Alan Taffel

A A A After three brilliant, experimental, studio-focused albums (OK Computer, Kid A,and Amnesiac), Radiohead was in the mood to change things up. 2003’s Hail to the Thief was its bid to return to the aggressive rock found in 1995’s The Bends. Songs became shorter, and studio sessions shrunk from painstaking years to weeks of quick takes. Importantly, and by design, every song, even those with heavy electronic elements, could be performed live.

Stenheim Alumine Three $39,800 This 3-way “compact reference” loudspeaker from the relatively young Swiss company Stenheim is an explosive musical launchpad that brings a set of strengths to the market that is frankly unique in one small (but 150-pound-heavy) package. An unusually high 93dB sensitivity with a nominal 8-ohm impedance (6 ohms minimum) opens the window of usable amplification.

Full disclosure: When it comes to cables, I’m not a silver kind of guy. I’ve just never liked the sound—and in my experience, there is a sound—of that metal. To me, silver cables and cords have always come off as cold and analytical. When I’ve had the chance to compare silver and copper cables, all other things being equal, I’ve invariably preferred copper.