LATEST ADDITIONS

<B>WILCO: <I>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</I></B><BR> Nonesuch 79669-2 (CD). 2002. Wilco, prods.; Jim O'Rourke, mix. AAD? TT: 51:51<BR> Performance <B>****</B><BR> Sonics <B>****</B>

I once got a fortune cookie that read, "Ask and ye shall receive. This includes trouble." A few years back, shopping for speakers, I inquired about reviewing the B&W Nautilus 802, but it was too soon after Wes Phillips had reviewed the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/207/">Nautilus 801</A> for <I>Stereophile</I>. So, other auditioning and reviewing (and buying) other speakers, I asked again, and again was met with deferral. Recently, out of the blue, B&W offered the Nautilus 802&mdash;then, in the next breath, asked if I'd rather have the Signature 800s.

Sometimes it all comes down to the shape of the side panels. I was smitten by the gentle curves of the Burmester B99 loudspeaker's aluminum side grilles, which have uncommon grace. A love affair with an enclosure? Well, yes. After all, beauty is an intensely personal matter. In the words of Burmester's motto: "Art for the ear."

Here's a question we last asked about a year ago: With the proliferation of high-resolution sound cards and other computer audio peripherals over the last couple of years, have you begun using your computer to play music?

Chip manufacturer <A HREF="http://www.esstech.com">ESS Technology</A> is no stranger to audiophiles interested in new formats. It was responsible for one of the first "universal" SACD/DVD-Audio <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/11059/">decoding chips</A> and more recently was the supplier of a <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/11296/">special-purpose chip</A> for Linn's SACD "Silver Disk Engine" designs.

Companies that thrive do so by adapting to a changing market. Sony is revamping its manufacturing and marketing plans in an attempt to become both more efficient and more responsive to consumer needs.

Joe Abrams has an impressive audio resume. "I've been on the manufacturer's side of the desk since 1979," he says. That's when he started as national sales manager for Monster Cable. A few years later found Abrams as director of sales at Sumiko, and then in 1987 he started as VP of sales at Threshold. In 1991 Abrams joined cable start-up Tara Labs and quickly helped them establish a dealer network before moving on to MIT.