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If the sole criterion for choosing a winner in today's hotly contested premium arms race was original thinking, the Immedia RPM-2 might well come out on top. While some of its design details resemble those found on other products, in many significant areas the arm is unique—not for uniqueness's sake, but in order to efficiently implement some clearly considered goals. If the unipivot RPM-2 bears a resemblance to any other contemporary arm, it is Naim's highly regarded ARO—which I've never heard. The similarity, though, would appear to be superficial.

The official designation for FM is Frequency Modulation, but <I>I</I> think FM stands for Fresh Music. Since before the age of recorded time, FM has been where you go to hear new music, be it the latest Jimi Hendrix album or a recent release from the Kronos Quartet.

"Speakers are difficult," says Lars.

Old-school two-channel hi-fi may be in the doldrums&mdash;a phenomenon of concern only to those manufacturers still solely mining that niche. Those who have caught the home-theater wave are working overtime developing and producing great-sounding new equipment for use with surround-sound systems, flat-panel televisions, and custom installation, according to reports from the <A HREF="http://www.cedia.org">CEDIA Expo</A> held earlier this month in Indianapolis.

Audiophiles have had little reason to follow the high-definition video DVD format conflict. Until now.

From the September 2004 issue, Larry Greenhill sets up the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/904james">James Loudspeaker EMB-1200 subwoofer</A>, remarking, "Powerful deep-bass response means more than just pure tones. Rather, it requires raw power, tactile surges of air pressure, and a mix of the senses of hearing and touch." LG reports on whether or not the EMB-1200 meets those standards.

<I>Apple </I>vs<I> Apple</I>: Despite persistent rumors of an impending settlement, the trademark dispute between Apple Corps, the Beatles' record company, and Apple Computer remained unresolved as of late September. The rift arose from the computer company's entry into the music business with its iTunes Music Store, in apparent violation of a previous deal in which it agreed not to do so. One possible outcome of current discussions between the two companies could be the first-ever online availability of Beatles recordings, an exclusive arrangement that might give iTunes an advantage over its competitors.