LATEST ADDITIONS

Like many other A/V stores, California Soundworks (californiasoundworks.com, 661-945-0971) started out as a home stereo store selling gear to audiophiles. That was back in 1979.

So just how big a Santa are you? A stocking-stuffer, who shills out a mere $21 for the latest two-disc Blade Runner DVD set? Or the kind that enlists all available elf-muscle to deliver an $870, 90-motion-picture gift-a-ganza: the United Artists Super Deluxe Gift Set?

Q. I have a question regarding the "Ask an Installer" column in the September issue. In his answer, the installer recommended putting in Cat-5e cable in a new home installation for sending video and audio to multiple rooms. Wouldn't it be better to install Cat-6 rather than Cat-5e, given its high-speed design for 1- and potentially 10-gigabit Ethernet?

Deck the halls with boughs of Bowie…or Pearl Jam, or Coltrane, or even Haydn. And since we're talking boxed CD sets here (plus some music titles on DVD), there's plenty with which to deck.