Yes, it's two-channel only, but we wouldn't be surprised if the high efficiency VL Digital amplifier technology in the new A-9555 integrated amplifier (100Wpc into 8 ohms, 200Wpc into 4) won't find its way into future Onkyo and Integra home theater components. In fact, the press releases says it will. And at $699.99 (August availability) it's cheaper than most digital amp designs that have any high quality ambitions. Onkyo also intriduced a new audiophile CD player, the DX-7555 ($599/March). A new CD player from any Japanese manufacturer is a hot story these days.

HP becomes the second manufacturer (Samsung being the other) to announce a rear peojection DLP high definition television using the new Photonic Lattice (PhlatLight) technology that makes use of LED elements instead of the usual projection lamp. The 52-inch (diagonal) HP ID5286 is expected to ship in August at $2800 expected retail. Advantages are claimed to be longer life than a projection lamp, instant on/off, richer color saturation, and no color breakup (rainbows) because the sequential red, green, and blue illumination operates much faster than the mechanical color wheel it replaces. The set uses a wobulated chip offering 1080p resolution, with direct input capability for 1080p sources.

Late Thursday I made it over to Sony's Blu-ray demo theater display, where I was treated to the most extensive Blu-ray demo I've yet seen. Sony had a demo BD that was put together to show off not only clips from many popular films (Spider-Man 2, Chronicles of Narnia and the digitally animated Chicken Little among others) but also the first look at BD's dynamic interactivity.

MBL had some great sound in their room. Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" left me with goose bumps and Leonard Cohen's baritone vibrated through my being. While a playing of the "1812 Overture" was meant to highlight the dynamic abilities of the system (the demonstration only partially succeeded in this), I still find that these big speakers are at their best with more minimalist music, imparting the human voice, that violin of the gods, with a sweetness and believability that is rarely captured.

The system, composed of the MBL Reference line speakers mbl 101E ($46,900 / pr) and monoblock mbls 9011 amps ($73,200 / pr), mbl 6010 preamp ($19,000), mbl 1621 transport ($19,000) and mbl 1611 dac ($21,000), all run with Tara Omega speaker cables ($10K/pr) and Tara Zero digital cable ($6,000) and Zero interconnects ($14,000 / pair). And you need a couple of pair of interconnects too, so this stuff starts to add up big time. You do the math. If I had this kind of money, I'd pay off my mortgage first.

The great thing about the Home Entertainment shows is the accessibility of great music. Seeing the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet at normal concert venue would find me with the typical seating I procure for paid events – somewhere near the back of the room. But with a little planning and penchant for arriving early, I just enjoyed four of the worlds most accomplished guitarists from the front row. I left invigorated and inspired to go home and try some of the techniques exhibited (beating on my guitar like a drum seems like one of the techniques I might be able to perfect). Telarc recording artists LAGQ hung around after the show at Telarc booths, with Sweet Amanda Sweet, signing autographs for their fans.

Kam M. Leung, designer of the Master 3 speaker from Focus Audio beamed proudly when he I told him music seemed to float between his massive speakers without clinging to them. The center image was stable, deep and just there. At $20,000 / pr, they're not a casual purchase, but if you're at the show, stop in and hear them. Ask Kam to play the cut from Neils Lofgrin: Acoustic Live. It's to die for.