audiophiles with budget restrictions (most of us, I imagine) could be forgiven for feeling we're afterthoughts to most manufacturers. Even though we probably keep many companies in business by buying their "entry-" or mid-level products, we're always hearing about products designed "without compromise." <I>Waiter, could you bring the reality check, please?</I>

Audiophiles with budget restrictions (most of us, I imagine) could be forgiven for feeling we're afterthoughts to most manufacturers. Even though we probably keep many companies in business by buying their "entry-" or mid-level products, we're always hearing about products designed "without compromise." <I>Waiter, could you bring the reality check, please?</I>

Audiophiles with budget restrictions (most of us, I imagine) could be forgiven for feeling we're afterthoughts to most manufacturers. Even though we probably keep many companies in business by buying their "entry-" or mid-level products, we're always hearing about products designed "without compromise." <I>Waiter, could you bring the reality check, please?</I>

On Wednesday evening, June 10, <A HREF="http://www.avacademy.com">The Academy Advancing High Performance Audio & Video</A> held its 1998 Golden Note Awards at the Marina Del Rey Ritz-Carlton. Following an address by John Hoskins of the Advantage Performance Group, a sales consulting firm, the amiable awards ceremony was MC'd by Paradigm's own stand-up comedian, Rob Sample. AAHPAV's ceaselessly energetic Chairperson Sue Regan assisted in the presentations, as did Academy President Joe Picirilli. And the hard-working winners (drum roll, please) are . . .

Both <A HREF="http://www.sonicfrontiers.com/">Sonic Frontiers Inc.</A> and The Lenbrook Group of Ontario, Canada stated June 5th that they will not be proceeding with a deal announced <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10129/">earlier</A&gt;.

Hundreds of manufacturers will be demonstrating state-of-the-art audio products at <A HREF="http://www.hifishow.com">HI-FI '98</A>---some of which have never before been seen by the public. Here is the last installment of announcements:

Engineering facilities and a finished-goods warehouse at <A HREF="http://www.altecmm.com">Altec Lansing Technologies</A>' Milford, Pennsylvania, headquarters were damaged by fire late Sunday, May 31. The blaze was said to have been exacerbated by severe weather. No injuries were reported.

On June 7, <A HREF="http://www.cdnow.com"&gt; CDnow</A>, the world's top online music retailer, announced that it had acquired <A HREF="http://www.supersonicboom.com">superSonicBOOM</A&gt;, an Internet custom-compilation disc business. The acquisition gives CDnow the ability to offer its customers custom discs as well as catalog product, said Jason Olim, CDnow President and CEO.