Series 3
All prices are quoted in euros unless otherwise noted.
1 €  is approximately 1.29 US dollars at time of report.

We were quite taken with the styling of the T+A D 10 two-channel SACD player from Germany. It comes in two color combinations (silver-aluminum, shown above; and titanium, below) and features...

...a top-loading drive mechanism, five switchable oversampling algorithms, and a tube-based output stage. The D 10 retails for 5500 €.

While digital keeps advancing, so too does analog. Vyger showed their lowest-priced turntable, the Baltic M, which is priced at 4990 €, far less than the company's flagship models, and equipped with an SME 312 tonearm (but no cartridge). One interesting feature of the Baltic M is the...

...feet, which "float" the 'table using opposing magnets.

Austria's Lumen White showed two new speaker models that feature Accuton drivers and beautifully sculpted cabinets. On the left is the Silver Flame, priced at 24.990 € per pair and featuring three 7" ceramic woofers, one 5" ceramic midrange, and a 1" ceramic tweeter. On the right is the Diamond Light, priced at 79.990 € per pair, featuring three 9" ceramic woofers, one 7" midrange, and a 1.2" diamond tweeter. Playing in the room was the Silver Flame, which impressed us enough to name the demo a Standout.

Numerous times we've visited this show and been bowled over by the performance of gigantic horn-loaded speakers from Acapella Audio Arts. This time, though, the company impressed us with something much smaller, and much less expensive. Newly debuted is the Fidelio II speaker, which is tentatively priced at 4000 € per pair with stands. Although the Fidelio II uses just a pair of 12cm woofers, this small speaker sounded remarkably full and fleshed-out and had a weighty bottom end.