"Whole-house entertainment systems" and "ease of use" may be anathema for many audiophiles, but they bring joy to the lives of many music lovers—as they seem to do for manufacturers with a keen eye on the bottom line.
Last week we asked about your favorite review. As promised, this week we'd like to know what your <I>least</I> favorite equipment review in <I>Stereophile</I> has been.
In a landmark special feature, Chris Dunn & Malcolm Omar Hawksford thoroughly dissect the vicissitudes of the digital interface and jitter in <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/features/396bits">Bits is Bits?</A> The authors note, "The <I>theoretical</I> performance obtainable from the 16-bit linear PCM format sampled at 44.1kHz is superior to any analog sources available to the consumer."
Warner Music Group rebounds: WMG announced Thursday August 19 that it was near completion of a major corporate restructuring, a move expected to save as much as $250 million annually. WMG had originally projected savings of $60 million per year. Earlier this year, the company was acquired by an investment consortium led by Edgar Bronfman, Jr., scion of the Seagram family of Montreal and former chief of Universal Music.
In his report on the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/804ml">MartinLogan Depth powered subwoofer</A>, Larry Greenhill laments, "Reviewing subwoofers is a lonely job that brings no respect." But can the Depth upset one of LG's longstanding prejudices to earn <I>his</I> respect?
April Music's high-end audio products should soon be available to music lovers throughout the US, thanks to a distribution agreement with Bertrand Audio Imports announced August 11.
Paul Bolin notes, "Bankers and doctors bought McIntosh, not 'serious' audiophiles. So ran the conventional wisdom." While reviewing the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">McIntosh MC501 monoblock power amplifier</A>, PB discovers that conventional wisdom can be anything but wise.
From 2000, Brian Damkroger checks out the seductive <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/digitalsourcereviews/1000oracle">Oracle CD player</A>, commenting, "I couldn't help but wonder if the Oracle's sonic performance would be as unique and spectacular as its looks."
From its origins as an obscure off-Broadway novelty act, <A HREF="http://www.blueman.com">Blue Man Group</A> has grown to monster proportions, with authorized spinoffs performing in major cities throughout the world. The group is a permanent attraction in Las Vegas.
Back in June of 1992, Lewis Lipnick auditioned one of the era's benchmark products, the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/692cello">Cello Palette Preamplifier</A>. LL comments, "The Palette Preamplifier gives the listener a glimpse of what performers experience every day on stage: total immersion <I>in</I> the music."