Series 2

Wadia’s iTransport ($349) created a buzz at the show. It enables audiophiles to extract the digital output from the latest Apple iPod models. Wadia, in concert with Apple, made this happen, and we suspect audiophiles everywhere will be grateful. Analog and digital outputs on the iTransport are available. [www.wadia.com]

I²S is back! The Stello CDT transport (above, $695) and DA100 Signature DAC ($895) both use this advanced digital transmission scheme. USB is also available on the DAC.

Hong Kong’s King Sound debuted a number of new loudspeaker models, all priced in the reasonable segment of the market. There is the pure-electrostatic Prince II, priced at $4000 per pair...

and the 360 Degree, also at $4000 per pair, an omnidirectional three-way loudspeaker. Both King Sound speakers seem to offer a lot for the money.

Ayre Acoustics' new KX-R ($18,500) is the matching preamp for the company's very well-received MX-R mono amps. Marc Mickelson is scheduled to receive both the KX-R and MX-Rs for review in early in 2008.

Boulder Amplifiers showed the brand-new 1021 CD player. This $24,000 unit has a number of unique features. An example: The 1021 uses its drive mechanism "for data retrieval" only. It stores the data in memory, thereby, according to Boulder, eliminating the effects of the drive mechanism. We liked the large LCD display that could easily be read from across the room.

A Sylvania-branded Blu-ray player manufactured by Funai was shown at the Blu-ray Disc Association’s booth. It should be available in the second quarter of 2008 for a suggested retail price of only $299. With a street price presumably well below that, this Blu-ray player might be it the cheapest on the market when it's finally available.