<B>BEETHOVEN & MENDELSSOHN: <I>Violin Concertos</I></B><BR> Joshua Bell, violin; Roger Norrington, Camerata Salzburg<BR> Sony Classical SK 89505 (CD). 2002. Andrew Keener, prod.; Arne Akselberg, eng. DDD. TT: 69:58<BR> Performance <B>*****</B><BR> Sonics <B>*****</B>

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

For his review of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/658/">Nagra VPA monoblock power amplifier</A>, Jonathan Scull lived a life of danger, noting that readers should "Respect the VPA as the hot-running, high-voltage device it is and It Will Provide. Cold-nosed pets and curious little fingers have no business around these Swiss Guards of quality sound engineering."

The US economy took a severe downturn last year following the terrorist attacks of September 11, and this year has been hit by the stock market's decline in the wake of the accounting scandal&ndash;fueled collapse of Enron and WorldCom, Inc. Electronics retailers have ridden out the slump fairly well, buoyed by a consumer trend toward "cocooning," or putting their disposable income into their homes. For most retailers, the popularity of DVD and home theater has offset diminishing sales of stand-alone audio.

Audio retailing has been a tough business in recent years, but two just-released surveys are suggesting that with the right combination of economic factors and dealer preparedness, things could turn around for smart retailers over the coming holiday season.