Series 1

Magnepan used its room at THE Show to show off a neat concept for the installation of its speakers.

At the push of a button, all six speakers (including two for center-channel use) swing into place or retract flush against the wall. [www.magnepan.com]

Looking for hot business that doesn't require a life's commitment? Sell coffee anywhere near the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES. You might not have to work the rest of the year.

We convinced the energetic Alan Yun to stand still for a minute and pose with his quartet of new speakers: (from left to right) Grandeur Mk II ($15,000/pair), La Folia (no new model designation, but new drivers; $9000/pair), SR17.5 ($3500/pair) and Prelude ($1200/pair). [www.silverlineaudio.com]

Andrew Jones, the design mind behind the TAD loudspeaker line, holds a scale model of the new Model-2 (around $40,000 per pair) that looked so convincing we thought for a second it was a version for computer use.

Jim Thiel explains the virtues of his new coincident tweeter/midrange driver, while the speaker that uses it, the new CS3.7 (price to be announced), looms in the background. [www.thielaudio.com]