Scott-Nixon has been all up in that modding game for years now and here he is with the damn cheap $475 usbtd. Basically, he took one of his Tube DACs and brought in a custom I2S USB solution for the cleanest signal path. USB + Tube DAC = usbtd, get it?

There will be a USB version of the Chibi DAC by the end of February for people who like the sound of $250. The Chibi DAC is a Tube DAC sans tube. The chassis is, as Scott describes, "First offered in the terribly exotic and rare ABS plastic enclosure." I love it. Later on, he'll have a full metal chassis for an additional price. You can also upgrade your little usbtd with a separate power supply for $125. (Thanks Dennis for the tip!)

We don't normally cover stuff like this, but patent documents from none other than Apple are just too cool not to post. If you haven't heard the rumors, Apple is considering dumping the physical scroll wheel for a virtual wheel right on the screen. So your iPod would now have one big screen on the entire front (3.5") and when you twirled your finger on the surface, a virtual wheel appears.

Pictures of the iPod version are on the next page. Above seems to be the long rumored Apple tablet, aka the greatest remote control ever. Via Gizmodo.

Say hello to the new kid on the block! American Wired is an internet magazine doing the high-end audio game but with a distinctly anti-audio establishment angle. Talking with Ian White of American Wired, he expressed a sentiment akin to, "it's about the music, stupid." Heck, yeah, that's why AW offers more reviews of music, movies and other interesting audio-related subjects rather than the typical slew of hardware reviews.

In their first issue, you'll see coverage of The New Pornographers, Bob Dylan, Bombay Dub Orchestra, King Kong, Fiona Apple, Capote as well as gear from DeVore, Cain and Cain, Wavelength, Denon, and this little company called Apple. And that's only the beginning.

Naturally, AW's goal is to provide a home for the next generation of audiophiles, feeding our craze for movies and music while giving us the killer gear to go with it. Great concept and we wish them the best of luck in reaching out to the next gen. Check them out!

And now, a tweak. Reviewing machine Bob Levi over at PFO takes a look at the Quantum Physics Noise Disrupter. With a name like that, how can you not be interested? Simply, the Disrupter is a big black sponge for EMI interference. Stick it on top of your gear and it sucks away nasty electrical interference, no cables required. Numerous products claim to tame EMI but, as Bob says, all must bow down to the new champ:

Is the Disrupter a magic bullet? It absorbs EMI noise better than any passive device ever produced, including the Shakti Stone or the VPI Magic Brick. It is every bit as effective as an active device, and is easier to use.

Now, in Bob's review, he points out that there can be too much of a good thing. In fact, he found placing various Disrupters in different places and on different components changed his system's sound in all kinds of funky ways. The old joke is that cables are an EQ device, making up for your system's flaws. With the Disrupter having such a huge effect on the sound of a component, are we entering an era where EMI absorption is the new flaw-masking device?

Price is $75 for a small Disrupter and $225 for the big daddy.

Quantum Physics Noise Disrupter Review
Audio Magic

Inexpensive speaker time! First up is the $550 Energy Reference Connoisseur RC-10 reviewed by SoundStage! Do they like it?

Their sonics and manufacturing quality put them in a very competitive position with speakers in the $1000-per-pair range -- almost twice what they cost.

Gotta love the classic "sounds twice as expensive" review. Over at A/V Revolution, big dogs B&W land a review of their DM604S3 (try saying that five times fast) speaker:

This speaker is worth a close audition for the role of either full-range stereo speaker or handling front channel duties in a home theater system.

Of course, what would be really great is seeing a shootout between these two speakers but, hey, can't have everything.

Energy RC-10 Review
Energy Speakers
B&W DM604S3 Review
Bowers and Wilkins

Let's hope this marks a trend in component manufacturing. British company Cyrus uses a half-chassis only 8" wide rather than the ubiquitous 17" wide for their $1795 8vs integrated amp as well as the whole Cyrus line of components. Naturally, it's much easier to pitch 8" over 17" to the significant other, not to mention the ease of placement and aesthetic values. Stats include 70 stereo watts, 6 inputs, and a full function remote.

Cyrus is also blazing trails into the wireless audio world, both with their CyrusLink wifi enabled devices as well as wireless speakers. Not completely wireless, you still need an outlet, but the amplifier and wifi transmitter are all housed in the cabinets themselves. Can't get much more room friendly than that.

Cyrus 8vs Integrated Amp Review [Stereo Times]
Cyrus Audio

Headphone amps are all the rage these days and Headroom has the game locked with their online retail store offering all the top cans as well as their whole line of amplifiers. Positive Feedback checks out Headroom's Millett tube amplifier and says this:

Their addition of tubes is not a gimmick—the tubes added flavor and liveliness that brought me closer to the music. They won't turn chicken shit into chicken salad, but they will "open up" your MP3 files and older CDs.

Hey, chicken salad is what tubes are all about. At $649, the Millett slots in as the most expensive amp in their "desktop" line and below their much more expensive Max line with a top price of $4k. That lower box is a separate power supply and, naturally, you're able to roll tubes to your little heart's content.

Headroom Millett Tube Amplifier Review [PFO]

Remember the $250k Marten Coltrane Supreme speakers adorned with diamonds? Here are their new little siblings, the Coltrene Alto speakers reviewed by 6Moons. Of course, without all the ice and the dozens of drivers per side, price is down to a bargain $24k. Interesting features include an usual downward firing woofer at the bottom of the carbon fiber box. Sound?

With the exception of the big Coltranes in terms of integration of bass and lower bass with the rest of the spectrum, this is the best I've come across.

Good to know not much is lost between the $250k Supremes, the garden variety $50k Contrane and the $24k Altos.

It's clear someone hasn't switched to "digital" technologies. Solid state giant Krell brought out a virtual army of new gear at CES this year, one of which is the $16500 FBI -- Full Balanced Integrated. 300 watts per side, the Krell FBI doesn't seem to fit into any of their other product lines so it's thrown into a new category called "Unique Model Series." In person, this product looks like a shiny sherman tank...and probably sounds like one. Oh! Drama?

Really, a new integrated from Krell isn't anything terribly interesting other than the fact that, well, it's not from Mark Levinson and, more importantly, what it means for the industry. Really, Krell is a survivor and one of the few companies (along with speaker giant Martin Logan) to actually have real world sales in home theater stores. While their sound is up for debate, their marketing is not -- non-audiophiles are the target. Mark Levinson, one of the vanguards of SS amps and Krell's logical rival (if there is such a thing), has, as some may know, fallen into a world of trouble. So despite being one of the old school, Krell is blazing trails into HT territory and doing big business.

But what the heck does it mean when their new 2-channel int-amp is thrown into the "Unique Model Series" category? Sure Krell has a whole slew of 2-channel high end gear, but their business is in their HEAT series of HT packaged products. Has it become the absolute rule that, to survive, one must embrace big box home theater?

Dear Josh:

My daughter says her mini stereo sounds better than mine! Maybe she's a tough case.

Actually, I was thinking what if hi-end gears (especially, budget oriented ones) incorporated some kind of equalization. You know, the ones you can choose different settings like "rock", "concert hall", "live house", etc.?

Now, the hi-enders gonna really kick my butt!

Yoshi/SAKURA SYSTEMS

We feel your pain! As for EQ on high-end gear, why not? Let me know when the Gaincard has a "rave club" setting. Now we're talking about generational convergence!