Premiere Design

At CES, many companies set up shop in off-site hotel suites, making it more difficult to find and experience them first-hand. So it was this year with <A href="http://www.krellonline.com">Krell</A>, which shared a suite at the Mirage with SIM2. Among the items introduced there was the Evolution 555 Blu-ray player, the company's first foray into this product category.

Audiophiles know the name <A href="http://www.yg-acoustics.com">YG Acoustics</A>, even if they can't afford its flagship Anat Reference II Professional ($107,000/pair, <A href="http://www.stereophile.com/audaciousaudio/yg_acoustics_anat_reference_ii... in <I>Stereophile</I></A>) or the more moderate Kipod Studio ($38,000/pair). Both models are encased in CNC-machined aircraft-aluminum enclosures and consist of a main compact-speaker module and a powered subwoofer&#151;plus an additional passive sub for the Anat&#151;that can be purchased separately, allowing users to build their systems as budget permits. But even if you start with only the main module of the Anat ($33,000/pair) or Kipod ($17,000/pair), that's still some serious coin, and it doesn't get you all that deep into the sonic basement without the accompanying subs.

As a kid, I remember visiting friends and seeing McIntosh stereo systems in their homes, no doubt the pride and joy of their fathers. Even way back then, <A href="http://www.mcintoshlabs.com">McIntosh</A> was a revered brand, and it remains so today, 60 years after its founding. In celebration of this milestone anniversary, the company has introduced its first-ever compact integrated audio system, the MXA60.

Turntables remain the source device of choice for many audiophiles who prize analog sound, but friction in the bearings makes it difficult to keep the platter spinning at a constant rate, which is critical for high-quality playback. One solution to this problem is suspending the platter on a cushion of air, an approach championed by <A href="http://www.bergmannaudio.com">Bergmann Audio</A> of Denmark in its new Sindre airbearing turntable, which debuts at CES next month.

CES spawns a number of satellite events, including T.H.E. (The Home Entertainment) Show, which focuses on high-end audio. Among the exhibitors this year is <A href="http://audience-av.com/main.php">Audience</A> with its new ClairAudient LSA 4+4 speaker, a mouthful of a name for a product that is said to provide an earful of great sound in a relatively small package measuring 17 x 15 x 12 inches (HxWxD).

In my never-ending quest for the ultimate in performance, design, and/or price, I came across the GA Star from a British company heretofore unknown to me&#151;<A href="http://www.goldacoustics.com">Gold Acoustics</A>. This unique speaker is unlike any other I've seen, and while it certainly looks shiny, I can't help wondering if it delivers the sonic goods.