Created to be the flagship for their Mirage Omnipolar series, the new OM-1 made its debut at this year’s CES in Las Vegas. The OM-1 is a 4-piece system consisting of two 74-inch tall panels and two powered subwoofers. Each of the subwoofers holds four woofers in a bipolar configuration, two on each side. Each woofer is in its own enclosure, powered, with servo-control, by its own 375 watt amplifier for an impressive total of 1500 watts per side. The woofers themselves have woven carbon fiber cones and dual voice-coil/magnet/spider assemblies. Carbon fiber is also used for the cones of the mid/bass drivers. Mirage claims that the speakers have extremely low harmonic distortion levels by virtue of their dual voice-coil structures. The OM-1s made their appearance at CES in static (non-playing) form for general showgoers and the press. Mirage dealers and ...

MSB Technologies, long known for their performance modifications for AV gear, currently has a solution to the dreaded lack of 5.1 analog inputs on most AV preamps and receivers.

AN AFFAIR OF LOVE (New Line Home Video), released theatrically last year, is director Frederic Fonteyne’s drama about two strangers (Nathalie Baye, Sergi Lopez) who come together for anonymous sex but gradually fall in love. Aspect ratio is 2.35:1; sound format is French Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, with English subtitles.

DVD-Audio is out but the most likely early adopters can’t get their high-end systems to fully benefit from this new technology. The problem is that nearly every high-end AV preamp is missing 5.1 analog inputs. The latest Japanese receivers have the needed inputs but AV preamps from Proceed, Krell, Sunfire and nearly every other respected company are missing these essential inputs. Most high-end companies are already back at the drawing boards retrofitting their current products for upgrades or redesigning their AV preamps altogether.

THE ANIMAL FACTORY (Columbia/TriStar) is director Steve Buscemi’s 2000 drama about prison life, starring Willem Dafoe and Edward Furlong. Aspect ratio is 1.85:1; sound format is English Dolby Digital 5.1, with English and Spanish subtitles. BATTLEFIELD EARTH (Warner Home Video), released in 2000, is director Roger Christian’s widely derided version of L. Ron Hubbard’s science-fiction novel about humans rebelling against alien domination in the future. John Travolta (one of the film’s producers) and Barry Pepper star. Aspect ratio is 2.35:1; sound formats are English Dolby Digital 5.1 and French, with English and Spanish subtitles. Extras include an audio commentary track with director Christian and designer Patrick Tatapoulos, three different making-of documentaries, Travolta’s makeup test, a storyboard montage, cast and director film highlights and "hidden extras."