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Series 4
The Wilson Audio Specialties Duette is a
statement-level, stand-mounted two-way monitor with an external patent-pending crossover
that's adjustable based on speaker placement. The Duette will reportedly offer bass
extension to 30Hz. Its estimated price is $8000 per pair, and it will begin shipping later
this year. [www.wilsonaudio.com]
Simaudio's $9200 Moon W-8 amplifier shows off radically
different styling from the company's previous products -- and we like it. The W-8 is said
to deliver 250Wpc into 8 ohms, and 1000Wpc into 2 ohms, making it another Simaudio
powerhouse amp. [www.simaudio.com]
Complementing the W-8 is the new two-chassis
$9800 Moon Andromeda CD player (top) and two-chassis $9500 P-8 preamplifier. Both are very
nice to look at and claim exceptional sound. [www.simaudio.com]
The Eximus brand is from April Music, makers of components
under the Stello name. Eximus is the company's assault on the state of the art. Shown are
the T1 CD transport (top) and DP1 DAC/preamplifier, priced at $6000 each. The picture here
doesn't do the products justice -- they're beautifully built and absolutely massive.
The future of home video will include a war between Blu-ray
and HD DVD -- VHS versus Beta yet again. Verbatim, though, is ready with recordable media
for the day when the new formats actually hit the market (which, we're promised, will be
this year). The Blu-ray disc holds 25GB worth of data, while the HD DVD holds 15GB.
As with other Blu-ray players we saw, Pioneer's prototype
BDR-1000 was encased in a glass box.
Panasonic's player was the first we saw out of a glass
coffin, but there was a sign, and a person alongside, saying "Please Don't
Touch." This player, the DMR-E700BD, isn't a prototype, though -- it's in current
production and available in Japan for $2700.
Panasonic showed another Blu-ray player that can play discs
but not record them. As with other products, this unit is a prototype that will reportedly
be available later this year.
Toshiba, one of the leading companies backing HD DVD,
showed a prototype HD DVD player, which will again be released later this year.
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