You would never guess that just moments before the photo was snapped, Tone Imports' Jonathan Halpern was bent over, purple-faced, and teary-eyed with delirious laughter. I'm not sure what it was all about. It had something to do with "championship wood."

In any case, Jonathan was thrilled to introduce the Leben RS 30EQ phono preamp ($2595). "I've been waiting years for this," he said. Like all Leben gear, the RS 30EQ is simply gorgeous.