The last Class&#233; power amplifier I reviewed, back in November 2004, was the imposing <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1104classe">Omega Omicron</A> monoblock ($20,000/pair), which made glorious sound with the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/302">Revel Ultima Studio</A> speakers. But things change. First, my reference speakers are now <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/1205bw">B&W 802D</A>s. Second, my system now has <I>three</I> front speakers, supplemented by two B&W 804S speakers for surround sound. While a quintet of Omicrons would undoubtedly be dandy, five such monoliths would take up so much space that I'd be wondering about their effects on the room's sound. With so many channels, it seemed time to investigate whether a multichannel amp could carry the load.

The last Class&#233; power amplifier I reviewed, back in November 2004, was the imposing <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1104classe">Omega Omicron</A> monoblock ($20,000/pair), which made glorious sound with the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/302">Revel Ultima Studio</A> speakers. But things change. First, my reference speakers are now <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/1205bw">B&W 802D</A>s. Second, my system now has <I>three</I> front speakers, supplemented by two B&W 804S speakers for surround sound. While a quintet of Omicrons would undoubtedly be dandy, five such monoliths would take up so much space that I'd be wondering about their effects on the room's sound. With so many channels, it seemed time to investigate whether a multichannel amp could carry the load.

The last Class&#233; power amplifier I reviewed, back in November 2004, was the imposing <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1104classe">Omega Omicron</A> monoblock ($20,000/pair), which made glorious sound with the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/302">Revel Ultima Studio</A> speakers. But things change. First, my reference speakers are now <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/1205bw">B&W 802D</A>s. Second, my system now has <I>three</I> front speakers, supplemented by two B&W 804S speakers for surround sound. While a quintet of Omicrons would undoubtedly be dandy, five such monoliths would take up so much space that I'd be wondering about their effects on the room's sound. With so many channels, it seemed time to investigate whether a multichannel amp could carry the load.

<I>"Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein."</I>&mdash;Dick Rowe, Decca Records, 1962

<I>"Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein."</I>&mdash;Dick Rowe, Decca Records, 1962

<I>"Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein."</I>&mdash;Dick Rowe, Decca Records, 1962

<I>"Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein."</I>&mdash;Dick Rowe, Decca Records, 1962

I was going through a box of old photographs, lingering over some pictures I'd taken at the Quad loudspeaker factory in Huntingdon, England, a number of years ago. It was my second trip overseas&mdash;1994 or '95&mdash;and while I remember being intrigued by the machinery and the test equipment and all, I know that the real impact of the tour was probably lost on me: I wasn't yet a Quad <I>owner</I>.

I was going through a box of old photographs, lingering over some pictures I'd taken at the Quad loudspeaker factory in Huntingdon, England, a number of years ago. It was my second trip overseas&mdash;1994 or '95&mdash;and while I remember being intrigued by the machinery and the test equipment and all, I know that the real impact of the tour was probably lost on me: I wasn't yet a Quad <I>owner</I>.

One of the engrossing and rewarding things about the study of history is that, every now and then, someone comes up with a plausible solution to a historical mystery&mdash;or some aspect of a historical mystery&mdash;that is decades, or even centuries, old. It often is the case that all the evidence was right there under everyone's noses all along. It's just that no one had yet managed to put all the pieces together properly and look at them from the right angle.