April Music's US Distributor
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.
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HD Radio Makes Progress
We've been hearing about it for years, but high-definition radio may finally be on its way. Feeling competitive pressure from satellite operations XM Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, US broadcasters are making what appear to be sincere efforts to upgrade their service by moving from analog to digital.
Roxio Pouring All into Napster
Received wisdom has it that putting all your eggs in one basket isn't a good business plan, but that's exactly what Roxio, Inc. intends to do with its Napster online music service.
Mercury Living Presence On SACD
Audiophiles and music lovers enamored of the legendary Mercury Living Presence series of recordings will have plenty to celebrate with a recent announcement from Universal Music Group (UMG).
Added to the Archives This Week
Paul Bolin notes, "Bankers and doctors bought McIntosh, not 'serious' audiophiles. So ran the conventional wisdom." While reviewing the McIntosh">http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">McIntosh MC501 monoblock power amplifier, PB discovers that conventional wisdom can be anything but wise.
SACD and Video?
The music industry is clearly redoubling its efforts to market DVD-Audio, with the proposed">http://www.stereophile.com/news/080904dualdisc/">proposed launch of the DualDisc format. Adding either video content or high-rez audio or both to a standard CD looks to be the new strategy for adding value—an acknowledgement that just offering non–CD-compatible high-rez audio is not enough.
Done Deal: Sony BMG
Now there are four. The music industry's "Big Five" record labels officially became the "Big Four" on Thursday, August 5, as Sony Music Entertainment and Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) finalized a merger months in the making. The partners are the music divisions of Sony Corporation and German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG, respectively.
Music Biz Pins Hopes on DualDisc
Is there a future for high-resolution audio? Will the music industry survive as a packaged-goods business? The answer to both of these questions is "Yes, probably . . ." if the DualDisc follows test market indications and become next year's must-have entertainment format.
Added to the Archives This Week
From 2000, Brian Damkroger checks out the seductive Oracle">http://www.stereophile.com/digitalsourcereviews/1000oracle">Oracle CD player, commenting, "I couldn't help but wonder if the Oracle's sonic performance would be as unique and spectacular as its looks."
Buy Hi-Fi and Feed the Hungry
Once again, audiophiles can help themselves and others at the same time by participating in The Cable Company's ninth annual "Summer Against Hunger" campaign. The">http://Usedcable.com/">The Cable Company and a wide cross-section of its vendors (listed below) have set up a program by which up to 10% of The Cable Company's August sales are donated to CAREhttp://www.careusa.org/">CARE; and the International">http://www.theirc.org/">International Rescue Committee, with contributions to be used to assist the worldwide disaster relief efforts of those humanitarian organizations.