Ken C. Pohlmann

"Hey, stop hanging around! You're blocking the doorway!"

That's what shop owners were shouting at teenagers who were loitering outside stores and in malls. The kids were supposedly deterring adult customers - that is, the ones with more spending power.

Having worked in and around recording studios for 30 years, I cut my teeth on professional gear before broadening my horizons to the vast consumer audio/video world. In studios, you quickly learn that trustworthy monitors are essential. Every tracking and mixing decision hinges on what your monitors tell you; if they mislead you with any inaccuracy, your recording will suffer.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé, a two-door convertible, is 181/2 feet long. Its mighty V-12 engine propels the massive 5,776-pound vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. Opening the suicide doors, you are greeted by an opulent world of chrome and leather.

"Hey, stop hanging around! You're blocking the doorway!"

That's what shop owners were shouting at teenagers who were loitering outside stores and in malls. The kids were supposedly deterring adult customers - that is, the ones with more spending power.