LATEST ADDITIONS

The preshow buzz was palpable. Is Altec Lansing really back? With a new planar loudspeaker?

Jeff Coates of Harmonia Distribution presented several systems in its two-room suite in Rockville.

Tom Vu brought a complete Triangle Art system to CAF, with his trademark gold-encrusted turntables at the center of the room—not one, not two, but three! Vu sold the most expensive turntable while I was away fetching coffee.

As a frequent visitor to the High Water Sound rooms of Jeffrey Catalano, I know to look at the records even before I look at the rig. Catalano always brings records I don't know but must own after hearing them in his room.

In addition to their showing in the Democracy room, Command Performance AV brought two US debut products to room 305: the J.Sikora Aspire turntable with the CF9 tonearm ($10,595) and the Innuos Stream3 music streamer with optional PhoenixDAC board ($12,600), which turns it into a fully fledged streaming music player.

Gary Dews of BorderPatrol Audio Electronics and Pete Grzybowski of Triode Wire Labs are old hands at audio shows, yet they bring the zeal of energetic newbie pups. Then again, there's nothing "newbie" about Dews's new BorderPatrol Zola DAC ($3950).

Lone Mountain Audio's Leland Leard brought a compact but mighty rig to Maryland, including an ATC CDA2 Mk2 Preamp/DAC/CD unit ($5499), Innuos ZENith Next-Gen server ($21,700), Innuos PhoenixNET switch ($4800; $3840 bundled with ZENith), and the US debut of the ATC Classic Series SCM20ASL active loudspeakers ($10,999/pair, standard finish).