CES 2016

Clearaudio introduced the new Innovation Basic turntable in importer Musical Surroundings' room at CES.

The new 'table features an aluminum Panzerholz wood sandwich plinth, custom optically controlled DC motor system, POM platter and magnetically levitated ceramic ball-based bearing system. Cost is $6000 without arm.

What is an "DSD-capable" turntable? Sony's new HX500 turntable incorporates a high quality A/D converter capable of operating at 192/24 bit resolution or native DSD (5.6Mhz).

Acoustic Signature's new Challenger Mk3 turntable, like all Acoustic Signature 'tables, is all about the mass.

VAC's Kevin Hayes introduced the new Renaissance phono preamplifier at CES 2016 that costs one-fifth as much as the top-of-the-line Statement, which made its debut at CES 2013.

Audio Desk Systeme and its USA agent Ultra Systems, Inc. announced at CES 2016 the Vinyl Cleaner PRO, the next generation, upgraded edition of its ultrasonic LP cleaning machine, reviewed here.

So much nonsense and bitching posted on the Internet about this new turntable, with people claiming it's an SL-1200 Mk2 re-introduction but at a much higher price.

Vacuum Tube Logic (VTL) introduced at CES 2016 the new 2.5i preamplifier. Priced at $3000, the all-tube design is far less costly than the TL 5.5 but, according to VTL's Luke Manley, the new preamp gives up very little in terms of sound quality and features.