Michael Gerzon, who died in 1996, is widely regarded as one of the most important thinkers and writers on audio of recent times. In the 1970s, for example, Gerzon established the mathematical basis for surround-sound reproduction, leading to the launch of Ambisonics as a means of re-creating a true soundfield at the listener's ear. In more recent years, he was a co-developer of the MLP lossless…
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An archive of articles that the late Michael Gerzon wrote for Hi-Fi News and Studio Sound magazines has been established at the website of Hi-Fi News consultant technical editor Keith Howard.
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra announced the launch of its new e-label, MSO Classics, on October 4. In a worldwide digital distribution deal with IODA, the Independent Online Distribution Alliance, the symphony will draw on its archive of over 300 live performances recorded between 1970 and 2005 for airing on its nationally disseminated radio broadcasts.
Milwaukee thus becomes the first American orchestra to distribute online performances previously unavailable for purchase. The initial deal, which gives the iTunes Music Store exclusive distribution rights for the first 90 days, includes…
On our regular visit to the Electronic Freedom Foundation's (EFF) Deep Links website last Friday, we were alarmed to learn of proposed US Senate broadcast flag legislation that includes provisions to limit fair use to "customary historic use of broadcast content by consumers to the extent such use is consistent with applicable law."
That would seem to allow fair use, so why is it cause for alarm? The EFF's Fred von Lohmann has a crushingly simple response, "Had that been the law in 1970, there would never have been a VCR. Had it been the law in 1990, no TiVo. In 2000, no iPod." Von Lohmann…
A heavy second-quarter loss for Sony Corporation is only part of the gloomy financial picture for the consumer electronics industry. The numbers are down worldwide for manufacturers and retailers alike, and aren't expected to rebound until spring 2002 at the earliest.
On October 25, Sony reported a net loss of ¥13 billion ($107 million) for the quarter ended September 30, with electronics sales down 4.9% compared to the same period a year earlier ($1 equals ¥122.86). The company's games and movie divisions were profitable, but not sufficiently so to offset losses in the electronics arena…
As some readers may suspect, more music is heard in the automobile than in the home. Taking a clue from this trend, many high-end audio companies are finding their way into your car, and factory installed systems are getting better and better. Examples include the Mark Levinson audio system found in cars from Lexus, the debut of Lexicon's L7 surround system in a BMW at the 2002 CES, Linn's partnership with Aston Martin, Harman's partnership with Mercedes Benz, and the Dynaudio/Dolby Surround systems found in several of Volvo's cars.
Clearly, moving in stereo no longer cuts it, and we can…
Although the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) officially runs from Thursday, January 8 through Sunday, January 11, the day before the show has traditionally been reserved for press conferences by the major electronics companies. In recent years, audio news has been overshadowed by home-theater and video announcements, since that is where the big boys have decided the mass market has gone. This year was no different, but that's not to say there was no audio news.
Before the day even got underway, Apple's MacWorld announcement of the iPod Mini—a $249 4GB chip off the iPod block—had eclipsed…
While doing background on the InnerSound Eros Mk.III electrostatic loudspeaker, Larry Greenhill discovers that "the presidents of all three American ESL companies share common names." But do they share a common sound? Greenhill investigates.
Larry Greenhill fires up the Totem Acoustic Model 1 loudspeaker, noting that "the word totem is powerful in its own right." Will the Model 1 live up to the legend? Greenhill provides all the answers.
Art Dudley plugs in the Graham Robin tonearm, warning, "To justify its retail price of $795, the Graham Robin has got to be better than the $425 Rega…
The Home Entertainment 2005 Show, held April 28–May 1 at the New York Hilton in Manhattan, was a highly charged four-day event filled with live music, education, and the latest in convergence technologies combining the worlds of high-end audio, music, home theater, computing, and gaming.
More than 13,000 consumers attended HE2005, along with 2500 members of the trade and 612 journalists from around the globe. Over 250 brands were represented at the Show, and new products were in abundance from Acoustic Research, Body Sonic, Gini Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Manley Labs, Polk Audio, Simaudio,…
From the October 2004 issue, Michael Fremer reviews the mbl 101E Radialstrahler loudspeaker, enthusing, "In one night's listening orgy, I tore through albums by the Weavers, Harry Belafonte, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Tony Bennett, etc—all recorded live in Carnegie Hall. The results were nothing short of astonishing."
Also from October, Robert J. Reina takes a listen to the Polk RTi4 loudspeaker. Even though the speaker retails at $320/pair, RJR writes, "I was immediately taken by the Polk's detailed, natural, and delicate midrange. This, combined with unexaggerated articulation of low-level…
Writer Brian Damkroger had always wanted "a really good, big solid-state amp" to match his Magnepan loudspeakers. So when the Classé CAM 350 monoblock power amplifiers arrived, it seemed like at least one of his dreams had finally come true. But was it a match made in heaven? Damkroger lays out the details in his January, 2001 review.
Also from the January, 2001 issue, Michael Fremer concludes that cables are, indeed, important as he presents a quick rundown of the Harmonic Technology interconnect & speaker cable. As Fremer discovered, sometimes cabling changes everything.