Bi-amplification isn't much of a word to begin a column. It's not as short as stereo or snappy as quadrophonic; it threatens a contorted technical explanation that'll elicit groans from the bravest reader; and it sounds expensive.

The traditional audio entertainment formats are monophonic, stereophonic, and quadrophonic. Each is associated with the number of speakers used to reproduce the sound: mono retrieves the signal from a singlechannel record, amplifies it with a power amplifier that drives one speaker; stereo retrieves two signals from a two-channel record, amplifies each of the signals with independent amplifiers, each of which drives one speaker; quad records have four channels, quad amps have four power sections, and four speakers are used to reproduce the total quad sound.