May 21, 2009: Part 1
All prices in euros (€) unless otherwise noted. At time of report, 1 € is approximately 1.37 US dollars.

Leben's new retro-chic three-tube RS100 line-level preamplifier is hand-wired and features a direct input that bypasses all switches and controls except volume. The price is TBA.

Wireworld's new Platinum Eclipse interconnects retail for $3000 USD for a one-meter pair. Behind the Platinum Eclipse is Wireworld's Starlight 5² USB cable, which is priced at $99 USD for a one-meter length. According to David Salz, president and chief designer of Wireworld, the most important design goal of a high-end USB cable is to pass a square wave intact.

Triangle debuted the new Magellan Quatuor SE loudspeaker, which features front- and rear-firing horn-loaded tweeters that operate in bipole fashion. The company says that the Magellan will reach to 33Hz, +/-3dB. The Quatuor retails for 12,000 € per pair.

System Audio showed the XP30, a small floorstanding speaker that is sure to fit unobtrusively into a small room. The three-driver, two-way XP30, which retails for 1000 € per pair, incorporates two 4" woofers with a 1" soft-dome tweeter.

Furutech displayed two new analog-related products at High End 2009. Above is the Monza LP stabilizer, which the company claims to be a "pure transmission piezo ceramic carbon" product. It incorporates nano-sized ceramic particles and powdered carbon, and it is said to have superior electrical- and mechanical-damping properties. The Monza retails for 480 €. [www.furutech.com]

Furutech also showed the La Source phono-lead wires, which retail for 280 € per set. [www.furutech.com]