Happy 2026! Looking back on 2025 hi-fi, it was all about integrating and developing new speakers for “more stereo”. Naturally (this being hi-fi), as my stereo improved my mono has slipped by comparison. Not to say the mono is “bad”, rather all the terrific stereo “soundstage” significantly overshadows what I get out of mono. I have not yet played much trying to “bring up” the mono, but I have observed that some more modern “mono” records are more “open” played with the K&K knob set to “stereo”, while old mono recordings just sound better on “mono”. I have in mind some things I want to try with mono recordings, but I am not ready to give up the great stereo I enjoyed in 2025, and I will not intentionally take a back step there to showcase mono.>>

Paul S

Wojtek wrote:

with available technology. Aliens have to give it to us. It's hard enough to have a decent sound playing one genre of music or particular part of the genre music like chamber or solo instruments. To have something which plays  well most of genres requires a new technology and not a rehash of 100 years old ideas and pissing on the speaker cone. Good boombox is not so bad to sweeten up a "crushing sense of defeat"I think we should devote 2026 for boombox development All the best

Wojtek wrote:

My heavy metal favorites are closer to aluminum in heaviness rather than a hairy chest metal...Lost may hair by the age of 18 hence I put all my eggs into "intellectual music" . (Quickly learned that the only sure way to a pantyland is fist full of $$  Everybody in business knows that nothing beats 8 track system in a rear wheel drive , even a boombox I hope pink noise let you fall asleep after years of nerve wrecking insomnia inducing system tweaks   Paul , I had several of those dorm "all in one" systems passing by. I sold them all thinking  I can do better. Yeah