CES / T.H.E. Show 2010 Top 10 Design Awards
Report By Phil Gold

ADN "Secret" Innova Speaker
This is my first acquaintance with Spanish manufacturer ADN. Innova was inspired by the Modernist movement of Gaudi. The cabinet design for these stunning speakers incorporates aluminum chambers, to be filled with a mixture of sand and lead shot, and startling internal protruding pyramids. Even before the chambers are filled, the Innova weighs over 100 lbs. Drivers are by Scanspeak and crossovers by Mundorf. An extensive array of customized finishes is available, including, powder coatings, liquid coatings and metallic coatings.

    

 

Vitus SP101 Phono Stage
Hans-Ole Vitus introduced me to his SP-101 Phonostage Signature Series, a true balanced design using only matched transistors and super precision resistors. RIAA correction is passive yet accurate within 1 percent. All capacitors used in the RIAA stage, along with most of the other electrical parts, are custom made for this application. Not many phonostages weigh 53 lbs. This component continues the simple, elegant design of the Vitus range. If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. Things must be going well for Vitus Audio. The Danish manufacturer has just moved into a new larger factory.

 

Quad II Classic Integrated Amplifier
Tim de Paravacini, tube superstar, has produced another update of the old classic Quad amps. This time we have a 25 wpc integrated stereo amp using four KT66, four ECC88 and two ECC83 tubes. You get three Line level inputs, 1 MM/MC phono input and a tape monitor. New output transformers are said to allow the Quad to drive even difficult loads. I hope to put this one though its paces soon. The elegant compact packaging with its warm colors and rounded edges puts many modern designs to shame. Pricing should be around the $4000 mark.

 

darTZeel NHB-458 Amplifier
darTZeel introduced the NHB-458 Monoblock Power Amp. Just the aluminum takes 150 hours to machine. The sides will feature plate glass windows allowing you to enjoy a view of all the high tech wizardry inside. You can expect 450 watts into 8 Ohms or 800 watts into 4 Ohms. Based on the philosophy underpinning the NHB-108, the Monoblocks will have no contact or switch in the signal path, and only a single inert gas filled relay, no negative feedback in the input stage, and no negative feedback or compensation network in the output stage.

 

Quantum QRT / QX4
Quantum Resonant Technology has been developing its power products and now has a full range, falling into two parts. The first is a star earthed Distribution Block QB4 ($799) or QB8 (1299), and the second, the Power Purifier QX2 ($1699) or QX4 ($2499) applies its unique quantum filed based technology to improve the power supply and set up a quantum field in which electronic components perform more cleanly, an extension of the technology seen in the Nordost Thor. How well all this works will have to wait until I get my hands on them, but for now I can just show you the clean compact lines of these Quantum series products which made a big impression on me.

  

 

 

Vegas – What's New?
The new City Centre development opened in December and it is enormous, impressive and surprising tasteful for Vegas. Here are a few shots to give you a taste, taken in the Aria Resort and Casino and the high end mall next to it, Crystals.

    

 

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