Salon Son & Image 2011 - Montreal, Canada

Denmark's Dynaudio has just released the Confidence C1 Signature loudspeaker, an upgraded version of the regular Confidence C1 model. The C1 Signature features upgraded drivers, crossover parts, and  . . .

. . . a fancy backplate that has Wilfried Erhenholz's (Dynaudio's founder) signature engraved on it. The C1 Signature sells for $8300 per pair and comes in Mocca and Bordeaux real-wood-veneer finishes. In addition to the C1, Dynaudio will also offer the C2, C4, and Center Signature models that all come with ten-year warranties.

Luxman's new 12Wpc SQ-N10 NeoClassico integrated amplifier-DAC looks very cool. The SQ-N10 has a built-in DAC and comes with a digital iPod dock (meaning that it can extract the digital signal from the iPod to allow D-to-A conversion in the SQ-N10's internal DAC). The SQ-N10 will sell for $3500 when it's available in June.

Luxman's DA-200 DAC, preamp, and headphone amp also looks pretty sweet. The D-to-A section is centered around a Burr-Brown PCM1792A 24-bit/192kHz DAC chip, while the analog preamplifier and headphone-amplifier stages are said to be pure class A. The DA-200 will also be available in June for a retail price of $2900.

Son & Image marked the Canadian debut of Monitor Audio's GX-series loudspeakers that has trickle-down technology from their top-of-the-line Platinum series. Shown above is the largest main speaker in the line, the GX 300, which is a three-way design that sells for $5495 and has, like all the GS models, a ribbon tweeter. The GX line has in it two bookshelf models (GX 50 and GX 100), a smaller floorstander (GX 200), one surround (GX FX), and . . .

. . . and two center-channels (GX C150 and GX 350). The larger of the two centers, the GX 350 (above), is a three-way design that sells for $1695.

Canada's Oracle is a legend when it comes to turntables. Oracle showed their new Paris turntable that is built entirely in Canada and comes in red, black, and white painted finishes. The Paris is priced at $3150 for the table alone. Oracle is also offering a modified version of the Pro-Ject 9cc tonearm for $950. If the 'table and 'arm are bought together, the price is $4000. There is also a Paris moving-coil cartridge that sells for $1150. If the 'table, 'arm, and cartridge are bought as a package, the total price is $5000.

Fully fleshing out the Oracle Paris line is the new phono stage that sells for $1495 and is, of course, available in the same finishes as the Paris turntable.

The UK's ProAc showed their new D40 loudspeaker, a two-way design that features a ribbon tweeter and two carbon-fiber mid-woofers. ProAc says the D40 has a sensitivity of 90dB (1W/1m) and is capable of bass extension to 20Hz. The D40 sells for $12,000 per pair and is available in the following real-wood-veneer finishes: Black Ash, Mahogany, Cherry, and Maple. Optional Bird's Eye Maple and Ebony finishes are also available for an extra cost.

Canada's Raysonic show their new two-chassis 2 preamplifer and . . .

. . . 26 mono amplifier that are part of their top-of-the-line Reference series. The 26 uses 12 Russian 7591AEH tubes and is said to deliver 180Wpc. The 2 retails for $11,500 and the 26 retails for $16,500 per pair. The construction looks extremely impressive . . .

. . . and this rear shot shows the level of detail that extends to the back. The 2 and 26 support singled-ended and balanced connections.

We never knew what T+A stood for until today -- Theory and Application. Germany's T+A showed their new Music Receiver that's part of their E series and is based on their existing Power Plant and Music Server components. The Music Receiver is rated to deliver 160Wpc into 4 ohms and has a CD transport, built-in D/A converter, five digital inputs, three analog inputs, FM tuner, Internet Radio support, and a wealth of other features too numerous to mention. The Music Receiver has a list price of $4200 and will be available in April.

This new Voxativ Ampeggio single-driver loudspeaker comes from Germany with a pretty hefty price tag, $29,750 per pair, along with a pretty spiffy high-gloss paint finish courtesy of Schimmel Pianos, which is also from Germany. Voxativ claims the Ampeggio's sensitivity is 101dB (1W/1m) and the impedance is 10 ohms, meaning that this speaker should mate well with really low-powered tube amps.

Joseph Audio showed a pretty spectacular-sounding loudspeaker that made our Best of Montreal 2011 list. It's called Perspective and is a two-and-a-half-way design that features technology from their top-of-the-line Pearl2 model and Joseph's patented Infinite Slope crossover technology. There are two 5.5" magnesium-cone woofers and a 1" Sonatex-dome tweeter, both custom-made by SEAS of Norway. The Perspective sells for $11,800 and the company is aiming to have it available by June.