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Industry Roundup

Barry Willis Jun 07, 2004 First Published: Jun 07, 2004

Circuit City turnaround: After a long slump, the Richmond, VA–based retail chain is finally on an upswing. The company reported a 7% increase in sales for the first fiscal quarter, ended May 31—a total of $2.1 billion. Same-store sales rose 6.4%. The total included $21.5 million in revenue from InterTan, a group of Canadian stores acquired by Circuit City on May 12. Circuit City's strongest product categories were flat-panel TVs, digital cameras, computer gear, and portable audio players.

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Giving the RIAA the Finger

Jon Iverson Jun 07, 2004 First Published: Jun 07, 2004

As a result of the RIAA's aggressive attempts at legislation and lawsuits, it is widely understood that government control is an integral component of the music industry's plans to limit the ways in which copyrighted music can be used. But how far will the industry go to control the technology used to play back your favorite tune?

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Added to the Archives This Week

Stereophile Staff Jun 07, 2004 First Published: Jun 07, 2004

From the June 1999 issue, Jonathan Scull surveys the Pass">http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/699pass">Pass Labs X1000 monoblock power amplifier. JS notes, "Pass Laboratories' X amplifier series represents the efforts of designer Nelson Pass to prove that simple linear amplifier topologies can be scaled to provide high-quality audio performance at very high power levels."

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CD Prices Drop

Jon Iverson Jun 07, 2004 First Published: Jun 07, 2004

While Universal's heavily publicized attempt at CD price reduction didn't pan out as hoped last year, there is evidence to suggest that CD prices may be slowly moving downward.

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HE 2004 East Takes Manhattan!

Stereophile Staff Jun 07, 2004 First Published: Jun 07, 2004

The Home Entertainment 2004 East Show, held in New York City, May 20–23, at the New York Hilton & Towers, gave Show attendees a memorable weekend filled with live music, educational seminars, a special movie night, and a grand concert—all included with the price of admission to the Show.

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Clear Channel Settles Lawsuit

Barry Willis Jun 06, 2004 First Published: Jun 06, 2004

Clear Channel Communications, Inc. has settled the first of what could be a long string of lawsuits over its purportedly monopolistic marketing tactics.

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Industry Roundup

Barry Willis May 31, 2004 First Published: Jun 01, 2004

RIAA lawsuits continue: Each month the recording industry launches a few hundred more lawsuits against suspected file-swappers, with such tedious regularity that we could simply re-run the previous month's news with a new figure inserted. This time around, the Recording Industry Association of America announced May 24 that it had filed suit against 493 more people believed to have illegally shared music over the Internet. Known only by their screen names and IP addresses, the unnamed defendants are subscribers with Internet service providers in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas. Unlike recent suits, none of the current crop involves college students or university networks. To date approximately 3000 people have been sued by the music industry; 486 have settled, paying damages that averaged $3000 each.

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Hempcones and Hemptones

Barry Willis May 31, 2004 First Published: May 31, 2004

Most manufacturers who advertise in Stereophile hype an exquisite blend of old world craftsmanship and high technology. The gambit is particularly common in the business of selling loudspeakers, where ad copy pushes the sonic advantages of the latest ultra-stiff, indestructible, and nearly weightless cone materials such as Kevlar, carbon-fiber, anodized aluminum, or platinum-plated titanium.

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Added to the Archives This Week

Stereophile Staff May 31, 2004 First Published: May 31, 2004

"It costs as much as a car—and not a used jalopy, either," remarks Michael Fremer. "That's what goes through your head as you contemplate this magnificent $20,190 piece of audio jewelry." The jewelry in question is the Jadis">http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/1298jadis">Jadis RC JP80 MC Mk.II preamplifier, which MF compliments for "breathtaking" workmanship and parts quality. He also listens to the thing and reveals what some might consider the most important part: how it sounds.

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Album Cover Top 10

Jon Iverson May 31, 2004 First Published: May 31, 2004

There are several easy ways to start arguments among music fans: ask for a list of the most significant albums of all time, or who the greatest songwriters are, or the best bands, or ask which albums sported the all-time greatest covers.