When I woke up this morning, all I knew for sure is that I wanted to spend the day alone, and I wanted to spend it at the Alexis Park. I've become comfortable enough here to now get really lost in it all. I'm worried that I've kept things a little too safe. I should be discovering something new. But how will I go about it? Jon…
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I see her from across the pool. She's tall and beautiful and dressed all in white. She reminds me of someone else. She sees me looking at her. I ignore the temptation; change directions; walk away from her; go to another tall white sign; read another list of names.
Mentioning the new Stereophile blog to folks this past week, I usually got two questions. First, "Cool, what will it be about?" Then, "What, in fact, is a blog?"
Here's the second answer first: "Blog" sounds like a name for a pet (this from someone who has a cat named "Pixel" and who always thought "Laptop" would make the perfect feline moniker), but the noun is actually a contraction of "weblog" and, in simple terms, refers to an online diary that is updated often. Wikipedia has a great definition here.
We'll initially be using our blog software in two ways: To allow ambitious…
Like the audio exhibits at the CES earlier this month in Las Vegas, the NAMM show in Anaheim, California is all about the passion for, and the business of, music. Or, to put it another way, both shows are about making music.
NAMM, established over one hundred years ago, originally stood for National Association of Music Merchants. With its international reach and emphasis, the organization is now either simply NAMM or The International Music Products Association. And it's got a great slogan: "Believe in Music."
There are other similarities between NAMM and CES. To stand in the main…
Longtime audiophiles no doubt remember Hafler for their early amp and preamp kits, which offered excellent value for the money. The company soon dropped the kits, but continued production with a complete line of popular amps and preamps throughout the '80s and early '90s, only to hit hard times as the audio recession kicked in.
Hafler, now part of Rockford Corporation (known primarily for their mobile audio companies), has spent the last several years focusing on the pro-audio market and has recently reinvented itself for the consumer-electronics customer. Last week, the company took the…
The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) commissioned a new 144-page report of radio and consumer survey results, based on data collected between February 17 and 22 by Pollara, Inc. in 1229 telephone interviews with respondents above the age of 13. The purpose of the study was to collect data that the CRIA could submit to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunication Commission's (CTRC) Commercial Radio Review. (For those interested in reading all 144 pages, click here and download "Appendix A.")
For folks who'd rather have someone else do the heavy lifting, Dr. Michael…
Newcomer Revel has been on a roll lately, piling up accolades all around for its new line of loudspeakers. Larry Greenhill takes a look at the recently unveiled Revel Salon and explains how it compares to the Sydney Opera House. "Did the Salon meet its design goals of timbral accuracy, low distortion, and lack of dynamic compression?" Read all about it in Greenhill's report.
Next, Jonathan Scull is legendary for being one of the most insightful critics in the audio business. Read his review of the Classé Omega power amplifier and find out if solid-state has finally come of age. Also…
In his review of the Wadia 830 CD player, Brian Damkroger states: "My take on the Wadia was that: a) it probably wasn't going to sound that much better than the best of the $1000-ish players I had around, and b) even if it did, the differences wouldn't matter enough to me to justify its cost. My audio path took a dramatic turn one weekend, however, when a pair of cable manufacturers stopped by to demo their new products." Read about his journey and the ultimate audio destination will be revealed.
Next up, Stereophile's senior editor, Jonathan Scull, gets his hands on the VTL Wotan MB-1250…
Retailers accused of selling pirated compact discs are feeling legal heat from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In May, the organization launched copyright infringement suits against 18 retail businesses in Texas, Florida, and New York—primarily convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, and small independent music stores.
The 18 defendants were among dozens of such businesses that were caught in RIAA "sting" operations conducted last year. Most chose to settle out of court. RIAA president Cary Sherman acknowledged that "these are tough economic times for many…
Venture capital group Shared Ventures is now the legal owner of the assets of Wadia Digital Corporation. Wadia's majority shareholder, Shared Ventures, acquired the company's name, intellectual property, and physical inventory at a public auction in Minneapolis on September 12. The law firm of Siegel, Brill, Greupner, Duffy, and Foster, P/A, of Minneapolis, managed the auction. Originally scheduled for late August, the auction was postponed for two weeks after a flurry of interest following the publication of an official notice in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
As majority shareholder,…
Soundsareactive.com, an eclectic independent label specializing in "jazz/improv, experimental hip-hop, and electronic artists," is offering a subscription package for its 2005 release schedule. For $35 (US price; the international price is $50), the label will send monthly downloadable MP3 (192kbps) releases for the rest of 2005, four "physical" CDs, and a "tour" DVD titled XN+.
The label points out that the MP3s are free, whether or not consumers subscribe to the package. "Think of it this way," the website explains, "everyone can enjoy the music. However, only some wish to support it. We…