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After a frustrating late-night duel with evil recording gremlins, JA called it a day. But the next morning he was back at the controls to record Canadian pianist Robert Silverman for what would subsequently become one of Stereophile's popular audiophile recordings: Intermezzo: Works for Piano by Brahms. In Intermezzo:">http://www.stereophile.com//musicrecordings/311/">Intermezzo: The Santa Barbara Sessions, writer Thomas Norton runs down the key events that finally resulted in a completed analog master tape, with engineering from Water Lily Acoustics' Kavichandran Alexander.

Controversy may sell magazines, but it can also cause all sorts of editorial and letter-writing ruckus. In "Where's">http://www.stereophile.com//asweseeit/313/">"Where's the Real Magazine," John Atkinson follows the heated trail that began when he decided to put a PC soundcard on the cover of Stereophile back in September, followed by a Denon surround receiver (horrors!) that graced the December issue. Included as a bonus is the hot-off-the-presses March 2001 "As We See It" in response.

John Atkinson asked "What's that noise?" He wasn't referring to the piano that Robert Silverman was playing for Stereophile's recording, Concerthttp://www.stereophile.com//features/315/">Concert;, but rather to the sound of candy wrappers in the concert hall. The recording survived the crackling ordeal, but the lady with the wrapper did not. JA relates the entire story, and also serves up additional details about the making of the double CD set.

Is there really a benefit to those pointy feet you have? Jonathan Scull has been surfing the Internet for cone-footer tweaks and theories and reveals his latest haul of hot finds in Fine">http://www.stereophile.com//finetunes/319/">Fine Tunes #32.

With the April issue of Stereophile, the "Recommended Components" list is again on its way to subscribers' audiophile homes around the world. But there has always been controversy surrounding the popular feature. George Reisch explores the problem in "Recommended">http://www.stereophile.com//thinkpieces/322/">"Recommended Components"—the St. Hubbins' Syndrome!

As Shannon Dickson puts it, the Audio">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/328/">Audio Artistry Beethoven loudspeaker system "is a four-piece, bi-amplified, dynamic dipole design which has been taken to the nth degree of refinement." After much time spent reveling in the speaker's sonic splendor, Dickson arrives at his aural conclusion.

As Robert J. Reina writes, "I have a passion for great speaker designs at affordable prices, and with modern driver, crossover, and cabinet technologies making innovative strides, many serious high-end speaker designers are turning their attention to coming up with the next great budget speaker." At $649/pair, is the PSB">http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/330/">PSB Image 4T loudspeaker it? Reina divulges the results of his aural examination.