International CES 2009 & THE Show Report
   
Consumer Electronics Show & THE Show 2009 Preview

  DeVore Fidelity will be showcasing the new Gibbon 3XL (approximately $3700 oer pair, stands are TBD), which are a two way compact-monitor. Using the Silverback Reference tweeter and a newly developed 5-inch treated paper woofer, this unit is 90dB/W/m sensitive, presents an 8 Ohm load and has a frequency response from 46 Hz to 40 kHz. The monitor's measurements are 15.25 x 7.25 x 10.75 (HxWxD in inches. According to the company, "We are always trying to improve the quality of our product, playing with different technology, materials and construction techniques. For the past few years we've also been interested in doing our part to help keep our industry sustainable and earth friendly. This has led to our use of bamboo as the primary material in the new gibbon 3XL. Bamboo is a very fast-growing “green” material, the use of which does not contribute to deforestation or illegal poaching of rare hardwood species. In addition, the 3XL is high-sensitivity and has a very even, 8 Ohm impedance, allowing it's use with lower-wattage amplifiers than most small speakers, and thereby using less power."

 

 

PrimaLuna USA will show and demo the full new PrimaLuna ProLogue range at the 2009 CES, with the known ProLogue range coming close in looks to the DiaLogue range. The design moved away from using 12AX7 tubes and now is fully up to the use of 12AU7 vacuum tube in a modified circuit, which is said to be superior to the 12AX7/12AU7 combination. This, and the new power and output transformers, should bring up a new range of exciting models. Despite already being highly reliable, new circuits are added to give users the easiest audiophile life with tubes easily obtainable. Power Transformer Protection (PTP) circuit, Output Transformer Protection (OTP) circuit, Bad Tube Indication Circuit (BTI) and the new generation Adaptive Auto Bias Board (AABB) are just some of the design highlights. PrimaLuna ProLogue models now come also with heavy metal remote control. Shown is the PrimaLuna ProLogue Three MK2 integrated stereo amplifier.

 

 

Mystère, represented and distributed by Mystère USA, will show their new pre- and power amplifiers. The beautiful piano black jewelry cabinets represent a visually stunning electronic design at an affordable price level. The quality choice of parts and circuits mirrors the audiophile quality of design and sound. Seen here is the ia11 integrated stereo amplifier, which is point-to-point wired and uses polypropylene coupling capacitors, low noise resistors and copper wiring. The power output is 40 wpc, has a frequency response from 4 Hz to 80 kHz and SNR of greater than -90dB. The unit weights in at over 45 lbs and is 12.6 x 7.8 x 15.2 (WxHxD in inches).

 

 

Argentum Acoustics Cables by Ultralink/XLO, designed with solid engineering and advanced materials techniques cultivated over ten years producing cable, will be at the 2009 CES. Their cables take into account many factors, including current passing through a conductor and its insulator, which creates surrounding magnetic and electrostatic fields. Then there's the cable's characteristic impedance, capacitance, resistance, inductive reactance, plus the capacitive discharge effect that depends on the dielectric constant and its dump or release rate. Argentum Acoustics cables ($300 on up) are manufactured with the very best materials, processes and dielectrics available, hand terminated with industrial designed connectors and an elegant black jacket. Conductors are 99.99998 percent laboratory-grade UPOCC (Ultra-Pure Ohno Continuous Cast) copper. Other cables are made with silver and featuring ultra-low capacitance DuPont Teflon insulation. The direct 24K gold-plated connections are nonmagnetic and minimal mass ensuring low self-inductance. Speaker cables are terminated with interchangeable 8mm billet-cut spade lugs of CDA alloy 101 copper (99.994 percent pure) directly gold plated with no intervening layer of nickel. Deltron-style banana plugs are also available. All Argentum Acoustics cables are cryogenically treated during the manufacturing process.

 

 

Ultralink/XLO will have their fully redesigned Reference 3 and Signature 3 cables at the CES 2009 event ($290 for Reference 3 half meter audio pair and $590 for Signature 3 half meter audio pair). Reference 3 and Signature 3 interconnect and loudspeaker cables are custom-drawn 99.99998 percent pure Laboratory Grade copper. Signature 3's higher specification calls for UP-OCC 6N copper (Ultra Pure Ohno Continuous Casting process), a material so expensive it's sold by the gram. Ultralink/XLO's proprietary Integrated Field Winding Geometry — how each signal-bearing conductor is arrayed relative to the others — is optimized for the interactive relationship between current-controlled electromagnetic fields formed around a cable's conductors, and the electrostatic fields formed around its insulation when an audio or digital/video signal passes. These cables are also designed to minimize capacitive discharge effects. According to Ultralink/XLO, "As current passes through insulated conductors capacitance effects store signal energy in the surrounding dielectric material that's either turned into heat or quickly released out of phase back into the signal path as soon as the polarity changes. That leads to signal cancellations, reduced low-level detail, smearing, and out-of-phase artifacts causing spurious sound or picture distortions!" XLO claims their design reduces stored energy with low-mass dielectrics and by using the best materials with the minimum dielectric constant and the fastest release rate, the quicker the energy returns from the dielectric, the less distortion in the signal.

 

 

Chario's 1000T tower floorstanding loudspeaker ($2,100/pair) will is a three-way design with downward firing woofer. The Premium Tower 1000 extends the cabinet height of Chario's two-way Premium 1000 bookshelf loudspeaker and falls about midway in Chario's broad line of products. Its slim profile makes it a good choice for smaller rooms while the lengthened cabinet houses a downward-firing woofer and port at the enclosure's base, which is located just above the plinth. The top of the cabinet houses a pair of 5-inch Chario-designed and manufactured woofers that use a cellulose-fiber diaphragm, and are complemented by a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter. Chario's 1000T cabinet is made with high-density fiberboard (HDF), which is veneered in natural wood. All the interior walls are fully laminated to minimize pressure loss and further stiffen the enclosure. The loudspeaker measures 33.9 x 6.7 x 11.4 (HxWxD in inches) and weighs 35.3 pounds.

 

 

Genesis Advanced Technologies, manufacturer of high-end luxury loudspeaker and amplifier systems, has announced both new production and prototype products that will be shown at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "We will be showing a new 'Statement' version of the award winning Genesis Reference Amplifier at CES," said Mr. Gary Leonard Koh, President of Genesis. "Already impressed by the standard versions, customers and dealers asked what could be achieved if I ignored constraints of cost and time. It took nearly three more months of listening and tuning, but I believe that we have achieved something really special. At $22,000, it is not for everyone, but it can drive any loudspeaker, including one as resolved and transparent as our flagship $235,000 Genesis 1.2 system."

"The more exciting product for me," said Mr. Walter Quan, VP of Sales, "is the Genesis 7.1f (pictured here). It is a small and elegant floor-standing loudspeaker that has world-class bass, dynamics, and musicality. Retailing at just $7,999, it will deliver bass down to 23Hz and that's a world-beater. We will demonstrate a prototype during CES, but the first production batch has already been 80 percent pre-sold. It is that good!"

"We will also be showing a brand new line of accessories," continued Mr. Koh. "The Absolute Fidelity Foundation line of equipment racks and loudspeaker stands were designed to be beautiful, elegant and enhance the sonic performance of audio components and monitor loudspeakers." Genesis' G7.1f has a frequency response from 22 Hz to 36 kHz, a sensitivity of 89dB/W/m and presents a 6 Ohm load.

 

 

Navison Audio, producer of natural sounding amplifiers, will unveil their new 150 watt OTL monoblocks at CES (pictured here). These will be powering the Talon Thunderhawks and offer show listeners a glimpse of this incredible pairing. Navison Audio, established in 2000 by a group of experienced vacuum tube circuit designers, specializes in offering premiere high-end tube-based audio products. Their products include the SE-MKI preamplifier and NVS-003G monoblock amplifiers. Navison Audio's NVS-003G eliminates output transformer is this OTL while employing four 6C33C Russian triodes. The company claims that this results in a tighter amplifier-loudspeaker relationship that results in a more responsive nature of this mating. With an eegantly simple circuitry and structure, the NVS-003G is a mono amplifier ideally matched with reasonably efficient loudspeakers within a modest sized listening room.

 

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