Show conditions usually make getting sufficient bass out of a system a real challenge. In the case of the ESP Concert Grand speakers ($40,000/pr), driven by Wavestream Kinetics V-8 tube amplification (300 watt monoblocks, as shown, $35,000, 150 watt stereo model, $20,000), the opposite appeared to be true. Even with the speakers about eight feet out from the wall behind them and a bevy of sound absorbing panels (they looked like widescreen Magneplaner panels, an irony not lost on me) the ESP were definitely coming on strong in the bass though they were in no way muddled.

If you've never seen ESP speakers, they look a lot like Magnepan 3.6 speakers from a certain angle. Inside, however, instead of a complex of magnetic planer and ribbons, you'll find conventional dynamic drivers. The Concert Grand are, effectively, dipole speakers, though they vent through their sides, not directly from the back. Their sound reminded me of the combination of openness and immediacy of the Audio Artistry Beethovens (exit for Memory Lane, two miles on left). ESP has substantially redesigned their ESP Concert Grand since I last heard them some five or six years ago, so I sat down.

They were spinning vinyl when I came in, or a rig consisting of a Brinkman Balance turntable (shout out to Bucky!) with a Lyra Titan cartridge feeding the Messenger phono preamp that in turn directly drove the Wavestream amps. I perused their selection of LPs and quickly pulled out a song from Ricky Lee Jones' self-titled first album that so many times left me adrift in a sea of revelry, "Last Chance Texaco."

The soundstage was deep and, more than alluring, it was magnetic. It didn't hurt that the Brinkman/Lyra/Messenger front end was totally (hey, I'm in L.A.) in control. Great sound from one of my favorite recordings, and I really enjoyed it.

He's not so scary in a pashmina, is he.

"It's an Installation Instruction"

"It's Both!"

Earthquake, the company that makes knock-yer-sox-off subwoofers dabbles in full range speakers too. Their smaller tower speakers, the Saturn Orbitals ($1,400/pr), did a fantastic job with a drum solo. I definitely thought its big brother was responsible for the dynamic and forceful presentation. Unfortunately, when I asked for some full range, fully instrumented music to be played, the results were less impressive.

I've heard the $4495/pair Von Schweikert Audio VR-4jr on four different occasions now, in four different rooms at three different shows, and their sound has consistently ranged from very good to superb. The same was true here. They're on the right in the photo. To the left is the larger, VR-5SE, which will set you back $18,000/pair. The VR-5SE did sound better—tighter, crisper, and better defined. But not four times better. Von Schweikert does make a suitable center channel and surrounds, but for front projection I'd be inclined to try three VR-4jrs across the front, perhaps turning the sub module on its side if needed for the system to clear the screen (the top mid/tweeter module separates from the woofers in the Watt/Puppy style, but is not available separately).

The folks from, Classic Records did announce new LP releases, as described by FM below. But they also announced the release of six new, audio only, 24-bit/96kHz DVDs (they call them HDADs). Playable on most DVD machines, these classical recordings originate from the old Everest label and were originally recorded on 35mm magnetic film. The photo shows the LP of one of them, but the cover art on the HDADs (which will be available this summer) should be the same. The kicker here is that the original recordings were 3-channel (left, right, center) and the same three discrete channels will be recorded on the discs. (RCA has provided enthusiasts with a similar service in their SACD releases of classic 3-channel recordings.)

Nola, the company formerly known as Alon/Acarion, introduced this LCR Reference center channel speaker at $2195. In the fashion of other Nola speakers, the midrange is open-backed. The mid and tweeter are arranged in a vertical array that should provide superior horizontal dispersion. The LCR Reference is also touted for left and right channel use.

OK, it's probably more fair to say I was "Disturbed" at the Ayre and Vandersteen room. Ayre's Steven Silberman was on a mission this weekend to prove to any doubters out there that zero feedback amplifiers and first-order loudspeakers can ROCK!

Ayre's zero-feedback, 300-Watt per channel MX-R monoblocks ($16,500/pr.) drove the Vandersteen Quatros to teeth-chattering, sanity-challenging levels. One of the CDs Steve bombarded me with was called "Disturbed." As I write this I'm still not certain if that moniker is the name of the band or the album, or if it describes the music itself or the personalities of the band's members (or all of the above). All I do know is it makes System of a Down sound like dainty chamber music in comparison.

Rounding out the system were Ayre's K-1xe preamp ($8600 w/onboard phono), the Ayre C-5xe stereo universal disc player ($6K) and an SME Model 20/2 ($13,500 w/arm) turntable with a Lyra Skala cartridge ($2500).

Vandersteen Quatros start at $7K/pr., but as shown here in a wood-clad version are $10K/pr. Both versions are time-and-phase coherent, and eack speaker houses a 250W powered sub with dual 8" woofers. Vandersteen makes a variety of center and surround speakers as well as outboard powered subs.

Although I've focused on the dynamic slam and punch-in-the-guts power this system meted out, with less agressive musical selections it also exhibited all the staggering imaging, inner detail and immediate, natural sound I've come to associate with both Ayre Acoustics and Vandersteen Audio (and yeah, my own reference system does use Vandersteen speakers and source components from Ayre).

No, high-end audio isn't an inexpensive game to play. But the return on investment is beyond measure for those who value music as much as movies.

Packing day, Sunday, before breakfast. My only disappointment with the show lies in the paucity of true home theater experiences. You'd think that in La-La land, movies would be high on the list of priorities for the exhibitors. Or maybe everyone in LA already HAS a home theater (duh!) and they're trying to reintroduce stereo. Next big thing. It's Hot!

Allen Perkins of Immedia is shown here with the new Allegria speakers from Sonics, a newish speaker company founded by the man who formerly founded and designed some highly regarded speakers for Audio Physic, Joachim Gerhard.

As you can see the Allegria uses a ribbon tweeter, and sports a gorgeous, furniture grade finish that might just convince your wife that she can live with floorstanding speakers out in the room.

Although the dmeonstration here was two-channel only, the Sonics line will eventually incorporate a center channel, and perhaps even surrounds. After hearing the clean and open sound these speakers made here I can't wait.

Oh yeah, other than that oddly uncomfortable beach volleyball scene and the Kenny Loggins music, we all love Top Gun.

Thanks to ScreenUsed you can decorate your home (yikes!) or home theater with the very helmet that the diminutive Maverick himself actually wore and sweated in during filming!

UAV's Fred Manteghian and Shane Buettner hard at work searching for video far and wide.

Our esteemed editor Thomas Norton has the right plate for the job.

Another ask-the-editors session, this one about improving your home theater, was full of sage advice and even a few pretty good one-liners. We made it through almost 40 minutes of give and take until someone asked us which high definition disc format was better, Blu-ray or HD-DVD. Bottom line, we're not sure. The only thing about which we all agree, however, is that this format war stinks for everybody.

Here in L.A., the seminar rooms have been "right-sized" compared to the ones in New York which often seemed empty. With the exception of a few seats up front, we had a full house and even a few that stood for the whole hour. Speaking on behalf of the other editors at Ultimateavmag, I can say that we really enjoy our annual "reality checks" with our readers and thank you again for coming.

Fans of "The Office" would recognize Melora Hardin in a heartbeat as Jan, Michael's boss. "Monk" fans think of her as Trudy #2. And if you're addicted to "Gilmore Girls," the just completed season had Melora playing what we all hope will be a regular role on the series. Bet you didn't know she was an amazing singer though, did you?

Dressed in a red dress and pulling from a bag of props with accessories to fit each song (like a raincoat and rain hat that made her look as if she'd stepped out of Humphrey Bogart movie), torch singer Melora Hardin drenched us in a series of playful and sensual numbers that left the audience wrapped around her little finger.

I met her briefly after the show when she signed CDs for her newly converted throng of fans and she is even more charming up close.

Here's lookin' at you, kid.

Thiel's eagerly anticipated CS3.7 was on display and playing music, with the help of Audio Research tube gear and power by Richard Gray's Power Company.

The room was small, but Thiel's hallmark openness, clarity and inner detail were easy to hear.

Thiel makes a wide array of center and surround speakers, and some of the most advanced subs on the market.

Although no official date is yet established for the CS3.7 to go into full production, I'm already pushing for a surround sound system built around this speaker for review when available.

INDIANAPOLIS June 2, 2006 – For $499, the new RCA HDV5000 HD DVD player is shipping to retailers. The player outputs HD-DVD in either 720p or 1080i output via HDMI and upconverts standard DVDs to either 720p or 1080i via its HDMI interface as well. Audio features include built-in multichannel decoders for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD (2 channel), DTS and DTS-HD (5.1 channel) through either the HDMI interact or a S/PDIF output.