Michael Gaughn

You wouldn't know it to look at the "mine's bigger than yours" installations featured in some home theater magazines, but having a decent amount of money to spend on a whole-house audio/video system doesn't necessarily translate into gaudy opulence. Or, to put it another way, modesty isn't always dictated by a limited budget.

Perfect sound forever. Well, some people will tell you that the compact disc doesn't offer either. Diehard audiophiles complained from the day the CD was first introduced that it sounded cold, metallic, and sterile compared with the LP. And the discs can deteriorate over time, if ever so slowly.