From the January 2004 issue, Robert J. Reina surveys the Epos ELS-3 loudspeaker, reporting at the outset, "I have not been this excited about an entry-level speaker in years." BJR explains, "In three areas, it exceeded in performance what I've heard from its competition."

Next we have Larry Greenhill listening carefully to the $14,799/pair Piega C8 LTD loudspeaker. LG writes, "It was only natural to test whether this Swiss full-range speaker could deliver 'what you should hear.'"

Also from the January issue, we file Paul Bolin's take on the Legacy Audio Focus 20/20 loudspeaker. Bolin notes that, although the company has been around for 20 years, "what I was not prepared for was the breadth and depth of the Focus' performance envelope at such a reasonable price."

Our 2004 "Records To Die For" is hitting newsstands as you read, but what about last year's picks? The comprehensive 2003 Records To Die For is here, with mini-reviews on over 80 hot discs. Find out why two of Stereophile's writers chose the Buzzcocks in 2003.