Stephen Mejias

It was a bit of good fortune. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon in late August. It was the perfect thing at the perfect time, like Hemingway in autumn or Whitman in winter or a lot of stuff I can't think of right now&#151nothing refreshing, but something comforting: chocolate after wine, the smell of someone familiar when you're feeling all alone, I don't know. Monica had just called to tell me that she was back from her trip; she wanted to meet for a drink. I know very well that Monica is not the right person for me, but sometimes the right person is not what you need, is not the right thing at the right time.

In">http://www.inlivingstereo.com/index.htm">In Living Stereo is located at 13 East 4th Street, one door down from Other Music and just across from where Tower Records once stood tall. It's a great place for a hi-fi shop. To get there, you might take the 6 train to Astor Place, where you will climb right into a blur of so much height and movement and memory.

The gatefold to Black-Man's Burdon. Possibly the greatest scene ever to decorate a LP jacket.

The Shindo Player System Turntable costs $25,000, but seems worth every penny. "Look at it. It's pure elegance," says Steve Mishoe.

The Verity Leonore loudspeaker ($15,995/pair) boasts a claimed efficiency of 93dB, meaning it'll require very few watts to really sing. Along with a compact footprint and graceful cabinet, the Leonore offered a detailed and involving sound, and wasn't afraid to rock.

In Living Stereo's owner, Steve Mishoe, knows how to enjoy a good hi-fi.

Exposure, the old-school British company best known for its high-value">http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1105exposure/index.html">hi… amplifiers and disc players, has entered the ever-growing iPod market with its new EXPO3 wireless dock. The EXPO3 uses a Bluetooth A2DP-equipped cradle to transmit music files to a base station receiver connected to your hi-fi. A fully-charged iPod is good for eight hours of fun; the base station can recharge both iPod and cradle transmitter, and you can continue listening to music while charging.