Sony BDV-IT1000 Blu-ray HTIB

Sony has released their first Blu-ray drive equipped home theater in a box system, called the Bravia BDV-IT1000. The Twiggy-sized main speakers, wireless surround speakers, and center channel achieve their incredible slimness thanks to "finger-sized full-range drive units" (Sony's description). The system controller features two HDMI inputs, composite and component video inputs, and optical digital and analogue stereo inputs.

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CEC TL1N Belt Drive CD Transport

Seventeen years ago, Japan's CEC introduced the world's first belt driven CD transport, called the TL1. CEC apparently decided it was time for an update, so they have released the new TL1N version. The TL1N features an updated drive mechanism designed to completely eliminate resonance. Electromagnetic noise and vibration created by the act of the spindle motor spinning the CD is removed by isolating the motor from the disc platter, and absorbed by the belt.

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Casualty of the Loudness Wars – Metallica’s Death Magnetic

Opinions on the artistic merits of Metallica's new release are somewhat divided, but everyone can agree on one thing, the mix of the retail version sounds absolutely horrible. Blame the "loudness wars" for that, and send your hate mail to the mixing engineers rather than mastering engineer Ted Jensen, who claims that he received the album for mastering already in its "brick walled" state. Jensen was quoted as saying: "Suffice to say I would never be pushed to overdrive things as far as they are here. Believe me, I'm not proud to be associated with this one, and we can only hope that some good will come from this in some form of backlash against volume above all else." A Youtube video has been made showing the dynamic contrasts between the CD and Guitar Hero versions.

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AOL Pumps New Life into SHOUTcast

AOL recently launched a new version of SHOUTcast, the popular internet radio network. Originally launched back in 1999, the SHOUTcast network now includes over 25,000 stations, and attracts an average daily audience of over 500,000. The new SHOUTcast includes a new design, updated search functionality, improved quality, new user feedback options, and of course, increased possibilities for advertisers.

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Wireworld’s $1400 RCA Connectors

Wireworld has just launched a new flagship interconnect cable to slot above the Gold Eclipse 5-2, called Platinum Eclipse. What makes Platinum Eclipse so special, and worth $1400 more Gold Eclipse 5-2? The RCA connectors. Well, not so much the connectors themselves - the center pin and chassis of the Platinum Eclipse connectors are made from the same silver-clad OFC as Wireworld's lesser connectors. The difference is the connector housing, which is made from molded carbon fiber - a first according to Wireworld (Stealth and Acrolink's carbon fiber RCA housings are unmolded cylinders, that's so last week).

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