LATEST ADDITIONS

Dear <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/021308sing/">Uncle Omar</a> in Italy,<br>
You missed a fine party. Though we were downright heartbroken that you could not attend, we managed to nevertheless have some fun. Fortunately, Uncle Norbert brought his new video camera, and we were able to capture much of that fun on tape! For your convenience, I've attached my favorite bit of footage, which came during one of our spontaneous sing-alongs.

YBA Design's new WD202 D/A processor and headphone amplifier showed up while I was turning the pages of Don and Jeff Breithaupt's Precious and Few: Pop Music of the Early '70s, recommended by John Marks in his October 2009 "Fifth Element" column. Each page drips with great examples of why the 1970s often wind up on the wrong end of the culture stick (the Osmonds, anyone? Terry Jacks?).

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I was greatly impressed by the performance of the Canton Reference 9.2 DC loudspeaker, which I <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/308mitr">reviewed</A&gt; in the March 2008 "Music in the Round" in the context of a 5.1-channel system. Those beautiful jewels not only sounded balanced and transparent, they had more sheer grunt in the low end than could be reasonably expected from their size. I wanted to hear more from Canton, but couldn't decide whether to go up in size or down in price. The problem I've always had with Canton is that they offer such a wide range of products that it's like choosing food from a multipage menu at a fine restaurant: everything looks good. It's especially difficult when your hunger is further piqued by your own past experience and the recommendations of others. (Check out the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/1106canton">November 2006 issue</A> to learn how much Wes Phillips enjoyed Canton's flagship speaker, the Reference 1 DC.)

Readers frequently ask me how <I>Stereophile</I>'s writers select equipment for review. More often than not, a writer comes up with a review candidate because he's heard it or heard about it, and then suggests it to editor John Atkinson for possible review. JA encourages this behavior&#151;a writer excited about reviewing a component is more likely to produce an article that's interesting and informative. That said, occasionally a review candidate surfaces at <I>Stereophile</I> HQ; in such cases, JA assigns it to one of us.

I was in some sort of mood. Must’ve been the heat. I listened to:

Keith Jarrett’s “Standards Trio” played Carnegie Hall Thursday night, to predictable glories.

To woo a mate, the male bowerbird builds <a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/07/bowerbirds/laman-photography"… elaborate nest</a>.