International CES 2008 Show Report

Consumer Electronics Show 2008
Thursday

  Lots of action at the Sling Media booth where the Slingcatcher ($250), which will be out Q2 2008, features two USB inputs, Ethernet, and has composite video outputs plus the usual set of analog output. Of note is the SPDIF digital output as well. The Slingcatcher supports a wide array of audio files including WMV, MP3, Dolby Digital, etc. Video guys will like the 1080i output via HDMI.

 

Usher was showcasing their BE-20 ($16,400) three-way four driver very large floorstanding loudspeaker. The cabinet's wood finish looked stunning! Frequency response is from 22Hz to 40kHz.

 

New from TacT is their TCS 12 channel theater correction system ($15,000) that sports an impressive digital room correction system and wide variety of analog outputs. While it would be hard to list all the inputs and outputs, you do have balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) plus plenty of digital options. Working as the control center of a major audio and video system, multiple HDMI inputs are provided for.

 

Loiminchay had their Chagall loudspeaker ($35,000 on up) that offers a wide variety of options such as top-line diamond tweeter. The 30mm birch multiply laminate cabinet holds a 30mm tweeter, 173mm ceramic midrange and 220mm ceramic woofer. They make excellent use of internal bracing to virtually eliminate distortion causing cabinet resonances.

 

As always, Totem Acoustics had a themed room with their latest and greatest loudspeaker designs.

 

Fostex's FE206E ($88) 8-inch driver is great for DIY'ers who want to use a high sensitivity single driver within their loudspeaker. It can be used with horn, folded horn, and vented cabinets.

 

Manley Labs' Stingray II ($3400) vacuum tube integrated amplifier has an iPod docking station, remote control (IR and RF) that also controls the iPod, S-Video output, headphone output and four stereo source inputs. As someone who hates the sometimes widely varying volume levels from source to source, each of the four inputs have individual gain for each one for volume matching.

 

Coincident Speaker Technology had their Pure Reference ($22,000) that is easy to drive with a near flat 8 Ohm load and 94.dB/W/m sensitivity. Single-ended triode friendly territory! It uses ceramic technology for both the tweeter and midrange, with a pair of 12-inch Nomex cone woofer. Frequency response is a true and real 20Hz to 27kHz.

 

AAD's 3003 and VI860 ($3950 and $2450 respectively) are two of the company's floorstanding models from two product lines they manufacturer. The 3000 series uses a diffraction ring tweeter that goes up to 40kHz. This is a 2.5-way system that uses a pair of composite 5.25-inch cone for midrange and an 8-inch pneumatically-coupled driver for bass. You also get real wood veneer for the cabinet. The VI series is a three ways system with a pair of 8-inch high powered oversized motor four layer voice coil woofers and 6.5-inch carbon fiber curvilinear cone midrange that transmission loaded. It uses a silk dome tweeter that goes up to 40kHz.

 

Final Sounds had their impressive line of panel loudspeakers at the show.

 

Kimber Cables was showing their extensive line of reference cables.

 

KR Audio had a wonderful display of the various tubes they offer.

 

Click here for main CES 2008 show coverage page.