DVD-Audio Going Hybrid?
Imitation, as the old saw would have it, is the sincerest form of flattery. It might also offer a way for DVD-Audio to establish credibility and build a customer base.
News
Added to the Archives
We kick off our anniversary collection with 40">http://www.stereophile.com//features/708/">40 Years of Stereophile: What Happened When. Editor John Atkinson recounts the complete history of Stereophile, starting in 1930 when J. Gordon Holt heard his first sound in North Carolina.
XM Chops Jobs, Sirius Denies Bankruptcy
Promising technology, interesting programming, and good business plans may not be enough to keep satellite radio services XM">http://www.xmradio.com">XM Radio and Sirius">http://www.siriusradio.com">Sirius Radio aloft. Both companies are struggling with massive financial problems as they scramble to gain subscribers.
DSD in the Studio
At present, the recording industry is based on a variety of analog and PCM digital audio formats, putting proponents of Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD, which is based on the Direct Stream Digital, or DSD, format) in a tough place when it comes to creating pure DSD works for showing off the format. To date, labels have had a limited number of options for creating, mixing, and mastering pure DSD projects.
Congress OKs Webcaster Bill
US lawmakers have honored their promise to address a languishing small-webcaster royalty bill that was put">http://www.stereophile.com/news/11468/">put on hold prior to the fall elections.
Dunlavy Closes Doors
Earlier this month, an unambiguous and simple message went up on the Dunlavy Audio Labs web">http://www.dunlavyaudio.com/">web site: "As of November 7, 2002, Dunlavy Audio Labs, LLC has ceased operations." A phone call to the company confirms that it is indeed out of business, although Dunlavy president Keny Whitright did not return calls seeking comment.
Madster: Can't Stop File-sharing
Folk wisdom has it that fools lock the barn door after the horses have escaped. They also chase all over the countryside trying to catch them. The music business is doing some of both in legal action brought against file-sharing service Madsterhttp://www.madster.com">Madster;.
Ultimate Electronics' Great Leap Forward
Growing pains aren't always unpleasant. In the case of Denver-based Ultimate">http://www.ultimateelectronics.com">Ultimate Electronics, they might be completely enjoyable.
Added to the Archives This Week
John Atkinson and Arnis Balgalvis audition the Avalon">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/703/">Avalon Eclipse loudspeaker, whose quasi-anechoic TDS response prompted JA to exclaim, "Boy, that's flat!" But is flat where it's at? AB thought so: "The sound I heard was truly outstanding."
The Online Secret Formula
The latest figures for the music industry remain grim: Online sales of recorded music have dropped 20% through the first half of 2002 compared with the same period last year, losing ground faster than the overall US music market, which lost 7% during the same period, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). And the trend is accelerating. The latest numbers show online sales down 25% in the third quarter over last year.