January 23 - From iPod and PC speakers to loudspeakers above $12,000, CES 2008 was an audio extravaganza. Here’s where you’ll find in-depth reports straight from the editors you count on at The Absolute Sound. Click below to read the reports and see which gear took the cake for Best of Show 2008.

Chris Martens on affordable loudspeakers
Paul Seydor on mid-priced loudspeakers
Neil Gader on solid-state amps, preamps, and integrated amps
Robert Harley on disc players, transports, and DACs
Alan Taffel on “next-gen� audio
Dick Olsher on tubed gear
Jim Hannon on turntables, arms, cartridges, and phonostages
Jonathan Valin on high-end loudspeakers

Check out our Best of Show from CES 2008

January 23 - If the number of new introductions of turntables, tonearms, cartridges, and phonostages at CES and THE Show is any indication, analog playback is alive and well. The sheer number of significant releases in each category was amazing and coupled with a host of new vinyl releases and reissues, analog is looking healthier than it has for a long time. Click below to read my reports from CES.

Turntables, Part 1
Turntables, Part 2
Tonearms
Phono Cartridges
Phonostages
Jim Hannon’s Best of Show

Next: Turntables, Part 1

By Dick Olsher 

January 23 - It was gratifying to discover that interest in tube audio has not only remained strong year-to-year, but judging from the number of rooms with tube products, appears to be surging at every imaginable price point. A case in point is the release by TEAC Esoteric, a leader in digital technology, of a stereo tube amplifier. “Why a tube product, and why now?� are questions I raised during the Esoteric press function. The official answer was that these decisions were driven by market interest and demand. Click below to read more about the Esoteric A-100 and other tube gear on display at CES 2008.

Tube Gear From:
TEAC Esoteric, LAMM, Trulife Audio, and PrimaLuna
EveAnna Manley, Audio Research, WAVAC Audio Lab, Cary Audio Design
Wavelength Audio, Western Electric, AcousticPlan, Atma-Sphere
Valve Amp Co, VTL, Profundo, Viva Audio, Pathos, Nightingale, Union Research
Dick Olsher’s Best of Show

Next: TEAC Esoteric, LAMM, Trulife Audio, and PrimaLuna

December 12 - In the most recent installment documenting Robert Harley’s exploration of the world of Chinese audio, Robert Harley visits the source the Chinese hi-fi world, the manufacturers’ factories themselves.

This detailed glimpse into their world is both fascinating and informative.  Check out the story here.

Read the first installment of Robert Harley’s trip to China: The GuangZhou Hi-Fi Show

Read the second installment of Robert harley’s trip to China: The World’s Number One Audiophile

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