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Day 4 - Tuesday, January 9, 2001

 

Below you will find a large table with photos and their descriptions (legends) underneath. The photos will be updated throughout each day, so check back often. At the bottom are links to photos from each of the days at the show. Day 0 is the day when the exhibits are being installed, and the equipment photos are previews. The actual show starts on Saturday, January 6 ("Day 1").

Actually the night before, a view from the walkway between New York, New York and Excalibur. RBH's cost-no-object line, Status Acoustics, offers the Titus in their line of loudspeakers, the left in marble, the right in gloss black.  The pair retails for $30,000.  Colin commented that the bass extension "breathes" pedal notes.  Brian Florian uttered the mantra, "They image like bastards," (his way of saying they are terrific.) RBH's Signature series, set up for 5.1 playback, waited behind.

The Antique Sound Lab MG SI-15DT stereo, single-ended, integrated amp ($599) features 12AX7s driving KT-88s.  In the setup I (JS) heard, it was set in triode mode for 5 wonderful watts per channel output.  This amp was driving Reference 3A MM De Capo speakers to produce some of the best sound I heard at the show.  Really. A review of this amp was published this week in Secrets deHavilland proudly demonstrated its new Aries-845 monoblock amplifiers with some very nice speakers from Buggtussel.  The Aries-845 DHT is driven by a 300B!  Very cool.  It produces 25 wpc of single-ended power.  Yes, we have a pair lined up for review.  You are going to want to hear more about these. 

A new, as-yet-unnamed, stand-mounted speaker was being demo'd by Galante Audio, purveyors of fine, high-efficiency coaxial driver speakers.  This new model is rated at 96 dB/2.83V/M  sensitivity and will retail for somewhere between $1,800 and $2,400 when it ships in the early 2nd Qtr. of this year.  A company from Hungary, Greenwave Audio, showed its GWA 4 speaker.  This is their top of the line model, yet it sells for an affordable $3,000.  I (JS) was impressed by the speaker's soundstaging capability. 

The new Stargate amplifier from Joule Electra is transformer coupled, Class A biased and capable of 40 wpc out of its Russian 6C33 output tubes.  As expected from Joule Electra, the sound was enchanting driving Merlin TSMs.  We hope to have an amplifier from Joule to report on later this year.  The new importer of Singapore-based Loth-X equipment is Joe Roberts – yes, that Joe Roberts of Sound Practices fame.  It was a thrill to speak with him about the Loth-X lineup.  We've arranged to review a pair of these new ION FS-1 speakers – 96 db, single driver, and best of all … $1,900 pair.  This will be fun.

EveAnna Manley continues her re-design of the Manley amplifier lineup with the new, Neo Classic 300B single ended / push pull (you choose) monoblock amps.  As usual, the room rocked as these amps drove Coincident speakers to convincing levels.  Plus, Manley has a new phono preamp ready for release in a few months – we're planning to have the inside scoop for you on that one.  The Merlin TSM Millennium paired up with the Joule Electra Stargate for a wonderful, musical demonstration.  Judging by what we heard, there is a lot of performance packed in this $2,500 monitor speaker.

Paired with the Antique Sound Lab amp pictured at the beginning of this page, the Reference 3A MM De Capo speakers stunned us with their open, dynamic sound to earn our regard as some of the best sound at the show.  At 92 dB/2.83V/M sensitivity and a simple cap crossover, these babies were effortless being driven by 5 wpc.  We will be reviewing a pair together with the ASL amp. Our final best of show commendation goes to Vince Christian's E6 Studio Deluxe speakers ($3,500) and B12WP bass module ($2,500) that were teamed up with electronics by Birdland Audio, including their intriguing Odeon Lite DAC. We literally could have sat and listened in this room all day – the sound was exceptional.

The new Vandersteen Reference Monitor ($6,495) stylistically breaks tradition with other Vandersteen designs, but regardless of what it looks like the sound is what matters most, and it was simply super when we stopped by for a listen.  This is an impressive new design from Mr. Vandersteen indeed. Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio always has good sound at CES, and this year was no different.  The power amp on active display was the Triton Signature New Century Edition single-ended (natch!) 300B amps.  Wavelength continues to push the envelope with their designs, but at the heart they are as classic as can be.

Avant Garde displayed the Solo, designed for Home Theater applications, which is self-powered.  They were demonstrated with Duos as mains, and this delivered a superb HT experience. Balanced Audio Technology (BAT) is poised to enter the Home Theater market with two products, including the VK-AV10 preamp/processor with tube based output stage.  Right beside is their beefy multi-channel amp -- the VK-6200.  This amp is modular and can be purchased with two to six channels of amplification.  If it's fully loaded, bring a friend to move it -- it tops out at over 150 lbs.

Bryston's 6B amplifier (3x250w) is nearly ready to sell.  The modular construction includes top access to the rail fuses, so you don't have to remove an amplifier module to replace them.

 

 

Cinematrix may be releasing their own line of players in the US.  MSB Technology will soon be expanding installation of the Cinematrix modification to most DVD players .

GW Labs was displaying this 75wpc stereo tube amplifier along with Eminent Technology's LFT-14R which we'll have pictures of later. This is a conglomerate of several new introductions from NAD/PSB - the Alpha Intro line of speakers at top left, the Silver Series Preamp/Processor and multi-channel amplifier at top right, CD/CD-R/CD-RW and receiver are all pictured.
   

Click on links below to go to the photo pages for each day.

DAY-0    DAY-1    DAY-2    DAY-3    DAY-4    Wrap-Up

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© Copyright 2001 Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity
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