DEQX's PDC3 preamp/processor (price tdb) combines an analog preamplifier with a DAC <I>and</I> measurement-driven DSP. In a hotel room with <I>zero</I> treatment, Jon Iverson and I were enthralled by the three dimensional soundstaging of a pair of B&W 805s and a pair of B&W ASW 700s. Nope, it wasn't because the CD player was fabulous, either&mdash;it was solid, but not audiophile approved.

You have to start somewhere, so Jon Iverson and I started with DLS from Sweden. "Are you guys new?" JI asked.

This is the first year that the high-end audio exhibits are clustered in the Venetian Hotel and Casino. Emphasis on the casino part - to get to the majority of hotel room exhibits, we must negotiate about a quarter mile of hallway and casino to get from the shuttle stop to the elevators. The rooms themselves are nicely appointed, but several exhibitors are already complaining about the acoustics and the challenge of finding ways to make the two level suites music friendly. And on a personal note, the press room is back the quarter mile through the casino near the shuttle stop. End of gripe.

Stephen Mejias and longtime Primedia CES assistant Cynthia get the awards ready to be handed out later in the day. We'll have complete pictures and story later.

The breakfast SM is referring to below.

According to www.after50health.com "The classic part of a classical music is that it will not distract the attention of the listener and at the same time be able to instill relaxed feeling in the minds of listener."

No, that's a $2900 <I>painting</I> of an extension cord&mdash;and, God help me, I <I>want</I> it.

I'm covering CES in Las Vegas this week, so posting will be sporadic. Check out <I>Stereophile</I>'s <A HREF="http://blog.stereophile.com/ces2007/">2007 CES Report</A> blog for the latest on high-end audio and the people who make it.

With another act of blatant scoopage (I'm writing this as my colleagues are meeting for breakfast), I must let you know that, while ripping through the Venetian halls, late yesterday evening, making some final preparations before today's morning activities, I nearly fell on my face at the sound of such sublime elfin wonder coming from the Audes Room (suite 29-324, conveniently close to where Primedia's Home Tech Group resides, which is to say: I'll be back, again and again.)