I read last week in Stereophile, that the German BMG record conglomerate has negotiated a proposal with Napster. Under the terms, Napster will write an mp3 distribution 'store' for BMG. BMG will provide professionally-made mp3s which will still sound like little pieces of digital detritus. Incidently, the future of high-fidelity (I mean superior quality sound for blue bloods who care) is in two new formats called SACD (Sony and Phillips) and DVD-Audio (backed by everyone else). Very few titles on SACD and virtually none in DVD-Audio. While it's technically possible to make discs that DVD-Audio players as well as garden-variety players can use, they'll be more expensive to manufacture- so they don't stand a snowball's chance in the marketplace, imho. Haven't heard the new formats but they say that they have the lush sound and amazing soundstage of ultra-quality LP reproduction. The really affluent can now hear their CDs in an enhanced mode using very expensive converters that provide up-sampling. This is like the audio equivalent of an enhanced photo. Haven't heard it but they say it's better. Personally, I think that THIS is the future of high-end audio because there are very few of us and I don't believe that buying new discs is very attractive. I mean, would you pay double for a DVD-Audio disc that you couldn't play in the car or in your home Mac or your office PC? Audiophile's Corner is an exclusive feature of JMDL, usually using info stolen from (I mean credited to) Stereophile Magazine, and a news group called rec.audio.high-end. It is intended for the exclusive use of JMDLers. Any re-broadcast must be approved in writing by the National Football League. Unless I'm still very full of sh*t indeed. Jim
