Imeem Now Top Streaming Music Site – After striking deals with four major record labels, San Francisco-based social network site Imeem has become the No. 1 U.S. site streaming free music and videos, according to Web analytics firm Compete. Universal, Sony BMG, Warner Music and EMI have joined in, and a deal with Viacom’s MTV Networks allows Imeem to show videos from Comedy Central, MTV and VH1. In June the site had more than 27 million unique visitors, and claims about 65,000 new users register daily. The site’s Forkcast feature is a playlist updated by prominent music critics that has aided many struggling bands. Imeem is facing competition from Last.fm, MySpace Music (starting in Sept.), from online radio station Pandora and from new technologies such as Squeezebox. A small label owner said “It’s really hard to get people to spend money on music, but going to sites like Imeem is a good way to learn about the band before you buy the tickets.”
New Hi-End Denon Compact Stereo – Denon has introduced its CX1 all-in-one stereo system with high-end ambitions. It puts out 150W, sports the firm’s Advanced Suppress Vibration Hybrid mechanism and a top–grade D-A converter. The disc player handles stereo SACDs, standard CDs, MP3 and WMA audio tracks. In addition to the usual FM-AM tuner there is both a MM and a MC phono preamp, plus iPod dock connectivity and networking ability. The CX1 comes in a classy burnished Champagne case with real wood speakers. U.S. price with the SC-CX101 speakers will be about $2770.
Perfectionist CD-only Player from Gryphon – If you thought that was expensive, check out this one: Danish high-end manufacturer Gryphon Audio Designs has decided that in spite of there being very few single-play CD-only players available today, they would focus exclusively on a standard CD player with no compromises. That’s their Gryphon Mikado Signature player at $18,600 U.S. Their first CD player originated upsampling, and now they feel they have breathed new life into the compact disc with 192K/32-bit sample rate conversion of the 44.1K/16-bit signal. The Mikado has dual master clocks, an ultra-low-jitter oscillator near the DACs and a local master clock controlling the transport. The player is fully balanced thruout the digital domain with twin two-channel D-A converters per channel in full dual differential mode, with separate regulated power supplies. Elimination of timing inaccuracies aids the purity of the signal and the balanced design contributes to the focused stereo image while lowering the digital noise floor. The Gryphon Mikado Signature acknowledges the speed of innovations in digital technology by featuring removable modular boards for upgrading, to ensure future digital excellence.
