Received this fax today:

My ears had been bothering me. First my right, then the left. A low-level high-pitched ringing, followed by a congested feeling and a popping like what you get when flying or taking an elevator way up to the 29th floor. Then, one morning in Las Vegas while attending the <a href="http://blog.stereophile.com/ces2008/">Consumer Electronics Show</a>, my left ear went <i>whooooooooosh</i>. And my hearing was momentarily dulled&#151not completely gone, just dulled. Outside sounds were farther away, my own voice sounded distant and muffled. It freaked me out.

Bentley Motors, the 89-year-old, Volkswagen-owned manufacturer of bespoke luxury automobiles has decided that a high-end audio system would complete its definition of automotive excellence, choosing Salisbury-based audio manufacturer Naim to develop a "Naim For Bentley" system.

How do I get myself into these things? Knowing that I use a <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1204mf">Musical Fidelity X-DAC<SUP>V3</SUP></A> D/A processor in my office system and had just auditioned the Bel Canto e.One DAC3 that he'd <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1107bc">reviewed in November</A>, John Atkinson asked me to give Musical Fidelity's X-DAC<SUP>V8</SUP> a try. I say "asked," but the man does authorize my paychecks, so I acceded, knowing I was painting a giant bull's-eye on my back.

How do I get myself into these things? Knowing that I use a <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1204mf">Musical Fidelity X-DAC<SUP>V3</SUP></A> D/A processor in my office system and had just auditioned the Bel Canto e.One DAC3 that he'd <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1107bc">reviewed in November</A>, John Atkinson asked me to give Musical Fidelity's X-DAC<SUP>V8</SUP> a try. I say "asked," but the man does authorize my paychecks, so I acceded, knowing I was painting a giant bull's-eye on my back.

How do I get myself into these things? Knowing that I use a <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1204mf">Musical Fidelity X-DAC<SUP>V3</SUP></A> D/A processor in my office system and had just auditioned the Bel Canto e.One DAC3 that he'd <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1107bc">reviewed in November</A>, John Atkinson asked me to give Musical Fidelity's X-DAC<SUP>V8</SUP> a try. I say "asked," but the man does authorize my paychecks, so I acceded, knowing I was painting a giant bull's-eye on my back.