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A compact horn loudspeaker. Isn't that an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp, or military intelligence? From such venerable speakers as the half century-old Altec Voice of the Theater and the Klipschorn, as well as more modern examples like the Avantgarde Acoustic Trio, horns have always been big. The original Avantgarde Uno was the smallest speaker in Avantgarde's line, but it was still visually imposing, with a big horn midrange on top, a horn tweeter below that, and a powered sealed-box subwoofer at the bottom. (I reviewed the Uno 2.0 in <I>Stereophile</I> in <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/287">August 2000</A>, Vol.23 No.8, and the Uno 3.0 in <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/287/index11.html">August 2002</A>, Vol.25 No.8.) The Uno and its siblings, the Duo and Trio, are perhaps the antithesis of the in-wall loudspeakers beloved by interior designers. These speakers do not fade into the background&#151;not visually or sonically.

My reviews always begin in bizarre ways. Take <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/david_manley_tubes_logic_amp_audiophile_soun… Manley</A>...please! (Just kidding.) On the last day of Winter CES 1995, I found myself towing a tuckered-out JA to a few final rooms. (This was just after the January '95 David Manley/Dick Olsher tube-rolling brouhaha, footnote 1, regarding who should do what to whom, and with which particular tube.) So as we passed Manley's room, John Atkinson thought to stick his head in (the noose) and say hello.

It says something for the state of technology that, after a quarter of a century, there still is no authoritative explanation for why so many high-end audiophiles prefer tubes. Tubes not only refuse to die, they seem to be Coming back. The number of US and British firms making high-end tube equipment is growing steadily, and an increasing number of comparatively low-priced units are becoming available. There is a large market in renovated or used tube equipment&#151;I must confess to owning a converted McIntosh MR-71 tuner&#151;and there are even some indications that tube manufacturers are improving their reliability, although getting good tubes remains a problem.

Among the treasures discovered this morning, we have the very first issue of <i>Stereophile</i>, punk rock-style buttons, several outstanding hi-fi cartoons drawn by JGH, and some absolutely shocking show photos.

I like to stop by <a href="http://www.soundopinions.org/">Sound Opinions</a>, where rock critics, Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, slap each other in the face with their favorite album covers. No, they don't really do that. Sometimes they agree. They're smart and funny and loveable. Jim is from the <i>Chicago Sun-Times</i> and Greg is from the <i>Chicago Tribune</i>, and they love rock and roll.

<i>You see, JA, if you play the ride cymbal with a chicken wing, you're bound to get a lot more air in the upper octave… Photo by <a href="http://www.jeffwong.com/">Jeff Wong</a>.</i>