LATEST ADDITIONS

T.H.E. Show is enjoyable for many reasons—friendly people, a good vibe, some great-sounding rooms, and new hi-fi gear. There are introductions of new products from known makers and from some showing unexpected things. An example of the latter: L.A.-based Desmond's Tiki Tube Amplifiers, shown on passive display in the Marketplace area. Proprietor Desmond Bowe said these are just intended as examples "to get a conversation started" with the customer.

The Compact Disc needed a big win—and fast. During its first few years in the marketplace, the format wasn't living up to lofty expectations. Part of the problem maybe was that most of the CDs released up to that time came from analog sources.

But then on May 17, 1985, the CD's savior arrived: Brothers in Arms, the fifth studio album release by British rock stalwarts Dire Straits. Trumpeted as one of the first "full digital recordings" in the pop/rock oeuvre, Brothers in Arms was an undeniable smash international hit from a band that had struck it big already. Exactly 40 years later, it remains a benchmark recording and a top seller.

Having previously reviewed Simon Brown's The Wand 9.5"-tonearm for Analog Planet, I was eager to experience the Wand 14-4 Master turntable ($7500), equipped with the world-premiere Wand Dark Light Tonearm ($7550, or $13,675 for the package) and a My Sonic Lab Eminent EX MC cartridge ($3995).