ShowStoppers -
Series 1
All prices are quoted in US dollars unless
otherwise noted.
Lexicon's entry in the universal audio/video
player sweepstakes is the new $3500 RT-10.
The very first Conrad-Johnson Premier 140 amps
($6795 each) debuted in Montreal. They were configured as 140W monoblocks, but a 70Wpc
stereo version is also available. Lew Johnson says the Premier 140 is "shipping for
real" now.
Makers of almost all things audio, Brinkmann
showed its LaGrange turntable ($8500) with two 10.5 tonearms ($3250). The
LaGrange features a heated-oil pool for its spindle and rests on a pneumatic Fabreeka
Vibration Platform ($3600 plus $500 for a suitable air compressor).
More analog, this time from Origin Live. The
Resolution turntable ($2695) and Illustrious tonearm ($1995) were eye-catching to the
extreme.
 
Canada's own Verity Audio showed a new
multichannel/home-theater speaker system that impressed Doug Schneider, Marc Mickelson,
and Wes Phillips -- no small task. From left to right above are the Tamino X2
left/right/surround speaker ($4500/pair), the Rocco powered subwoofer ($7150), and Tamino
C2 center-channel speaker ($2250). Below are the Rocco's side-firing drivers (they are
mounted this way in the cabinet) and power amp/controller.
Another speaker that impressed Doug, Marc, and
Wes was Dynaudio's new Contour S3.4 ($5000/pair), which produced Standout sound with Cary electronics and a Musical
Fidelity SACD player. |
