Audio News for May 9, 2017

by | May 9, 2017 | Audio News

New offerings for Vinyl Turntable and Home Entertainment – The 21st Century has no shortage of audio products of all types.  For the analog market, Fluance is releasing a new hi-fi turntable, appealing to those music lovers who find a richer and warmer sound from vinyl, when contrasted with CDs and MP3s.  There are two models from Fluance, the RT80 ($249) and the RT81 ($199).

Hi-Res Earphones — Pioneer has two new entries into its product line of earphones for the Hi-Res market:  The SE-CH9T reproduces up to 50 kHz frequencies, providing a comfortable immersive experience; the SE-CH5T (40 kHz drivers) with their Airflow Control Port (middle frequencies) bring clarity at a comfortable price point.

Historic Recordings — There have been dramatic shifts in the musical landscape over the years, reflecting changes in society, economics, technology.  Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings division will release two different offerings on this theme:  AMERICAN EPIC: The Collection (a 5 CD set, 100 recordings), and AMERICAN EPIC: The Sound Track (15 songs on single CD).  Each of these are companions to the upcoming documentary about the transitions the recording industry faced in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s.  The documentary is entitled AMERICAN EPIC, being released later in May.

Funding for the Arts — While there still are audiences for symphonic music, the numbers have been attenuating over recent years.  As the New York Times noted — symphonies were no longer businesses but charities.  The League of American Orchestras noted that nearly half of orchestral funding comes from philanthropic donations, more than that generated by ticket sales.  One result — a shift in the philosophy behind programming, as concerts are now including more non-traditional and “fusion” offerings.

Online Music Education Continues to Grow!  Of note, the IndianRaga… This began as a student enterprise at MIT, part of their IDEAS Global Challenge project for which it won the Community Choice Award.  Now it is a full-fledged operation, offering videos and classes on different aspects of Indian music and dance.

Related Reviews
Logo Pure Pleasure
Logo Crystal Records Sidebar 300 ms
Logo Jazz Detective Deep Digs Animated 01