For hailing an ÜberFi cab, Soulution of Switzerland can always be relied upon. This year that ride takes us to their new 727 preamplifier whose talking points versus the predecessor are ~20dB less noise, bandwidth exploded to 20MHz (!), an extra 20dB of common mode rejection, an extra 30dB of channel separation to 127dB and "distortion that's not measurable". The 727 again runs a ladder of precision metal-foil resistors upon which briefly overlays a PGA on-chip solution to avoid audible clicks during volume changes. Being fit for a queen means €55'000; plus €9'500 for the optional phono card. That also gets us 3 x XLR inputs, 2 x RCA, 2 x XLR outputs and one RCA. As to phase shift at 20kHz, expect just 0.2°. That's what extreme bandwidth buys. New for the same catalogue is the 757 phonostage; or deemphasis preamplifier in Soulution speak. Its talking points are CMR of better than 125dB, 20MHz bandwidth and no more than ±0.1dB deviation from the RIAA curve. The device can handle MM/MC, DS Audio optical cartridges as well as direct tape-head outputs. With -60dB to +80dB volume adjustments in 1dB steps, this machine may connect directly to a power amplifier. Its class A output stage is -3dB/20MHz "to drive even long cables with ease".

Soundaware of China would be crazy not to bring their new DAM1 Reference DAC whose four-pin power socket connects to either a classic linear power supply; or a super-cap variant with built-in D300Ref-type USB purifier. 16 different dip-switch settings pin-configure the HDMI wiring for I²S and Soundaware's proprietary FPGA processor will handle native 1-bit DSD, support up to DSD256, process PCM NOS style or apply upsampling.

sound|kaos from Switzerland don't have anything new ready since their last attendance. So they won't be at the Marriott for a change. The not inconsiderable savings will sink into product development instead. There are numerous very interesting items coming down their pike which we can't talk about yet. But Martin Gateley "will have a snoop around the shows to meet a few people and see if there's anything new and exciting". If you were hoping to meet up, exchange phone numbers now and organize it.

Soundsmith of America will go where only Brinkmann and Schiit have gone before: let us replace vacuum tubes with plug'n'play transistors. "The Mostube One is a long-lived solid-state replacement for the most popular power tubes featuring extreme stability, automatic matching, no adjustments, tube-type 2nd-harmonic flavor and an automatic 30-50% power increase. Replaces 6550, KT66 through KT150, EL34, 6L6 and more."

spl of Germany will bring their new Phonitor 3 [€2'599], an ambitious DAC/pre/headfi 3-in-1 with 120V power rails, adjustable crossfeed, soundstage angle/width, stereo/mono and more.

Stenheim of Switzerland will unveil their Alumine 2.5 [€23.5K/pr]. If nomen est omen rules, we'd expect this to be a 2.5-way floorstanding version of their compact Alumine 2 monitor. Alas, without X-ray vision to penetrate that protective sleeve, we'd not know until show day. Thankfully our X-rated vision is intact. We see that it is a front-ported design of 94.5x23x27.5cm HxWxD dimensions, 40kg/ea., dual 6.5" mid/woofers and 93dB efficiency. Amazing what one can deduce from just looking at things. Just kidding. There was a press release helping us.

For lovers of deluxe finishes and exclusive features, Serbia's Supreme-Analog have their Tangenta DB Eternal 12-inch tonearm in rose-gold finish and with diamond bearings.

TAD of Japan will bring their D700 reference disc player with outboard power supply. Naturally the machine plays both CD and SACD but also features coax and AES/EBU inputs to act as external DAC. Combined this two-chassis digital front end weighs 40.5kg like a powerful amplifier. Whoever said that CD was dead was smoking bad weed.

TAGA Harmony of Poland will premiere their Platinum v.4 speaker range across five models with magnetically attached grills, high-end internal damping materials, die-cast feet, different vinyl finishes, concave diffuser-loaded ports, pure titanium tweeters, aluminium cones and crossovers by Arek Ogrodnik.

Celebrating their 140th (!) year in business, Thorens of Germany will present their new Reference turntable priced "between the Airforce Zero and Nagra Reference" and designed by Helmut Thiele. Active vibration isolation is from Germany's Seismion exploiting piezoelectric acceleration sensors in a system called sky-hook damping. This collaborates with an adaptive leveling system with 20µm tolerance.  The three-phase synchronous belt-drive motor is powered by three linear amplifiers with 120° phase-shifted signals. The bearing is a hydrodynamic type. The speed controller is based on two precision quartz oscillators with a claimed 3ppm max deviation over 20 years. The table can be fitted with up to three bases to suit tonearms from 9" to 12".

Thorens also revived their dipole panel speaker from 40 years ago with the new SoundWall HP 600 3-way open baffle designed by Joachim Gerhard of Audio Physic and Süsskind fame. 12 x 5" woofers for aggregate 17" diameter cone area meet a d'Appolito MTM array whose tweeter doubles to the rear to continue the dipole radiation. Useful bandwidth is a claimed 30-28'000Hz at 95dB/1W/1m sensitivity. Weight is a manageable 40kg, dimensions are 125 x 60 x 16cm HxWxD.

Tidal Audio of Germany have their new Contriva G3 4-driver rear-ported 3-way statement with "new exclusive drive units with diaphragms of diamond, black ceramic and carbon fibre. Our Tiralit cabinet tech is covered in piano lacquers and embedded with polished stainless-steel elements."