Definitive Technology has followed up their impressive Mythos loudspeaker line with the brand-new Bipolar Series SuperTower loudspeakers. Comprising four towers, three center-channels, and two surrounds, Definitive describes the new speakers as "ground-up" redesigns. According to the press release, "The new models represent the third generation of SuperTowers and make use of Definitive’s most advanced technologies, including a new patent-pending approach to bipolar speaker design called Forward Focused Bipolar Array, which combines the huge, life-like imaging benefits of bipolar designs with the pinpoint localization of soloists of traditional forward-radiating speakers. All four floorstanding models utilize all new midrange and woofer drivers, tweeters, amplifiers and enclosure construction for a total makeover in appearance and performance.
"Equally dramatic are the changes made to the matching center and surround models. As well as getting all new BDSS drivers, aluminum-dome tweeters and sophisticated crossovers, their appearance has undergone a remarkable transformation to sleek, elegant and contemporary -- perfectly in step with today’s decorating aesthetic and thin TVs. The two top center-channel models employ built-in powered woofers for truly full-range sound and perfect timbre matching to the left and right main speakers."
Prices (each, in USD):
BP-8080ST: $1499
BP-8060ST: $999
BP-8040ST: $799
BP-8020ST: $599
CS-8080HD: $999
CS-8060HD: $699
CS-8040HD: $499
SR-8080BP: $349
SR-8060BP: $249
US-based MartinLogan has introduced the new Ethos loudspeaker priced at $6495 USD per pair. The Ethos features a 44" x 9.2" XStat electrostatic transducer panel derived from the company’s flagship CLX design and an 8" DSP-controlled woofer that is powered by a 200W class-D amplifier. MartinLogan claims bass extension down to 34Hz from the woofer and controlled dispersion from the electrostatic panel over a 30-degree window.
Initially, the Ethos woofer cabinet will be available in three real-wood finishes: Black Ash, Dark Cherry and Flamed Teak. MartinLogan says that custom finishes will be available for it soon, and that the new Flamed Teak finish will become a standard finish on other MartinLogan products by late 2010. The Ethos is built in North America and is available now.
Canada's Bryston has announced the BDP-1 digital music player, a companion to the company's well-regarded BDA-1 digital-to-analog converter. The BDP-1 is Linux-based and provides access to high-resolution audio files saved on either USB thumb drives or USB-based hard drives. Resolutions of up to 24-bit/192kHz are supported. The BDP-1 connects to an external DAC through AES-EBU or BNC digital outputs.
Explaining the BDP-1, Bryston's James tanner stated, "The BDP-1 is a technically sophisticated component incorporating state-of-the-art solid-state electronics that link up to your home network and may be controlled by a variety of graphic interface devices (e.g., laptop, Netbook, PC, PDA, iPhone, web browser, etc.). The BDP-1’s graphic interface operates under 'open source' software protocols, ensuring long-term future proofing and compatibility with the widest possible range of other digital devices as they are developed. We will also be developing our own Bryston web-based MPD client. The main point to understand here is the BDP-1 is accessing the digital files from the attached USB drives(s) directly and not streaming files on the network. The network is only used to interface your library storage on your remote (iTouch, laptop, notebook, etc.) or using a web browser on your computer as the interface. This approach eliminates all the issues inherent in streaming high-resolution digital files over the home network."
The price of the Bryston BDP-1 is expected to be $2100 USD.
Plácido Domingo adds a new role to his extensive recorded repertory with an all-new opera recording available from Deutsche Grammophon on June 8, 2010. That recording of Leoncavallo’s I Medici will be the only complete recording available.
Premiered just a year after the wildly successful Pagliacci, I Medici was Leoncavallo’s most ambitious work and included historical characters and settings, a tragic love triangle, and numerous cross-references with the works of Wagner and other composers. The 1893 premiere of I Medici featured world-class artists such as Francesco Tamagno, Verdi’s first Otello, in the demanding role of Giuliano. The exhausting and lengthy role for the tenor is one of many reasons why the opera is not more frequently performed. Plácido Domingo, himself a celebrated Otello, has brought the role of Giuliano back to life.
Taking his lead from Wagner and the Ring cycle, Leoncavallo set out to write a trilogy of operas (to be titled Crepusculum) to celebrate Italian culture and history. I Medici is the first and only completed installment of the proposed trilogy. While drawing inspiration from the most Italian of subjects, namely the Renaissance and the Medici family, Leoncavallo simultaneously owed a great debt to Wagner with references to The Ring, Tristan und Isolde and the Siegfried Idyll. In another tribute to Wagner, Leoncavallo composed not only the score but also wrote his own libretto.
Deutsche Grammophon recorded the entire opera in Florence, Italy.
Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced the August 31 release of Red Velvet Car, the first new studio album in six years from the popular Seattle-based band Heart.
For their first new album since 2004's Jupiter's Darling, Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson, often described as the first ladies of arena rock, have taken an acoustic approach to a collection of songs inspired by the world around them, arranged for an assortment of string instruments, including guitar, mandolin, dobro, banjo, fiddle, viola, cello and autoharp, all played by Nancy Wilson and the album's producer, Grammy winner Ben Mink.
Nine of the album's songs were written for and appear for the first time on Red Velvet Car. The album's closer, "Sand," is a newly recorded version of a song originally written and recorded by the Lovemongers, the Wilson’s 1990s all-acoustic side project.
Tracks on Red Velvet Car will include "Death Valley," "Safronia's Mark," "Red Velvet Car," "Queen City," "Sunflower," "Wheels," "There You Go," "WTF," "Hey You" and "Sand."
"This album feels so right for the times," says Nancy Wilson. "We can't wait to share this one with the world!"
Heart will be performing songs from Red Velvet Car, as well as classics from the band's repertoire, in headline concerts across the U.S. and Canada from July through September.
Twenty reissue releases in the high-fidelity SHM-SACD single-layer format have been announced for June by Universal Japan. The discs will be fully compatible with SACD players, but will not play on standard CD players.
SHM-SACD (Super High Material SACD) utilizes the materials and technologies that were developed for the SHM-CD to further enhance audio resolution. Some of the titles have appeared on SACD before, others never have. The latter are new 2010 DSD remasters from the original analog tapes; for the others, existing SACD masters have been reused. All titles announced for release are stereo only.
The discs will be carried by many U.S. dealers as imports and will have a ticket price that averages out to about $45.41 USD, though some retailers are advertising them at even higher prices. A Google search under "SHM-SACD" will yield a wide choice of retail outlets.
Reports indicate that the discs are going to be produced in limited runs and will not be replenished once the initial supply is sold. Buy early if you want them!
Universal has announced an October 18 release for the 50th anniversary edition of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. This is the first time that Hitchcock’s masterpiece of terror has been released on Blu-ray Disc. The transfer will be widescreen, with an English DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack as well as the original mono tracks in Dolby Digital two-channel mono.
The Blu-ray Disc will include the following extras:
• "The Making of Psycho"
• "Psycho Sound"
• "In The Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy"
• Hitchcock / Truffaut interview excerpts
• "Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho"
• "The Shower Scene: With and Without Music"
• "The Shower Scene: Storyboards by Saul Bass"
• "The Psycho Archives"
• Lobby cards
• Behind-the-scenes photographs
• Production photographs
• Re-release trailers
• "My Scenes"
• Feature commentary with Stephen Rebello (author of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho)
UK-based Eagle Rock Entertainment has purchased the rights for The Doors's When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors from Rhino Entertainment and will release the film on DVD and Blu-ray on June 29. The film had its theatrical debut on April 9, 2010.
The documentary uncovers historic and previously unseen footage of the illustrious rock band and provides new insight into the impact of its music and legacy. Directed by award-winning writer/director Tom DiCillo and narrated by Johnny Depp, the film is an account of the band’s history. Produced by Wolf Films/Strange Pictures, in association with Rhino Entertainment, the 90-minute film is the first feature documentary about The Doors. Additional credits for the film include producers Peter Jankowski, Dick Wolf, John Beug and Jeff Jampol.
Terry Shand, chairman of Eagle, said, “We are delighted to continue our visual programming connection with The Doors and to build further on our cooperation with Rhino.”
Mike Carden, president of North America operations, said, “We are very excited about marketing this film and will work hard with our sales and distribution partners to promote the DVD as well as work closely with Rhino to cross-promote the soundtrack album.”