CES Report & T.H.E. Show Products 2011
   

American Sound Works had their new line of Beta Series loudspeakers. The new Beta Series satellite/monitor, subwoofers and module towers system is designed and engineered to accurately reproduce the dynamic range, stereo separation and frequency response from today's vastly improved signal sources. The Beta-V119 is the most compact of the Beta loudspeaker series and delivers a surprisingly big sound for its compact size of 10 inches by 17 inches. The Beta-PS824 is the largest of the Beta subwoofer series, which delivers unprecedented high performance low frequency in just 20 inches by 19 inches. Seen here is the Beta-S2615, which is the largest and most sophisticated module tower of the Beta loudspeaker series. The midrange/tweeter module may be placed on top of the bass module or the midrange/tweeter module may be placed on a speaker stand with the bass module next to the speaker stand or somewhere else in the room. The midrange/tweeter module may also be placed on a shelf or in an entertainment center/wall unit with the bass module in a different location in the entertainment center/wall unit or in a different place in the room.

 

Bowers & Wilkins new Zeppelin Air ($600) is the company's ultimate AirPlay wireless audio system with completely updated drive units and advanced Digital Signal Processing plus fully integrated AirPlay technology so users can easily stream music wirelessly from iTunes, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The improved sonic performance is complemented by a collection of new features, foremost among which is the inclusion of new AirPlay technology. AirPlay also lets users create an easy to set up multi-room system with iTunes on Mac or PC, delivering music to multiple Zeppelin Airs around the house. As the best sounding Zeppelin yet, Zeppelin Air features dramatic changes over previous models. It's a fully active 2.1 design, which means that all five units are individually driven by dedicated audiophile amplifiers, which are specially designed by Bowers & Wilkins. The improved 4 x 25 Watt and 1 x 50 Watt output powers updated drive units, for a truly room-filling performance. Zeppelin Air also features Bowers & Wilkins Flowport technology and advanced Digital Signal Processing in the form of Dynamic EQ; these combine with a significantly upgraded port for dramatically improved bass performance. The DACs have also been upgraded, with 24bit/96kHz capability for compatibility with emerging high-quality audio formats. AirPlay requires iTunes 10.1 or later and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 4.2 or later.

 

Paradigm, an award-winning Canadian speaker manufacturer, has launches their Shift and the new A2 powered speaker to reach a new generation of ears. The Shift is aimed at a younger audience and those with a focus on exceptional audio solutions for personal audio, PC and gaming. Paradigm Shift represents an additional focus by providing more consumers access to the inherent possibilities for a better overall audio experience through Paradigm sound. The new brand will target mobile music consumers and modern gamers with a focus on enhanced audio quality for products in four different categories including powered speakers, earbuds, headphones, and gaming headsets. The company will unveil the new brand and provide prototype demonstrations of the first product in the new line, the new Paradigm Shift Active Atom, otherwise known as the A2 ($249 each). The new A2 is a powered bookshelf/tabletop speaker designed to be used alone, as a left/right audio system or in stereo pairs with devices such as iPods and other music players, desktop computers, home DJ decks, videogame consoles and so much more. The A2 is bi-amped with 100 watts of power per speaker and designed and engineered to the exacting standards that Paradigm products are known. The A2 can be used with any devices that have a 3.5-mm mini-jack or RCA outputs or for wireless streaming. The A2 has a built-in interface on the rear panel for Airport Express.

 

Paradigm also introduced their Reference Millenia LP in-wall slim and mountable on-wall LCR speaker. This ultra-thin (1.5") cabinet profile is slim enough to hang with the sleekest LED, LCD, or plasma flat-panel displays, even meshing with projector screens while reproducing music, soundtracks and dialogue with accurate ease. Lifestyle speakers are in demand and the Millenia LP caters to audio enthusiasts building a system piece by piece since each speaker can be used for left/right or center channel sound, just by configuring vertically or horizontally, depending on preference. The Millenia LP LCR delivers for those in search of non-architectural, minimalist, audio options since it requires no custom speaker cut-out holes. Simply cut out small holes for the speaker wire and mount the speakers to the wall for a clean LCR set up. Built with Paradigm Reference technology, the Millenia LP features convex S-PALTM satin-anodized pure aluminum domes, curved mineral-filled polypropylene bass/midrange cones and other award-winning design elements. Three Reference Millenia LPs can be paired with the sonically-matched Millenia ADP surrounds and a Millenia Sub or Seismic 110 to create an acoustically immersive and aesthetically pleasing 5.1 surround sound set-up.

 

PS Audio's new PerfectWave DAC and Network Bridge ($3700) is a hybrid DAC, music server and preamplifier. The PerfectWave DAC is capable of accessing high-resolution digital audio data from multiple sources such as a CD transport, CD player, computer network or the Internet and converting it to analog audio. When combined with the PerfectWave Network Bridge, the PerfectWave DAC (PWD) is turned into a high-end music server and preamplifier. Utilizing the onboard Digital Lens, the incoming stream is stripped of its clocks, the raw data dumped into a solid state memory and compared to the incoming stream until absolutely bit accurate, then re-clocked for an uncompromised, bit accurate, jitter-free signal. As a music server, the PWD can access and control any Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) compatible source such as a network hard drive (NAS) or stream directly off the Internet. As a preamplifer control center, the PWD connects directly to a power amplifier controlling both the volume and any of the seven connected sources. Powered by PS Audio's tagNplay controller, this system delivers ease of use and social fun for all. Inputs for the PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC include two I2S over HDMI, optical TOSLINK, coax S/PDIF, balanced AES/EBU, 24-bit/96kHz USB and Ethernet.

 

dCS, since 1987 dCS has been at the forefront of digital audio, has their design team busy with a number of exciting refinements to its existing product line planned for 2011. Following the worldwide success of its Scarlatti, Paganini, Puccini, and Debussy systems and D/A converters, dCS continues to refine and improve its product line in 2011 with new software for its DACs and Upsamplers that include new DSP filters, and with updates to all its USB-input-equipped products to accept datastreams up to 24-bit/192kHz over their patent-pending asynchronous USB interface. The updated Debussy D/A converter is demonstrated at CES, and news about further updates to its Upsamplers and U-Clock will follow shortly after CES.

 

Enjoy the Music.com has just learned that it has been reported that lower-end consumer electronics manufacturer Audiovox announced at the 2011 CES that it intends to purchase the Klipsch Group. Brands within the Klipsch group include Energy, Jamo, Klipsch and Mirage. A non-binding agreement has been signed and once the accountants and investors are all in agreement, Audiovox could be the new owners of the Klipsch Group.

 

Anthony Gallo Acoustics (AGA), founded in 1994 and primarily engineered spherical speakers, is now offering a box design. Specifically, the new AGA Nucleus Classico two-way with specialized tweeter. "We learned how to really make it work," says Anthony Gallo, founder of AGA. "Since its inception, the box speaker has been plagued with flaws due to the enclosure. With the introduction of the Classico line, we are now able to offer the award-winning Gallo sound in a more traditional aesthetic." AGA debuted the all-new Nucleus Classico Series at CES 2011 in Room 29-332 at the Venetian Hotel. At the show, Anthony Gallo will reveal the technology behind BLAST, the new development that is said to be the critical component of the Classico's 'Un-Box' sound capabilities. The lovely wood cabinet features a cone woofer and AGA's signature specialized Cylindrical Diaphragm Transducer (CDT) tweeter design. No other information yet on frequency response, sensitivity, cabinet wood and color options or price. many other models will make their appearance at the 2011 CES from the company.

 

Meridian Audio has announced the introduction of two new products, the DSP3200 compact digital active loudspeaker ($6000 per pair) and the Audio Core 200 stereo audio controller ($3000). These elegant loudspeakers echo the lines of Meridian's flagship DSP8000 and are the most compact Meridian loudspeakers designed to date. Meridian's Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technologies are naturally part of this design. Meridian SpeakerLink connectivity makes connecting the DSP3200 to the Audio Core 200 quick and easy. Featuring a wide-range driver that allows the DSP crossover frequency to be well outside the speech band. The DSP3200 is suited to a wide range of room positions - on or in furniture, on floor stands or on wall brackets and is offered with two high-gloss paint finishes; high-gloss white and high-gloss black. The Meridian Audio Core 200 stereo audio controller brings together audio sources with Meridian Resolution Enhancement technologies such as an Apodising filter and upsampling. The Audio Core 200 includes PC audio replay via USB. There is a Meridian SpeakerLink input for single-wire connection to a Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System. Fully compatible with Meridian's i80 Dock for iPod, the Audio Core 200 will play iPod/iPhone via Meridian DSP Loudspeakers while it charges. Users can control what they hear via the front panel or remote handset. The Audio Core 200's intelligent front-panel controls feature smart buttons for intuitive operation, and an auto-dimming OLED display for maximum readability.

 

Meridian Audio has announced the introduction of the Meridian Sooloos Media Core 200 digital media system ($4000). This elegant, compact and virtually silent system that requires only the user's choice of controller to perform. It can be operated by any of the network-based control systems available, including the iPad or iPhone App, a computer running the Control PC or Control Mac application, or a Meridian Sooloos controller such as the Control 15 or Control 10. At the heart of the Media Source 200 is a 500GB hard drive, storing around 1000 CD albums in lossless quality for graphical and touch-screen access via the award-winning Sooloos interface. Users may also enjoy streamed audio services including Rhapsody. For those with terabytes of data, you can import a small fraction of your collection to the 500GB give via free Meridian Sooloos software tools. Of course the unit does offer full integration with Meridian and Meridian Sooloos audio systems plus may be networked to any other Meridian Sooloos product to add extra storage or zones.

 

T+A Elektroakustik will bring their new Solitaire CWT 2000 loudspeaker ($45,000 per pair). It uses Cylinder Wave Transducer (CWT) design to minimize room interaction, an innovative electrostatic high-frequency driver array and four 10" long-excursion, mechanically isolated side mounted woofers. The woofers are housed in two separate sealed sub-enclosures and feature extremely low resonance frequency to enable high SPLs with no distortion. For midrange duty, six 6" ultra-wide bandwidth linear midrange drivers are each housed in a separate sealed sub-enclosure. In striving for a perfect loudspeaker T+A didn't impose any restrictions on its designers, neither with regard to the price nor in terms of cabinet size or construction. An essential goal of the creative process was to develop sound transducers that would minimize the negative influences of normal living rooms on the sonic result, keeping such as small as possible and to generate a perfect sound field in the listening zone between the loudspeakers. The T+A Solitaire models are designed as Cylinder Wave Transducers (CWT), which are claimed to generate a very homogeneous sound field plus result in very few reflections and sound manipulations by the listening room.

Specifications 
Type: Three-way system)
Nominal Load: 400 Watt
Impedance: 4 Ohm
Frequency Range: 18 Hz to 45 kHz
Sensitivity: 86dB/W/m
Woofers: Four 250 mm
Midrange: Six x 150 mm
Tweeters: Elektrostatic tweeter 920 x 50 mm
Crossover Frequencies: 150 Hz, 2000 Hz
Dimensions: 61 x 14.1 x 20.5  (HxWxD in inches)
Weight: 275 lbs
Available Finishes: Black, white, cherry, makassar (ebony), dark walnut high gloss; black or white massive aluminum top cover and base

 

Olive Media, founded in 2005 by Dr. Oliver Bergmann and Robert Altmann who are both passionate about technology and music, will soon proudly showing their new O6HD Music Server. Continuing Olive's strong reputation for marrying the highest quality digital audio, performance and high-end design aesthetics, the O6HD Music Server will be the most advanced offering to date. The Olive O6HHD will upsampling to 384 kHz using the latest TI SRC4194 asynchronous sample rate converter. Lower audio standards from 24-bit/192kHz will be upsampled to 384 kHz. Dedicated linear power supply for the analog output stage with custom built toroidal transformer is said to eliminate undesirable interference. The O6HD strictly separates the power supplies for its digital and analog sections. This separation ensures that the sensitive analog stages are isolated from all power supply artifacts, and that each stage within the O6HD is supplied independently with clean power. To ensure quiet operation, the fanless cooling guarantees silence. Olive's solid aluminum shell dramatically reduces resonances and operational noises as our patent-pending feet design eliminate vibrations. Other features of this unit include a wide-aspect 10.1" glass-on-glass color touch-screen, a distinctive angled front for optimal access to buttons and screen, and overall dimensions are 17.38 x 2.63 x 12.25 (WxHxD in inches). Chassis colors available are silver or black.

 

Bybee Labs will be showcasing their new Bybee Rails during the CES 2011. According to the company, "Never before have equipment manufacturers had such an efficient way to reduce signal and noise on the power supply rails Not like this! Our new technology is captured in a compact module that reduces power supply signal and noise up to 45 dB. Hearing is believing. Suitable for a wide range of electronic devices, the Bybee Music Rails are direct current power conditioners. This is an active electronic modules built on small circuit boards that measurably reduce all types of noise on power supply rails. With low noise-floor and low impedance, these exclusive devices produce a highly purified source of DC power. Unwanted noise power is reduced by a factor of 32,000 times. There is also measurably less interference among audio stages on the power supply rail due to nearly zero impedance output. Sonically, this results in a blacker background, faster transients, sharper image focus, better bass punch, more detail and improved definition."

 

Electrocompaniet's new DAC with USB input will be introduced at the 2011 CES. More and more people trust storage and playback of their favorite music to digital sources like computers, iPod's and streaming devices. This is very convenient and flexible, but often the audio quality is not as good as it should be with these kinds of equipment. With the new DAC from Electrocompaniet, called PD-1, the audio quality from all your digital sources can be improved and the reproduction of the music is brought closer to the way it was recorded. In addition to the USB interface the PD-1 has both S/PDIF coax and optical TosLink inputs. The remote control has the facility to select the source and adjust volume up and down. Your PC/Mac can be connected to the USB port so that via remote control you can start/stop your media player and jump to the next/previous song in your playlist. If you want to avoid cables or want to put your computer away from your stereo system you can add the optional Music Streamer. This box connects to the USB port of your computer and steams music to you PD 1 via radio link.

 

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