CES 2007

At least that's what Kevin Deal called the $1395 PrimaLuna Prologue Eight CD player.

After encountering several rooms filled with overly warm, romanticized tube sound, it was a welcome shock to discover tube gear from Rogue that sounded far more neutral. Alas, the sound from Rogue’s Zeus amplifier (225Wpc, $7495) and prototype reference-level linestage preamp seemed a bit soft around the edges, lacking detail. However, who knows how much of what I heard was due to the plethora of Echo Buster paneling with which the exhibitors had tried to tame the room's acoustics. Paired with the Egglestonworks The Nine ($12,900/pair), introduced at the show, I heard much promise until competition from adjoining rooms forced me to retreat. What I did learn is the speaker uses an 8" Morel woofer, two of the same 6" Morel drivers featured in the company's earlier Andra 2, and an Eggleston favorite, the Dynaudio Ecostar tweeter. Available in virtually any automotive color, the speaker will start shipping in March.

"DeVore's just down the hall," he says.

The breakfast SM is referring to below.

Penaudio's Sami Pentillä brought an entirely new line of loudspeakers to CES: the Ambient series.

Proac's $6000/pair Response D-28 was making real music connected to Sugden's $3000 CD21SE and $4000 A21SE 30Wpc integrated amplifier. I eyed the 42.5" floorstander, noting its 1" silk dome tweeter and 6.5" midrange/woofer—but I saw no port.

With another act of blatant scoopage (I'm writing this as my colleagues are meeting for breakfast), I must let you know that, while ripping through the Venetian halls, late yesterday evening, making some final preparations before today's morning activities, I nearly fell on my face at the sound of such sublime elfin wonder coming from the Audes Room (suite 29-324, conveniently close to where Primedia's Home Tech Group resides, which is to say: I'll be back, again and again.)