GOODSOUND!GoodSound! "Features" Archives

Published January 6-9, 2005

 

GoodSound! at CES 2005

SoundStage! Network publisher Doug Schneider and I spent the entire first day of the CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which is a sprawling compound comprising primarily three extremely large halls and literally hundreds of exhibitors. Finding high-quality audio products, let alone budget products, in this maze of every imaginable type of consumer electronics was going to be a daunting task. Fortunately, many specialty-audio manufacturers were concentrated in the South Hall, which made the task somewhat easier.

One of the most impressive displays of affordably priced high-quality speakers was from Canadian manufacturer Audio Products International. All three API brands -- Mirage, Energy, and Athena Technologies -- debuted new products that should appeal to the budget-minded audiophile.


Gord Van Kessel explains Athena's new WS-series speakers.


Mirage designer Andrew Welker (center), along with Ian Paisley (right), explain the intricacies of the new OMNISAT speakers.

Athena has a reputation for being API’s most value-oriented brand, but it has released the elegant-looking WS series with attractive extruded-aluminum enclosures. Intended to complement flat-panel displays, these high-tech, lifestyle speakers have some innovative new design features. The WS 15 is a straightforward two-way model with a 1" Teteron tweeter and 3.5" polypropylene woofer. They sell for $179 per pair. The larger WS-60 utilizes the same drivers, but in an array that includes one tweeter along with two of the active woofers and four passive radiators for $399 per pair. The floorstanding WS-100 goes even further with the same tweeter mated to three active woofers and five passive radiators at the still-reasonable price of $599 per pair.

The Audition Series 2 features upgraded cosmetics with a predominantly silver finish that should look good with flat-panel displays and in most modern décor. Head designer Gord Van Kessel explained that Athena did not feel this high-value line required any engineering changes based on the feedback that the brand was receiving. I would have to agree as I still have a pair of the original AS-B1 bookshelf speakers that received a SoundStage! Network Budget Leader award when it was first introduced. The prices remain unchanged, with the least-expensive AS-B1.2 selling for $179 per pair and the large floorstanding AS-F2.2 priced at $599 per pair.

There are two new subwoofers that should complement both the Audition and WS speakers. The AS-P4000 has a 10" driver and a 100-watt amplifier for only $299, while the AS-P6000 has a 12" driver and a 200-watt amplifier and still costs $399. Both feature updated cosmetics to better match the new Audition and WS series.

Energy debuted the Reference Connoisseur line of speakers priced between the high-value and high-performance Connoisseur series and the statement Veritas series. The smallest bookshelf, the RC-10, caught my eye at $500 per pair. It features a woven-glass-fiber woofer with API’s patented ribbed elliptical surround.

Mirage also debuted a new OMNISAT line, which includes the $250 OMNISAT v2 and an interesting model dubbed the Uni Theater that combines the left, center and right speakers in a single integrated unit for $1000.

If you are looking for a reasonably priced universal A/V player there were several to choose from. Samsung featured three new models starting with the HD950 for $199, the HD955 for $249, and the solid and luxurious-looking HD2000 priced at $1499. All feature upscaled video and HDMI output.

Yamaha showed the DVD-C950 universal changer for $499 and the more upscale DVD-S2500 priced at $699. Both feature upscaling of video images, Faroudja DCDi video processing, and HDMI output. The DVD-S2500 includes dual i.Link (IEEE 1394) outputs.

In the upcoming days I will make the trek to the Alexis Park and St. Tropez where specialty-audio manufacturers for the CES and T.H.E. Show are located. There I hope to be able to sit down and listen to some great budget equipment and get away from the insanity of the show floor at the LVCC.

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The Las Vegas Convention Center was packed on the second day of CES.


Cambridge Audio's Azur 540P phono stage sells for just $99.


Mission's M-Cube and the optional color wraps.


Fellow SoundStage! Network writer Jason Thorpe listens to Roger's BitHead-based system.

Day two of the CES found Doug Schneider and me back at the Las Vegas Convention Center combing the aisles, still looking for affordable high-quality audio. To say that getting around at the CES is difficult would be an understatement. There are huge lines to catch a shuttle bus from the Convention Center to the Alexis Park and other hotels, to get on the monorail and even to catch a cab. As Doug Schneider said, "Nothing is easy at CES." In addition, the weather was uncharacteristically wet and there was even snow falling on Friday morning as we navigated the jammed streets of Las Vegas in our rental car.

However, our return trip to the Convention Center was not in vain as we stopped by the Cambridge Audio booth, where last year we discovered a complete line of budget products from the then-new Azur line. This year Cambridge introduced the compact Azur 540P moving-magnet phono stage, which sells for the almost unbelievably low price of $99. The Azur 640P MM/MC phono stage, which retails for a still very reasonable $189, is also available.

Cambridge also introduced the Azur 640H music server powered by AudioFile, which the company describes as a "suite of proprietary embedded software developed to manage storage, transfer and playback of music in a real hi-fi environment." At a project retail price of $1399, the Azur 640H is not inexpensive, but it is a fully featured hard-disk-based music server. It can be connected to your PC or other digital audio device with Ethernet, USB, or Wi-Fi (via USB adapter) interface to playback uncompressed PCM, Windows Media, MP3, AAC or many other music format files. It utilizes a 160-gigabyte hard drive, built-in CD burner, and the same Wolfson DAC and filter as the 640C CD player.

We also made the long walk to the Hilton Suites located in the adjacent Las Vegas Hilton where several high-end manufacturers were showing away from the hustle and bustle of the Convention Center. Having previously received a press release that promised the unveiling of the new Super Audio line of speakers from NHT, I looked forward to visiting NHT’s suite. Like many audio enthusiasts, I have owned NHT speakers -- the nearly legendary Super Zeros and a pair of 1.5s in my case. Unfortunately when we got to the NHT room we discovered that the new Super Audio series will not be available until September and that no models were on display. We did learn that the new series will include several bookshelf and center-channel designs and one floorstander. Of interest to NHT fans is that one of the bookshelf speakers, the SZT, is loosely based on the Super Zero, and the 2T is loosely based on the Super One.

Mission has had a fairly low profile in North America in recent years, but the company has a full line of speakers ranging from the budget-minded m2s multichannel A/V system up to the ultra-expensive Pilastro statement speakers on display in the Mission suite. The newest system is a micro lifestyle system called the M-Cube. The tiny satellites utilize DML (Distributed Mode Loudspeaker) technology that is said to radiate sound evenly in a 180-degree pattern. They are available in white or black with interchangeable colored wraps for the fashion conscious.

Earlier in the day we presented the GoodSound! Product of the Year award to Ivy Scull and Andrew Hertsens from HeadRoom for the Total BitHead headphone amplifier. The Total BitHead is a truly outstanding product -- I brought mine along with me to Las Vegas. It provides excellent sound from my laptop as I work on show coverage. Because the Total BitHead connects to the laptop via the USB port, it uses its own high-quality internal DACs instead of relying on the output from the computer’s usually suspect headphone jack. It also draws power from the USB port, so you don’t even have to install batteries when you use the Total BitHead in this way.

I also use Sennheiser HD 580 headphones. Although they have been surpassed by the more recent HD 600 and the HD 650, the HD 580s still provide nearly reference-quality sound at a street price below $200. With the $269 for the Total BitHead, I have a portable laptop-based sound system that plays back MP3s from my hard drive and provides me with a little bit of solace and inspiration when I travel. Even SoundStager Jason Thorpe, who has spent two days seeking out expensive high-end gear for coverage on Ultra Audio, commented on how good the HeadRoom/Sennheiser combo sounded.

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After a couple of days at the Las Vegas Convention Center, I was happy to make my way to the more civilized atmosphere of the Alexis Park and St. Tropez. There, high-end manufacturers were able to display their products in individual rooms, where demonstrations can be conducted in an environment more suitable for audio reproduction.

The most outstanding room I wandered into was by Sound Art, which displayed many of the high-value products available for sale at the AV123.com website. For multichannel fans, there was the full-featured Emotiva LMC-1 7.1-channel surround-sound preamp/processor, which includes the latest DPL IIx processing and sells for only $599. This processor’s controls are completely software driven and can be adjusted using the front-panel display or on screen. It is capable of controlling a second zone and even comes with an optional second-zone transceiver that will be available for approximately $99. The massive 70-pound Emotiva LPA-1 multichannel amplifier can be configured for 6 x 125Wpc or 5 x 125Wpc plus 2 x 50Wpc and is priced at $699.


The $299 Onix XCD-88 CD player.

Also in the Sound Art room was the 38Wpc Onix SP-3 tubed integrated amplifier, which is available along with the Onix Reference 1 Mk II bookshelf speakers as a package for only $1199. Even though the system was situated in a very small room, the Onix integrated maintained crisp imaging and drove the speakers to high levels with wide dynamics. The source was the $299 Onix XCD-88 CD player, making for an amazingly good-sounding two-channel system for under $1500.

Arcam demonstrated the sleek new $1599 Solo CD receiver, which incorporates a CD player, AM/FM tuner, clock with alarm feature, and second-zone and preamp outputs all in one compact unit. It is said to have performance similar to that of Arcam's entry-level separates. Rated at a continuous 50Wpc, the Solo easily drove prototype Arcam Alto minimonitor speakers, which are built to Arcam’s specifications in Denmark. Music from this small system was, in fact, very big and easily filled the room with smooth yet precise sound. The music did sound like it might be coming from very good entry-level separates, and there was surprisingly good bass from the tiny Altos. Both the Solo receiver and Alto speakers seem to be well built, with solid construction and a weighty feel.


NAD's $599 L53 DVD receiver.


Contrasts collide -- Roger Kanno (left) was covering affordable products for GoodSound!, while Jason Thorpe was "searching for the extreme" for Ultra Audio. Both worked tirelessly throughout the show.

NAD along with PSB hosted a suite at the Hard Rock Hotel, which is conveniently located across the street from the Alexis Park. There the two had a pair of new stereo receivers on static display. The C720BEE is rated at 50Wpc of continuous power into 8 ohms and is priced at only $599. The L53 is a slim DVD receiver that comes in an attractive titanium finish. It is also rated at 50Wpc continuously into 8 ohms and combines CD/DVD playback, an AM/FM tuner, and the simplicity of a stereo integrated amplifier all in one unit for $599. With these two new products and its existing lineup, NAD continues to provide high-quality entry-level audio components at true budget prices.

Fans of Audiolab will be thrilled to learn that the 8000 series of electronics has been redesigned and will be relaunched in 2005. Although the products are now finished in silver, they maintain the appearance and dimensions of the original 8000 series. The 8000S is a remote-controlled 60Wpc integrated amplifier that will be available for $1000. The 8000Q preamplifier ($1200), 8000P stereo power amplifier ($1200) rated at 100Wpc, and 8000M monaural power amplifier ($1200) rated at 125Wpc will also be available.

Hsu Research is developing two new top-of-the-line subwoofers that the company was showing in prototype form. The new models will be dubbed the VTF-2HO and VTF-3HO and will be Hsu's most powerful subs to date. I can’t wait to try these out -- I consider the current VTF-3 Mk 2 to be one of the best full-sized true subwoofers available for under $1000. Both of the new subs feature a slimmer, taller cabinet than the existing VTF models and a patent-pending "Turbocharging" system. The VTF-2HO will utilize a 10" downward-firing driver with a 350-watt amplifier and a single 4" rear-firing port. The larger VTF-3HO will have a 12" downward-firing driver with a 500-watt amplifier and two 4" rear-firing ports. Pricing is to be announced.

...Roger Kanno


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