LATEST ADDITIONS

Of all the components to be seen and heard at an audio show or in a dealer's showroom, the most memorable and attention-grabbing are inevitably the super-speakers—bogglingly expensive, filled with cutting-edge engineering and exotic materials, of mammoth size and weight, with full-range reproduction that shakes building foundations and extends far enough up top to disrupt the navigation of bats. Survey the field, and the biggest Wilson, Aln, JMlab-Focal, Burmester, EgglestonWorks, and Nearfield Acoustics models, to name a few, fit that description.

When I unpacked the review samples of Earthworks' Sigma 6.2 loudspeaker, I was reminded of a Pop Art exhibition I'd visited 30 years before, in London. Along with a stuffed drum kit and other of Claes Oldenburg's exaggerated-scale floppy sculptures, hanging from the Tate Gallery's ceiling was an enormous three-pronged, US-style AC plug made entirely of hardwood (footnote 1). Although the Sigma 6.2 is available in plain-Jane black MDF for $3500/pair, the optional solid-cherry cabinet, with its polished grain-streaked panels, has the same carved-from-solid, feel of the Oldenburg plug. I found myself wanting to stroke the speaker.

Does the modern audiophile want a sleek, compact, powerful, remote-controlled, microprocessor-driven, two-channel integrated amplifier? Perreaux Industries, based in New Zealand, thinks so. They've designed all that, plus good looks and impressive build quality, into the R200i. Despite its relatively small size—4.1" tall by 16.9" wide by 13.4" deep—the R200i packs a punch. It's rated at 200Wpc into 8 ohms and 360Wpc into 4 ohms, yet it weighs just a fraction under 30 lbs.

Some audiophiles are always looking for something&#151;<I>anything</I>&#151;to upgrade. Anything on your list?

The ultimate system evaluation disc? John Atkinson has been busy putting together <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//features/853/"><I>Editor's Choice</I>: <I>Stereophile</I>'s Sampler & Test CD</A>. JA chooses his favorite <I>Stereophile</I> recordings from the past 10 years and throws in a few test tones.

<IMG SRC="/images/newsart/he2003.polk.jpg" WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=172 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>Polk Audio completely redesigned its popular RT<I>i</I> series of loudspeakers. The RT<I>i</I>s occupy the "better" position in Polk's good (R series), better (RT<I>i</I>), best (LS<I>i</I>) hierachy. The refurbished line features new drivers, higher quality cabinets, and handsome cosmetics&mdash;including real wood veneers in black oak and cherry.

The first day of the annual Home Entertainment shows is traditionally devoted to "trade" access only&mdash;that is to say, set aside for press conferences and dealer demonstrations (<I>ie</I> officially sanctioned schmoozing and cruising).