<B>Hansen Audio:</B> Canadian loudspeaker manufacturer Hansen Audio, best known for "high-end luxury lifestyle speakers," has named Wes Bender senior director of US sales and marketing.

When I <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/news/051506nht/">visited</A&gt; NHT's manufacturing facility in early May, I was struck by a comment managing director Chris Byrne made when describing NHT's <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/1105nht/">Xd loudspeaker</A>, which employs sophisticated digital signal processing (DSP) for its crossovers and equalization functions. "You do realize that we could have never incorporated such complex slopes in a physical crossover," Byrne proselytized.

Classical music in general, and audiophile label Telarc in particular, scored big in this year's annual Outmusic Awards. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici, whose music has recently found an ardent champion in conductor Robert Spano, won Outstanding New Recording: Instrumental for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's Telarc recording of <I>Paul Revere's Ride</I>. Telarc veteran and Grammy Award-winning producer Thomas C. Moore, who assisted in the recording, received the Outstanding Producer award. In addition, soprano Melissa Fogarty received Outstanding New Recording: Debut Female for <I>Handel: Scorned & Betrayed</I> (Albany Records).

<I>Locust St.</I> finds the hidden links between color and music, Newton and Aristotle, and the Rolling Stones and Dolly Parton.

That's ray guns to you and me&mdash;and Lockwasher has assembled a beautiful bevy of 'em. I love the spray-gun/toilet float-ball jobbie and just may be inspired to create a few of my own&mdash;depending, as Lockwasher says, on what kind of stuff I find.

Here's a fascinating review of John Bridcut's <I>Britten's Children</I>, a book that traces Benjamin Britten's fascination with a succession of young boys and that obsession's role in the creation of so much of his glorious music.

How to make your own headphones. They may not be an audio upgrade from the ubiquitous three-buck upchuck earbuds available from your friendly flight attendant, but I love this guy's roll-your-own attitude.