The accuracy of a hi-fi system's "soundstage" reproduction seems to be of paramount importance these days, just as a component must now have "transparency" to possess hi-fi righteousness. If the system in which that component is used doesn't give good soundstage, then the system's owner has definitely fallen by the wayside. But what defines a good soundstage? Stereo imaging must have something to do with it, I hear you all cry. (I would have said stereo <I>imagery</I> until Larry Archibald pointed out that imagery has far less to do with hi-fi than with good writing, something I'm sure we agree has no place in a hi-fi magazine.) OK, what defines good stereo imaging?

The accuracy of a hi-fi system's "soundstage" reproduction seems to be of paramount importance these days, just as a component must now have "transparency" to possess hi-fi righteousness. If the system in which that component is used doesn't give good soundstage, then the system's owner has definitely fallen by the wayside. But what defines a good soundstage? Stereo imaging must have something to do with it, I hear you all cry. (I would have said stereo <I>imagery</I> until Larry Archibald pointed out that imagery has far less to do with hi-fi than with good writing, something I'm sure we agree has no place in a hi-fi magazine.) OK, what defines good stereo imaging?

As one of the founders of Threshold Corporation, its present chairman, and its longtime technical head, Nelson Pass has had a hand in the design and implementation of the products to come out of that company since its inception. His <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/16threshold">SA-1</A&gt; power amplifier and <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/987fet10">FET 10</A> preamplifier have been long-term favorites of <I>Stereophile</I> founder J. Gordon Holt and I reviewed the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1290thresh">Threshold SA-12/e</A> power amplifier a year ago (Vol.13 No.12). I cornered him on a visit to Santa Fe...

As one of the founders of Threshold Corporation, its present chairman, and its longtime technical head, Nelson Pass has had a hand in the design and implementation of the products to come out of that company since its inception. His <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/16threshold">SA-1</A&gt; power amplifier and <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/987fet10">FET 10</A> preamplifier have been long-term favorites of <I>Stereophile</I> founder J. Gordon Holt and I reviewed the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1290thresh">Threshold SA-12/e</A> power amplifier a year ago (Vol.13 No.12). I cornered him on a visit to Santa Fe...

As one of the founders of Threshold Corporation, its present chairman, and its longtime technical head, Nelson Pass has had a hand in the design and implementation of the products to come out of that company since its inception. His <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/16threshold">SA-1</A&gt; power amplifier and <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/987fet10">FET 10</A> preamplifier have been long-term favorites of <I>Stereophile</I> founder J. Gordon Holt and I reviewed the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1290thresh">Threshold SA-12/e</A> power amplifier a year ago (Vol.13 No.12). I cornered him on a visit to Santa Fe...

As one of the founders of Threshold Corporation, its present chairman, and its longtime technical head, Nelson Pass has had a hand in the design and implementation of the products to come out of that company since its inception. His <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/16threshold">SA-1</A&gt; power amplifier and <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/987fet10">FET 10</A> preamplifier have been long-term favorites of <I>Stereophile</I> founder J. Gordon Holt and I reviewed the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1290thresh">Threshold SA-12/e</A> power amplifier a year ago (Vol.13 No.12). I cornered him on a visit to Santa Fe...

Sometimes, Huckleberry simply <I>has</I> to take the high ground and brood. Well, it looks like brooding, but he's not deep, that cat. He's probably thinking <I>How did I get here? How do I get down? What was that middle thing again?</I>

Our least trusting cat has inexplicably determined that her favorite perch in the house is <I>on</I> the heavily trafficked threshold between the kitchen and living room. She's training us to step lightly&mdash;and as far to the other side as possible.

On Christmas day, my friend, the <I>Nuyorican</I> goddess Liz Ramirez-Weaver saw me looking at Junot Diaz's <I>The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao</I>. "It's good," she said. "You should borrow it."