Live 2000 Event

 

  Upon entering the large Live 2000 event were these two lovely ladies selling the show's guide. For £2 visitors received an impressive over 66 page color guide filled with news about the show and showcased products.

 

Seen here first: Sharp's new DV-RW10 DVD-RW player/recorder (about £2,000). This unit records video using MPEG-2 technology, records audio via analogue input to digital 24-bit/96kHz using twin DACs. It also has Digital Time Base correction and Digital Noise Reduction as well (for video). Outputs composite video (Y/Ca/Cr) and standard coax. According to the Sharp representative, the DV-RW10 will digitally output 24-bit/96kHz via TosLink and 75 ohm coax. Alas, no pure digital inputs are offered. Availability is scheduled for June 2000 in the UK, yet it is already available in Japan.

 

Seen here first: Sharp was also showing their new DX-SX1 SACD player (about £2,750). This unit outputs analogue audio via fixed or variable RCA jacks so that no preamplifier is needed in a system that only uses this device for source material. It also has a coax and TosLink digital output plus an SACD 13-pin cable. The important news here is that this SACD unit will output the bitstream SACD signal for using Sharp's built-in SACD DAC that is included with their SM-SX1 1-Bit amplifier! This marks the very first time seen anywhere that a unit will output the SACD bitstream to be used with an outboard unit that will decode the signal. While a special 13-pin output/cable/input is used, this maybe spell the beginning of the outboard SACD decoder revolution. You saw it here first! As for the SM-SX1, it is a lower line version of their currently available SM-SX100. Power output of the SM-SX1 is only 50wpc (as opposed to the SM-SX100 100 watt) and the loudspeaker binding posts are of the more economical variety (not the WBT as in the SM-SX100). The SX-SX1 has two line inputs, and SACD input (both analogue and 13-pin digital, one coax and one TosLlink digital input and a TosLink output.

 

Seen here first: German manufacture ELAC, who we have covered in quite a few previous show reports, had their CL 310i JET (£799) small minimonitors and their larger, for the first time anywhere is their new floorstanding loudspeaker CM 512 JET (£1,299). While both loudspeakers use ELAC's Jet folded ribbon tweeter for upper frequencies (up to 35kHz), the midrange/bass driver of the CM 512 JET is an 180mm proprietary aluminum sandwich cone. Silver wire is used excessively within too. External finish choices include Cherry and Maple.

 

Seen here first: ELAC has licensed the NXT flat panel technology for their Imago 60/40 panel loudspeaker. Measuring 60mm x 40mm x 6cm (HxWxD), ELAC is working with the German print company Postergalerie to offer a large amount of various images that appear on their loudspeakers. Frequency response is claimed as 150-20,000 Hz so lower bass frequency reproduction will require another loudspeaker (woofer/subwoofer). As for frame finishes, consumers have a choice of aluminum, various real woods, anthracite and night blue lacquer.

 

Seen here first: Blueroom Loudspeakers Ltd. were showing colorful loudspeakers called the Minipod (£289/pr) whose older version were under the B&W nameplate. These two-way loudspeakers provide a frequency response of 55-25,000Hz (+-6db) and are available in black, carnaby blue, silver and while. A special lucent cobalt colour is also available (£329). Seen here is Nicola posing with a few of the various colours. Also photographed is their new Minipod Bass-Station (£449) scheduled for Christmas 2000. The Minipod Bass Station has a 10" woofer and built-in 75 watt amplifier.

 

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