We have recently become Brodmann Acoustics dealers and now have their Festival F1 and F2 speakers.  They are in the back room in the main system on our new Cary Audio SA 500.1 monoblocks.  The Cary’s are the much acclaimed 500W/ch monoblocks. Dagogo reviewed the VC7 by Bosendorfer http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=356, and this is the latest incarnation of these speakers under the Brodmann line.  Speakers built by piano makers?  Makes sense.  This line has been somewhat redesigned, cleaning up some of the previous deficiencies of the Bosendorfer’s.  In short, they have become our favorites-dynamic, musical, and pretty efficient.  Prices are reasonable, considering the slam and punch these guys have, and WIFE FRIENDLY.   For more information go to: http://www.brodmannacoustics.com/index.php?id=114

Another CES is behind us, and I saw and heard a bunch while I was there for 4 days.  I mostly focused on THE Show and the Venetian where the high end was located.
Venetian:  Acoustic Zen has a room with Triode, and as usual it was very good, but in all honesty not quite as good as I have heard in the past.  Triode had their 845 based amps there, but I really like their KT88 based amps better.  The interesting part in the room was the Nittobo Acoustic Engineering diffusers.  See: http://www.noe.co.jp/en/ for their Acoustic Groove system.  Music Hall had their normal good sounding room with the Epos Elan speaker, and a new table they are importing by EAT-the Forte- see: http://www.euroaudioteam.com/en/eat-forte-turntable-000007.html.  Great sounding, and a step up from the MMF 11, although a big jump in price.  Mike Creek was there although I may have dropped a few points in his eyes due to my comment about Creek ( just don’t get much call for it?-didn’t know I was looking at the back of his head).   Cary Audio was there with there new music server, and other gear.  Their choice of amps included the SA 500.1 monoblocks with the SLP 05 preamp, 306 Pro CD Player, and TAD speakers.  I fell in love with the SA 500.1′s and brought them home.  See: http://www.caryaudio.com/products/classic.html.
THE Show:  Exemplar Audio/ Stillpoints room was one of the best rooms at either show.  The speakers were single driver Feastrex powered by Exemplar’s 300B Single Ended amps, Preamp, and modified Oppo 95 as a source.  All was on a Stillpoints rack, with the Stillpoints Ultimate feet.  Room treatment was by Zilplex.  See:  http://www.stillpoints.us/Stillponts/Products.html for the Stillpoints, http://www.exemplaraudio.com/Home.html for Exemplar, http://www.feastrex.com/products.html#3 for the Feastrex.  http://zilplex.com/index.html are the room treatments that were highly effective-they got out of the way of the music, yet were superb at reducing room resonances.   Chapman Audio was there with the new version of the T8, and an all Cary sound system.  Great speakers, in fact Stuart will be dropping by a pair of T8′s at the shop later next week.  Then there was Brodmann.  Equal to the best sound I heard in any room at either show, out of speakers costing a fraction of most companies.  I have heard these at several shows, and finally jumped on them.  We now have the Festival 2′s in our showroom, and the Festival 1′s are available for demo.  Almost bought the Vienna VC2, but didn’t know if our customers were ready for a $20,900 speaker.  See: http://www.brodmannacoustics.com/index.php?id=16 for the Festival speakers.
That covers the highlights of CES for me with one exception.  I have my eye on an Italian company called Master Sound s.a.s. and on Resolution Audio.  Both excellent, and worth consideration.  See:http://www.mastersoundsas.it/master%201_1_ing/integrati.htm for Master Sound and http://www.resolutionaudio.com/ for Resolution Audio.

We have some great equipment coming in over the next few weeks.  Cary is shipping us the famous CAD 300 SEI for our showroom, due to arrive next week.  JoLida is shipping the newly modified FX-10 and should be here in 2 weeks.  This FX 10 has the ESA clarity caps, Hexfred diodes, carbon resistors, and Gold Pin Tungsol 12AX7′s and also the new Alps volume control.  Michael Fremer and I will be the first to get them.  We have the MIT Matrix 60′s breaking in on the front system along with a new set of LSA 1 Statement monitors.  Also the Cary SLI80 is breaking in nicely and is featured in the front room.  We have gotten in some Musical Fidelity gear, a new Electrocompaniet EC5, some Sumo gear, Marsh HD 500DS amp, and a Nothingham Spacedeck Turntable.  Next 2 weeks will see more consignment gear including Acoustat ES 1+1 and Acoustic Research Integrated.
Come see us!!

We just got in the Cary SLP 03 in Black in stock, and the SLI 80 Signature Integrated amp.  We have 1 03 in backstock, and 1 on the floor to demo, and the SLI 80 is in the front room on the Magnapan 1.7′s.  We also recieved our shipment of the LV1 and LV2 Audio Pro speakers from Sweden, a computer speaker that has an incredibly clear wireless connection.  Also has a sub that auto syncs with the speakers for flawless reproduction of any music.  That should be out for demo next week.  See http://www.audiopro.com/products/living-lv2, for the sub see http://www.audiopro.com/products/living-lvsub .  For Cary Audio see: http://www.caryaudio.com/products/classic/SLI80.html and http://www.caryaudio.com/products/classic/SLP03.html .  The Cary SLP 03 was lowered $1000 to $1995.  And if you want the SLI 80, order before Dec 31 to save $500, and get a free paint job of your choice.  Call for details.

New Stuff:
Got the new Audioengine 5+ speakers in and they are now breaking in on Airport Express.  20W minimum RMS /channel more power (50 W/ch, 125 W peak) and they come with a remote control now.
Got in a new shipment of Panamax surge and line conditioners:  M8-AV and M8-AV Pro.  Not only surge protection but over/under voltage protection as well, and series filters on the Pro version.
Also have the Oppo BDP 93 and 95 in stock.  I have limited backstock of the 93, and a 95 to demo.  I can get these within 2 days if I am out, but I try to stock these items.

Sales:
Audioengine 5 speakers in black are on sale-limited to stock on hand.  Now $299.00 rather than $349.00.  Only have 2 pairs left so get them soon.

Consignment:
Have a Sumo amp, an Adcom amp, some Healthkit Pro Audio speakers, Alesis powered speakers with data link, Acurus phonostage, Exactpower conditioner, and much more.

There will be a meeting of the Sierra Nevada Audiophile Society this weekend, Dec. 10, at 1:00 PM.  It will be held at Audio Experience, 1120 B Douglas Blvd., Roseville, CA.  Steve Lester, the Linn, Tannoy, and more representative will be giving an in depth talk on computer audio.  This talk will cover some of the basics but mostly be aimed at integration and use of servers and hard drives for music storage, with wireless/ wired networks and distribution systems.  Linn Majik and other systems will be demonstrated.  The main system will be the Cary 98P Preamp, the First Watt M2 or Soaring Audio A 600, Exemplar Audio 93, Bryston BDA 1, and Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers.
If you need any help please call me at 530-320-1576 or 916-742-5322.  See you there!

I recently received the new upgraded version of the JD9 Phonostage and plugged it into my system.  The upgrades included ESA Clarity caps, Hexfred diodes, better ceramic resistors, Tungsol 12AX7 Gold Pin, and a new application of carbon resistors.  As a side note the carbon resistors are not used in the signal path, but improve the sound anyway.
This phonostage is a gem in hiding.  It has the ability to make any table sound great.  Good solid bottom end, quiet, clean transients, very very musical and nonfatigueing.  I haven’t critically reviewed it yet, but I was so impressed with what I heard that I ordered one for my home system.  On the home unit I was able to get the recommended 30 ohm loading for my Transfiguration Axia cartridge installed by JoLida.  If you have a JD9-get it modified by JoLida.
The retail is $695 and worth every penny.

We have had a lot of new stock come in, and a lot of new computer audio gear as well.  We are also stocking a lot of the computer gear and some of the high end gear.
Here is a list of recently arrived gear:
Music Hall:  15.2 DAC, Epos Epic 1 speakers, USB 1 Turntable (huge improvement over the Fry’s/Best Buy junk)
JoLida:  Glass tube DAC (award winning), JD 1701 RC, JD 302CRC, JD9 upgraded (big diff over stock JD9)
LSA:  New .5 speakers in Rosewood, LSA 1 Statement in Black, and the LSA Standard Integrated Amp ( on sale)
Also Jon has some new Parasound gear (Classic), and the Tannoy rep (Steve Lester) keeps leaving speakers here, the DC8, and a Wharfdale Jade 3 set.

We are finally open.  We are still breaking in our new stuff-Parasound 2250 amp, Zpre2, LSA 1 Statements and LSA .5 speakers, the Magnapan MG 3.7′s, Bryston BP26, Bryston 4B SST Amp, and BDA-1 DA converter.  There is still some more on its way including an LSA Standard Integrated Amp.  We also have demo cable on its way from Straightwire.  Of course we are still doing the room tuning, but with the addition of wool carpets front and rear it really helped that out.  Art still needs to go on the walls, and a few more displays are still to go up.  Jon has a fair amount of Salamander furniture still at his old location that is coming in.  We also now have backstock on some gear such as the LSA speakers (only Rosewood), PS Audio P5, Audioengine speakers in A2 and A5, a lot of tweak items, and MIT cables.
Come over and check us out!

Diana and I went to RMAF earlier this month and had a great time.  It was great to see all of that gear, especially some that is soon to be released by my companies.
JoLida has redone their tube integrateds and phono stages with ESA Clarity caps, Hexfred diodes, new carbon resistors and new seramic resistors.  They were partnered with Von Schweikert Speakers and had two rooms.  I can say that adding the Winged C power tubes (EL34) to the JD 1000 and with the mods the sound was stunning.  Lots of depth and air with super tonality.  Also the new tube DAC was incredible-I am ordering that puppy soon.  They are also planning on a transport/DAC combo, and some other new additions soon to come.  BTW this is JoLida USA, not the chinese guys.
LSA room was as good as always.  I worked there on Friday with John Tucker as Brian had the stomach flu.  Great experience.  The new .5 I think is better than the LSA1 Standard.
Cary Audio, MIT, and Chapman Audio room was incredible.  Smooth, dynamic, and wonderfully detailed and rich to say the least.  MIT had their new FAT Oracle wire, along with the Cary CAD211 FD monoblocks.  Chapman Audio speakers are very good and I have made a note to look into those for down the road.
Another room that was singing was the Exemplar, Officion, Stillpoints room.  Officion speakers have a lot of slam and punch, yet are fairly efficient.  John Tucker’s gear sang, and some of the critics that heard it agreed.  His phono stage is one of the best I have heard, as are his preamps.  Power amp was an LSA Statement with 150W/ch.
I admit that I didn’t have time to see all of the rooms I wanted, but I hope this gives you an idea why this is the premire show for 2 channel in the US.  If you haven’t been-make it a point to go.  PS-Friday and Sunday are the two best days-least amount of people.