LATEST ADDITIONS

Michael Fremer wires up the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?87">Cambridge SoundWorks Newton Series T500 surround speaker system</A> and sits down to a full schedule of movies and music. MF reveals that the Cambridge engineers had their audio hearts in <I>most</I> of the right places.

Telecommunications conglomerate SBC Communications may be next in line to attempt an acquisition of Hughes Electronics' DirecTV satellite television service, according to several reports the first week of February.

<I>Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max von Sydow, Lois Smith, Peter Stormare, Tim Blake Nelson. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French), DTS 5.1, Dolby Surround 2.0. Two discs. 146 minutes. 2002. DreamWorks Home Entertainment 89989. PG-13. $29.99.</I>

"What's possibly left to add to an A/V receiver?" industry observers and reviewers ask at the end of each new product cycle. But always, by the time the replacement model has been introduced, manufacturers have found plenty to tack on. Only owners of last year's "state-of-the-art" A/V receivers can say how worthwhile are these additions, refinements, and upgrades.