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In-Wall Speaker Reviews
BG Radia R-800 In-Wall Speakers
Gary Altunian  |  Jul 05, 2006
Extreme audio: a new standard in transparency, definition, and detail.

I've reviewed many excel- lent in-wall speakers, but none quite like the new Radia R-800 in-wall speaker from BG. With 24 drivers in each speaker, this giant stands almost 7 feet tall and is clearly designed for extreme listening—extremely satisfying listening, that is. Each speaker has two 8-inch woofers mounted at the top and bottom, six Neo10 planar-ribbon midrange panels, and 16 Neo3PDR planar-ribbon tweeters in a vertical-line array pattern. An outboard amplifier, the BGA-2500, which is included with a pair of Radia R-800s, powers the two woofers.

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Ears On
French to Apple: We Surrender
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jul 05, 2006
The French senate and national assembly have voted to approve a copyright law revision that ostensibly requires music players and downloads to be interoperable across all platforms. At least, that is the way mainstream media are reporting the story. Inexplicably described as a defeat for Apple—which is grimly determined to keep iTunes purchases playable only on the iPod—the compromise nonetheless contains enough wiggle room to undermine its main premise: (1) If record companies agree that iTunes downloads must not play on other devices, Apple's Fairplay DRM will stand as is. (2) Rivals seeking to make iTunes downloads playable on their own hardware must first prove to a French regulatory agency that there will be no conflict with Apple patents or other rights. These two loopholes will ensure that iTunes downloads and iPods will remain joined at the hip. Of course the law isn't specifically about Apple. The same loopholes apply to any would-be monopolist seeking to bind hardware and software together. Apple just happens to be the most successful one. However, Jobs will have to keep looking over his shoulder. The interoperability movement is also rising in Scandinavia, Britain, and Poland.
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Other Tech
The List
SV Staff  |  Jul 04, 2006

This issue was long on whole-house audio solutions. The Netstreams DigiLinx system and Polk IP speakers we reviewed were remarkable for their cutting-edge technology and high performance, but their lofty prices make them difficult to recommend for now. On the other hand, the three streaming music systems in our Spotlight report proved equally remarkable for their elegance and value.

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Brillian 6580iFB03 65-inch LCoS HDTV
David Katzmaier  |  Jul 04, 2006

Unlike an iPod or a cellphone, an HDTV includes numerous and sometimes very advanced adjustments that can directly improve its performance. Using those controls properly can have more impact on picture quality than any other factor.

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Other Tech
The Future of Recorded Music - Part 2
James K. Willcox  |  Jul 04, 2006

Just a week before the May 9 release of their two-CD set Stadium Arcadium, the Red Hot Chili Peppers found that the whole album had been leaked to the Internet, letting fans download it free from file-sharing sites. These days, of course, leaks are hardly novel - but the reaction of the band's bass player, Flea, was.

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Other Tech
The Future of Recorded Music - Part 4
Mike Mettler  |  Jul 04, 2006

Musicians sound off about the merits and detriments of the CD and how they're dealing with a digital-delivery-oriented future

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Other Tech
The Gadget Girl: Gizmos on the Go
Jamie Sorcher  |  Jul 04, 2006

During the summer, I'm usually on the run all day without ever coming home for a pit stop. That's not a big deal, except sometimes my devices can't keep up with me. But Sennheiser's MX75 headphones ($50), part of its new Sport line, are up to the task. Not only are they durable, sweat-resistant, and lightweight; they're also amazingly comfortable.

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Other Tech
S&V Q&A — July/August 2006
Ian G. Masters  |  Jul 04, 2006

CableCARD PIP

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Other Tech
An Interview with Celeste Lear
Mike Mettler  |  Jul 04, 2006

With such a storied lineage, I have to ask you: When did you first become interested in gear and electronics? Well, despite growing up in a family famous for the invention of the 8-track player, unfortunately, I was not filled in by any of my relatives on the mysterious world of electronics.

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Other Tech
Shannon Larkin of Godsmack's Summertime Playlist
Mike Mettler  |  Jul 04, 2006

Godsmack, Boston's multiplatinum metal growlers, took the nation by storm this past April by debuting at #1 with their heavy-hitting, aptly named fourth album, IV (Republic/Universal). And though the band's drummer Shannon Larkin loves his iPod ("every single song on it came from my own collection"), he still has a thing for CDs.

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