September 12, 2009: Part 2
All prices in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

Audioengine is well known for their inexpensive powered speakers, but the new P4 is passive, meaning you'll have to supply an amp (recommended amplifier power is 10-125W). The P4 is a two-way design that is 9"H x 5.5"W x 6.5"D and uses a 0.75" silk-dome tweeter along with a 4" woofer that has a Kevlar cone. The P4 is priced at $249 per pair in satin black or high-gloss white, and $325 per pair when made from solid carbonized bamboo (as shown above).

Classé Audio introduced the new CT-SSP surround-sound preamplifier-processor that's said to be identical to their SSP-800 processor, except that it comes in a custom-install-type chassis that's suitable for rack mounting. Even the price is the same: $8000. The CT-SSP, and the SP-800 for that matter, support Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio surround-sound processing. Both units have four HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs that are 1.3 compliant and deep-color capable.

This rather nondescript rectangular box is Wisdom Audio's new $4000 SCS powered sub. The SCS stands for "suitcase sub." The understated appearance is deliberate -- the company has designed it to either be used standing or on its side, to perhaps put it behind a sofa or under it. The port, which is positioned on the front on the unit shown above, can actually be moved to either of the two sides. All of the SCC's inputs and controls are on the backside.

B&W showed a prototype of their new $4500 DB1 subwoofer that will be available in December. The DB1 has two 12" Rohacell-cone drivers in a "balanced drive" configuration that's said to cancel out cabinet vibration. Inside there is a 1000W class-D amplifier as well as a digital-signal processing section. B&W rates the DB1's frequency response as 17Hz-145Hz, +/- 3dB.

Terra, which is located in Maine, makes outdoor speakers that are said to be able to withstand rain, snow, ice and even salt -- the kind of things that a speaker located outside in the northern Uniteds States and all of Canada would be subjected to. Terra showed their new two-way AC.17e that has dual ACAD ceramic-cone woofers and a 1.1" titanium-dome tweeter, all housed in a weatherproof cabinet, of course.

Do you remember the Aragon and Acurus brands from the past? If you don't, you're forgiven. If you do, you're at least as old as we are. The brands were originally owned by Mondial Designs Ltd. and were bought by Klipsch in 2001. In the '80s and '90s, their products became well known for being good sounding, moderately priced and well built. Indy Audio Labs, a company made up of former Klipsch engineers, acquired Aragon and Acurus from the Klipsch Group earlier this year and now service all Aragon and Acurus product models. According to their representative at CEDIA, they are currently assessing the market demand and determining if they will bring new designs out.