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Satellite radio goes high-end: Beginning early next year, Krell">http://www.krellonline.com/">Krell Industries will enter the booming market for satellite radio receivers with an XM Radio tuner. The $4000 unit will reportedly also receive traditional AM and FM broadcasts; an optional module will let it stream Internet audio via 802.11g wireless connection to a broadband modem, according to the September 27 edition of This Week in Consumer Electronics (TWICEhttp://www.twice.com">TWICE;). The tuner will join Krell's line of custom installation products. In a similar but less expensive vein will be new Sirius tuners from Russoundhttp://www.russound.com/">Russound;. At $699 and $999, the two new models will also include AM/FM tuners.

Credit-card amps: Miniaturization could change the look and feel of many audio products. On October 29, Austin, TX–based D2Audiohttp://www.d2audio.com/">D2Audio; announced its new line of MXS amplifiers, each only 1.5" tall with a footprint no bigger than a credit card. Intended for use with in-wall or on-wall loudspeakers, MXS amps can deliver up to 125Wpc into 8-ohm speakers or up to 250Wpc into 4-ohm speakers, with THD+N of <0.1% at full-rated power from 20Hz to 20kHz. Dynamic range is specified at "up to 145dB." The tiny digital amplifiers have programmable DSP features and 93% power efficiency, thereby eliminating the need for large heatsinks, and are said to sound as good or better than many traditional designs. Two-channel modules can also be used for bi-amping, according to the manufacturer.

Karmazin joins Sirius: The satellite radio service gained some serious traction in its recent acquisition of former Viacom, Inc. president Mel Karmazin. Just one month after signing "shock jock" Howard Stern to a multimillion-dollar contract, Sirius signed Karmazin to a five-year contract, bringing him in as its new chief executive officer. Joseph Clayton will relinquish the CEO title but remain chairman of the board. Karmazin departed Viacom in June and began discussions in earnest with Sirius after the satellite service landed Stern, in a move Karmazin described as "brilliant." Karmazin had previously dismissed the potential of satellite radio, but now believes it could be huge—larger, perhaps, than the growth he helped nurture at Infinity Broadcasting, which he took from a few stations to more than 200. Sirius stock rose more than 10% on the day Karmazin's contract was announced.

Tweeter's new look: Tweeter Home Entertainment Group is entering the first phase of a massive makeover—with redesigned stores and a new marketing approach emphasizing custom installation and media-server–based home-theater products. The company will de-emphasize individual components and pitch its services toward women, who make most decisions about home entertainment and home décor. The company's pitch will be "We can untangle your mind," a reference to the widespread frustration with semi-compatible and often incomprehensible technologies. Over the next 18 months, Tweeter will consolidate its various regional chains under a single brand name, with a prototype 14,500 sq. ft. store in the Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin, NV to be launched at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Meet the new boss: Tannoy has announced the promotion of sales and marketing director Andrzej Sosna to managing director of the Scotland-based loudspeaker manufacturer. The company's former managing director, Anders Fauerskov, will now assume the title of CEO of Tannoy's parent, TC Group, which bought the TGI group of companies, including Tannoy, in 2002. Sosna, in his role of product development director, has been called "the driving force behind Tannoy’s recent product successes."

Rotel's newest: Rotelhttp://www.rotel.com/">Rotel; is venturing into the power conditioner market with two new components developed in conjunction with APC (American Power Conversion), a company with a long history in power-protection: the $1599 RLC-1080, which offers internal battery backup, and the $499 RLC-140. Both models offer system protection against spikes, brownouts, over-voltages, and RFI noise. Both also offer protection for coaxial, telephone, and Ethernet hook ups, as well as audible warnings and text displays.

Jamo's jammin': At the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Stereophile was entranced by the look of Jamo's">http://www.jamo.com/">Jamo's striking reference R 909 "open baffle" loudspeaker ($14,999/pair). The dipolar high-gloss R 909 (available in black, red, or yellow) dispenses with the conventional box enclosure, mounting two 15" (380mm) woofers, a proprietary 5.5" (150mm) hard-conical cone (HCC) midrange, and a 1" (25mm) ScanSpeak Revelator tweeter into its raked-back front baffle, which is reinforced by a "flying" rib that lends it rigidity.

Laser turntable launch: Despite its having been available on a limited basis for several years (and having been written about in magazines like Stereophile since 1988), the ELP Corporation's laser">http://www.elpj.com/main.html">laser turntable was officially introduced into the North American market on May 18.

Hansen Audio: Canadian loudspeaker manufacturer Hansen Audio, best known for "high-end luxury lifestyle speakers," has named Wes Bender senior director of US sales and marketing.

NaimNet: On June 20, at the London CEDIA Expo, Naim announced its entry into the custom integration/home systems market with a series of products and technologies called NaimNet. NaimNet is described as "a combination of Naim's experience in audio and video together with the IP technology of StreamNet™ licensed from NetStreams® LLC."