LATEST ADDITIONS

I have issues with Bluetooth. I see it as a force of nature, a veritable tsunami, against all that good sound quality stands for. That is because that oh-so-convenient wireless link limits functionality and degrades audio fidelity. Now, with the advent of the 5.0 spec, Bluetooth is poised to expand its dominance. But, the spec also has a glimmer of hope for us audiophiles.

Voice-powered smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and—later this year the Apple HomePod—may not be the pinnacle of sound quality as S&V’s Leslie Shapiro lamented in a recent blog, but they are spurring more music and radio listening at home.

The heart of I’m Your Man is a celebratory concert of the recently passed Leonard Cohen’s songs performed by an oddball assortment of top talent at the Sydney Opera House. Between each number come interviews with performers telling of the inevitable life-changing moment of hearing Cohen for the first time. In addition, the poet/singer-songwriter/Jewish Zen Buddhist monk himself delivers anecdotes on personal history, his long, arduous working process, and meaning behind certain ballads illustrated and illuminated by archive poetry recitations, artwork, and photos and footage from childhood and career.

With TV listings divided between what’s on and what’s streaming, CBS has been salivating at the prospect of collecting subscriber fees from cord cutters and mobile users much like its sibling, the premium service Showtime, has been doing.