Gallery: $240K Amps and More Grandiose Gear From the NY Audio Show
Amy Lombard01Oma Mini horn speakers
[OMA](http://oswaldsmillaudio.com) (Oswalds Mill Audio), the Brooklyn-based company that makes the [OMA Mini](http://oswaldsmillaudio.com/mini) ($25,000), is more familiar to graphic designers and prop stylists than stereo aficionados. It's lamentable because this two-way horn is one of the most efficient and accurate speakers ever conceived. (Expand the gallery for more details.)
Amy Lombard02Master & Dynamic MH-40 headphones
The design of the [Master & Dynamic MH-40s](http://www.masterdynamic.com) ($399) was partly inspired by the military spec headphones used by tech guys during WWII. They perform even better than they look. The 45mm neodymium drivers push out sound that one hard-core audiophile grudgingly admitted was "surprisingly adequate." High praise.
Amy Lombard03Blue Hawaii S.E. Electrostatic Headphone Amplifier
Designed by headphone amp guru Kevin Gilmore, the [Blue Hawaii S.E. Electrostatic amp](http://www.headamp.com/electrostat_amps/bhse/) was specifically engineered to power one of the most highly-praised headphones ever made: the [Stax SR-009](https://www.staxusa.com/stax-sr-009.html).
Amy Lombard04WaxRax RC-2
The [RC-2's](http://www.waxrax.c) ($1,500) sober, overbuilt construction smacks of Prouvè and the machine age. It holds 400 records, and is available in a variety of custom colors. The real bonus, though, are those wheels. Slide it next to the turntable, and pretend you’re John Cusack flipping through the bins in *High Fidelity*.
Amy Lombard05Woo Audio WA 7 Fireflies/Tube Headphone Amplifier
Don’t be duped by its shiny MoMA Store aesthetic. Woo Audio's [WA7 Fireflies](http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa7fireflies.html) are some of the best tube amps on the market. Critics rave about the WA7’s pitch-black background (silence between notes), versatility (2 jacks; one for IEMs, one for beefy headphone plugs) and value (there’s a built-in 32/192 USB DAC).
Amy Lombard06VPI Prime turntable
The best "bargain" at the show was the [VPI Prime](http://www.vpiindustries.com/), a new $3,500 turntable that punches so far above its weight it’s embarrassing.
Amy Lombard07Audio Classics vintage McIntosh components
Think of McIntosh as the Harley Davidson of audiophile components: powerful, reliable, tough and made in America. [Audio Classics](http://www.audioclassics.com) sells more of its equipment than anybody else in the world.
Amy Lombard08Gershman Acoustics L.V.C (Levittion Vibration Control)
Gershman Acoustics' [Levitation Vibration Control pucks](http://www.gershmanacoustics.com/lvc.html) ($345 for a set of 4) are meant to be placed under each corner of your turntable. Each one is stuffed with vibration damping materials and two powerful repelling magnets. Your turntable is now literally floating on a cushion of air. Goodbye "artificial edginess." Hello improved detail. Or something.
Amy Lombard09Audioengine B1 Bluetooth Music Receiver
[Audioengine](http://audioengineusa.com), a company known for its affordable DACs and desktop speakers, has solved the Bluetooth puzzle: How to stream 24-bit digital audio through a radio frequency that was designed to carry ring tones. That is precisely what [the B1](http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Wireless/B1-Bluetooth-Music-Receiver) ($189) does.
Amy Lombard10Klaudio KD-CLN-LP200 Ultrasonic Record Cleaner
In the Vinyl Fetishist category, Best In Show goes to the [Klaudio Ultrasonic Record Cleaner](http://klaudio.com/kd-cln-lp200-lp-vinyl-record-ultrasonic-cleaner-dryer). This $4,000 machine (add $1,500 for the soundproof cabinet) uses a combination of high-frequency pressure and "cavitation bubbles" to gently dislodge microscopic detritus from the surface and deep groves of LP records.
Amy Lombard11The “$5,000 Super-System”
Shayne Tenace's “Happy Meal for audiophiles” demo attracted so much foot traffic that crowds spilled into the hall. This $5,000 inflation-buster consists of: Opera Seconda speakers and a Peachtree Audio 125 SE amp (with integrated DAC) connected by fancy Audioquest speaker and USB cables. Just add iTunes.
Naim12Naim Audio Statement amplifier system
The $240,000 [Naim Audio Statement amplifier system](http://www.naimaudio.com/statement) is what happens when you tell a bunch of audio engineers not to cut corners.
A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why
Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.
Stephanie Pearson
The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For
AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.
Miles Klee
It’s a Tablet! It’s a Laptop! After Testing the Best 2-in-1s, Here’s What I Recommend
Whether you want a detachable tablet or a laptop screen that spins, these 2-in-1 devices manage to balance being both a tablet and a laptop.
Luke Larsen
There’s a Secret Ingredient to Making Luxury Ice at Home
Nice ice is big business, but you can get perfectly clear cubes at home without freezing your assets.
Jeremy White
The Screenmaxxers Who Spend Every Waking Hour on Their Phones
As debates over social media addiction rage, people with extreme screen times tell WIRED they have no plans to cut back.
Miles Klee
Mammotion’s Spino E1 Pool Cleaner Isn’t Bad for the Price—It's Just Not That Good
This compact pool robot keeps its price down, but its performance doesn’t match that of more capable cleaners.
Christopher Null
The Best Coffee Mug Warmers Are Smart. But They Don’t Need an App
The first rule of coffee is that it must stay hot. After weeks or even years of testing, these are the three coffee warmers that will best keep it that way.
Matthew Korfhage
Crimson Desert Is a Cat Dad Simulator
Step into the shoes of the strongest, goodest boy in a game that is beautiful, baffling, and impossible to put down.
This At-Home Hair Color Printer Raised My Blood Pressure
This hair dye printer promises hundreds of shades. It couldn't even manage two.
Louryn Strampe
I Tested the MacBook Neo and the MacBook Air. Here's Which One You Should Buy
After conducting long-term testing on both the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air, I have a good idea who should buy which laptop.
Luke Larsen
The Best Electric Cargo Bikes for Carrying This and That Everywhere
You don't need a car to tote around kids and cup holders. I rode cargo ebikes for miles to find the best one for your buck.
Adrienne So
Your Push Notifications Aren’t Safe From the FBI
Plus: Iran’s internet blackout hits the 1,000-hour mark, cryptocurrency scams result in a record amount of money stolen from Americans, and more.
Matt Burgess