CUSTOM INSTALLATION EQUIPMENT REVIEWS

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High-end speaker maker Burmester, US introduced a trio of slim speakers at CEDIA. All three speakers &ndash; the B30, B25, and B20 &ndash; are three-way, full-range, floorstanding models. Each uses a new air motion transformer (with a frequency range of 2,700 &ndash; 45,000 Hz) that's mounted in a small horn. This high-frequency driver design is said to be highly efficient and highly dynamic. The speakers also share a similarly engineered side-firing oval woofer with a powerful Ferrite magnet system. The oval shape helps maximize the cone's surface area while making it possible to construct a narrow speaker cabinet.

CEDIA saw the introduction by PSB of an all-new flagship line of speakers plus a pair of new subwoofers. The top-of-the-line Synchrony series speakers include two floorstanding towers, two bookshelf models, two center channels, and a tri-mode surround speaker. PSB says it's the company's "most significant introduction in a decade."

Everyone likes the idea of wholehouse audio. Who doesn't want the ability to access their music library in any room of their home? It's in the implementation that things get tricky. Do you invest a couple of grand in a dedicated audio server for your gear rack, plus amplification and speakers for each room and all that wire you'll have to run through the walls to connect everything? Or do you opt instead for the $150 digital media player that taps into your PC's music library? Of course, you'd need one for each room. . .and several audio systems, too. Oh, and knowledge of home networking is kind of important. For many, neither path is a realistic or desirable option.