Having just spent the last four days at the 2004 Audio Engineering Society conference in San Francisco, I was struck by the sunny enthusiasm shared by many industry professionals for 5.1-channel surround-sound music.

This is the story of the tiger wagging its tail. It is also the story of a tail trying to wag its tiger...

<B>BEETHOVEN: <I>Complete Music for Cello & Piano</I></B><BR>
Cello & Piano Sonatas: in F, Op.5 No.1; in g, Op.5 No.2; in F, Op.17; in A, Op.69; in C, Op.102 No.1; in D, Op.102 No.2. Variations: in F on Mozart's "Ein M&#228;dchen oder Weibchen," Op.66; in E-flat on Mozart's "Bei M&#228;nnern," WoO 46; in G on Handel's "See, the Conquering Hero Comes," WoO 45<BR>
Andr&#225;s Schiff, piano; Mikl&#243;s Per&#233;nyi, cello<BR>
ECM New Series 1819/20, B00003389-02 (2 CDs). 2004. Manfred Eicher, exec. prod.; Stephan Schellmann, eng. DDD. TT: 2:31:19<BR>
Performance <B>****&#189;</B><BR>
Sonics <B>****</B><BR>

For the 13th consecutive year, <I>Stereophile</I> has recognized the components that have proved capable of giving maximal musical pleasure with its "Products of the Year." Based on a vote by the magazine's reviewers and editors, the 2004 winners were announced in the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/features/1204poty/">December 2004 issue</A> and the awards were presented by <I>Stereophile</I> editor John Atkinson at last week's 2005 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

It's the final day of the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show. I'm walking down the Alexis Park's long corridors, beneath its archways and palm trees, wondering where I'll end up next. The air is cool, but the sun is out and I'm feeling very much alive, energized by all the morning's music.

The Primedia team has been staying at the San Tropez, home of T.H.E. (The High End) Show, which means some of us have been walking down halls filled with exhibitors frantically getting rooms put together before the throngs arrived. The night I arrived, one room in my building was making music that beckoned to me as I passed by&mdash;today, I finally entered and took over the sweet spot.

I see her from across the pool. She's tall and beautiful and dressed all in white. She reminds me of someone else. She sees me looking at her. I ignore the temptation; change directions; walk away from her; go to another tall white sign; read another list of names.

As an audiophile manufacturer, the odds are stacked against you getting a great sounding demo up and running under show conditions. The rooms are generally skimpy and oddly shaped, the construction materials and walls unpredictable, and there's the need to set up fast with only what you've thought to pack in.