January 7 - Part 1

Like Bel Canto, Simaudio had several new products, including the Moon 5.3 CD player ($3000)...,

...Moon i5.3 integrated amp ($3000)...,

...and Moon W-7 300Wpc stereo amp ($3000). A 500W monoblock, the Moon W-7m, is also available. All of the new products boast of "very short signal paths," a standard Simaudio feature. [www.simaudio.com]

VTL has updated the cosmetics of its entire product line, and we like the outcome with its big window for tube viewing. Above is the MB-450 Signature monoblock ($10,000/pair)...,

...and here is the IT-85 integrated amp ($3250).

Amphion's new Ion ($1350/pair) is a small speaker that sounded surprisingly big and robust driven by T+A electronics. Although the Ion's cabinet looks like it's made of some sort of molded material, it's MDF.

The Stello DA100 DAC ($695) and HP100 headphone amp ($595) sounded great driving Sennheiser HD 650 cans. We like their small size -- they'll fit easily on a desktop or in an equipment rack. [www.hifi500.com]