Respected designer Ken Ishiwata stands beside the new top-of-the-line A-Series loudspeaker from Boston Acoustics. The speaker’s central drive units are completely suspended from the cabinet for isolation of all vibrations. The system we heard included the Marantz SA-7S1 SACD player, SC-7S2 preamplifier, MA-9S2 power amplifier, and Charismatech cables, all at least partially voiced and designed by Ishiwata for optimum synergy.

“We take a ‘whole system approach,’” Ishiwata said.

“The soundstage is very important,” he continued. “Other aspects of performance are matters of preference, but we focus on creating a very stable soundstage. Everything else comes from that.”

I noted outstanding overall scale with good soundstage height and easy, unforced dynamics. Music developed, blossomed, and blushed like a sunrise. This was a system I could have happily listened to for a long, long time.

Boston Acoustic’ new A 25 ($300/pair) is housed in an attractive, high-gloss cabinet, uses a 1” tweeter and 5.25” ceramic/glass fiber polymer mid-woofer, and was designed with the help of Karl-Heinz Fink, Kieron Dunk, and Ken Ishiwata&#151a formidable team.

A review sample has arrived at Stereophile HQ, and I’m looking forward to listening.

The ground floor halls of the M.O.C. contained booths with both static and live demos to resemble something like CES’s Las Vegas Convention Center, but were only infinitely more pleasant, more manageable, better coordinated, and more attractive.

Octave Audio’s pretty RE 290 power amplifier (€6900) offers 90 or 130Wpc, depending on which power tubes are selected. A rear-panel switch makes the choice simple, and invites tube-swapping.

Designed to be the heart of a small and stylish music system, NAD’s smart-looking Viso Three is a 50Wpc CD-receiver with USB input, 30 AM/FM station presets, and iPod dock with remote function and song display.

The 150Wpc C 375BEE (€1399) uses technology found in NAD’s M3 Master Series amplifier and benefits from the company’s “Building Block” design, allowing for the addition of the PP375 phono stage (€250) and other affordable options.

NAD’s C 390DD (€2500) is the company’s next “Direct Digital” integrated amplifier and takes technology from the more expensive M3 and M2 models. The user will have the choice to add HDMI and phono inputs.

“We wanted to create an individual solution for the customer. Our customers should be able to live a long time with our products.”

The C 390DD should be available by around September.

NAD’s C 446 Digital Media Tuner (€799) utilizes the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) client for playback of music files from a computer, Android or Apple iOS device, or network hard drive. The C 446 also includes an Internet radio portal with support for cloud music services, AM/FM tuner (DAB/DAB+, where available), uses a 24-bit/192kHz DAC, and supports MP3, FLAC, WMA, WAV, and AAC files.

The models in Dynaudio’s Focus series are available in high-gloss white or black, walnut, maple, rosewood, or black ash. From left: Focus 160 ($2900/pair), Focus 260 ($4900/pair), Focus 340 ($7500/pair), Focus 380 ($9500/pair).

These new models include Dynaudio’s updated drive units as well as revised crossover designs and enhanced cabinet construction. Their soft-dome tweeters utilize an improved coating, while the midrange drivers and woofers use new voice-coil assemblies and sound-optimized, die-cast aluminum driver baskets.

The speakers in Dynaudio’s new Confidence Signature line come with a 10-year warranty and take their premium Mocha or Bordeaux finishes from the limited-edition Sapphire.

From left: C1 Signature ($8500/pair), C2 Signature ($15,000/pair), C4 Signature ($22,000/pair).

Read Wes Phillips' review of the original C1 and John Atkinson's review of the original C4.