A few impressions from the CES/THE Shows


I went with a friend looking for speakers to replace his Beveridges; they currently operate but he feels one amp is dying (again) and that it’s time. Unfortunately, he STILL hasn’t found a speaker to love. He’s pointed toward high-efficiency designs based on so-called full-range drivers, so we looked at many of them in 2-and-two-half days. We simply didn’t bother listening to MOST speakers as they weren’t interesting.

My friend’s and my taste in speaker voicing is VERY similar and we agreed overall about every system we heard. Both of us need MORE than a ‘neutral’ amount of energy in the orchestra’s power region–those 3 or so octaves from c. 100 to 800Hz–and we both want LESS treble energy than ‘flat’. We both love the spaciousness of dipoles but heard few to listen to.

First--the WORST sound, BY FAR, was the from the Wisdom M-75, priced at $55K/pair. It had so little energy in the power region, it wasn’t ‘thin’, it was clangy. Most disappointing for Dean was the Rethm, which wounded VERY think and bright, even with the horn extenders.

POSSIBLY the combined shows' best sound was produced by a prototype system by Cogent. It’s a 2-way system driven by 2 field-coil-powered compression drivers, horn-loaded of course, plus a monstrous mono-15"-horn-loaded subwoofer, all of which might retail in the $40-thousands. The horns were rectangular and built of birch plywood, painted, and had significant resonances, but both of us felt this system reproduced the sound of the orchestra VERY convincingly. The ‘possibly’ above is because they were in a much-too-small room. WAY over 100dB sensitivity. Maybe next year...

Overall, probably the best sound we heard was from the German-made $6500/pair Audio Physic Scorpio. It’s a rather-conventional-looking back-tilting, 4'-high floorstander that uses one dome tweeter and 2 MRs on the front panel and 4 7" woofers mounted 2 on each side and driven as bipoles. They had plenty of energy in the power region and great bass, extended and well defined. GORGEOUS veneers! Dean felt they were not quite as transparent as he would like; I disagreed, but he’s the GEA, not me.

The Vandersteen Quattros sounded very nice, neutral, spacious, etc., but were too ‘polite’ in the power region and hence uninvolving for both of us. Same for the Gallo Reference 3.1s, which produced probably the biggest and best soundstage of the show in a relatively HUGE room. Those little things were probably 10' from each sidewall.

In substantial contrast to their sound in Denver last September at RMAF, the Zus sounded QUITE good, especially the $2800/pair Druids with the $3K/pair ‘Method’ powered subwoofers. They were too bright for us but sounded VERY fine otherwise. I believe they’re Dean’s current favorites.

One thought both of us had--most of the speaker designers can’t be lovers of classical music--else they wouldn’t be designing speakers that sound, in the treble, little like real orchestras playing in real space. Oh well...
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128x128jeffreybehr
i liked THE SHOW this year. not too crowded and some very nice equipment. i was impressed with: Totem (of coarse), vmps room, audio research/wilson room, prima luna/new sonus faber room, acoustic zen speakers, Von Schweikert, kharma, usher, the cary/dynaudio room (one of the better rooms imo), LSA room, and others. i was also impressed by the nordost demonstration when he went thru the blue heaven cables up to the valhalla cables and demonstrated the sound difference when you moved up the chain. I heard many small speakers that sounded much bigger than what they were: amphion, totem arro, and others. i was impressed with some of the switching amps that were being used (the nu force amps were 3 pounds each). HD radio sounds promising. we spent 3 days going thru alexis and st tropex rooms and didn't get to see it all. we also never made it back to see our favorite rooms a second time. there's always next year.
IMHO, the best sound was in the Cerious Technologies
suite at the St. Tropez. Bob Grost's Two/Bass combo
was simply outstanding. My best-in-show award.

I also liked the Ars Aures speakers. Nice sound and
gorgeous fit-and-finish. Italian made.

The best-bang-for-your-buck award went to Tonian Labs.
The TL-D1 delivered jaw-dropping sound for $1500/pair.

Totem also had a good room. Love the sound, look and
footprint of Vince's speakers.

Gear-wise, I was impressed with the entire Bel Canto
line (Mike McCormick was very hospitable/knowledgable)
and the new Boulder 850 monoblocks.
I also had a great time at the show. Got to hear wonderful equipment.

My most significant observation was regarding the Von Schweikert VR9..this was my first time hearing them. What struck me was how similar they were to the Wilson MAX. I think they were modelled on the Wilson sound (good idea considering Wilson's success). It would have been nice to be able to do a direct comparison with the same amplifeirs driving both. I found the VR9 to have a softer top end and more bass (if thats possible) than the Wilson. Fantastic rock and pop speaker.

great show !
Rumney
Anyone hear the new TAD or Focus Speakers.
Here's pics of them..

http://www.shows.soundstagelive.com/shows/ces2006/showstoppers1.shtml

http://www.shows.soundstagelive.com/shows/ces2006/standout_focus.shtml
Twilo, I saw the TADs but given the sound and my previous experiences with the Model Ones, I did not bother to go into the room. I wish they had not abandoned high efficiency designs.