Hope I Go Deaf Before I Get Old

Andrew W.K. Crashes our party and thrashes our speakers

Sound geeks suggest that before you buy a pair of quality speakers you should test them with a "torture track,'' a song with extreme frequencies that can expose a speaker's thresholds. We did that one better: We invited Detroit rocker Andrew W.K. to bring some of his favorite CDs and blow out our speakers, figuring that the guy behind a debut album with three party titles--It's Time to Party, Party Hard and Party Til You Puke--is best equipped to pick a pair that can rock the house. His technique: "I always start at a low vol. Why say volume? Just save time and say vol.'' OK, vol.

Where and how to buy on page 142.