Promising technology, interesting programming, and good business plans may not be enough to keep satellite radio services <A HREF="http://www.xmradio.com">XM Radio</A> and <A HREF="http://www.siriusradio.com">Sirius Radio</A> aloft. Both companies are struggling with massive financial problems as they scramble to gain subscribers.

We kick off our anniversary collection with <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//features/708/">40 Years of <I>Stereophile</I>: What Happened When</A>. Editor John Atkinson recounts the complete history of <I>Stereophile</I>, starting in 1930 when J. Gordon Holt heard his first sound in North Carolina.

Imitation, as the old saw would have it, is the sincerest form of flattery. It might also offer a way for DVD-Audio to establish credibility and build a customer base.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT><B><I>Stereophile</I>: The Time Line</B>

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT><B><I>Stereophile</I>: The Time Line</B>

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT><B><I>Stereophile</I>: The Time Line</B>

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT><B><I>Stereophile</I>: The Time Line</B>

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT><B><I>Stereophile</I>: The Time Line</B>

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>"Most important." That was the phrase I used when I e-mailed the members of <I>Stereophile</I>'s extended family of reviewers and writers to ask for suggestions when I began to compile this list. I didn't want to be more specific because I wanted to cast the net as wide as possible. But there are many factors that make an audio component "important": design innovation, sound quality, sales figures, influence on other designers, influence on the evolving market, influence on system synergy.