Who would have thought that vinyl records would ever make such a strong comeback? According to sales tracking by Nielsen Soundscan, sales of vinyl records jumped 35% this year, while sales of CDs slumped almost 20%. Vinyl owes its resurgence to mostly younger music fans and the iPod generation who are fascinated with the liner notes and graphics found in LPs. I'll bet they like analog sound as well. Retailers have recognized the trend and are adding records and turntables to their product mix. The New York Times has the whole story.

The sound quality of stereo speakers is highly dependent upon room placement and the design of the speaker. Bass, for example, will sound louder or softer if the speaker is placed closer to or farther away from a wall, especially if the speaker is ported or vented. Imaging and soundstage are affected by speaker separation and listener distance from the speaker. In short, to get the best performance from any pair of speakers, they must be placed in the right room location and every room is different. A little experimentation with speaker placement and listening to the results is all that's needed to get the best sound from your stereo speakers. To learn more, read my article about correct speaker placement.

A 2.1 channel system is a home theater with two stereo speakers and a subwoofer. Unlike a 5.1 channel system with two surround sound speakers and a center channel speaker, a 2.1 channel system eliminates the need for extra speakers and wires and is easier to install. What are the ups and downs of a 2.1 channel system and how good do they sound? Read my article to learn more about 2.1 channel systems and check out my full review of the Cambridge Audio Sonata 2.1 channel component system.

If you know someone with a computer and a home stereo system (and who doesn't?), the Apple Airport Express is a great gift idea. Airport Express wirelessly sends an iTunes music library from a PC or Mac computer to a home stereo system or powered speakers. It's simple to setup and use and an affordable gift idea for you or the music lover on your gift list. Read my full review of the Apple Airport Express.