CES 2012 Preview & T.H.E. Show Report 2012
   
Consumer Electronics Show & T.H.E. Show 2012

CEntrance has just announced the first shipments of CEntrance's new MasterClass 2504 speakers and DACmini PX with integrated amplifier/DAC system bundle ($2000): the Audiophile Desktop. This setup will be at T.H.E. Show's Flamingo Hotel and packs a stereo pair of MasterClass 2504 desktop two-way coaxial speakers and the DACmini PX desktop amplifier and DAC. The bundle also includes a travel case with custom foam cushioning as well as speaker and USB cables. The Audiophile Desktop system was designed from the ground up to bring hi-fi sound straight to the desktop for today's Internet-connected consumers. The DAC, amplifier and speakers are closely matched and properly voiced to work in concert. The recently released powered DACmini PX follows in the footsteps of the critically acclaimed DACmini CX. Features include analog and digital inputs and 24-bit/192kHz capability. The new MasterClass 2504 nearfield speakers boldly define 'mastering-quality' sound for the listener's immediate environment. Each MasterClass 2504 speaker features a full-range two-way 4-inch transducer, a carefully tuned bass-reflex cavity, a crossover circuit with custom frequency-shaping components and 25 watts of power-handling capability. The speakers are finished in black piano lacquer to match the black anodized finish of the DACmini PX. DACmini PX is a compact DAC with built-in Class A headphone and Class D speaker amplifier designed to perfectly complement the MasterClass 2504 speakers. This preamplifier and digital to analog converter has multiple input/output including USB, TosLink optical, coax S/PDIF, analog input and output, and a front-mounted 1/4-inch connector for professional headphones. It features a proprietary JitterGuard jitter elimination system, and plug-and-play driverless USB connection on Windows, Mac and Linux computers.

 

Audio-Technica will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2012 – and is introducing a host of new products at CES 2012 (Booth 21138 South Hall Lower Level) including very special Limited Edition 50th Anniversary commemorative models. Five Limited Edition 50th Anniversary products will make their debut at CES 2012 including the the ATH-W3000ANV over-ear and ATH-CKW1000ANV in-ear audiophile headphones, ATH-PRO700MK2ANV DJ headphones, AT50ANV air-core moving coil phono cartridge ($2000, pictured here) and AT150ANV Dual Magnet phono cartridge. The new AT50ANV air-core MC type cartridge was developed as a 50th anniversary model for Audio-Technica Japan. Comparing to the previous model the new AT50ANV comes with magnetic core with coil winding frame as well as newly developed Titanium non-magnetic armature winding of the coil frame. As a result, it is said that an improvement in sound quality and three-dimensional sound field is now very natural, with transparency and delicacy also being key. In addition, about eight times higher in the coil cross section (compared to Audio-Technica's conventional units), this new model has the same output voltage of 0.12mV as previous model. The Audio-Technica AT50ANV 50th Anniversary Limited Edition MC cartridge has a frequency range from 15 Hz to 50kHz, channel separation of 30dB and output balance of 0.5dB.

 

YG Acoustics will be at CES' Venetian Tower suite 35-203 showcasing their Anat III Signature speakers in the main room and their Kipod II Signature and Carmel speakers in the second room. Of note is that 2012 marks the 10th Anniversary of YG Acoustics. YG Acoustics' Anat III (pictured) is the third generation of YG Acoustics' flagship line and the company's handmade in U.S.A. innovation. The drivers are machined in-house, as are the proprietary toroidal air-core crossover inductors. The bass and midrange units are made in-house using YG Acoustics' proprietary BilletCore technology: the drivers are precisely machined (slowly carved) out of massive slabs of aircraft-grade aluminum. The tweeter incorporates YG Acoustics' ForgeCore system: in-house CNC-cutting introduces sophisticated 3D geometries into the motor system. The crossover circuits are all created using proprietary software developed entirely in-house. DualCoherent technology is claimed to provide the best frequency response and relative phase available. The Anat III’s crossover uses ToroAir technology, which is in-house CNC-wound toroidal air-core inductors. The powered bass-modules (subwoofers) use amplifiers custom-designed for the specific impedance curves of their respective drivers. Rounding out this design, the YG Acoustics' Anat III’s cabinet is constructed of precision-machined aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. The use of a multi-layered structure is optimized for each module’s specific frequency range. This ensures the lowest vibration available, even at extreme volume levels. Overall frequency response is from 20 Hz to above 40 kHz, sensitivity is 89dB/W/m with an impedance of 4Ω Ohms (3 Ohm minimum). Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the YG Acoustics Carmel floorstanding speaker.

 

Zesto Audio, a manufacturer of fine analog equipment in California, will showcase their Andros PS1 phonostage ($3900) at T.H.E Show Las Vegas in Room 4024. The Andros Phonostage is said to "deliver a classic tube sound, works with virtually any phono cartridge and is uncommonly quiet." The Andros PS1 is a MC/MM phonostage using four 12AX7 vacuum tubes. It has 8 position load settings from 1000 to 20 Ohms, step up transformers, balanced inputs and low noise with all adjustments easily accessible on the back. Each unit is Made in the USA and built by hand. Other features include a 50 hour factory burn in on all circuits and vacuum tubes, low Noise level of -75dBu, the output circuit is designed to drive cables and isolates the output from the influence of the next stage and isolated ground RCA connectors plus the Ground On/Off switch allows users to choose the best ground configuration.

 

Einstein Audio Components will be at T.H.E Show's Red Rock V room with a wide variety of their high-end audio electronics amplification components. They wil be showing their Einstein The Preamp, which is a new fully balanced tube preamplifier, The Final Cut Ultimate fully balanced OTL power amplifier, Einstein The Interconnect balanced hybrid interconnect cable and The Speakercable hybrid speaker cable. Also at T.H.E Show will be the Einstein The Source DAC newly designed CD Player that is specially prepared for digital inputs. Einstein's The Final Cut OTL monoblock MK 60 was made possible via extensive research and the development of novel circuitry to achieve output-transformer-less (OTL) pure tube topologies without the common loss of bass control due to insufficient damping factors. The Final Cut celebrates the sophisticated midband presence of a 300B S.E.T. or 211 amplifier but adds exploded bandwidth and dynamics beyond any audible limits: a true watershed phenomenon in tube technology. Dual-differential, fully balanced circuitry from input to output are implemented via the shortest signal path with point-to-point wiring. High damping factor, low harmonic distortion and a wide operational bandwidth ensure high fidelity. Output power is 60 watts into 8 Ohms, 45 watts into 4 Ohms via a tube complement of four 6C33 triodes and five E88CC/6922 dual triode. The unit weighs a hefty 70 lbs.

 

highend-electronics, Inc., a retailer catering to the most discerning clientele of music lovers, will be at T.H.E. Show's Flamingo Hotel Room 4031 with the official United States debut of ARTOS loudspeakers. Prices range from $22,800 for the entry-level model, Sunrise, up to $129,000 for the top-of-the-line Hurricane (pictured here). ARTOS loudspeakers are designed to reproduce an extremely natural, dynamic and realistic musical experience, offering impressive sound stage, bass control and time-coherence that set landmarks in music reproduction. The unique shape of ARTOS loudspeakers is dictated by the air-flow-optimized properties of the design and construction while the beautifully finished cabinets are available in a wide range of wood veneers. Highend-electronics will showcase at T.H.E. Show ARTOS Sunrise (2.5-way, 91dB/W/m, 5 Ohm, $22,800) and ARTOS Rainbow (3-way, 91dB/W/m, $32.000). The Hurricane pictured above uses one each 1.2" Black-Diamond tweeter and 7.0" ceramic midrange, two 7.0" ceramic woofers and three 9.0" ceramic subwoofers. Impedance is 5 Ohm, sensitivity is 93dB/W/m, frequency response is from 18 Hz to 100 kHz (-3dB). Dimensions are 70 x 14.2 x 24.4 (HxWxD in inches) and each unit weighs 250 lbs.

 

Talon Loudspeakers, a division of Rives Audio Inc, will be at CES unveiling the new active crossover for the Talon Phoenix loudspeaker. The Phoenix will be utilizing the same award winning technology found in the Rives Audio PARC and sub-PARC, which will allow the speaker to couple perfectly to any room environment. This active crossover is spec'ed at 300 Hz, has a three band parametric equalizer that is fully programmable from 20 Hz to 250 Hz. Attenuation is fully programmable and inputs include RCA or through speaker terminals. The unit produces 500 watts continuous (digital switching amplifier). "I'm extremely happy with the results we've achieved with the Phoenix Loudspeaker", explains Richard Bird, President of Rives Audio and Talon Loudspeakers. "The passive version we introduced last year was excellent, among the finest conventional design of any speaker at any price, but this year we raise the bar significantly with the active design."

 

Hudson Audio Imports will be promoting the release of the Art Audio Diavolo TW Reference stereo amplifier along with the state of the art Conductor pre-amplifier at T.H.E Show. Also in room 4005 at the Flamingo will be the Blumenhofer Acoustics Fun series speakers and a new turntable from Art Audio.

 

ModWright Instruments Inc. new KWI 200 ($5000) solid-state integrated power amplifier is available with optional Phonostage (MM/MC) and DAC (24-bit/192kHz Asynchronous USB and RCA) for those seeking an all-in-one unit. The KWI 200 requires only power cord, speaker cables and speakers, to make a True High End Audio system. Manual controls are simple: Two knobs and two buttons. Power, Home Theater Bypass (or preamp-input) button, source select, and volume control knobs complete the interface. Power amplification is via MOSFET with a 1.5KVA power transformer and over 234,000 microfarads total capacitance. This is a very high current unit that produces 200W of power into 8 Ohms (400W into 4 Ohms). The unit features three stereo pairs of RCA inputs, XLR inputs, RCA Home Theater Bypass (or preamp-input) plus one pair of RCA for stereo preamplification output. For commercial installation, there are two 12V trigger outputs, while loudspeaker output is via 5-way binding posts. Overall frequency response is from 10 Hz to 100 kHz, input sensitivity is 1 Volt, dimensions are 17 x 17 x 6 (WxDxH in inches) and weight is 55 lbs.

 

DeVore Fidelity will be at the CES 2012 Venetian room 30-124 with two new products. First, the all-new gibbon X three-way floor-standing speaker. This unit incorporates a brand new 7-inch treated-paper midrange driver with a phase plug, blended with a pair of very long-throw 7-inch paper woofers along with the latest iteration of the Silverback silk-dome tweeter. Second, the production gibbon 88, which was shown as a prototype at RMAF. This is the replacement to the award-winning gibbon Super 8 and highlights our floorstanding two-way speaker design that uses a new 7-inch treated-paper woofer and the Silverback tweeter as above. Also in the room will be a pair of gibbon 3XLs and the Orangutan O/96s. Sources are also notable, with the debut of a brand new reference model turntable and tonearm from Well Tempered Labs. The new LTD tonearm is the first WTL arm to be available for mounting on other brand turntables. An EMT TSD-15 cartridge will be hanging out at the end of the arm. Electronics will be from Audio Research: VSi60, PH8 and DAC8. Cables will be Auditorium 23 and handsome, sonorous racks by Box Furniture Co.

 

Magico will be at CES' The Venetian Suite 35-209 to expand the performance envelope of the paradigm shifting Q-Series with their new Q7 floorstanding speaker ($165,000 per pair). This cost-no-object loudspeaker is a five-driver, four-way design with an astounding 94dB/W/m efficiency @ 4 Ohms. To create such a highly efficient loudspeaker the entire complement required new motor systems backed with powerful neodymium magnets. Dual 12-inch bass woofers and a 10-inch midbass bring Nano-Tec cone technology into this largest Magico-designed drivers to date. The enclosure uses Advanced Finite Elements Analysis to study 'in-box' driver behavior. Magico's Q-Series construction techniques were redeployed in a configuration more finely tuned to the specific parameters of 'driver to enclosure' interaction. Comprised of over 100 parts of aluminum, copper, and stainless steel, all affixed with over 650 fasteners in a calculated labyrinth of internal bracing, the Q7 provides a combination of mass, dampness and rigidity. A new three-axis matrix frame, copper decoupling levels, and a 'floating' midrange cavity yield. Magico's Q7 elliptical crossover techniques have been employed to create the Q7 four-way filters. Custom ultra-high precision resistors, capacitors and coils were designed to comprise the crossover network. Driver complement includes one each 1" MB7 tweeter, 6" MG70 midrange, 10" MG107 midbass and a pair of 12" MG1207 bass/woofers. Frequency response is from 20 Hz to 50 kHz, dimensions are 60 x 32 x 15 (HxDxW in inches) and weight is 750 lbs.

 

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $190 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry with more than 2000 companies, announced their 2012 International CES Best of Innovations Design and Engineering Award Honorees. The International CES Innovations Awards honor outstanding design and engineering advancements across 32 consumer electronics product categories. The Best of Innovations honor is awarded to the products with the highest judges' scores and will be featured in the Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase at the 2012 International CES. Honorees will also be displayed at CES Unveiled: the Official Press Event of the International CES from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, January 8 in the Venetian Ballroom of the Venetian. Entries for The Best of Innovations are judged on overall engineering qualities related to technical specifications and materials, aesthetics and design qualities, the product's intended use and function, unique features and how the design and innovation of the product compares to others in the marketplace. The Best of Innovations Honorees for 2012 include:

Headphones
Sonomax Technologies, Inc.
Eers Custom-Fitted Earphones 

Home Theater Speakers
Reality Design Pty Ltd
SonicBlade

High Performance Home Audio
Devialet
D-Premier

 

The Wireless Speaker and Audio (WiSAT) Association was launched and will be at the CES 2012 to advance the adoption of 24-bit/96kHz wirelessly transmitted high-definition (HD) surround-sound audio in the home theater environment by establishing the industry's first interoperability specification and certification testing programs for manufacturers of high-performance wireless speakers, DTVs, Blu-ray Disc players, and other consumer electronics (CE) devices. Aperion Audio, DEI Holdings, Inc. (parent company to PolkR Audio and Definitive Technology), Hansong Electronics Co., KlipschR Group, Inc., Meiloon Industrial Co., Pioneer Corporation, SHARP Corporation, Silicon Image and Summit Semiconductor signed Letters of Intent to join the WiSA Association as Advisory Board members to promote interoperability of interference-free, wireless surround-sound audio across a wide range of consumer electronics devices. Ensuring interoperability with wireless speakers for the home will be a key factor in the long term success of quality wireless audio technology. The WiSA certification and test program addresses an industry need to develop and deliver HD wireless audio products for the home while ensuring interoperability between any manufacturer's CE devices such as speakers, DTVs, Blu-ray Disc players, gaming consoles, set-top boxes, and mobile devices. Consumers will be able to outfit their home entertainment system with WiSA-certified speakers and components from any participating vendor with the assurance that the devices will interoperate with each other and provide the highest standard in wireless HD surround sound audio. Initially, the WiSA Association's interoperability testing and certification program will be aimed at products offering interference-free, uncompressed HD audio over the 5 GHz Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) frequency band. This is a portion of the spectrum that is largely unused compared to the lower-frequency Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio bands, which are becoming increasingly crowded with signals from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices, cordless phones, and other radio emitters in the home. By operating in the U-NII spectrum, WiSA-certified products will be designed to avoid the interference, signal loss, and generally unpredictable behavior reported by many users of legacy wireless speaker connections. A wide range of WiSA-certified products are expected to be available, addressing the high-end of the market as well as entry level products and delivering 16 or 24-bit audio and up to 96 kHz sampling rate in configurations ranging from stereo to 7.1 surround sound and beyond. The WiSA Association's interoperability testing and certification program will also ensure easy set-up and configuration, with the goal of enabling consumers to set up a 7.1 home theater system in less than 30 minutes on average.

 

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