Audiophiles have more than just piles of equipment and music to wrestle with in their quest for audio ecstasy. The listening room often colors a system's performance as much as any component in the chain. Tom Norton decided it was time to examine the subject, writing, "although the perfect room does not exist, there are things that can be done to make the most of even an admittedly difficult situation." See his report in "Enough Room?"

John Atkinson struggles with potrzebie and sound in his brain tickler "The Puzzle of Perception." Learn about phantom imaging and JA's problems understanding French when he was 14. Also from JA, we've included "Squeezing the Music 'til the Bits Squeak," an early (by digital standards) exploration of digital compression of an audio signal.

Finally, in his landmark examination of record clubs, Bob Katz explores a common music-related meme that keeps reappearing. "The Great Record-Club CD Conspiracy" will arm you with what you need to know the next time someone pops the question in rec.audio.ornary: "I hear that record-club discs are inferior because . . ."