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One of the best organ recordings I've heard in a while is Olivier Latry's César Franck program, In Spiritum, played in Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral. The liner notes list the organ builders at Notre Dame as going back to 1402—90 years before Columbus set sail. That's history!

Here in the US, we tend to put a premium on the new. The Eugene…

Ashley Kahn, The House that Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records. New York, W.W. Norton, 2006. Hardcover, 338 pages, 9.5" by 7.25". ISBN 978-0-393-05879-6. $29.95.
The House that Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records, various artists. Impulse! 6680 (4 CDs).
The House that Trane Built: The Best of Impulse Records, various artists. Impulse! 674402 (CD sampler).
Craig R. Whitney, All the Stops: The Glorious Pipe Organ and Its American Masters. New York, Public Affairs Books, 2004. Paperback, 352 pages, 8.25" by 5.5". ISBN 1-58648-262-9. $17.95.
In…

Let us take a moment now to stop and admire the view, for this has been an extraordinary year in hi-fi.…

Quad ESL-2805 ($9000/pair; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.29 No.7, July 2006)
Sonus Faber Amati anniversario ($27,500/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, Vol.29 No.5, May 2006 review)
Vandersteen Quatro ($6995/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.29 No.7, July 2006 review)

Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
B&W 802D ($12,000/pair; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.28 No.12, December 2005 review)
ESP Concert Grand SI ($40,000/pair; reviewed by John Marks, Vol.29 No.4, April 2006 review)
Lipinski Sound L-707 ($4590/pair; reviewed by Larry…

dCS P8i SACD player ($13,995; reviewed by John Atkinson, Vol.29 No.4, April 2006 review)

Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
Ayre CX-7e CD player ($2950; reviewed by Art Dudley, Vol.29 No.2, February 2006 review)
Classé cdp-202 CD/DVD player ($6500; reviewed by John Atkinson, Vol.29 No.8, August 2006 review)
HeadRoom Desktop D/A headphone amplifier ($2095; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.29 No.4, April 2006 review)
Musical Fidelity kW DM25 two-box CD player ($6500; reviewed by Art Dudley, Vol.29 No.7, July 2006 review)
Naim CD5X CD…

Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable with Cobra tonearm and Castellon stand ($99,500; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.29 No.1, January 2006 review)

Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
Brinkmann EMT Titanium phono cartridge ($2850; reviewed by Art Dudley, Vol.29 No.8, August 2006 review)
Graham Engineering Phantom B-44 tonearm ($4300; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.29 No.1, January 2006 review)
Music Hall RDR-1 table radio ($200; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.29 No.8, August 2006)
Pro-Ject Debut III turntable ($299–$329; reviewed by…

Conrad-Johnson ACT2 preamplifier ($12,000; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.28 No.12, December 2005 review)
Halcro dm88 monoblock power amplifier ($39,900/pair; reviewed by Brian Damkroger, Vol.29 No.8, August 2006 review)
McIntosh C1000 preamplifier ($17,000–$26,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.29 No.8, August 2006 review)

Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
ASR Emitter II integrated amplifier ($24,900; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.29 No.10, October 2006 review)
Ayre V-5xe power amplifier ($4500; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.…

Meridian 861 Reference multichannel preamplifier-processor ($17,000–$19,000; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.29 No.7, July 2006 review)

Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
Bryston SP2 multichannel preamplifier-processor ($4995; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.29 No.9, September 2006 review)
Denon DVD-5910 universal player ($3500; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.29 No.1, January 2006 review)
Denon DVD-3910 universal player ($1499; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.29 No.3, March 2006 review)
Linn Chakra C3100 & C4100…

AKG K 701 headphones ($450; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.29 No.8, August 2006 review)
Ultimate Ears UE-10 Pro in-ear headphones ($900; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.29 No.10, October 2006 review)

Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
Apple iPod Hi-Fi docking station ($349; reviewed by Wes Phillips & Michael Fremer, April eNewsletter, review, & Vol.29 No.6, June 2006)
Ayre Myrtle Blocks ($5 each; reviewed by Art Dudley, Vol.29 No.3, March 2006 review)
Finite Elemente equipment rack & Ceraball feet (Rack, $6195; Feet, $135/4;…

Slim Devices Squeezebox WiFi D/A processor ($249–$299; reviewed by John Atkinson, Vol.29 No.9, September 2006 review)

Following the furrow plowed by last year's "Editor's Choice," Apple's Airport Express, my 2006 pick makes it even easier for audiophiles to distribute CD-quality sound throughout their homes. In a poll on our website last September, 25% of respondents felt that the magazine was "losing the plot" with its coverage of music-server devices such as the Squeezebox. Rich Foster's response was typical: "I don't mind you covering things like [the…