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Experimental Audio Research -- E.A.R. for short -- was a loosely affiliated assembly of performers primarily spearheaded by Spectrum frontman Sonic Boom; from time to time, the group also included, among others, My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields, God's Kevin Martin, and AMM's Eddie Prevost. As a revolving exercise in guitar-based noise, each E.A.R. release radically differed from the ones preceding it, spanning the divide between weightless ambience and dense sheets of feedback; the project was introduced via 1994's Mesmerised, and was followed a few months later by Pocket Symphony, released solely on 5" vinyl. (As befitting Sonic Boom's own affection for record collecting, the releases that followed in 1995 -- Hydroponic and an untitled effort -- appeared only as a 10" and 8" picture-disc recording, respectively.) Although released in 1996, the Beyond the Pale LP was originally intended as the first Experimental Audio Research release, and was actually recorded in 1992; Phenomena 256 followed that August. Next up was 1997's The Köner Experiment, a nod to minimalist Thomas Köner, who also appeared on the disc; Millennium Music followed in 1998, with subsequent releases including Data Rape. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Sonos ups ante on home audio
Company offers bundled, cheaper version of its wireless digital-music system in hopes of reaching out beyond the home audiophile set.
Expanding its target market beyond the audiophiles of the world, Sonos today unveiled a bundled and cheaper version of its wireless, multiroom digital-music system for the home.
Sonos ZP80 system
The ZonePlayer 80 Bundle, a $999 kit that allows a user to play music wirelessly from devices in multiple rooms through a home stereo system, includes two ZonePlayer 80 components and a controller. A user would simply have to connect a ZP80 to any amplified audio device in any room to make that device part of the wireless home system.
The user can then control music playback from the Sonos Controller, a wireless remote control that features its own built-in LCD screen. The system's key feature is its auto-sensing line-in connectors that can digitally encode any line-in source such as an MP3 player, a CD player or satellite radio, to any ZonePlayer.
"Music lovers have often asked Sonos to help them connect the stereo they love to our award-winning digital-music system," Sonos CEO John MacFarlane said in a statement. "With the ZP80 Bundle that's now possible--and all for just $999."
The ZP80 devices require an external amplifier such as a stereo receiver or those built into devices such as the Apple iPod Hi-Fi or Bose Wave system. The controllers supports up to 32 rooms. Each additional ZP80 unit costs $349.
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