When someone is described as having "written the book" on a subject, it is generally taken as a figure of speech. But veteran speaker designer Joseph D'Appolito, PhD, quite literally "wrote the book." His <I>Testing Loudspeakers</I> (Audio Amateur Press, 1998) is an invaluable resource for those of us who, lacking any talent for designing speakers ourselves, nevertheless find the subject of speaker performance endlessly fascinating. So when Snell's PR consultant, Bryan Stanton, contacted me a while back about reviewing the LCR7, the first design D'Appolito had seen through from start to finish for the Massachusetts-based company since he had replaced David Smith as Snell's chief engineer, I suffered from more than a little anxiety.

I couldn't believe it. Something was off.

<B>DR. JOHN: <I>Mercernary</I></B><BR>
Blue Note 3 54541 2 (CD). 2006. Dr. John, prod.; Mark Bingham, eng. AAD? TT: 49:45<BR>
Performance <B>****&#189;</B><BR>
Sonics <B>****&#189;</B>

Kandinsky said it's "the deepest blue of all the instruments." More on synaesthesia.

You could just rear back and box the crap out of him. That works for Bagheera.

"Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
<BR>
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
<BR>
Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide,
<BR>
Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit
<BR>
To his full height!”

Virginia Hall was considered so dangerous by the Gestapo that they crafted a Wanted poster with her likeness. The UK made her an MBE and the US awarded her the DSC&mdash;the only woman ever to receive that honor. She parachuted behind enemy lines with her "wooden leg in her backpack." So why haven't I ever heard of this remarkable woman?