Philips and Marantz Japan Re-Shuffle Brand Ownership
Last week, Philips">http://www.philips.com">Philips Electronics and Marantz Japan jointly announced that Marantz Japan intends to buy the Marantz trademark, as well as the European and American sales organizations, from Philips. The companies say that the transaction is due to take effect in the coming months. In addition, Philips says it intends to sell shares equal to 1.5% of all shares held in Marantz Japan, effectively reducing its ownership percentage from 50.5% to 49%.
Philips Announces New Chips for CD Players
Last week, Philips">http://www.semiconductors.com/">Philips Semiconductors announced the CD10 chipset, which the company describes as the world's first two-chip solution to deliver CD-RW (compact disc, re-writeable) compatibility for CD audio players. According to Philips, one chip provides a data amplifier and laser supply circuit, while the other is the digital servo, decoder, and DAC. As a result, Philips claims that the new chipset allows designers to build audio players that can read all forms of CDs without an increase in component count.
Philips Chip: SACD + DVD?
The affordable universal disc player may yet become a reality—if Royal">http://www.philips.com">Royal Philips Electronics has anything to do with it.
Philips Re-org Means Fewer Jobs
With worldwide demand for semiconductors lower than it has been in many years, Philips">http://www.philips.com">Philips Electronics NV has announced an organizational streamlining that may cost 4000 workers their jobs.
Philips: Don't Mess with the CD!
The major record labels may put out most of the world's music, but they're doing so on a format first created by Philips and then further developed by Sony: the Compact Disc. In addition to the underlying technology, Philips and Sony established a strict standard for the format, insuring compatibility with all players around the world, which came to be known as the Red Book standard.
Philips' Audio Fingerprinting
The received wisdom has it that among the billions of humans on earth, no two have identical fingerprints, no matter how closely related they are.
Philips' Online Strategy: Link Customers, Dealers
The Internet has become an integral part of Philips">http://www.philips.com/">Philips Electronics' global sales strategy. The Dutch technology conglomerate has announced a plan for online marketing that will link customers to more than 60,000 Philips dealers worldwide.
Phoenix Gold Grabs Carver
Last week, Phoenix">http://www.phoenixgold.com/">Phoenix Gold International announced its acquisition of the marketing assets of Carver Corporation, including the Carver name, along with plans to "actively rebuild the once highly regarded Carver brand, beginning with a full line of new consumer and professional audio products."
Phono Cartridge Event in Phoenix Saturday
Saturday January 28, 16pm, Esoteric Audio (111 West Monroe Street, Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85003) is presenting the first public showing of the DS Audio DS 002 Optical Phono Cartridge System. This is a lower-priced version of the DS Audio Master1 that Michael Fremer reviewed for Stereophile in September 2015.
Pianist Hyperion Knight to Perform in Rhode Island, Sunday February 25
Sunday, February 25 at 2pm, audiophile-fave-rave pianist Hyperion Knight will perform a program of Bach, Beethoven, and Gershwin at the First Baptist Church in America (75 North Main Street Providence, RI 02903). The church is a short (seven minutes) walk from the Providence Amtrak (train) station. The starting time of the recital was chosen to make it possible for music lovers from New York City to Boston to arrive and depart with the least fuss possible. The recital will be open to the public, and free of charge.