A Peek into the Audio Future
Time to yank out the old oxygen-free crystal interconnects and gaze into audio's future for 1999. Now that www.stereophile.com has a year under its online belt, we should be able to read the sonic omens with greater resolution, or at least confine our mistakes to minor stumbles. First, we'll see how our prognostications">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10067/">prognostications for 1998 panned out, and spin them a little to tune in 1999. We'll add reader predictions at the bottom. Got your own predictions? Send">mailto:jiverson@stereophile.com">Send 'em in!
A Polk/Classé/Marantz Event in Montreal
Until about a week ago, I thought Classé Audio was out of business. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Classé was not just alive but also kicking, with a new line of high-end electronics, which were being showcased, along with flagship products from Marantz and Polk Audio, at Montreal audio-video importer Sherpa Group's offices. What's more, it was happening tomorrow–that is, the day after I found out about Classé's resurgence.
A Prickly Arrangement
Forget the SACD/DVD-Audio format wars, a more interesting (and potentially more devastating to consumers) battle is brewing among companies racing to add copy protection technology and other restrictions to compact discs.
A Primer on the Popular Lowther Horn Loudspeaker
Editor's Note: Lowther horn speakers and their "clubs" have been important to do-it-yourself hi-fi hobbyists in Europe for decades. A common question from readers in other parts of the world is "What are Lowther speakers, and where can I hear them?" We asked Mr. Doppenberg, of the Lowther Club of Holland, to give us a quick tour of the Lowther story. For more extensive information, check the links at the end of this piece.
A Real, Live, In-Person Hi-Fi Event in Pennsylvania, with Actual Humans!
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania–based hi-fi dealer Now Listen Here is holding a real, live, non-Zoom event this coming weekend, September 26 and 27, 2020, at the Hyatt House in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, next to the King of Prussia mall.
A Really Big Show
You thought it was crowded last year? The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced last week that, as of the beginning of December, it looks like the 2003">http://www.CESweb.org">2003 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will feature a record-breaking amount of exhibit space, surpassing 1.2 million square feet.
A Record Seven Grammy Nominations for Reference Recordings
"I'm still in shock," Reference Recordings recording engineer Sean Martin blurted out during a conference call with his recording engineer stepfather, Keith O. Johnson. "When Jan Mancuso woke me up at 5:30 or 6 to tell me the news, I couldn't imagine who would be calling so early," was Johnson's follow up.
A Sad Week for Radio
Recently, the New">http://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times announced the "lease" of its AM radio station, 1560kHz on the dial, to Disney/ABC for the next 8 years. Why is this important?
A Savior For the Music Business and an Orwellian Nightmare For Pirates?
Could this be a record executive's dream come true and the end of the need for watermarking as we know it? CantaMetrixhttp://www.CantaMetrix.com/">CantaMetrix; has announced the further development of a new technology, MusicDNA, that the company claims is capable of identifying and tracking the billions of existing as well as new MP3 files on the Internet and providing an exact accounting for the copyright, "thus enabling legal file sharing and linking value-added data to songs."
A Single-Dealer Hi-Fi/Home Theater Show at Raleigh's Audio Advice
In a little more than a week, Raleigh, North Carolina, consumer-electronics retailer Audio Advice will be hosting Audio Advice Live a three-day, single-dealer home theater and hi-fi show, showcasing equipment from more than 60 brands.