Paul Simon Releases DVD-A
Two years after they were first announced, DVD-Audio discs may finally be on their way from major labels.
News
Home Entertainment 2002
After the 2001 show's wildly successful run earlier this year, Home">http://www.homeentertainment-expo.com">Home Entertainment 2002 is heading back again to the heart of New York City. HE2002 will take place May 30–June 2, 2002 at the Hilton New York.
Buy Cables and Feed the Hungry
There are only a few short days left, but once again, audiophiles can help themselves and others at the same time by participating in The Cable Company's sixth annual "Summer Against Hunger" campaign. The">http://www.fatwyre.com">The Cable Company (and www.usedcable.comhttp://www.usedcable.com">www.usedcable.com;), along with several manufacturers and audiophile publications, have set up a program by which they offer to donate up to 10% of August sales to CARE and the International Rescue Committee, these contributions to be used to assist the worldwide disaster relief efforts of those humanitarian organizations.
Added to the Archives This Week
From the August 2001 issue, we have Michael Fremer's illuminating review of the Audio">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/394/">Audio Physic Avanti III loudspeaker. Fremer wonders how Audio Physic can top the outstanding price/performance success of its middle-of-the line Virgo">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/147/">Virgo model with a speaker that costs twice as much. As Fremer asks, "Is the Avanti twice as good as the Virgo? More than twice as good? Or is it just another competent but undistinguished design?"
Europe Gets More Protection
Maybe it's because those Yanks are so contentious, but it appears that most of the initial CD copy-protection activity is taking place in Europe (see previoushttp://www.stereophile.com/news/11113/">previous;). Last week, Phoenix, AZ–based SunnComm announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with Sonopresshttp://www.sonopress.de">Sonopress; of Germany for implementation of its MediaCloQ technology in manufacturing facilities located all over Europe.
Antitrust Probe of Online Music Plans
When does cooperation become collusion? When does collusion become anti-competitive? Investigators at the US Justice Department have begun asking such questions in regard to plans by major music labels to make their wares available on the Internet.
Added to the Archives This Week
As Larry Greenhill states in his review of the MartinLogan">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/390/">MartinLogan Prodigy loudspeaker, "Electrostatic speakers are my passion." But Greenhill's heard a lot of great 'stats in his time, so he was "both excited and uneasy" when a review pair of MartinLogan's latest arrived in his listening room. He needn't have worried.
Electronics Retailing Slow in July
Summer is traditionally the slowest time of the year for electronics retailers. July 2001 confirmed the pattern, with sales figures down significantly from previous months.
Wishful Format Thinking?
Last week, InterTrust">http://www.InterTrust.com/">InterTrust Technologies, which creates Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, and format developer DataPlayhttp://www.dataplay.com">DataPlay; announced a partnership intended to create a portable media distribution platform for protected content such as music. Universal Music Group, EMI Recorded Music, and BMG Entertainment have all announced that they are planning to release prerecorded music on the resultant DataPlay digital format for use in a variety of consumer electronic devices.
CEA Supports Music Online Act
The Music Online Competition Act (MOCA) has won the imprimatur of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), according to an announcement made August 8. The recently-introduced bipartisan">http://www.stereophile.com/news/11107/">bipartisan bill crafted by Congressmen Chris Cannon (R-Utah) and Rick Boucher (D-Virginia) intends to insure competition in the delivery of online music—and to preserve music lovers' rights to copy their own recordings for private use.