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A single standard for terrestrial digital radio is still somewhere over the rainbow. Despite pressure from broadcasters to form an industry alliance, leading developers of the new technology are intent on pursuing their own courses, attendees learned at the 2000 National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas in mid-April. Executives from USA Digital Radio and Lucent Digital Radio, the two biggest players in the sector, told NAB members that their design and testing programs are still in early stages of development, too soon for accord.
Steven Stone writes that "the Signature SC-VI is probably the most 'anti-tweak' flagship high-end speaker ever made." In his very thorough review of the Dunlavy Audio Labs Signature SC-VI loudspeaker, Stone details this legendary audiophile favorite from top to bottom. Is it the perfect speaker? Stone lays down his verdict, and more.
Said John Atkinson to John Dunlavy: "John, you've had an amazingly variegated career. You've designed antennae for the military, you've worked in pure science, you were involved in the International Geophysical Year back in 1957, you've lectured at university…
In the age of iTunes and Amazon.com, do brick and mortar music retailers have a future? Perhaps—if they downsize a bit.
Warner Music Group and Mediaport Entertainment have recently announced a new music distribution approach based on a network of unmanned kiosks called MusicATMs. The idea is certainly not new, with companies such as MusicPoint having unsuccessfully tried their hands at the business as early as 1999.
However, since music fans are now able to carry their entire libraries with them on portable audio players, and with online services such as iTunes fostering a population…
Apple Computer, faced with research, complaints, and litigation claiming that the iPod can cause hearing loss, issued a new software update on March 29 that limits the personal maximum volume level of the iPod Nano and iPod models with video-playback capabilities. The free download, available at www.apple.com/ipod/download, prevents the player from outputting its potentially damaging maximum volume of 115dB. Parents can also use the feature to set volume limits on their child's iPod, and lock settings with coded combinations.
Apple's action was impelled by far more than a lawsuit. According…
The music industry's ongoing copyright and royalty battle took a refreshing turn Wednesday, August 7, when EMI Group PLC filed suit against AOL Time Warner, Inc. over the unpaid use of songs from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movies. Filed in US Court for the Southern District of New York, the suit seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction barring AOL Time Warner from playing songs from MGM classics such as Singin' in the Rain and The Wizard of Oz.
AOL Time Warner is parent company of the Warner Music Group, and EMI's ally in the music industry's struggle to contain piracy. For the…
Jonathan Scull asks "What's it take to compete on the bleeding edge of digital?" Apparently more than what's offered by the "large international manufacturing and marketing concerns stalking the earth today." Will the Accuphase DP-100 Super Audio CD transport & DC-101 Digital Processor make the cut? Scull's incisive report reveals all.
Boy, does J-10 get letters. In Fine Tunes #34, he details yet another batch of tips'n'tweaks from "all you Victims of the Musical Quest." Sweet Spot to the rescue.
It's a battle as old as the Edison wax cylinder: consumers want to buy audio…
Media critics may be right: If record companies had spent as much effort building a digital distribution network as they have fighting digital piracy, they might actually be making money online instead of complaining about it. This is the conclusion of a new report from KPMG and the Economist Intelligence Unit.
According to the study, "companies are wasting too many resources fighting digital piracy while overlooking potential opportunities the technology offers." KPMG says the report was conducted to gauge the media industry's progress in managing and delivering digital content.
A…
One might think that the publisher of "The Largest Marketplace in the World for Audiophile Equipment" would have a vested interest in encouraging trading activity among his readers. One would think that such a publisher might take a neutral stance regarding fluctuations in the world market for used equipment. One would think that he would credit his readers with sufficient intelligence to decide for themselves whether any specific purchase, sale, or trade was a good deal.
One would be wrong on all counts. Walt Bender, publisher of Audiomart, long one of the dominant publications in the…
For any good battle, it helps to have several key ingredients. First, there has to be an underlying conflict that cannot be settled with diplomatic ease---it is especially important that both combatants covet the same property. Second, each side has to set a propaganda machine in motion to create the appearance of a noble struggle for the good of "the people" that transcends the simple fight for turf control. Third, the outcome of such a battle should have implications stretching far into the future. And finally, these days it helps if the press notices.
All four appear to be working to…
Quad's David Patching was all smiles as he showed off the company's new CD player, called simply the CD-P. No SACD or DVD-A, said Patching, who says they'll wait until either a ton of high-rez discs are sold (not just produced) or until the format war is over and a clear winner emerges.
In the meantime, the CD-P sells for $1500, and unlike the previous Quad CD spinner, has its own power supply. It is based on the top-of-the-line Philips laser mechanism, which has the added benefit of playing unfinalized CD-Rs and CD-RWs. The player also sports a Crystal delta-sigma hybrid DAC that…