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Jim Hannon: Vizio VM60P 60-inch plasma HDTV
 Certainly, two of the best bargains at the show were the 60-inch Vizio plasma for under $3,000 or the Vizio 47-inch LCD for only $1700. This kind of display quality at these prices is simply remarkable. Bravo!
Scott Wilkinson: Vizio VM60P 60-inch plasma HDTV
Vizio has done it again, introducing yet another screamin’ deal. The VM60P is a 60-inch plasma with 1366x768 resolution for $3000. You read right—a 60-inch plasma for three grand. And with Vizio’s rep for quality, it’s likely to be $3000 well spent. |
Arnie Williams: Hitachi 50-inch plasma HDTV
At this particular show, I have to say the 50-inch Hitachi HD 1080 plasma for a hair below $2500 takes the prize. Even though the set sports 1280X1080 resolution, rather than 1920x1080, this set will open the door to high-def plasma for many consumers due to its breakthrough price. And some fancy behind-the-scenes technology still has the set providing more than 1.3 million pixels. The set’s image at the booth where it was on display was eye-popping and the announced price was more eye-popping still.
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Chris Martens: Definitive Technlogy Mythos ST loudspeaker
Definitive Mythos ST, which combines the sleek good looks of a polished, well-executed “lifestyle” product with the revealing, sophisticated sound of legitimate high-end contenders that have been designed up to performance standard—not down to a price. Rarely have components this pretty managed to sound this good, and at such down-to-earth prices.
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Christopher Jones: RCA Small Wonder
There are several companies that have recently introduced super-easy-to-use camcorders, and RCA’s Small Wonder is a great example of the new breed. It has built-in software for compressing and uploading video clips to the Web, or sending via email, and it connects directly to a TV for viewing. The individual clips can be easily transferred to a computer via the built-in sliding USB arm, and it has 60 minutes of (flash memory) recording time, which can be expanded further with an SD (Secure Digital) memory card. With a flip out 1.5-inch LCD display, you can playback clips right on the camera, and watch the action as you shoot. The price for all of this goodness? $129. Seems like a steal for something that you could use everyday, and put in your kids’ hands to operate just as easily.
Stewart Wolpin: PowerStick emergency power supply
PowerStick, the best emergency power for portable gadgets we've seen. It looks like a USB jump drive, but instead of flash memory it has a lithium ion battery inside. You stick the Stick into any USB port to charge it, then stick the other end into a dying cell phone or music player using the appropriate interchangeable tip for refueling. As opposed to single-use fuel cells or rechargers that use alkaline batteries that must be constantly replaced, the Powerstick (spring, $49) can be recharged up to 500 times -- that's just 10 cents a charge.
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Wayne Garcia: Benz Micro cartridge
Benz Micro— a $195 low-output moving-coil that brings high-end analog sound and technology down to true “bargain” status.
Neil Gader: Shanling A3000 integrated amplifier
Bargain doesn’t have to mean little–at least not when you’re shopping for a Shanling! The new A3000 integrated line stage amplifier is a righteously massive aluminum slab of 260Wpc magnificence. Shanling adds a sense of fun with hybrid inputs–tubes for unbalanced inputs, solid state for balanced. Perfect for putting those golden eared colleagues through their paces–and who when they hear that the A3000 costs only $1595 will understand why they can’t wipe that smile off your face.
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Robert Harley: Sonus Faber Elipsa
 It pains me to name a $20k loudspeaker Best Bargain, but there’s no other way to describe the new Sonus Faber, a half-the-price descendent of Sonus Faber’s Stradiavius. The sound was stunningly beautiful—open, tuneful, detailed without etch—and produced an immediate sense of involvement. |
Alan Taffel: Boulder 865 Integrated Amplifier
Get this: you could buy a pair of Boulder 850 monoblocks plus an 810 preamp for a total of nearly $17,000, or, come March, you could buy the new 865 integrated amp with the exact internal modules for under $10,000. Sound like a deal to you? It does to me, too.
You may be giving up separate power supplies (important) and chassis (less important) but you won't be giving up Boulder's long experience in perfecting solid state amplifier design, nor flourishes such as the noiseless, optically activated, fully discreet volume control. With 150 watts/channel on tap and the ability to handle both balanced and single-ended sources, the 865 should appeal to a wide swath of cost and sound conscious buyers.
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