Marsalis Family Creates New Label
Branford Marsalis is unhappy with the music industry. Unlike many of his colleagues, he intends to do something about it.
News
Traitors In Our Midst
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. This is especially true for music lovers who have begun to fear that record companies purposely">http://www.stereophile.com/news/11261/">purposely corrupt the data on audio CDs in an effort to restrict their use as a source for copies or MP3 files.
Orchestras Fight Noise Law
Should performing arts be limited by health or environmental concerns? The Association of British Orchestras thinks not, according to a recent BBC">http://www.bbc.co.uk">BBC News item.
Pure Audiophile is Born
It's a brave group of souls who run today's audiophile music labels. Sane business minds would likely deem it foolhardy to start a new specialty label these days, but sometimes one's passion for music overrides the rational impulse to try something a little bit more secure (like perhaps an Internet company?).
Added to the Archives This Week
Jonathan Scull tackles the Pioneer">http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/515/">Pioneer DV-AX10 SACD/DVD-A/CD player, revealing the strengths and weaknesses of one of the first "universal" disc machines. Scull carefully compares the DV-AX10 to stand-alone SACD, DVD-A, and CD players to assess whether, in fact, you can have it all in one tidy package.
Net Grows; Free Music Still Rules
All available statistics demonstrate that the Internet is still a growing phenomenon, one destined to play an increasingly important role in the distribution of information and entertainment. Recently published studies by Jupiter Media Metrix, Inc., a division of Jupiter">http://www.jupiterresearch.com">Jupiter Research, show that Internet usage has achieved greater than 50% penetration among US households, giving it what researchers call "mass-market status." Jupiter describes "online consumers" as people who have computers and Internet service provision in their homes, as opposed to having Internet access through a computer at work. "Online users," for the sake of the studies, were defined as people who use the Internet at least once per month.
Added to the Archives This Week
Chip Stern writes in his review of the Blue">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/510/">Blue Circle BC3 Galatea line-level preamplifier, "From the moment I hooked these units up, the captivating turquoise glow of their matching front-panel lights (a glowing orb within a blue circle) held out the promise of something inviting and serene." Promise fulfilled? Stern spills the Blue Circle beans.
A Universal CD Problem?
Recent moves by record labels to add restricted-use technology to their compact disc releases has raised the ire of many a consumer, leading some to call for boycotts or worse (see this week's Soapboxhttp://www.stereophile.com/soapbox.shtml">Soapbox;). Late last year the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) issued">http://www.stereophile.com/news/11221/">issued a statement saying that the major labels have gone too far in restricting consumers' "fair use" of copyrighted material.
Time to Get Sirius
After more than ten years in development, Sirius">http://www.siriusradio.com">Sirius Satellite Radio announced last week that it will be officially launching its service with two events in Jackson, Mississippi beginning February 13. Sirius' competitor XM Satellite radio was able to get its service up and running last">http://www.stereophile.com/news/11148/">last September.
Henry Kloss, Dead at 72
Photo: © Steven Stone (used with permission)
Henry Kloss, whose prolific hi-fi design and manufacturing career spanned a half century, died of a subdural hematoma on January 31, three weeks before his 73rd birthday.