Pass Laboratories designer Wayne Colburn showed me their new INT-60 Integrated amplifier ($9000). Rated at 60Wpc, the amplifier uses the same heatsinks, power supplies, and output stages as the Pass Point 8 power amplifiers.
Quad electrostatic loudspeakers have been unavailable in the United States retail market for the past few years because there has been no importer. In the past 12 months, MoFi Distribution has stepped up to develop a dealer network and provide service. Jonathan Derda, Mo-Fi's National Sales and Marketing Manager, described the new service center in Fairfax, Virginia that will service all vintages and versions of the loudspeaker.
Scientific Audio Electronics (SAE), founded in 1967, has been out of business for decades. Recently, Morris Kessler of ATI, manufacturers of the ATI and Theta brands,helped restore the company. At CES, Bill Skaer, National Director of Sales, presented the firm's latest amplifier, the 125 lb, SAE 2 HP-D Display version ($19,995).
VTL Amplifiers, Inc. introduced the $3000 TL-2.5i Performance Preamplifier at CES 2016. It features 6 line inputs, an optional $2000, internally retrofitable phono stage, two pairs of outputs, and a tape loop.
Amplifier Technology Incorporated's John Baloff showed me their new 4007 class-D amplifier during a brief visit to their room. "Baby brother" to the company's 6000 amplifier, the 4007 ($2995 for the 2-channel version; the amplifier is available in 4-, 8- or 12 channel versions) delivers 180Wpc into 8 ohms, using new "extremely quiet" NCore class-D modules.
MoFi Distribution now distributes the Balanced Audio Technology product line, and were demonstrating the new BAT VK-76SE stereo tubed amplifier. Output is specified as 75Wpc into 8 ohms and 150Wpc into 4 ohms.
Bryston also showed, for the first time, value-oriented phono stages for moving-coil and moving-magnet phono cartridges, as well as a power supply for these two units.
Bryston had sent me emails announcing a new amplifier series but gave little detail. Arriving at the exhibit in the Venetian Towers, I was greeted by ever-upbeat James Tanner, Bryston's Director of Marketing. He pointed to the new Bryston 7B3 monoblock amplifier ($11,000/pair), and explained that the "cubed" name arose as naturally following the previous Bryston amplifier SST2 series.