Stereophile Staff

Spring typically sees <I>Stereophile</I> release its coveted "Records To Die For" feature, wherein everybody working for the magazine gets to make like a music critic and add their two cents about what gets them excited (musically speaking). R2D4 2000 is on newsstands right now, in the February issue of <I>Stereophile</I>; to commemorate its publication, we add the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//records2die4/199/">1999 "Records To Die For"</A> to the online archives.

The Home Entertainment 2000 show, originally planned to be held in Rye, New York this spring, has been canceled. Show staff has received feedback from manufacturers and dealers, who feel that the rooms at the Rye venue are too small, and that a suburban location is not optimal. EmapUSA VP Jaqueline Augustine states that "We want to hold a successful show, and this venue could not guarantee our success."

Getting a good connection to ground can make or break a fussy audio (and video) system. Jonathan Scull reveals several tips and tricks in <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//finetunes/195/">"Fines Tunes" #9</A>. As J-10 states: "Of course, the 'Fine Tunes' brief is low- or no-cost techniques for improving your system's sound. So let's consider that unruly beast called Ground. Aside from walking on, what's it good for?" The answer awaits.

Recognizing that high-end audio is anything but plug'n'play, Jonathan Scull examines the details of getting the best from alternating current in <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//finetunes/192/">"Fines Tunes" #8</A>. As Jonathan writes: "Bill Gates would have you believe we live in a plug'n'play world. Apple has proselytized same since day one. But I'm here to tell you it just isn't so for high-end audio."

After 53 years of publication, <I>Audio</I> magazine, owned and operated by Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, is closing its doors this week. Often rumored to be on the ropes, the magazine had recently attempted a new editorial direction and artistic facelift.

Jonathan Scull writes: "Cable dressing is actually a rather delicate issue that requires a certain leap of faith. The concept is so simple that even I can explain the science to you." And explain he does. Read <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//finetunes/188/">"Fine Tunes #7"</A> to learn the whole story.

Now that the big odometer has finally turned over, John Atkinson takes a moment to look back at the last 50 years of music reproduction&mdash;the era of high-end audio. Writing in "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//asweseeit/185/">Happy New Audio Millennium</A>," JA offers a little perspective on where audiophiles have traveled this last half century, and where we haven't.