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Although the component that actually produces the sound is obviously the loudspeaker, audiophiles know that everything in the system&mdash;digital or analog source, preamplifier, amplifier, cables, room acoustics&mdash;has an influence on sound quality. No matter how good the speaker, its performance depends on the quality of the signal, the speaker's acoustical environment, and how the speaker is set up in that environment. I've heard speakers that I <I>knew</I> to be topnotch performers sound dreadful at audio shows and in dealers' listening rooms.

Interest in super-efficient, horn-loaded, compression-driver loudspeakers has grown in the past few years, fueled in part by a renewed fascination among many hobbyists with low-powered, single-ended triode tube amplifiers. But staring down the maws of two Tubby the Tubas is not every audiophile's idea of a good time&mdash;even when the resulting sound is spectacularly fast, coherent, and extended.

Downloading audio files onto a computer's hard drive has proven a compelling way to collect content for many music lovers. But the weak link with computer-based audio systems is finding a way to play that music on a more traditional (and typically better-sounding) audio system. With a compatible CD or DVD player, you could burn the files onto a disc, or if you have a portable device such as an iPod, you could hook it up directly to your system.

It's rare to find people praising a competitor in this hi-fi business, but I first met John Michell soon after one of his biggest rivals had described him as an "engineer's engineer." Memorably, he'd be the first port of call for anyone in the UK who wanted something done properly and without compromise. Another competitor described him as quite the nicest person he'd worked with, and a naturally gifted practical engineer.

The Home Technology & Photography Group (HT&P) of Primedia and website <A HREF="http://BestStuff.com">BestStuff.com</A&gt; announced today the launch of <I>Best</I>, a shopping magazine focused on the products and experiences that enhance an upscale lifestyle. <I>Best</I>, which hits newsstands on Thursday, November 6 at a $3.99 cover price, is an "aspirational" magazine which offers features ranging from the selection and use of home theaters and high-end audio and video systems, to digital photography, computers, and video imaging products, as well as the finest in automobiles and ultimate travel suggestions.

<B>MAHLER: Symphony 10 <I>First Performing Version by Deryck Cooke</I></B><BR> Eliahu Inbal, Frankfurt RSO<BR>Denon CO-75129 (CD only). Yoshiharu Kawaguchi, Richard Hauck, prods.; Detlev Kittler, eng. DDD. TT: 70:59

Loudspeakers are all about balancing conflicting variables: accepting that you can't have electrostatic transparency <I>and</I> horn dynamics; finding something to suit the size of your room <I>and</I> credit rating; and picking the best all-around compromise to suit your particular taste. Goldilocks had the right attitude for loudspeaker reviewing. All that too-soft/too-hard, too-hot/too-cold merely sets the scene; "just right" goes straight to the heart of the matter.