CES 2006 & T.H.E. Show Pre-Event Report
     

 

  Audio Note UK will have two rooms, one with top-line gear and the other for those seeking high value for their dollar. The world debut of the company's CD3.1x/II ($4,250) will join its matching integrated amplifier, the Oto SE. Loudspeakers will be the AN/K and AN/J. The second system will consist of the CDT2/II transport and DAC 2.1x Signature, the M3 Phono pre-amp, two brand new 2A3 and 45 amps and the AN/E-LX Signature speakers. Vinyl will be spun on both systems as well, demonstrating both the moving magnet and moving coil Audio Note cartridges. As for the new amplification, both stereo units are housed in the company's familiar slim/deep chassis as employed within their Conqueror/Quest/Conquest line. Both will utilize choke-coupled power supplies using the 5U4 for rectification plus a 6SL7 as driver. Output transformers will have HiB cores and model Vindicator ($2,450 without tubes, $3,250 with NOS tubes) uses a single 45 per channel while the Paladin ($2,450 including tubes) has 2A3 tubes.

 

  Wavelength Audio will be at the CES with their new Lightning Series of monoblock tube amplification. Each mono-block has a starting price of $6,000 a pair with the availability of silver versions starting at $15,000 a pair. Each unit has custom MagneQuest parallel feed output transformers, plate chokes and grid chokes. As with all Wavelength amplifiers, there is a vast supply of Black Gate capacitors, tantalum resistors and custom coupling capacitors. Custom version of any Lightning Series unit includes a Venus option. This option consists of "hand wired and optimized to the hilt" according to the designer Gordon Rankin. All amplifiers ship with TJ Mesh tubes or NOS equivalents. Seen here is the Jupiter 50 output tube good for  5 watts. Other versions include Saturn PX25 (5 watts), Gemini 2A3 or 45 (4 or 3 watts respectively), and an Atlas 205 (2 watts).

 

  Bösendorfer, manufacturers of legendary pianos used by the world's best musicians worldwide, will be showcasing their VC7 ($22,000) floorstanding loudspeaker. Some of the features include steel driver baskets, air-gapped fused magnets, Kevlar voice coil mounts and carbon fiber/Alaskan hemp diaphragms. This two-way system has a pair of tweeters secured to the slim front section and four midrange/bass drivers mounted on the deeper side pieces. Frequency response is from 25Hz to 27kHz, sensitivity is 91dB/W/m and present a 4 Ohm load. Available finishes include Piano Black, Burl Walnut, Bird's Eye Maple, Pomele, Burl Birch, Maple, Cherry, and Burl Maple.

 

  Tact Audio will introduce Tact-2.2 XP (price TBA) and M/S-2150 X ($3,690) with Dynamic Room Correction (DRC)^®, new technology developed by Tact Audio Inc. over past two years. This groundbreaking brings the science and art of Room Correction to yet another level. The reason it is called DRC is that the target curve used to compute correction filters dynamically changes with the master level control. In another words, for every 0.1dB of level change the system uses a new target curve to compute room correction filters. What makes this dynamic is that all computations and adjustments are done on the fly without any interruption to the music you listen to. Dynamic Room Correction (DRC) offers a very sophisticated way of handling a multi target curve approach to solving equal loudness curve problem. The system is based on one reference target curve and eight additional target curves called dynamic target curves. The reference target curve is used to perform basic reference room correction. Dynamic target curves are labeled 0, -6, -12, -18, -24, -30, -36 and -42 dB and are combined with the reference target curve to obtain the final target curve used to calculate correction filters.

 

  Nat Distribution  will have many rooms at the show with systems including the Opera Audio's Consonance Droplet CDP 5.0 tubed CD player ($3,200), Droplet LP-5 turntable ($3,995, reviewed here), Droplet 211 push-pull monoblocks ($9,995) and Cyber 222 preamplifier ($1,995). Loudspeakers include Consonance new Eric Grands 3-way ($2,795) and Gemme Audio's The Concerti 108 True Horns ($4,700). Naturally all cabling will be supplied by Consonance. Of note is the new Consonance Forbidden City hybrid integrated amplifier ($3,200) and matching red colored CD player ($2,400), with the stereo hybrid unit producing 200 watts per channel in 8 Ohms from 20Hz to 20Kz, having four remote controllable inputs, gold plated RCA and XLR jacks, and distortion of less than 0.006 percent. The Forbidden City CD player uses the Burr-Brown PCM1792 DAC and has a rated clock jitter of less than 14ps. Frequency response is from 20Hz to 20kHz with crosstalk of -100dB and distortion rated at less than 0.003 percent (RCA, 0.001 for XLR).

 

  Hansen Audio will have The Prince loudspeaker ($26,000) 3 driver, 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker. Using the same technology and drivers developed the company's The King, this new model has a 269mm woofer and 182mm midrange driver specially developed, designed and manufactured by Hansen Audio. These drivers all use the exotic multi-layer composite sandwich cones mated to the powerful Hansen optimized geometry motor assembly. The tweeter is also a Hansen Audio design with 25mm high performance dome mounted on a dispersion optimized 6mm aluminum plate. Gold plated WBT loudspeaker binding posts insure top quality connectivity. The elegant enclosure utilizes "Hansen Composite Matrix" material with beautiful finish. The weight of each unit is 230 lbs. with crate and loudspeaker dimensions are 42 x 14 x 20 (HxWxD in inches).

 

  Red Dragon Audio  will be showing their new Leviathan Signature Series amplifier ($5,595 in Durapalm and $5,995 in all other hardwoods) with the new Acoustic Zen’ Adagio loudspeaker at T.H.E. Show 2006. They might also be debuting their ICEcube monoblocks ($999 each) if they are ready in time. Each Leviathan Signature Series monoblocks features handcrafted detail, finish and execution. Within the chassis are independent ICEpower 1000ASP module providing 600 watts into 8 ohms (over 1,000 watts into 4 ohms). With its own independent power supply, the leviathan is said to deliver excellent transient response and dynamic contrasts. Teflon coated solid silver wire for the path of line level signal while heavy gauge silver plated copper wire handles the high wattage and current handling duties from the output. Because of the complex nature of switch mode power supplies a host of EMI control, absorption and diffusion methods have been employed. Top and bottom plates are laser cut from twelve gauge brushed stainless steel which provides an extremely rigid framework for the hardwood exterior.

 

  Halcro will be showing their two new amplifiers, the dm78 ($32,990) and dm88 ($39,990) that are said to have improved reliability and performance over previous models dm58 and dm68. The new dm88 power supply has been tested in the field for nearly two years by Halcro and they claim a failure rate of less than 1 percent. A significant development is in Halcro acquiring a PCB manufacturing facility. This allows Halcro greater control over quality and loading of PCB. The dm88 monoblock produces 275 continuous watts into 8 ohms (500 at 4 ohms), while the dm78 monoblock produces 225 continuous watts into 8 ohms (400 into 4 ohms).

 

  Anthony Gallo Acoustic's A'Diva Ti loudspeaker ($300 each) offers the same technology of the original Nucleus Micro, but with the addition of a titanium driver measuring 3-inches that is said to add more dimension to high frequencies. This change also allows for more power handling, added clarity and neutrality. The A'Diva Ti driver is a combination of Titanium and paper that together enable self-damping while extending frequency response to 22kHz. Overall frequency response is 76Hz to 22Khz (on wall) or 90Hz to 22kHz (on stand). Sensitivity is 87dB/W/m while nominal impedance is 8 Ohms with a full range power handling of 60 Watts. Overall dimensions are a small 5-inch ball that weights a mere 1.8 lbs. Available finishes include black, white, silver-grey, and stainless steel.

 

  Naim will be debuting their n-Vi high-end integrated multi-channel DVD player ($5,650). With the ability for easy upgrades, the unit handles CD, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, is an AV processor, audio preamplifier, and five-channel power amplifier. Optionally available at the time of release is an FM/DAB/Alarm Clock radio module ($500). In the spring of 2006 Naim plans to offer a video scaler module that includes an external video input. Surround sound modes include Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby Pro Logic II. Other features include:

• Faroudja progressive-scan chipset
• Latest generation Cirrus Logic DVD DSP
• Simultaneous progressive-scan on the BNC high-definition output and interlaced video on SCART or s-video outputs (RGB/YUV, s-video or composite).
• DVI digital video output
• Audio 'data straightener' using a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO) for low jitter
• Burr-Brown six-channel delta-sigma DACs (up to 192kHz/24bit resolution)
• Three external analogue (one DIN-5, two stereo RCA phono inputs) and three external digital audio (one optical, two coaxial) inputs for playback of external sources (digital TV, iPod, tape, etc.)
• Cascaded coaxial digital output
• DIN-5 output for connection to unity-gain AV input on Naim two-channel preamplifier.
• High performance Tripath Class-T® five-channel amplifier (50 Watt @ 8 Ohms and 90 Watt @ 4 Ohms)
• Full OSD control with built-in test screens for optimum display calibration
• 128x64 easy to read PLED graphical display with intelligent font scaling
• Software upgradeable
• Bi-directional RS-232 communications port
• New Naim NA-Bus
• Five-year limited warranty (parts and labor)

Naim will also be debuting their new CD555 and 555PS, the culmination of years of Naim's engineering research. The master clock of the CD555 utilizes a fully-isolated triple-regulated separate supply, from the transformer secondary winding right through to the critical clock and de-jittering circuitry. Of note is that special attention has been paid to reducing capacitive coupling of high frequency noises from other supplies into this super-quiet clock supply through interconnect cables and wiring looms. Two Burndy interconnects between the 555PS power supply and head unit, one carrying digital supplies and the other analogue. Digital-to-analogue converters are mounted in a 'quiet room,' ensuring that all critical signals reaching the DAC have extremely low jitter. The case features a very heavy, low resonance design with top-loading motorized tray door. Inside is a Philips Pro CD mechanism with die-cast chassis and extremely low inertia and low resonance CD clamp.

 

  Meridian  will showing their new compact DSP3100 DSP loudspeaker ($4,795 per pair, stands at $595 per pair). Replacing the DSP33, this new model is intended for use as a bookshelf or stand-mounted loudspeaker. With S/PDIF digital inputs, the DSP3100 can also be used as high-end computer loudspeakers as they can accept rates up to 24-bit/96kHz. DSP power is provided by a Motorola 56367 running at 150MHz, while dual 24-bit multi-bit delta-sigma converters handle D/A conversion. Driver compliment inlcude high-efficiency long-throw 6-inch bass drivers with doped carbon fiber cones and cast alloy baskets. A very high quality 1-inch Meridian piston treble drive unit with doped fabric dome produces the uppermost frequencies. The drivers are powered directly by independent high power, low feedback amplifiers fed from an audiophile-grade power supply with a substantial toroidal transformer. The driver enclosure is made with braced MDF and comes with piano-lacquer ends and aluminum side-panels bonded for rigidity. Cosmetic finishes available are black or silver, matching Meridian's G Series components.

 

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