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When no one's watching, it's easy to express your opinion. When tens of thousands of people are reading over your shoulder, it becomes more difficult. In fact, it can be downright creepy&mdash;especially when what you're thinking sounds like one of those grand, all-encompassing (over)statements you yourself tend to distrust. You don't want to be wrong; on the other hand, if you're too much of a wuss to express what you <I>really</I>think just because someone might take it as grandiose, then it's time to give up.

Most audiophiles probably consider low-fi media such as podcasts irrelevant. But this may change when accessories manufacturer <A HREF="http://www.boston-audio.com">Boston Audio Design</A> launches its new HiFi Industry Podcast Series later this fall.

<I>Name change:</I> Ultimate Acquisitions Partners, the company that operates the Colorado-based <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/news/022105industry/">Ultimate Electronics chain</A>, has announced that it is converting all nine of its Colorado SoundTrack consumer electronics superstores to the Ultimate Electronics brand name this September. That will allow all 32 of the company's retail stores to "deliver a consistent, unified message to consumers in all of its markets and more clearly communicate its offerings and store experience," according to a press release.

In this, its 50th year of company operations, <A HREF="http://www.phasetech.com/">Phase Technology</A> announced and demonstrated a new type of loudspeaker system. The series, named dARTS for Digital Audio Reference Theater System, is obviously aimed at the custom-install, home-theater market, but the components and concepts are applicable to music reproduction in any number of channels. As described by PT's director of sales and marketing, Tony Weber, the dARTS system is (1) modular and (2) actively powered and equalized by DSP, incorporating <A HREF="http://www.audyssey.com/">Audyssey</A>'s MultiEQ XT for digital room correction.

Let's suppose that every audiophile is granted one birthday gift wish this year. If your birthday was this week, what audiophile gift would be at the top of your list?

Tetra Speakers may not be a familiar name to many US audiophiles. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the company has been around for a decade, but has taken a slow and steady approach to building its visibility in the insanely competitive and trend-conscious world of high-end loudspeakers.

The first epiphany I experienced in blind audio testing took place in the Dunfey San Mateo Hotel, in Northern California. We were stuffed into a largish, well-lit room in which dozens of listeners sat in chairs, and others stood around the back or sat on the floor. Up front were two large <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/506">B&W Matrix 801</A> speakers on tall stands spaced far apart, behind them, opaque curtains hid a small pile of audio equipment. John Atkinson and Will Hammond stood at stage left.