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From the August issue, Robert Deutsch gives the Audio">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/901/">Audio Research VS110 power amplifier and SP16L line preamplifier the full treatment. RD reveals how he finds products to review, and more importantly, what he found appealing in the ARC amp and preamp.

August is shaping up as a great month for audiophiles and good causes. The Cable Company's annual "Summer">http://www.stereophile.com/news/11704/">Summer Against Hunger" campaign is in full swing, and Rockford">http://www.rockfordcorp.com">Rockford Home Group has announced that the first production unit of the 50 limited-edition FAP V1 vacuum-tube surround processors (see previoushttp://www.stereophile.com/news/11711/">previous;) will be auctioned via eBay with proceeds donated to charity.

If you've been hunting for loudspeakers that sound fantastic, look gorgeous, and don't require a second mortgage, Linn">http://www.linn.co.uk">Linn Products, Ltd. may have the solution.

The marque may be gone, but Proceed's">http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/897/">Proceed's PAV audio/video preamplifier is not forgotten. In 1994, Thomas J. Norton examined the breakthrough the PAV represented, stating, "It was inevitable that traditional high-end audio manufacturers would begin producing equipment for the fast-growing home-theater market."

Audio Research Corporation is often considered one of the greybeards of the hi-fi business, having begun its audiophile life way back in 1970. Even so, the company, often noted for its tube equipment, is proving that it can still make a run at the cutting edge of amplifier design.

Major Japanese electronics manufacturers reported mixed results for the quarter ended June 30, with Mitsubishi and Sharp posting sales gains, while Hitachi and JVC did not. Most electronics firms begin their fiscal year on April 1, making June 30 the end of the first quarter.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is reporting that sales of DVD-Video players also capable of playing high-resolution audio formats have taken off this year, compared to 2002. According to CEA market research, manufacturers shipped 148,000 DVD-A and 100,000 SACD players to retailers through May of this year.