CES 2010 Preview & THE Show Preview
   
Consumer Electronics Show & THE Show 2010 Preview / Pre-Show Report

YG Acoustics will be at the CES' Venetian location Titian 2201B to showcase their new Carmel loudspeaker ($18,000). YG Acoustics has been producing fully machined all-aluminum speakers for nearly 8 years now and the Carmel not only boasts a fully CNC-machined aircraft aluminum enclosure, but also offers technological features not found in other more expensive speakers. These include four-axis milling technology (instead of the common three axes), precision CNC ground and hardened enclosure panels, and double the machining accuracy (YG Acoustics' tolerance is +/-0.0008"). The new Carmel is a floor standing, passive, two-way speaker utilizing a 7-inch woofer and the tweeter from YG Acoustics' Kipod loudspeaker. The Carmel was created using YG Acoustics' proprietary Dual Coherence crossover technology, the same ultra high quality Mundorf crossover components as all YG Acoustics designs. Frequency response is specified as 35 Hz to 40 kHz with a nominal impedance of 8 Ohms.

 

Electrocompaniet will bring three new products to the CES 2010. The MAESTRO all-in-one audio-video system with Blu-ray and lots of new features, the Prelude BR-1 Blu-ray player and the Nordic Tone Model One reference speaker. MAESTRO, with this product Electrocompaniet combines its 35 years of experience in making high-end audio systems with the newest video and streaming technology. In addition to a Blu-ray drive, the unit will offer Audio/Video streaming, Internet Radio and a FM tuner. Options like an iPod Docking Station and DAB/HD radio will also be available. To power this system there is an integrated amplifier delivering 120 watts into three channels, as an option a 2 x 75 watts rear amplifier that can be wirelessly connected to the MAESTRO using a (RF) radio frequency link. All of these features are packed in a compact unit with a modern design. The cabinet is made out of aluminum and can be delivered in multiple colors. Electrocompaniet's Prelude BR-1 is the first Blu-ray player from Electrocompaniet. In addition to an excellent picture this player will also play music from Blu-ray disks and CD's the way you will expect it from an Electrocompaniet product. Audio/Video streaming is also available. The Nordic Tone speakers, that attracted a lot of attention during the Rocky Mountains Audio Fest 2009 in October, will have its official release at CES this year. Combining the best elements from SEAS and ScanSpeak in a cabinet entirely made of cast aluminum, that makes this speaker one of the very best from Electrocompaniet.

 

Veloce Audio will be at the CES Venetian Hotel room 30-115 with their Platino Series LS1 Linestage and LP1 Phono Module. After two and a half years of intensive development, their Platino Series products feature DC battery power with extended play times of up to 100 hours. The new SmartSupply technology extends battery life while also shortening charge time. In addition to pure DC power, "In this age of ultra resolving audio systems and dirty AC power, we believe the best approach is to get the key audio components off the grid" said Mark Conti, managing director of Veloce Audio. "An added benefit is that DC powered equipment reduces or eliminates the need for expensive powerline conditioning and power cords." All products carry a five year transferable warranty.

 

Bryston has announced that the company's newest products will be featured in the Magnepan demo room at THE Show at the Flamingo Hilton Hotel plus on display with THIEL at CES 2010 in the Venetian's Bassano Ballroom 2601. Bryston will be showing the BCD-1 CD player, BDA-1 DAC, BP26 preamplifier, three flagship 28B SST Squared Series amplifiers, a 4B SST Squared for surround speakers and Torus Power isolation. The demo will also feature high-resolution digital files from Reference Recordings and Chesky. Magnepan and Bryston will be situated in the hotel's Bryce Boardroom. The concept behind this year's exhibit is to promote a new loudspeaker from Magnepan while highlighting the electronics from Bryston and Torus Power. The Bryston DAC, CD player, and Squared Series amplifiers have all recently won prestigious awards and THE Show affords both dealers and media an opportunity to experience these products first hand. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the original Bryston 7B ST (click here), the new Bryston 7B SST² C-Series monoblock amplifiers (click here), the Torus Power Isolation Units (click here), Magnepan's MG 3.6 panel loudspeaker (click here) THIEL SCS4 monitors with SS1 SmartSub subwoofer (click here) and the very limited edition THIEL CS2.4SE floorstanders (click here).

 

PrimaLuna and Mystère will be at the CES 2010 rooms 30-311 and 30-312 in The Venetian with their complete lineup of high-end audio equipment. Earning a recent award from The Absolute Sound, the PrimaLuna ProLogue Seven monoblock amplifier ($3695 per pair) features Solen capacitors made in France, fast recovery diodes, and a quartet of KT88 output tubes per monoblock. They use current production copy of the legendary Genalex KT88 for its acclaimed wonderful sound and tremendous body and punch while still giving the warmth and humanity one expects from an all-tube amplifier. The ProLogue Seven starts with the same basic topology as the award-winning PrimaLuna ProLogue Five stereo power amplifier. The monoblocks reach a new level of performance using a unique dual-feedback topology: Cross-coupled current feedback for superior impulse behavior and gain stability. Next a slight amount of negative feedback is used to achieve exact gain setting, low distortion, and low output impedance. The monoblocks integrate a newly-designed, wide-band, low-loss, output transformers, built to handle even the most difficult speaker loads including 2 Ohms loads. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the PrimaLuna ProLogue Seven monoblock power amplifier and ProLogue Three preamplifier (click here).

 

Sonic Studio, one of the is the premier manufacturer of ultra-fidelity PCM and DSD content creation and home entertainment playback systems, will be exhibiting at both CES and concurrently at THE Show. Companies staging public demonstrations that leverage Sonic Studio expertise include Audio Plus Services, Ayre Acoustics, dCS America, MBL of America, SimpliFi Audio and Weiss Engineering. Sonic Studio products making an appearance at CES include Amarra, software for easy computer playback of very high resolution files, and the Model 4 FireWire DAC. The Amarra Computer Music Player combines the precision of the SSE (Sonic Studio Engine) with the easy operation of iTunes. Amarra version 1.2 will be shown publicly for the first time since its release that is said to improved fidelity and new playlist support for seamless and uninterrupted playback. Sonic Studio's Model 4 is an eight channel digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that combines very high fidelity circuitry with embedded DSP for minimal phase room correction or three-way crossover realization. Its FireWire interface ensures transparent playback of PCM and lossless files sampled at up to 192kHz. The Model 4 will be at SimpliFi Audio's suite, where they will be showing a special, low frequency crossover using Sonic EQ.

 

Sonist will be at THE Show introducing a new model, the Recital 3 6-inch two-way floorstander with pricing at $1795 per pair in standard finish with solid poplar front baffle and medite cabinet painted with textured black paint and the all-wood cabinet for $2195 per pair with solid Poplar front baffle and poplar cabinet finished in light cherry, medium cherry, or dark cherry. The Recital 3 features a flush-mounted 6-inch woofer and JP3.0 ribbon tweeter with integral waveguide, Auric hookup wire, Auricaps and Goertz Alpha Core coils, Cardas Tri Eutectic solder, bi-wireable and bi-ampable. The Recital 3 cabinet is 40 x 8 x 12 (HxWxD in inches) with tapered sidewalls to reduce internal standing waves. Frequency response is from 45 Hz to 40 kHz, sensitivity is 94dB/W/m an it presents an 8 Ohm load. Also at THE Show will be Sonist's Concerto 2 stand mount and Concerto 3 floorstanders. Sonist will be launching the all-wood Recital 3 floorstander at THE Show in Room 4039 at The Flamingo Hotel, with the Glow Audio Glow Amp One EL84 SET five wpc stereo amplifier, CRL Bronze series cables, Cary 306 Pro SACD/CD player and Acoustic Revive power conditioning products.

 

Teresonic, with over 20 years by founder and engineer Mike Zivkovic working towards sonic perfection in loudspeaker design, will have their new Magus Silver XR ($5985 per pair, customized stands are $295 per pair) at THE Show's Flamingo room 4019. This compact loudspeaker said to combine unique acoustic design and ultra-high efficiency with pure silver coils for lifelike sound quality and environmentally friendly audio. Silver, while being more expensive than copper, is a superior at conducting electricity and aid in bringing this new design to achieve an ultrahigh 100dB/W/m sensitivity. The 5-inch Lowther DX65 full-range driver is operated without a crossover. Magus Silver XR is the first commercially available speaker to use the new Lowther DX65 speaker driver with magnetic flux of 22,000 Gauss (or 2.2 Tesla). Specification include 100dB/W/m sensitivity, a frequency response from 50 Hz to 22 kHz (±3dB) and power handling of 2 to 100 watts. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Teresonic Ingenium full-range single driver speaker, which can be seen by clicking here.

 

Harmonic Resolution Systems, a team of skilled engineers and dedicated craftsmen lead by Chief Engineer Mr. Michael Latvis who has more than twenty years of engineering and product development experience with isolation systems for major aerospace and defense customers, will have their reference level audio stands in use in a number of exhibit rooms at CES. Harmonic Resolution Systems static display room will be located in the Venetian Tower room 29-203 and their system will be appearing in many other rooms including:

Aesthetix (Venetian 29-221)
SXR-1921-5V Frame (Black Finish), Solid Brace Inserts, M3X Isolation Bases
Audio Research (Venetian 30-126)
MXR-1921-3V Double Wide Frame (Walnut Burl Finish) with M3X Isolation Bases
SXR-1921-1V Amps Stand Frame (Black Finish) with M3X Bases
Avalon Acoustics (Venetian 34-309)
SXR-1921-4V Frame (Black Finish), Solid Brace Inserts, M3X Isolation Bases
Avantgarde Acoustic (Venetian 30-324)
SXR-1921-4V Frame (Black Finish) with M3X Isolation Bases
Bel Canto Design (Venetian 29-230)
SXR-1921-3V Frame (Black Finish) with M3X Isolation Bases

And many other rooms. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Harmonic Resolution Systems SXR equipment rack with M3 isolation bases (click here).

 

Marten, a loudspeaker company based in Sweden that designs their speakers to make use of reflective surfaces to take advantage of the amplifying effect that the walls have on the bass range, will be showing five of their products within six rooms at the CES. These include Venetian room 29-218 for the Marten Heritage Getz, room 30-325 will be playing the company's Coltrane Soprano, room 30-115 will have the Heritage Bird, room 30-322 will be playing Marten's Heritage Getz, room 30-217 will have the Coltrane Momento and finally room 29-111 will be playing the Coltrane Marten. CES 2010 will be the world premier of the Marten Getz, which fills the gap between the Miles 3 and Bird models in the Heritage series. This three-way loudspeaker employs a 1-inch ceramic tweeter, a 7-inch ceramic midrange driver, and a 9-inch woofer, all from Accuton. The woofer is supplemented by a newly-developed passive radiator, also from Accuton. The combination of active and passive drivers are said to provide even, highly-controlled bass and creates a realistic, full-bodied sonic performance. Frequency response is from 30 Hz to 40 kHz and pricing is $20,000. The Marten Getz is available in walnut, cherry, maple, and black, and all in piano lacquer finishes. Marten will also demonstrate their new reference Coltrane Momento, which is a three-way loudspeaker that employs four 9-inch ceramic woofers, four 9-inch passive radiators, and one 7-inch ceramic midrange driver, all from Accuton, plus a 1-inch diamond tweeter from Jantzen Audio. The body of the cabinet is made of 20mm carbon fiber laminate, while the front, back, top, and bottom are made of 30mm solid wood. The stands are made of polished stainless steel with carbon fiber pucks and cones by Black Diamond Racing. Projected retail price is $165,000 and available finishes include piano black sides with oak, maple, cherry, or walnut wood panels.

 

Click here for page 5 of our CES 2010 / THE Show preview report.