Chet Atkins, the good-natured guitarist and successful record producer who established Nashville as the capitol of country music, in the process of transforming the music itself, died on Saturday, June 30. He had battled cancer for several years. He was 77.While Mr. Atkins was a virtuosic guitarist and sold over 75 million records, it was his work as session musician, label executive, and pater familias to several generations of country musicians and pop stars that literally transformed the music and listening habits of the nation itself.
Chester Burton Atkins was born June 24,…
The first part of our subwoofer review trilogy finds Larry Greenhill plumbing the depths with the Paradigm Reference Servo-15 powered subwoofer. Greenhill says that the wide range of adjustments available on the Servo-15 can help it blend into most environments—but having all that choice can cut both ways, notes LG.Next, Wes Phillips looks for big bottom with the REL Studio II powered subwoofer, and files his report for the July 1998 Stereophile. "At the same time that home theater has made 'subwoofer' a household word, many high-end companies have also discovered that a deep, tuneful…
Music lover Dennis Cassidy had an itch years ago to start an audiophile label dedicated to releasing the particular kinds of music he liked with the best vinyl and packaging available. Cassidy was involved with music distributor Sound Advice at the time, which sold the standard audiophile favorites from Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, and others.But he says he was never satisfied with the musical choices the audiophile labels made. As Cassidy puts it, "I'm picky about my audiophile LPs. It really all started with me in high school telling people, 'listen to this' or 'buy this LP' and their…
Pauline Oliveros calls it "deep listening"—a way to pay attention to the sensual qualities of sound itself. Welcome to a world of music that defies categorization, that invites a listener to soak slowly into a deep and otherworldly zone. This music goes by many names: ambient, spacemusic, electronica, sacred music, tribal/trance. Alas, you'll often find it hiding in the New Age section. Unlike some fluffier New Age fare, good ambient albums can explore the deeper, more solitary spaces. At its best, ambient music can sensitize you to sound in unique ways. It can enlarge your listening…
Imerge merged: Linear, LLC (Carlsbad, CA, USA) has acquired Imerge, Ltd. (Cambridge, UK), one of Europe's top providers of Internet-connected, hard disk-based audio products and media appliances. (Imerge's relational XiVA-Link database software is used in such products as the Linn Kivor media server.) Linear is best known for its engineered radio-frequency (RF) products and as a major supplier of wireless residential security systems, intercoms, garage door operators, gate operators, short- and long-range radio remote controls, and medical/emergency reporting systems. In recent years the…
It wasn't easy building the perfect audio system---endless hours spent choosing synergistic components, and working that impossible room to its greatest advantage. Why not share the struggle, the rewards, and the knowledge gained by sending information about your audio environment to us here at Stereophile?In the coming weeks we'll be putting together a resource that we think audiophiles will find quite useful: The Stereophile Readers' Systems Page. We'll be compiling a database of your audio equipment and habitats that will enable audio folk to compare notes and get in touch with others…
From the October 2004 issue, Larry Greenhill reviews the REL Studio III subwoofer, explaining, "Determined to experience sub-bass in my listening room, I arranged with REL's US importer, Sumiko Audio, to audition their largest subwoofer, the Studio III."Also from October, Paul Bolin diverts a bit of time to check out the Siltech G5 Classic Cables. "The G5 Classics use a proprietary geometry called X-balanced Micro Technology, which, according to Siltech, makes the G5s the quietest cables, with the lowest distortion, to be found," expains PB.
Six years ago, Shannon Dickson extensively…
People love to make their own compilation recordings. That fact helped make the cassette deck the most successful audio format of all time, and it is driving sales of CD recorders, a product category new to most consumers. As predicted last summer, CD recorders have become one of the hottest niches in consumer audio, exceeding MiniDisc machines in total sales dollars. Sales are brisk despite the fact that CD recorders are among the priciest components on the market, ranging from $500 to $600. MiniDisc recorders for home use are priced at about $250 and up.Electronics retailers are…
Combine the challenge of establishing a start-up with the launch of an entirely new consumer electronics market and you've got the recipe for a highly volatile and explosive brew. But news of a successful $1.2 billion re-capitalization announced last week indicates that three-year old digital radio pioneer Sirius will likely remain intact—at least for now. It has been a touch-and-go ride for both Sirius and competitor XM as they race to establish digital satellite radio services in the US and struggle to increase the ranks of their subscribers. XM got a shot in the arm last December…
Let us pause for a moment to reflect on the passing of one of hi-fi’s most venerable components. For 30 years, Rega’s Planar 2—recently, simply known as the P2—has provided countless hi-fi enthusiasts with their first taste of the potential that the vinyl disc has to offer. Now Rega has decided to stop making it.The Planar 2 wasn’t Rega’s first turntable. It was preceded, in 1973, by the Planet, whose "platter" was created by three outrigger weights. Very stylish, perhaps, but glass and felt worked better, so 1975 saw the introduction of the Planars 2 and 3. Early models used a tonearm…
