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IBM, NARAS Join Forces on Grammy Website

The official websitehttp://www.grammy.com/">website; of the 41st Annual Grammy Awards was launched earlier this month with the help of a media team from the Atlanta division of International">http://www.ibm.com/">International Business Machines. The Java-based site provides background information on the artists and events of the music-awards extravaganza, taking place Wednesday evening, February 24, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.


Exploring Audio's "Last Frontier"

Two elements that keep the audio business interesting are the new companies and technologies arriving almost every week (see also BW's storyhttp://www.stereophile.com/news/10382/">story;). Some stick around for years, while others fade away between hi-fi shows. But amid the incessant change are a handful of characters who stay with it, continually evolving with the industry and reinventing themselves with each twist and turn.


Kimber Offshoot DiAural Promises Loudspeaker Renaissance

In the classic textbook example, the Doppler effect is demonstrated by an increase in both pitch and volume (or amplitude) of a train's whistle as it approaches a station, followed by a decrease in pitch and volume as it moves away. This effect---the shift of a frequency emitted by a moving object---leads to a fundamental flaw in audio technology. A midrange driver behaves like the approaching-and-departing train when it attempts to reproduce varying frequencies. When the driver is fed simultaneous 400Hz and 2kHz tones, the forward movement of the cone at the lower rate modulates the 2kHz tone upward in pitch and amplitude; when it moves backward it modulates the higher tone downward. (The human eardrum also behaves this way, but the brain's audio-analysis circuitry knows how to deal with it.)


Internet Radio Listening Doubles

A study released earlier this month by The">http://www.arbitron.com">The Arbitron Company and Edison">http://www.edisonresearch.com">Edison Media Research shows that Internet radio broadcasting continues to be a fast-growing medium. The survey of Arbitron diarykeepers also brings to light both the challenges and opportunities that the Internet presents to radio broadcasters, particularly in the much-talked-about arena of e-commerce.


The Miracle Makers Debuts at Steinway Hall

Rare violin dealer Geoffrey Fushi has devoted many of the past several years and a substantial portion of his liquid assets to producing The">http://www.beinfushi.com/miracle.html">The Miracle Makers, a reference book-and-recording project honoring the works of Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu, late 17th- and early 18th-century makers of the world's most sought-after violins. Fushi is also the founder of the Stradivari">http://www.stradivarisociety.com/index.html">Stradivari Society, a philanthropical organization of violin fanciers who loan their invaluable instruments to gifted students. Members believe that their treasures were intended to make music, not merely to gather dust in heavily guarded vaults.


Added to the Archives This Week

Last week we posted reviews of the Linn">http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/86/">Linn Sondek CD12 CD player and the Linn">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/85/">Linn AV 51 system. This week we add a review of the Linn">http://www.stereophile.com//analogsourcereviews/88/">Linn Linto phono preamplifier, as well as John Atkinson's report on the Revel">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/89/">Revel Ultima Gem loudspeaker & Ultima Sub-15 subwoofer, and Tom Norton's review of the complete Revel">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/90/">Revel Home Theater speaker system.


It's Official: DVD-Audio Version 1.0 Finally Set

After dozens of thorny issues slowed its progress (see previous">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10281/">previous report), last week the DVD">http://www.dvdforum.com/">DVD Forum announced that its Steering Committee has approved Version 1.0 of the DVD-Audio Disc specifications, making it the fifth of the DVD format family after DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, and DVD-R. According to a statement, the DVD Forum says it will soon publish the DVD-Audio Format Book, which contains the detailed specification of the format, and make it available to authorized companies by "early spring of this year."


America Online and Columbia House Sign Marketing Agreement

Because online music retailers like CDNowhttp://www.cdnow.com">CDNow; and Amazon.comhttp://www.Amazon.com">Amazon.com; have likely taken a bite out of record-club sales, last week Internet company America">http://www.aol.com">America Online and direct music marketer Columbia">http://www.columbiahouse.com">Columbia House announced a marketing agreement for both online and offline advertising and promotions, including product bundling, direct-mail initiatives, and co-marketing and advertising campaigns. Under the multi-year agreement, Columbia House, with more than 13 million members, will promote its music, video, and DVD clubs on AOL's Shopping Channel, as well as on AOL.com, CompuServe, Digital City, and Entertainment Asylum.


Carver Announces Agreement with Bob Carver

After a particularly tough year, Carver Corporation announced last week that it has executed an agreement with founder Bob Carver, who had sold his interest in the company and then started up privately held Sunfire Corporation (see">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10254/">see previous story). The new agreement places Sunfire in charge of the development, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution, under the Carver brand name, of a new line of home and car products that will incorporate "new" technologies. The agreement also establishes a new manufacturer's representative and independent dealer network to rebuild Carver Corporation, and for Bob Carver to assume full operational control of the company.


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