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Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 23 March 2012

Companies featured in gallery below: Atoll Electronique, Audio Note, Bryston, GutWire, KingRex, Mass Fidelity, Monitor Audio, Ardán, Naim, Quad, Rega

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2012

You can't play your LPs in your car, nor on your iPod. LPs are perhaps the least portable media format that's ever existed. At least you've got a fighting chance of playing back reel-to-reel tapes in the car . . .

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2012

The state of the union in computer audio is a complete farce. As it stands right now, you've got the choice of using a computer with a digital output to stream music to a DAC, some sort of DLNA server shooting bits out to a UPnP client, or some variant of the two. With the exception of Sonos, which is elegant but quaint and antiquated, that's about it.

Details: Written by: Jason Thorpe; Category: Features; Created: 23 March 2012

By far, the oddest room that I encountered on my first day at the show was that hosted by Lys Audio, a new company from Montreal, Canada.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 22 March 2012

Thursday, March 22, the first day of the Salon Son & Image, is reserved for members of the audio-video industry. At day's end, before the start of the three-day public opening, the SSI organizers hosted a cocktail party and awards ceremony to honor the exhibitors and their accomplishments.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 22 March 2012

Details: Written by: Aron Garrecht; Category: Product Profiles; Created: 25 January 2012

Details: Written by: Peter Roth; Category: Product Profiles; Created: 24 January 2012

Details: Written by: Howard Kneller; Category: Product Profiles; Created: 19 January 2012

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Category: CES 2012 Special Feature: Superspeakers; Created: 13 January 2012

Yesterday I wrote about the first batch of Superspeakers I listened to. Today I offer up the second and final installment. But first, some general observations: there seems to exist an inverse relationship between marketing aggressiveness and advanced loudspeaker engineering, at least with some makers of expensive loudspeakers. I listened to a couple of these models at CES 2012 -- some for the umpteenth time -- and could not get over how absolutely average several of the really expensive speakers sounded. Not always bad, mind you, but certainly not equal to the marketing propaganda that can be hilarious in its nonsense and embellishment.

Details: Written by: Roger Kanno; Category: Features; Created: 13 January 2012

A few years ago, it seemed that few specialist audio companies were interested in manufacturing DACs. With the proliferation of computer-based audio, DACs have made a comeback, and I found several models at this year's CES that piqued my interest.

Details: Written by: Aron Garrecht; Category: Features; Created: 13 January 2012

Not too long ago, the idea behind an integrated amplifier was simple: it combined the preamplifier and power amplifier into a single case, often incorporating a phono stage as well -- a convenient all-in-one solution. This year at CES I found three companies that have realized that this approach has become rather limited, so they decided to take things a few steps further by adding even more features such as DAC boards that enable a multitude of digital inputs, iPod connectivity, wireless streaming, and even HDMI switching! In fact, there were many companies offering different variations on this theme, offering one or more of these features, although none offered all of them. But there were still three cutting-edge integrated amplifiers that really stood out for me.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 13 January 2012

Companies featured in gallery below: Vitus Audio, Rockport Technologies, TEAC, Vandersteen, Pass Labs, DALI, Mark Levinson, Revel, Cary Audio Designs, Soulution, T+A, Bel Canto Design, DH Labs, AudioQuest, Copland, Kronos

All prices in US dollars unless otherwise indicated

Details: Written by: Aron Garrecht; Category: Features; Created: 13 January 2012

Over the years, the Venetian hotel has become the hot spot for higher-end products at CES, and anyone who has visited the Venetian knows it's important to keep a keen perspective of things because many of the two-channel music systems on display there can cost more than your house.

Details: Written by: Roger Kanno; Category: Features; Created: 13 January 2012

When I received the CES press release from Harman International, parent company of such brands as Mark Levinson, Revel, Lexicon, and JBL, announcing a slew of new products including the updated Revel Performa3 line of speakers, I didn't take much notice. So when I stepped into Harman's room on the 35th floor of the Venetian tower, I wasn't surprised to the see the new Revel Performa3 line in their suite, but I was surprised to see how much better these new models looked compared to their predecessors. The previous Performa speakers were relatively plain-looking rectangular boxes -- very well-built boxes, mind you, but plain boxes nonetheless. On the other hand, the new Performa3s have curved side panels with tasteful matte-black top accents and are available in very attractive high-gloss wood veneers or automotive-grade paint finishes.

Details: Written by: Doug Schneider; Category: Features; Created: 13 January 2012

On the first day of CES, I walked into the Perfect8 room and looked at the new Point MkII loudspeaker, which I thought was an interesting design in that the cabinet, if you can really call it that, was made of glass. A quick glance around the speaker revealed a front- and rear-radiating ribbon tweeter and two midrange drivers with no enclosure. Since these drivers are radiating energy to the front and rear, the speaker is a dipole. I also saw two side-firing woofers, presumably operating in parallel to increase output, that were driven by class-D amps housed in the glass bass enclosure. The crossover was external, housed in what appeared to be glass boxes located on the equipment rack, one for each speaker. The speakers were being driven by a BAlabo amp. As I said, the speaker design looked interesting, but it's hardly unique. I've seen all of these design elements in other speakers at one time or another, including the use of glass.

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 12 January 2012

Companies featured in gallery below: Crystal Cable, Devialet, JL Audio, Definitive Technology, Audioengine, NuForce, Samsung, Zanden Audio Systems, Light Harmonic, Rogue Audio, Volent, Peak Consult, Vivid Audio

All prices in US dollars unless otherwise indicated

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Category: CES 2012 Special Feature: Superspeakers; Created: 12 January 2012

For the amounts of money that high-end-audio companies are charging for the Superspeakers described below, you should expect nothing less than blow-your-mind sound. CES is an event in a hotel -- granted -- but the manufacturers themselves are setting up their own products and I have to expect that they can get sound equivalent to what someone could in a home environment, particularly if a dealer helps set them up. I mean, these things have to sound at least very good, right? For example, at CES I heard the new Revel Performa3 M106 standmount speaker, which costs a mere $1700 per pair, sound simply amazing -- it's a true budget reference. Therefore, for many, many times the Revel's cost, all of these Superspeakers should blow these cheap Revels away. Do they?

Details: Written by: Administrator; Category: Photos; Created: 12 January 2012

Companies featured in gallery below: Simaudio Moon, Dynaudio, Monitor Audio, Anthony Gallo Acoustics, Focus Audio, Amphion, PSB, Electrocompaniet, Lansche, Silverline Audio, Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, HiFiMan

All prices in US dollars unless otherwise indicated

Details: Written by: Roger Kanno; Category: Features; Created: 12 January 2012

SoundStage! Network publisher Doug Schneider was so impressed by the Definitive Technology StudioMonitor SM55 ($598 per pair) last fall at CEDIA that he wrote extensively about its surprisingly good performance. So I wasn't quite so surprised when I heard the step-up SM65 ($898 per pair) model, which sounded simply superb at this year's CES. Even without the aid of Definitive's new SuperCube 8000 subwoofer, the SM65 had plenty of useable bass and the soundstage was huge with imaging that was spot on.