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Jonathan Scull gets intimate with the HeadRoom BlockHead headphone amplifier stating, "I listen to headphones for hours at a stretch while writing my reviews. The equipment I listen to spoils me to death, and I need a headphone rig to match." Has J-10 found the ultimate headphone amp? We'll see.

While reviewing the diminutive Joseph Audio RM7si loudspeaker, John Atkinson grapples with a dilemma: "Why recommend a stand-mounted speaker at all, when it is possible to buy a floorstanding design with more bass for the same amount of money?" JA analyzes the evidence and files the results.

In his 1995 review of the Gradient Revolution loudspeaker, Dick Olsher comments, "It is possible to facilitate the integration of the loudspeaker into the customer's room by properly controlling its directivity. Gradient's Jorma Salmi strived to do just that with the Revolution."

Nearly ten years ago Corey Greenberg took home the Melos SHA-1 headphone amplifier and then sent out his report. "Forget the headphone jacks on your preamp, CD player, tape deck, etc . . . what the cool-man Grados need is a high-quality headphone amplifier. Greenberg tests to see if the Melos fits the bill.

Finally, the latest installment in our "Recording of the Month" series for the online archives: Recording of January 1998: Buena Vista Social Club. Wes Phillips comments, "One can sense how rooted this music is. The musicians play together so easily, it's as if they were gossiping over their backyard fences."