AUDIOPHILE AUDITION - Jan/Feb 2004 Issue

The 61st issue of AUDIOPHILE AUDITION - the web magazine for music,
audio and home theater - is now online at http://www.audaud.com
Continuing its practice of reviewing more of both new Hi-Res disc
formats than any other publication Net or print, this issue has 58
reviews! DGG¹s set of the Beethoven Symphonies conducted by Karajan is
the Hi Res-of-the-Month choice. Several of the first Fantasy SACD jazz
releases and the first RCA classical DVD-A are covered. Also the first
extensive review in English of one of the alternates to 5.1 for
multichannel music - Dabringhaus & Grimm¹s ³2+2+2² system on DVD-As
which are also compatible for 5.1 playback. This approach utilizes the
center channel feed as a left-side height speaker and the LFE feed as a
right-side height speaker. (Both are placed at a height half the
distance between the two front L & R speakers, and the surrounds remain
in operation.) The result is greater spatial and ambient realism and a
greatly-enlarged sweet spot. There are also five new xrcd reviews and 11
music DVD video reviews - classical, jazz and rock.

The Feature of the Month is on Soundtrack CDs, including Angels in
America and The Last Samurai. Components reviewed are the VPI TNT Jr.
Turntable and Outlaw Audio ICBM bass manger. Continuing features are
the weekly Audio News, Survey of the Print Audio/HT Publications, Audio
Links, and Best Discs of the Year Lists, which will be out shortly for
2003.