British loudspeaker manufacturer <A HREF="http://www.mission.co.uk">Mission</A> has announced a major marketing push into North America with the launch of its new distribution arm, <A HREF="http://www.mission-usa.com">Mission U.S.A.</A> The company, founded in 1977 and noted for using one of the first polypropylene-cone drivers in 1978, had been distributing its products in the US through Denon Canada.
We all know that audiophile products are dangerous to the pocketbook, but one high-end audio manufacturer is notifying its customers that one of its subwoofers may be dangerous to the listener's health as well.
Arizona-based <A HREF="http://www.rockfordcorp.com">Rockford Corporation</A> announced last week that it has acquired loudspeaker designer <A HREF="http://www.nhthifi.com">Now Hear This</A> (NHT) from Recoton Corporation. Previous Rockford acquisitions include Fosgate, Hafler, Acoustat, and MB Quart. The company says that specific terms of the new agreement are confidential.
There's traditional AM and FM radio, there's XM and Sirius satellite radio, and there are various cable and satellite dish "radio" music services. And finally, there's HD Radio.
One of audio's true originals, Irving "Bud" Fried first made his mark in the late 1950s by becoming an early US importer of Lowther corner horn and Quad electrostatic loudspeakers. By 1975, he had established his own company and began releasing speaker models under the Fried nameplate.
Audio manufacturers love to make big announcements at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas (which runs January 8–11, 2004), and the upcoming show is no exception. In addition to Fried Products' aggressive relaunch (see <A HREF="/news/122203fried">related story</A>), several other companies are heading in new directions.
And then there were four: Sony's music division and German media company Bertelsmann, parent of the BMG record label, have decided that they've got a better chance under one roof. Last week, the two companies revealed that they will merge their music divisions into a new company called Sony BMG.
CD prices have been a sore spot for many music lovers. Our own <A HREF="http://cgi.stereophile.com/cgi-bin/showvote.cgi?242">online polls</A> indicate that <I>Stereophile</I> readers think CDs cost too much (most think they should be under $10), while <I>Stereophile</I> editor John Atkinson has <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/578/">pointed out</A> that for smaller labels, the economics of CD production only work when the prices are kept higher.
It's bad enough that the consumer electronics giants and small fry compete with each other. Increasingly, they are finding they must defend themselves against an onslaught from the personal computer industry which is eating away at the market share of traditional CE vendors.
<I>See update at end of article.</I> iTunes continues to grow and Napster has been reborn, but these last few months have been a bumpy ride for <A HREF="http://MP3.com">MP3.com</A>. The music site, known for its large online music library featuring unsigned independent artists, was purchased on December 14 by San Francisco-based <A HREF="http://www.CNET.com">CNET</A>.