Wes Phillips

"You're reviewing a <I>class-D</I> amplifier?" whined John Atkinson. "I <I>hate</I> measuring those."

"The realistic reproduction of orchestral music in an average room requires peak power capabilities of the order of 15 to 20W when the electro-acoustic transducer is a baffle-loaded moving-coil loudspeaker of normal efficiency."
&mdash;<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/121503walker/index.html">Peter Walker</A> and D.T.N. Williamson, writing in the <I>Journal of the Audio Engineering Society </I>in 1954

When no one's watching, it's easy to express your opinion. When tens of thousands of people are reading over your shoulder, it becomes more difficult. In fact, it can be downright creepy&mdash;especially when what you're thinking sounds like one of those grand, all-encompassing (over)statements you yourself tend to distrust. You don't want to be wrong; on the other hand, if you're too much of a wuss to express what you <I>really</I>think just because someone might take it as grandiose, then it's time to give up.

<I>Name change:</I> Ultimate Acquisitions Partners, the company that operates the Colorado-based <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/news/022105industry/">Ultimate Electronics chain</A>, has announced that it is converting all nine of its Colorado SoundTrack consumer electronics superstores to the Ultimate Electronics brand name this September. That will allow all 32 of the company's retail stores to "deliver a consistent, unified message to consumers in all of its markets and more clearly communicate its offerings and store experience," according to a press release.

<I>XMas in August:</I> XM Satellite Radio held its annual "XMas in August" new product show in Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall on August 9. Trumpeting the XM-related products that will be available for the 2005 holiday shopping season, the satellite radio provider announced strategic relationships with Altec Lansing and Belkin Corporation, as well as newer, smaller receivers from longtime partners Audiovox and Delphi. A Samsung-sourced MP3-enabled receiver with Napster capabilities was also announced.

Let's suppose that every audiophile is granted one birthday gift wish this year. If your birthday was this week, what audiophile gift would be at the top of your list?

When Wilson Audio Specialties' Peter McGrath offered me a pair of MAXX2 loudspeakers to review, I reminded him of just how small (15' by 21' by 8') my room is, and how <I>close</I> I sit to any speakers in it.