Whats your "best of CES 2008"

I think the Wadia iPod dock that allowed TRUE digital output was likely the greatest inovation. Bel Canto is working on a similar unit, this is the first time outside of MSB's mod to the iPod that it could actually be used as a good server.

stuff in the VAS room

The Wadia Dock was indeed impressive this allows you to purchase a state of the art Music Server and DAC from Wadia for just over $4,400.00. So ditto. I will be evaluating this unit in my shop when it becomes available to verify if the unit sounds good or not.

Resolution Audio also as an amazing CD front end. The Opus 21 which is a great CD player now will morph into a streaming receiver so you can store your music on your computer and the stream to the fabulous DAC's in the CD player and at the same time if you must want to play a single un stored cd you can, and with a wifi interface you can control the piece via a Ipod or Iphone. Way cool.

The demo in the Vivid/Luxman room was mind blowing, fast, effortless, dynamic with stunning realism.

The new Manly Stingray with a built in IPod dock and RF remote was fantastic sounding, and with the best set of features I have ever seen, and reasonably priced.

The new Proclaim speakers were awesome with a full Cary rig, this was a joy to listen to and the price of the system was way less than what many others were using.

The Merrill turntable was amazing no surface noise present, with an amazing set of design attributes at a reasonable price for a reference table the $8,000.00 MS 2 shares almost all the technology of its big brother. Also the baby Kuzma table at $3,500.00 sounded a lot like its bigger $30,000.00 brother which was better but the baby Kuzma is a steal!

The Synergistic Tesla demo was also a standout. The Tube based Enigma power supply looked amazing. The system with the Active shielding turned off sounded okay, when the units were turned back on the sound stage was amazing with sounds floating in space with a liquidity that made the system a joy to listen to.

The Volent speakers from Hong Kong were both affordable and very impressive. Volent makes their own world class ribbon tweeters, the VL 3 uses a ribbon which goes up to 100k effortlessly, and then uses a fast 3 inch Jordan midrange crossed over to the famous ATC 7 inch titanium woofer to handle the bass. This is the same one used by Magico in the first mini. For $9600.00 this speaker put to shame many really expensive speakers and the Vl 3 is very narrow.

if sound is the criteria, there was only one speaker which presented music in the least unrealistic manner.

i heard all of the so-called great speakers, including, emerald physics, coincident, eventus audio, hansen, dali, magico--need i say more ? compared to the roger sanders hynbrid electrostatic panel, they all sounded ersatz and electronic.

from 400 hz on up, what you hear is so pure, with timbre that reminds you that you are listening to an instrument , rather than a recording.

all others paled in comparison.

Roger Sanders new Innersound was one of the best. King Sound electrostatic speaker from China was great. Evolution acoustics was good. Vandersteen 5A was good. Burmeister had boomy bass. Magico was terrible.