LATEST ADDITIONS

If your audiophile habit goes back more than a couple of decades, you're probably doing a double take looking at the Smart Devices 2X150VT. Looks like a Hafler DH-200, doesn't it? That's because, at its core, a Hafler DH-200 is exactly what it is. Smart Devices doesn't name names in its brochure, but they do say that "You may recognize this amplifier as one of the dominant premium performers of the 1970s and '80s"—a reasonable enough description of the MOSFET-output DH-200, which combined outstanding sound with a very reasonable price—especially if you built the kit.

Exhibitors reported that traffic was improving Thursday, as the halls became more crowded and the music grew a bit louder. Plenty of new products are on hand and we're starting to realize that even four or five days may not be enough to see and hear everything the high-end has to offer.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/cdcantus.jpg" WIDTH=170 HEIGHT=152 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT><B>Just who were these guys?&mdash;<I>Wes Phillips</I></B>

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) officially opened today, Tuesday, and the SACD press conference put together by Sony and Philips started the day. Sony's Shizuo Takashino opened the presentation by explaining the three-phase rollout for the high-resolution format. Phases one and two, represented by the release of high-end and multi-disc SACD players, are now complete he said, with phase three launching at the show. As Takashino said, "This year is the true beginning of the mass-marketing of SACD."

Like the gopher that just won't leave your yard, vinyl continues to thrive in spite of CD and newer formats, such as SACD and DVD-Audio. Are you still a vinyl fan?

Slow beginnings are sometimes the most successful. Months after its <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/11033/">acquisition</A&gt; by Chicago-based <A HREF="http://www.amusicdirect.com">Music Direct</A>, legendary audiophile record label Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab plans to release Super Audio Compact Discs this winter.

What initially took form in college dorm rooms and computer geeks' homes only a few short years back looks ready to break into the mainstream audio market this year. Hard-disk&ndash;based audio systems are becoming more common as both consumer electronics and computer manufacturers rush to <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/11185/">bring products</A> to market.