News

New Products Abound

Barry Willis Jan 19, 2004 First Published: Jan 20, 2004

Manufacturers sometimes suspect that they have been intentionally slighted if they don't get mentioned in a Stereophile show report. The truth is that the overwhelming enormity of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) prevents even the most aggressive journalists from seeing everything. (SGHT editor Tom Norton may be the sole exception.)

News

Intel Goes High-Def

Jon Iverson Jan 19, 2004 First Published: Jan 19, 2004

Like it or not, audiophiles may find that it will be the computer industry, not the traditional consumer electronics manufacturers, that creates a successful platform for high resolution audio. As we reported">http://www.stereophile.com/news/010904ces/">reported last week from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Microsoft's latest Windows Media Audio (WMA) codec contains provisions for up to eight channels of 96kHz/24-bit lossy or lossless PCM audio—and Apple OSX fans have had an operating system that supports 96/24 for some time.

News

Phoenix Gold Grabs Carver

Jon Iverson Jan 19, 2004 First Published: Jan 19, 2004

Last week, Phoenix">http://www.phoenixgold.com/">Phoenix Gold International announced its acquisition of the marketing assets of Carver Corporation, including the Carver name, along with plans to "actively rebuild the once highly regarded Carver brand, beginning with a full line of new consumer and professional audio products."

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Added to the Archives This Week

Stereophile Staff Jan 19, 2004 First Published: Jan 19, 2004

From the January 2004 issue, Robert J. Reina surveys the Epos">http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/104epos">Epos ELS-3 loudspeaker, reporting at the outset, "I have not been this excited about an entry-level speaker in years." BJR explains, "In three areas, it exceeded in performance what I've heard from its competition."

News

Kenneth Wilkinson 1912-2004

John Atkinson Jan 19, 2004 First Published: Jan 19, 2004

We are saddened to report the death of Decca recording engineer Kenneth E. Wilkinson on January 13 at the age of 92, in Norfolk, England. The news was reported by LP historian Michael Gray of The Absolute Sound on the Internet newsgroup rec.audio.high-end.

News

Primedia Announces The Connected Guide To The Digital Home

Stereophile Staff Jan 15, 2004 First Published: Jan 15, 2004

Primedia has announced The Connected Guide To The Digital Home, the first consumer magazine dedicated entirely to adopting and integrating audio, video, information, telecommunications, security, and other personal and home technologies. Formerly known as Audio Video Interiors (AVI), the standard-bearer for the home theater revolution, The Connected Guide To The Digital Home is being introduced as the natural evolution of AVI.

News

Added to the Archives This Week

Stereophile Staff Jan 12, 2004 First Published: Jan 12, 2004

Sam Tellig and Lonnie Brownell both provide trenchant analyses of the Bryston">http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/597bryston">Bryston B-60R integrated amplifier. Tellig notes, "With Bryston gear, you get solid engineering and impeccable—I was going to say unimpeachable—build quality. This is what you pay for; not bulletproof faceplates, gold-plated name badges, or the like."

News

CES 2004: Day Three

Jon Iverson Jan 10, 2004 First Published: Jan 10, 2004

Yesterday, we talked with Microsoft about the high-resolution audio capabilities of Windows Media. Today, we met with one of their key competitors, Real, who also promised that, as the market matures, we will be seeing more options for audiophiles.

News

2004 CES: Day Two

Jon Iverson Jan 09, 2004 First Published: Jan 09, 2004

The format battle over what goes into your audio player's disc drawer could soon be rendered moot. Forget SACD and DVD-Audio: it's the format war taking place on your desktop that may determine the real future of audio. And, believe it or not, audiophiles might win, too.

News

CES 2004: Opening Day

Jon Iverson Jan 08, 2004 First Published: Jan 08, 2004

The show started slowly at the Alexis Park Hotel, since many exhibitors were still setting up and tuning systems as the gates opened at 10am. We ducked into the Gryphon room and discovered the company's new flagship speaker making its first public appearance. Called the "Project 30" until a more formal name is selected, the imposing four-way system consists of two mid/high-range towers and two powered woofer towers. Each woofer tower sports a built-in 600W amplifier and is reported to reach down to 16Hz. The system is claimed to have a 94dB efficiency rating and will be available before the summer at a projected price of around $120,000 in the US.