Stereophile's multichannel music maven, Kalman Rubinson, checks out the Fosgate Audionics FAP V1 surround processor/preamplifier. KR writes, "No Dolby Digital, no DTS—just Dolby Pro Logic . . . . But the more I thought about it, the more interesting a…
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In his review of the Velodyne Digital Drive DD-18 powered subwoofer, Larry Greenhill comments, "When I've tested other 'breakthrough' subwoofers, I've been disappointed. All the convenient fine-tuning in the world won't matter if I end up with the same nasty old room modes and woofer bloat." But as LG discovers, the DD-18 is indeed different.
Editor's Note: Lowther horn speakers and their "clubs" have been important to do-it-yourself hi-fi hobbyists in Europe for decades. A common question from readers in other parts of the world is "What are Lowther speakers, and where can I hear them?" We asked Mr. Doppenberg, of the Lowther Club of Holland, to give us a quick tour of the Lowther story. For more extensive information, check the links at the end of this piece.
There were no high-powered amplifiers in the early 1930s when P.G.A.H. Voigt (Paul Voigt) designed his first loudspeaker with a permanent magnet…
On January 14, anyone calling Naim Audio heard an Elgar recording, and visitors to the Naim website forum learned the sad news that founder and managing director Julian Vereker had died. The company—indeed, British hi-fi as a whole—is mourning the loss of one of its brightest and strongest personalities.
Julian started in audio some 30 years ago, getting into hi-fi almost accidentally, when people asked for replicas of the amplifiers he'd built for his own recording work. With vigor and enthusiasm, he took on an establishment that, in those days, denied the very existence of "amplifier…
While Napster was thriving a few short months ago, the music business was noisily seething and quietly plotting. How could they put the digital audio genie back into the content-control bottle? Although Napster has since been gutted, the labels have identified the unprotected CD as the source of their woes, and now it's payback time.
As reported in recent weeks, Macrovision has secretly inserted copy-protection distortion onto thousands of CDs, while BMG is privately testing SunnComm's MediaCloQ approach. Latest to publicly announce copy-protection exploits is Midbar Tech, which…
Home Entertainment 2002 is set to open to the public as planned, May 31–June 2, 2002, at the Hilton New York & Towers Hotel in New York City. Show attendees will be treated to numerous free educational seminars and musical performances from a dozen popular jazz, classical, and contemporary recording artists.
Classical music devotees can enjoy performances by pianists Hyperion Knight and Robert Silverman and violinist Arturo Delmoni, while jazz lovers can jive with the John Pizzarelli Trio and the Atkinson/Perkins/Reina/Stewart Jazz Quartet, which features Stereophile magazine's own…
It would seem almost reasonable to imagine that your next stereo receiver or preamp could have an "intel inside" sticker on the front. Last week, software company Be made several announcements that it hopes will not only bring such a future to consumers, but also place itself at the center of the Internet-connected home-entertainment equipment market.
Be says that it and Intel will partner to design an Internet audio device intended for consumers, which will then be licensed to a variety of hardware manufacturers. Be has also announced a recent deal it has arranged with Hitachi's Digital…
Love it or loathe it, Internet music is here to stay.
Universal Music Group acknowledged this reality July 9 with an agreement to make approximately 1000 albums available through EMusic's downloadable music service. The albums represent a "cross-section of UMG's back catalog," according to a joint press release, and will beef up EMusic's library of more than 225,000 tracks from more than 900 independent labels. Both partners are units of Vivendi Universal SA, the Franco-American media conglomerate much in the news of late due to its cloudy financial picture and the departure of several…
The new year ushered in several significant personnel changes for the audio industry.
On January 21, Snell Acoustics announced the appointment of Dr. Joseph D'Appolito as chief engineer. He assumes the technical helm at the Haverhill, MA–based loudspeaker manufacturer at "a time of intense development," according to Snell, which is pushing product development in high-resolution two-channel and multichannel systems as well as in the custom installation arena.
Only the fourth head of the company’s technical division in its 25-year history—founder Peter Snell was the first— D'Appolito…
Paul Bolin reviews the EgglestonWorks Andra II loudspeaker, noting, "It's always tough to follow an award-winning act." Bolin listens carefully to determine if "the lofty ambitions of the Andra II project" have made significant and meaningful improvements to the original design.
Next, Larry Greenhill files his report on the Quad ESL-989 electrostatic loudspeaker, the fourth and latest incarnation in the product's 45-year history. As LG explains, "owning a pair of [the original] ESL-57s required dedication and a generous masochistic streak." Greenhill determines whether the new '989 answers…
What ails the music business? Stereophile reader Jim Steel, in an online poll last year, opined, "Most of today's pop and metal is lifeless, heartless, and crude. Over-produced, synthetic, and the core product (songs) are mind-numbingly dull and without imagination."
Another reader, Chris, added, "What music? Give me a break . . . the recording industry is wondering why people are refusing to pay for the overpriced, overhyped garbage they ceaselessly pour out. I'd almost rather drink from an open sewer line than submit myself to a couple of hours of the latest offerings from the likes of…