As reported in Webnoize, superSonic's announcement could mean that just about any…
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In an announcement that could stun the neophyte custom CD compilation business and concurrently impact future prospects for the $12 billion music recording industry, superSonic BOOM has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Ergon Technology for a patented manufacturing process covering customized audio products. Like Open Market's announcement last week that it had received patents from the US government for its e-commerce technology, superSonic's announcement raises more questions than it answers.
This spring, downloadable digital music from EMI may begin popping up everywhere, if a new arrangement with Supertracks goes as planned. The two companies have created what they believe is a secure system for downloading music to computers, portable players, and to CD burners at kiosks in shopping malls. The news follows by only a couple of weeks an announcement that Warner Music and EMI will merge their operations under the larger umbrella of AOL Time Warner.
Digital singles will be offered first, to be followed by full-length albums. Prior to the Supertracks deal, EMI had already…
There are only a few short days left, but once again, audiophiles can help themselves and others at the same time by participating in The Cable Company's sixth annual "Summer Against Hunger" campaign. The Cable Company (and www.usedcable.com), along with several manufacturers and audiophile publications, have set up a program by which they offer to donate up to 10% of August sales to CARE and the International Rescue Committee, these contributions to be used to assist the worldwide disaster relief efforts of those humanitarian organizations.
In the five previous "Summer Against Hunger"…
Over-the-air classical music broadcasting is becoming increasingly rare, but classical has got a huge listenership on the Internet, according to a survey by rating service Arbitron, Inc., which early this month announced that three classical music stations were among the five most listened to on the Internet.
Seattle classical station KING-FM (98.1MHz) was number two among all Webcasters, with 516,100 aggregate tuning hours. (Confusingly, Cheyenne, Wyoming also has a KING-FM, at 97.9MHz. That broadcaster is a classic rock station, pumping out "real rock'n'roll 24 hours a day.") Virgin…
In suite 949, Nashville, TN-based Nearfield Acoustics debuted an unnamed new model in its PipeDreams series of tower loudspeakers, one that sounds very promising. To sell for an estimated $10,000/pair, the speaker boasts a 98dB sensitivity rating and improved coherence over its predecessors, the result of using a horn-loading technique for the tweeters, according to company principal Craig Oxford. The new cabinet design is rounded in the back, allowing a single piece of veneer to be wrapped around it, yielding a literally seamless look. There are big bucks awaiting whoever comes up with a…
John Atkinson compared the KSA-100S with the KSA-50S in August 1995 (Vol.18 No.8):
When I auditioned the Krell KSA-100S before publishing Bob Deutsch's review last September, I found, as did RD, that the '100S had a slight lack of dynamic drive. I felt this primarily to be a function of the amplifier's having a rather lightweight bass register—something I found surprising in view of the reputation of Krell amplifiers for powerful low frequencies.
Listening again to the KSA-100S after an interval of several months, I was struck by the same signature. The extreme lows were not as…
Sidebar 1: System
Analog: Fully dressed Linn LP12 (Lingo, Trampolin, Cirkus), Ittok, AudioQuest AQ7000nsx.
Digital: PS Audio Lambda transport, PS UltraLink processor, AudioQuest OptiLink Pro 2 ST datalink.
Amplification: my own Convergent Audio Technology SL-1 Signature preamp and a borrowed Krell KRC. A pair of Bryston 7B monoblocks (the non-THX version)—amplifiers whose sound I'm quite familiar with—served as a reference. I operated the Brystons in the parallel mode.
Interconnects: TARA Labs RSC Master and Purist Audio Design Colossus Mk.II (5m lengths for the preamp-to-amp…
Sidebar 3: Specifications
Description: Power output: 100W into 8 ohms (20dBW), doubles with each halving of load impedance down to 1 ohm. Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, +0.0/– .1dB; 1Hz–150kHz, +0.0/–3dB. Distortion: <0.1% at 1kHz; <0.5%, 20kHz, full power. Slew rate: 100V/µs. Input sensitivity: 1.4V RMS. Gain: 26dB. Damping factor: >60. Input impedance: 47k ohms. Power consumption: 100W, idle; 1400W, full power.
Dimensions: 19" W by 8.5" H by 19.25" D. Weight: 80 lbs (net).
Serial number of unit tested: 32-20216.
Price: $5500 (1994); no longer available (2007).…
Sidebar 2: Measurements
I measured the Krell KSA-100S in its balanced mode, repeating selected measurements in the unbalanced configuration.
Following the 1/3-power, one-hour preconditioning test, the KSA-100S's heatsinks were only moderately warm.
The KSA-100S's input impedance measured 47.3k ohms unbalanced, and just under 95k ohms balanced; its output impedance varied between 0.095 and 0.11 ohms, depending on the frequency and load (with the higher values at 20kHz). Voltage gain into 8 ohms measured 26dB, balanced or unbalanced. DC offset, though fluctuating slowly…
The great format battle of our time continues to rage between the Blu-ray and HD DVD camps. For many reasons, some discussed in the July installment of this column, this battle may be the last one waged over physical media formats. But whether either or neither format wins, the outcome will be decided on the basis of video quality—issues of audio quality are being ignored. This is unfortunate for audiophiles for two reasons. First, we have a big stake in whatever will be the standard medium for movies and music, but second, this battle makes it apparent that the major forces in the…