Mark Schifter has been here since his early days in retail, through the rise and fall of Audio Alchemy, and then on to Genesis Technologies. Recently, rumors have circulated about a new venture he was about to…
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Two elements that keep the audio business interesting are the new companies and technologies arriving almost every week (see also BW's story). Some stick around for years, while others fade away between hi-fi shows. But amid the incessant change are a handful of characters who stay with it, continually evolving with the industry and reinventing themselves with each twist and turn.
The DVD-Audio format's been around for a couple of years, but simultaneous DVD-A and CD releases of new music have been few and far between. Warner Brothers is hoping to improve on that record with the upcoming album from Fleetwood Mac, Say You Will.
A few years ago, when DVD-Video was just getting started, Warner Home Video's Warren Lieberfarb stressed the importance of "Day and Date" release schedules. Lieberfarb's idea was that if the home video industry was serious about the then new DVD-V format, it shouldn't make consumers wait for the DVD-V release after the video tape version of a…
As expected, the Recording Industry Association of America held a press conference last week to announce the formation of the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI), with which they hope to develop Internet downloading technologies for music. The move comes after a rough year for the music business, which has seen thousands of unauthorized websites offer copyrighted material for free using the MP3 audio format.
Joining technology firms including AOL, Sony, and Microsoft are several major labels, including BMG Entertainment, EMI Recorded Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music…
Loudspeaker manufacturer B&W has been extremely aggressive in the past two years in reining in abuses of its dealer agreements. Last year, the company cut off many dealers and stocking distributors in an attempt to tighten control over its distribution. Now, as a result of a program announced November 22 by KnowledgeLINK, many B&W dealers will be able to take sales online in complete compliance with their dealer agreements. Rotel dealers are also participating.
Denver-based Listen Up is one of the first to sign on with the "affiliate" program with GetPlugged.com, an electronics…
Retailing can be a rough ride even in the best of times. In the current climate, it’s especially hard for those trying to make a go of it with recorded music.
In early January, SoundScan reported an 8.7% drop in CD sales for 2002, compared with the previous year. (Other sources estimated the slide at as much as 11%.) The sales tracking organization stated that the decline was the sharpest, year-to-year, since the introduction of its index 11 years ago. The decline was especially painful for music labels and retailers, given that sales dropped by a similar amount in 2001 compared to 2000…
Digital jitter was a lively topic in the mid-'90s, and the Genesis Technologies Digital Lens was created to tame it. Robert Harley reviews the product and explains why the Lens became an essential part of his system at the time. JA adds comments.
From February 1999, John Atkinson examines the pluses and minuses of the groundbreaking Musical Fidelity X-24K D/A processor. The X-24K was one of the first outboard converters to offer 96kHz at 24 bits and JA hooks it up to a DVD transport and pricks up his ears.
From the April 2003 issue, Michael Fremer compares speaker cables and…
Radio has been getting a new lease on life, with Sirius and XM satellite services, DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), and Internet "stations" popping up in the tens of thousands. With the Clear Channelfication of North America's FM and AM airwaves, many would argue that the timing couldn't be better for launching new broadcast technologies.
Microsoft has jumped into the DAB market and says it will collaborate with industry players to boost worldwide usage of the technology. The software giant announced last week its membership in the World DAB Forum, an international group of 80…
An intriguing loudspeaker technology which generates believable surround effects from only two small enclosures will be arriving at stores later this year, according to a February 24 announcement from Nirotek America Corporation.
Prototypes of the system, jointly developed by MartinLogan of Lawrence, KS and Japan's Mechanical Research Corporation, were demonstrated at the Specialty Audio exhibit at the Alexis Park complex during the 2002 Consumer Electronics Show. Both Jon Iverson and I were impressed at the system's ability to create a wide, deep soundfield using only one small speaker…
Many audiophiles agree that dedicated AC circuits can make notable improvements in the performance of hi-fi equipment. If you are planning to run a dedicated AC line, JPS Labs has a product for you.
The Depew, NY–based technology company has announced a UL-approved audiophile-grade AC cable for use within walls. The Power AC In-Wall is a flexible 10-gauge cable with very low capacitance and inductance, and is designed for maximum noise rejection thanks to a construction technique called Optimized Field Matrix (OFM).
The Power AC In-Wall AC cable is based on JPS Labs' high-current…
Ultra-high-resolution audio formats like the Super Audio Compact Disc and DVD-Audio are just around the corner, but music lovers' CD collections will never be obsolete if companies like dCS have anything to do with it. The British electronics company, noted for its high-quality D/A converters, has introduced a 24-bit/192Hz upconverter that is claimed to elevate the performance of ordinary 16/44.1 CD to near DVD-Audio level.
The Purcell, as dCS has designated it, is "the first high-precision Digital Upsampler designed specifically for audiophile use." The device is said to "increase the…