Reader Wayne Lowry notes that most of the high-end systems he hears sound overly bright: "the louder I play them, the more they hurt my ears." Do you think most high-end audio equipment is too bright-sounding?

Extremes of cost and performance continue to impress. But plenty of high-performance products can be had for very little money as well. With all of this, is high-end audio moving in the right direction?

Audiophiles often find themselves the go-to person for audio advice and shopping assistance. Have you ever helped someone buy their first audio system? How did it go?

Many loudspeakers come with five-way binding posts, allowing a choice of connectors. Others are specific to one type of connector. How do you terminate your speaker cables on the speaker end?