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At its pre-CES press conference today, Sharp introduced a slew of new home theater products, including the world's first LCD with a built-in Blu-ray player, the company's first soundbars, and two new Blu-ray players.

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Bang & Olufsen, also known as B&O, has been making stylish powered loudspeakers for lifestyle-oriented consumers for years. While B&O has been criticized for being a bit overpriced and not true audiophile speakers, I disagree. Once you experience their speakers' simplicity and easy integration, they become more of a value. For instance, the BeoLab 6000, reviewed here, is a slender, aluminum spire that can be connected to a B&O source or other variable output device, think iPod, and retails for $2,500 per pair. In simpler terms, you could essentially have a respectable two-channel system, which is not bulky nor requires costly electronics and/or cables, for less than $3,000. Intrigued? I was.

The BeoLab 6000 is a sleek, aluminum-encased speaker that is almost completely round at the base and stands a little over 40 inches tall. The BeoLab 6000 comes in a wide variety of colors (all aluminum), including silver, black, dark gray, light silver/white, red and blue. In its raw aluminum or silver finish, the BeoLab 6000 virtually disappears, as the speaker itself takes on the color of your room's surrounding elements, making for a very cool optical effect. The BeoLab 6000 has a fully powered design, using two 59-watt Class AB amplifiers that typically draw eight watts at full power and a very low 1.8 watts at standby, making the BeoLab 6000 shockingly efficient and green. The BeoLab 6000 has a bass reflex design, though the port is behind the grille, and has two three-and-a-half inch bass drivers mated to a three-quarter-inch tweeter. The BeoLab 6000 has a reported frequency response of 55-20,000Hz, making it an ideal candidate for a subwoofer; B&O makes several that fit the bill.

High Points
• The BeoLab 6000 is among the sexiest-looking speakers you'll likely ever see. No brand, especially the BeoLab 6000, has been more copied by other manufacturers in an attempt to make a lifestyle-oriented loudspeaker.
• The BeoLab 6000 is surprisingly clean and clear-sounding, with a very smooth, though not overly airy, top end mated to a very natural and effortless midrange.
• The BeoLab 6000's bass is taut and more robust than you'd think possible from its meager woofers, though for true full-range sound, you'll want to add a subwoofer.
• Dynamically, the BeoLab 6000 is a solid performer, but performance enhancements will require more power, other components and wires that would spoil the BeoLab 6000's stellar good looks and simplicity.
• From a soundstage perspective, the BeoLab 6000 images like no speaker I've come across, in that it sounds like there is no speaker at all, leaving a wide and deep soundstage in its wake. Center image definition is first-rate and a touch better than the BeoLab 6000's overall soundstage detail.
• The simple fact that you can connect the BeoLab 6000 to an iPod or, say, Krell KID makes it one of the easiest, most lifestyle-friendly packages in all of two-channel audio.

Low Points
• While it's not uncommon to find $2,500 per pair loudspeakers, if you want full-range sound from the BeoLab 6000s, the true cost of ownership is going to be higher, say, $3,000-$5,000, depending on which sub you choose.
• Because of the BeoLab 6000's high-gloss finish, keeping it free of fingerprints is a bit of a chore, requiring constant cleaning.
• The BeoLab 6000 disappears sonically, but it doesn't throw its sound or image in a wall of sound-like way, making it more directional than some of the competition.

Conclusion
$2,500 buys you a lot in today's audiophile world and, for many consumers, represents a substantial investment. This said, to get the level of performance the BeoLab 6000 provides will cost you as much or more in components and cable by going a traditional route, which is where the BeoLab 6000's value proposition comes into play. With a source as simple as an iPod, the BeoLab 6000 gives you everything else you need to enjoy your music in a no-fuss manner that no speaker or system can beat. When you also consider that you can "daisy-chain" five BeoLab 6000s together for a multi-channel audio system and plug them into a variable multi-channel source or home theater processor with the same ease, it begs the question: why aren't more speaker manufacturers following B&O's lead?

There's good design and then there is timeless design. The BeoLab 8000 loudspeaker by famed manufacturer Bang & Olufsen is one such timeless design. In fact, if you've watched television, movies or read a print magazine in the past ten years, you've seen the BeoLab 8000. With its iconic inverted pencil-shape design, the BeoLab 8000 has stood the test of time and remains one of B&O's most successful and longest-running products. Retailing for $3,000 a pair, the BeoLab 8000 can't be labeled as cheap, which is the single greatest knock purists harp on when discussing the BeoLab 8000, or other B&O products, for that matter. Truth be told, you've got to try hard to match the quality, build and sonics of the BeoLab 8000 using traditional means, i.e., loudspeakers powered by an amplifier mated with a preamp, source and cables. While the BeoLab 8000 is far from perfect, it may be just the right fit for today's lifestyle-oriented, on-the-go music lover.

The BeoLab 8000 has a round, spire-like design, with the drivers and amplifiers (yes, the 8000 is powered) encased in an all-aluminum chassis sitting atop a square bass plate. The BeoLab 8000 comes in a variety of standard colors, ranging from silver (aluminum) to bright red and just about everything between. There is a new all-white model coming soon, but not yet available. The BeoLab 8000 has a two-way three-driver design, featuring two four-inch bass drivers mated to a single three-quarter-inch tweeter. The BeoLab 8000 is front-ported, giving it a frequency response of 52-20,000Hz, so for true full-range playback, you'll want to add a sub or two. The BeoLab 8000 utilizes two 143-watt Class AB amplifiers to power each speaker, drawing a typical load of 12 watts and dropping down to two-and-a-half watts at idle, making the BeoLab 8000 very energy and environmentally friendly. The BeoLab 8000 is fully shielded and can be connected to your preamp or variable source via B&O's own Power Link cable or traditional RCA-style phono cable. Whichever connection option you choose, the BeoLab 8000's power and input cable are routed through a single rubber sleeve to simplify and clean up the look of unsightly connections.

High Points
• The BeoLab 8000 sounds every bit as good as it looks, which is quite a compliment. While there are speakers that can do things the 8000 cannot, the 8000 is a well-balanced, well-versed complete loudspeaker from top to bottom, and should suit most listeners' tastes very well. Audiophiles might be surprised as just how good the 8000 sounds.
• The BeoLab 8000's high frequencies are clear, refined and never fatiguing, though not altogether airy.
• The midrange is the BeoLab 8000's strength, which apparent when you hear it demoed, for this usually involves a recording of a small jazz ensemble and/or female vocalist.
• The BeoLab 8000 images well and seemingly leaves no trace. While the soundstage is vast, it's not the most defined, but center imaging is exceptional.
• Because the BeoLab 8000 is powered, it can be enjoyed with something as simple and unobtrusive as an iPod, making the beautiful BeoLab 8000 the most prominent component in your two-channel system, rather than black boxes and unsightly cables.

Low Points
• The BeoLab 8000's bass is respectable, but not altogether deep, so a subwoofer would need to be added to a BeoLab 8000 system to achieve truly full-range performance.
• The BeoLab 8000, because of its powered design, has to be placed within six feet or so of a wall outlet in order for it to work at all.
• While the BeoLab 8000's fit and finish is superb, keeping it clean and dust-free is a bit more of a chore than with other speakers.

Conclusion
While $3,000 opens up a wide variety of speaker options, none will arguably be more of a visual statement then the BeoLab 8000 by Bang & Olufsen. While audiophiles will scoff at the mere mention of the name, don't be dissuaded, for the 8000 sounds very good and provides a level of simplicity today's modern music lover is bound to appreciate.

Bang & Olufsen is one of the oldest brands in the consumer electronics business, manufacturing products ranging from loudspeakers to telephones. Throughout the years, the B&O creed has been simple: create quality, user-friendly products for everyday use. B&O has been largely successful in upholding this standard. Many will say B&O has traditionally been overpriced and, until recently, has built products that cater almost exclusively to a richer Bose clientele. While there is some truth to this statement, B&O has been manufacturing quality, affordable products that fit within its brand image for years, as evident in the Form 2 headphones reviewed here.

The Form 2 headphones retail for $100 and are attractive, to say the least, if not a touch '80s a la Miami Vice. Though unlike neon and black lacquer furniture, the Form 2 still looks high end in every way its smooth black matte and chrome finish. The Form 2 has an over-the-skull design and is not sound-isolating in any way, unlike many of the popular headphones on the market today. While most over-the-skull headphones feature massive padding to aide in long-term use, the Form 2 takes a different, lightweight approach. The Form 2 weighs a stunning 2.4 ounces. To put that into perspective, that's the weight of nine one-dollar bills stacked atop one another. It features simple rectangular earpieces that rest gently on the ear, padded by simple foam caps. B&O doesn't go to any lengths in describing what sort of driver is used in the Form 2, except to say it is extremely dynamic and natural, regardless of volume. The Form 2 has a frequency range of 40-20,000Hz, with 30-ohm impedance. The Form 2 has a nearly ten-foot-long cable, capped by a mini-jack plug. The Form 2 comes equipped with a quarter-inch jack adapter that allows the headphones to be plugged into a wider variety of electronic components. Additionally, it comes with replaceable foam ear pads.

High Points
• The Form 2 headphones sound wonderful at all but insane levels, possessing incredible dynamic prowess, high-frequency detail and surprising and true bass response.
• The Form 2's high-frequency response is light, airy and natural. The midrange, a Form 2 strength, is warm, rich and very non-headphone-sounding, but it's the bass that is most surprising.
• The Form 2 sounds good plugged directly into a source, negating the need for a separate headphone amp.
• While the Form 2 has a distinct style that some would criticize as "out of date," I would argue it's far more fashionable and timeless than many "look at me now" headphones of today that make users appear as though they belong on a jetway at LAX.
• I've personally owned a pair of Form 2s for over six years, using them daily since purchase, and they work as well now as they did the day I bought them. Two other pairs of headphones I've owned during the Form 2s' reign, both costing more than the Form2s, have not fared as well.

Low Points
• While lightweight, the Form 2 can become a bit physically fatiguing on the ears after long periods of wear. Around the two-hour point, I had to give my ears a break, for the foam padding had become a bit flat. Having been a Form 2 owner for over six years, I can attest to the lack of longevity of the foam pads, which need to be replaced every six months or so.
• The Form 2 cord is ungodly long, thin and prone to twisting over time, which can cause some static in the Form 2's performance. I've found a simple cable spool, usually used for hiding or simplifying computer cables, helps keep the Form 2's cable neat and tidy.
• The Form 2 does not collapse or come with any sort of carrying case, other than the box it's sold in, making storage and travel a bit of a pain.

Conclusion
I'll be the first to admit I'm not much of a headphone fanatic, though I use them every day, sometimes for hours on end. My headphones still must sound good and that's what I've found with the Form 2 from Bang & Olufsen. It is every bit as good as similarly-priced competition and then some, and looks good while being incredibly lightweight for an over-the-skull design. It is dynamic, musical and possesses an upper-end sweetness and low-end slam that you wouldn't expect from a somewhat old-school design. However, the biggest draw for me is how reliable and trouble-free it's been over the years, out-performing and outlasting several other brands by wide margins.

As part of Apple Computer's last Mac World Expo press conference, the company's vice president (not its founder and unquestioned leader, Steve Jobs) Phillip Schiller announced that they would have two pricings for single songs on their wildly successful iTunes Music store. Newer and highly popular tracks would cost $1.29, with many more tracks being lowered to $0.69 per track.

The new $0.69 per track fee has been suggested to be designed to make piracy of tracks less desirable, especially with today's Generation Y audience who are more in bed with Apple's products than any generation before them.

The music on iTunes is sold as a low-resolution file (AAC), which is about one-quarter the resolution of what a consumer gets on a compact disc. Apple is trying to sell a fraction of the resolution of a standard-definition audio file, so the lower price makes it more market-competitive, as the music business absolutely refuses to step into the world of high-definition, unlike every other booming consumer electronics niche.

No word of Apple selling high-definition files was mentioned at the press conference. Companies like Music Giants sell 24-bit, 96 kHz files on their site for audiophile and media center use. These files are many times more resolute than traditional compact discs and, in some cases, have the resolution and 5.1 surround sound found on the now-defunct DVD-Audio and SACD disc formats.

Pioneer recently added two new "limited run" models to its 2008 line of KURO plasmas: These Elite Signature Series models are the crème of the KURO crop, handpicked off the assembly line, inspected, and certified as the best of the best. Sold only through specialty retailers who have been trained to set them up, the Signature Series panels are designed to have an open architecture, and they utilize an advanced IP control platform that gives the installer an unmatched level of access and customization. The Signature Series includes the 50-inch PRO-101FD and the 60-inch PRO-141FD. Both are 1080p HD monitors, so they lack internal TV tuners. This allows the panels to measure just 2.5 inches deep, but it means you must mate them with an outboard tuner, cable box, or satellite box to receive TV programming. These monitors also don't come with speakers or a stand, although an optional stand is available.

The PRO-141FD has a healthy connection panel that includes four HDMI, one component video, one DVI, and one PC input, as well as RS-232 and IR ports for integration into an advanced control system. An Ethernet port allows for IP setup, remote monitoring, and diagnostics. This model does not offer the Home Media Gallery function, which allows you to stream media from a PC or DLNA-compliant server, found on other Elite KURO TVs. The HDMI inputs accept both 1080p/60 and 1080p/24, and picture-in-picture functionality is available.

The PRO-141FD's setup menu has a dual structure that offers different controls for the consumer and installer. Even on the consumer end, the PRO-141FD offers more adjustments than you'll find with most plasmas. For starters, the monitor has eight picture modes, including an Optimum mode that (in conjunction with light sensor on the front panel) automatically adjusts the picture quality to suit your viewing conditions. There are six color-temperature options, including a manual mode that lets you precisely adjust the white balance. In addition to gamma and advanced noise-reduction controls, Pioneer includes two color-space options (one more vivid, one more natural), plus a color-management system to precisely adjust the six color points. Pioneer also offers three different ways to handle film sources for output on this display: The Standard mode offers traditional 3:2 pulldown detection; the Advance mode outputs 24fps content at 72Hz for a smoother, less juddery presentation; and the Smooth mode appears to do frame interpolation to present even smoother movement. The menu also includes a new Blue Only mode that makes it easier to correctly set the color control. Several features are available to help prevent or counteract image retention. There are nine total aspect-ratio options for HD and SD sources, including a Dot by Dot mode to view 1080i/1080p sources with no overscan.

Should you or your installer opt to add the PRO-141FD to a network via the Ethernet port, you can utilize the IP control function, which includes a virtual remote, access to picture and general setup parameters, and even the ability to receive emails when there is a system error or malfunction.

High Points
• KURO panels offer some of the deepest blacks you'll find in the flat-panel category, and the result is an image with outstanding contrast and rich color.
• The PRO-141FD does a great job with both HD and SD signals.
• There are two modes to help reduce judder in film sources.
• This panel offers outstanding connectivity and advanced setup options.

Low Points
• This monitor has no internal TV tuners.
• It does not come with speakers or a stand. You can add the optional stand if desired, but there's no option to add speakers. This display is meant to be integrated into a complete home theater system.

Conclusion
The Elite Signature Series PRO-141FD offers a gorgeous image and a comprehensive set of adjustments. It represents the best of the already industry-leading KURO line, but that performance comes at the premium price of $7,000 for a 60-inch monitor.