LATEST ADDITIONS

Though taller, narrower, deeper, more gracefully sculpted, and even more mantis-like than the MAXX Series 2 that I <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/805wilson">reviewed</A&gt; in the August 2005 <I>Stereophile</I>, at first glance the Wilson Audio Specialties MAXX Series 3 seems little more than a minor reworking of its predecessor with a major increase in price: from $44,900 to $68,000 per pair. But first looks can be deceiving. Take a closer, longer gaze&#151;or, better yet, spend some time <I>listening</I> (especially if you've spent time with the MAXX 2)&#151;and you'll quickly realize that while the familiar Wilson design concepts remain in play, the MAXX 3 is <I>far</I> more than a minor reworking of an older model.

<B>Willie Nelson: <I>American Classic</I></B><BR>
Blue Note 5099926719726 (CD). 2009. Tommy LiPuma, prod.; Al Schmitt, Steve Genewick, engs. AAD? TT: 45:33<BR>
Performance ****&#189;<BR>
Sonics ****

<I>And every time, this thought hit me: It wasn't a record she was handling. It was a fragile soul inside a glass bottle.</I>&#151;From <I>South of the Border, West of the Sun</I>, by Haruki Murakami

To celebrate the release of jazz group Attention Screen's new <I>Stereophile</I> CD, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/ilive_at_ottosi_a_new_stereophile_jazz_… at Otto's Shrunken Head</I></A>, we are having a release party at New York's <A HREF="http://www.ottosshrunkenhead.com/">Otto's Shrunken Head Tiki Bar</A> next Thursday from 7pm to 9pm. All are invited, admission is free, Attention Screen will be playing two sets, and the first 50 to arrive will get a free CD!

Emerging technology was also a theme at this CEDIA, even apart from the various 3D video schemes. RoomEQ is, of course, not a new concept and Audyssey treated us to an introduction and demonstration of their new Subwoofer Equalizer that uses the AudysseyPro software and of DSX, their technology for adding additional channels (for width and height) to the standard 5.1 and 7.1 configurations. I have a Subwoofer Equalizer in house now and hope to report on it shortly. In addition, DSX has made its appearance in a new generation of preamp-processors (and AVRs) from Denon, Onkyo, and Integra, so I am planning on experimenting with that, as well, using one of the new Integra processors, the all-inclusive DHC 80.1 ($2300).

CEDIA Expo 2009 was off and running on Thursday September 10. The two large convention floors in Atlanta are packed with displays and products. The focus, of course, is on video, home theater, home integration and, even, centralized vacuum-cleaning systems. Of greatest interest to audiophiles remains the obvious: we all need loudspeakers! (Well, perhaps not the vacuum cleaner systems.) Unfortunately, the buzz on the floor precludes useful auditions and is so great that even the dedicated sound-rooms suffer from excessive noise. So, you will understand that good looks grab my attention.

In the name of journalistic ethics (footnote 1) I have to come clean. <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/interviews/david_manley_tubes_logic_amp_audi… Manley</A> once gave me a gift. He presented me with a large, rather heavy, Russian-made watch at the 1995 Las Vegas WCES. A very manly watch: In fact, it said "Manley" right on the dial. The watch worked fine for about six months. Then it developed a very subjective approach to timekeeping. Time stood still, and my life wasn't even passing before my eyes. The watch has become a nice, albeit slightly ugly, mini&#150;boat anchor; now my rubber ducky stays where I put it in my bathtub.