CES Show Report

Friday

  Ok you tube fanatics (and you know who you are) can now stop drooling on the keyboard. Yes, this is a Tung-Sol 6550 and a Mullard EL34 tubes. They are not NOS unobtainium at Porsche pricing, but new production courtesy of New Sensor Corporation. The new Russian made Mullard EL34 is said to be the best EL34 New Sensor makes and includes improved screen treatments and grid geometry over previous versions. Way cool my friends and if your amplifier uses 'em, get 'em. Their representative says they can not keep them in stock because they are selling so fast!

 

Want to get away from Microsoft Media and fill your Mac Attack? Wavelength Audio offers their Ultimate ($20,000) DAC/Preamplifier with USB, S/PDIF, and two analog line inputs. No additional drivers are required so it is plug and play for computer geeks. And yes, i most definitely have my chachkies/geeky side.

 

More computer-based geek toys were at the CES. Toys like DEXQ's Calibrated PDC-2.6 Digital Calibration Processor/Crossover ($2,950) where digital tweaking meets audiophile delights. This baby can calibrate your system digitally for best music reproduction. The system includes a calibration mic and operating software. The software operates on PC and is only needed for initial setup, though through the PC you can also implement parametric EQ on the fly, etc. If you really need to tweak your loudspeakers digitally, odds are this unit it has it! Go gadget go!

 

My recent love affair with the Hyperion Sound Design HPS-938W (W stands for Birdseye Maple wood, $6,000) is well documented. The music this loudspeaker reproduces is so impressive it earned a Best Of 2004 Award! Fast midrange, tight and tuneful bass, and of course silky smooth highs reward the listener. But why tease you when the full review is available by clicking here.

 

Just when i felt i had seen every audiophile power trick in the book, in comes Isoclean Power who sells a gold-plated fuse box for your home. Oh, they also have "audiophile grade fuses" for your components. Sure they also sell audiophile power filtration devices, etc.

 

Known as the worlds best radio tuner, Magnum Dynalab meets high-tech Windows XP Media Center as their model 109 ($8,000) offers tube amplified tuning, single ended (RCA) or balanced (XLR) output, and it also has modules for XM, Sirus, internet radio, etc. Think of it as the end-all be-all tuner with complete home networking integration.