THE BIG PICTURE

This week, we are proud to debut a new blog called Ultimate Gear. Seeing as how the word "ultimate" is part of the name of our site, we thought it might be interesting to post profiles of home-theater equipment and systems that can rightly be placed in that category.

There are four criteria I use to select products featured in Ultimate Gear—consummate performance, cutting-edge technology, artisan craftsmanship, and/or extreme price. I want to celebrate the state of the art in home theater and put it in some sort of context using my 20 years in the industry as a catalyst.

It might seem strange to focus on ultra-high-end products in these tough economic times, but it makes more sense than you might think at first. For example, auto magazines and websites include stories about supercars from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Koenigsegg along with Hondas and Toyotas, not because many people will ever buy them, but because car enthusiasts enjoy reading—and dreaming—about them. Similarly, home-theater junkies like me enjoy learning about the very best picture and sound that money can buy as well as new technologies that always start out expensive but often trickle down to the mainstream.

I hope you enjoy the new Ultimate Gear blog, and I encourage you to post comments as the spirit moves you. Also, please let me know if there's a product you'd like to see profiled. I look forward to bringing you some fascinating stories and to your feedback.

If you have an audio/video question for me, please send it to scott.wilkinson@sorc.com.