I've been tweaking my weekend multichannel system for years, but with my city system I've kinda faked it. I now realize that I listen more actively to the weekend system, and not only because that's when I have the time for it—the sound of that system is simply more engaging and psychologically immersive. So, with the growth of my library of SACD and DVD-Audio recordings to almost half the size of my CD collection, I told my wife that it was time to transform of "our" city stereo rig into a full-blown multichannel system.

Some six or so years ago, the Linn Asak cartridge set new standards for imaging and soundstage reproduction. I can remember the first time I heard an Asak in a system using <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/416">Quad ESL-63s</A>&mdash;I had never experienced such depth of soundstage and solidity of imaging from <I>any</I> system, and that with Quad amplification! The Asak was relatively quickly overshadowed in this area, however, and in any case, soundstaging precision by itself didn't seem to be a high priority for the Linn design team, who were apparently more concerned with dynamics and a musical integration of the sound across the frequency range.

Some six or so years ago, the Linn Asak cartridge set new standards for imaging and soundstage reproduction. I can remember the first time I heard an Asak in a system using <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/416">Quad ESL-63s</A>&mdash;I had never experienced such depth of soundstage and solidity of imaging from <I>any</I> system, and that with Quad amplification! The Asak was relatively quickly overshadowed in this area, however, and in any case, soundstaging precision by itself didn't seem to be a high priority for the Linn design team, who were apparently more concerned with dynamics and a musical integration of the sound across the frequency range.

Some six or so years ago, the Linn Asak cartridge set new standards for imaging and soundstage reproduction. I can remember the first time I heard an Asak in a system using <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/416">Quad ESL-63s</A>&mdash;I had never experienced such depth of soundstage and solidity of imaging from <I>any</I> system, and that with Quad amplification! The Asak was relatively quickly overshadowed in this area, however, and in any case, soundstaging precision by itself didn't seem to be a high priority for the Linn design team, who were apparently more concerned with dynamics and a musical integration of the sound across the frequency range.

Despite griping and grumbling about <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/100206ces/">the change</A>, many makers of high-performance audio gear appear to have settled on their new official venue at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas: the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino. Two months before the start of the 2007 CES (to be held January 8&ndash;11), all but 12 of the Venetian's 198 exhibit rooms and suites had already been sold.

Bagheera, unlike Huck, found the possibilities tantalizing.