September 11, 2009: Part 1
All prices in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

Simaudio showed the new Moon 300D, the company's first standalone DAC. The 300D's back panel has single-ended and balanced outputs as well as four digital inputs: one optical, one USB and two coaxial. The optical and coaxial inputs support input streams up to 24-bit/192kHz. [www.simaudio.com]

Simaudio also showed the new Moon 400M mono amplifier that's said to deliver 400W into 8 ohms and 600W into 4 ohms. The 400M is $3000 and has balanced and single-ended inputs. [www.simaudio.com]

JBL introduced the Project K2 S9900 loudspeaker, a uniquely configured three-way design that uses two compression drivers to cover the midrange and extreme highs (4" and 1", both made from magnesium), and a 15" pulp-cone dynamic driver to deliver bass. The crossover points are at about 900Hz and 15kHz. That means the topmost driver is operating not as a tweeter, but as a supertweeter. The K2 S9900 is priced at $30,000 per pair.

For those of us who can't afford the K2 S9900 (most of us), there's JBL's new LS series consisting of three main speakers, one center-channel, and one sub. From left to right are the (prices are per speaker): LS80 ($1499), LS60 ($1099), LS40 ($699), LS Center ($799), and LS120 ($1099). The LS80 is a three-and-a-half-way design, while the LS60, LS40, and LS Center are three-ways. The main speakers are all said to use true compression drivers for the midrange and highs.

For those who like to take their time in the bathroom, MB Quart has the HiddenReflections-series waterproof TV screens. Shown above is a 10" screen installed in a shower (about $1200). Around the corner they showed. . .

. . . the HiddenReflections TV Mirror installed over a bathroom sink, complete with a waterproof remote!