Handy Gadgets

Even though the JVC EX-A10 may be considered a little pricey, the portable music gizmos on the market do not come cheap and can in no form or fashion equal the experience stimulated from listening to a quality home stereo system. 'In a market crowded with look-alike, silver plastic home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs), the sheer elegance of JVC's EX-A10 desktop stereo system will be an attractive option for some buyers' bedrooms, dens, or offices. The EX-A10 comprises two minicomponents--the matching 9.5-inch-wide A/V receiver and DVD player come decked out in real satin aluminum--and the speakers' beautifully finished solid cherry cabinets exude class. Pop off their black grilles and you'll see what makes the EX-A10 truly unique: instead of the usual plastic or metal drivers, the JVC's woofers and tweeters are crafted from birch wood that's been treated with sake, the Japanese rice wine. At 10.1 inches tall, the speakers are a tad larger than the average HTIB models, but the entire system could easily fit on a bookshelf or a desktop. The JVC EX-A10 sells for $1,000.'