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Part I: Complete Coverage of The Consumer Electronics Show 2000

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA - gregory kong

Alexis Park Hotel - Thursday, 2:40pm

KIMBER Kable was running a static display, although I'm certain that its cables were being used in many of the other manufacturers' rooms throughout the Alexis Park.  Inside their room, I could experience the entire Kimber line of audio, video, digital, hook-up, and power cables.  Of particular interest to me was a new line of AC plugs that resembled beefed up Hubble mains connectors, both male and female.  The WattGate 381 (US$240) is an AC wall receptacle.  The contacts are gold-plated and the fit is much more snug than ordinary AC wall jacks.  The line also includes a male AC power cord connector called the WattGate 330 (US$120) and a female connector for $20 or $120, depending upon the quality of the contacts.  I was thinking about upgrading my generic wall receptacles to the orange colored Hubble units, but these seem like a much better way to go.  Maybe I'll be back with my checkbook.

Alexis Park Hotel - Thursday, 2:45pm

 

Next stop was the Greybeard room.  Here, I was able to witness the large floorstanding KB-33 loudspeakers.  They cost US$17,400 in granite and with bi-wireable terminals, but $13,800 with slate panels.  Using a Linn Sondek CD12 (US$20,000) as the source, Atma-Sphere MP-3 (US$3,795) for preamplification, Atma-Sphere MA-1 Mark II OTL mono blocks for amplification Magnan Signature cables (US$800-$1900) and the Bybee Quantum Charger (US$475) for line conditioning, the sound was not directional or localized by any means.  In fact, I was able to move my seating position from stage right and then left without hearing any large movement of the singer from the center of the soundfield.  Usually, the image will break-up as the listener loses the direct soundwaves from the farthest (opposite) loudspeaker.

Bass was good and well integrated into the rest of the frequency range.  At times, the sound was delicate and controlled, especially apparent when hearing triangle or solo strings.  The sound was also free of midrange colorations, probably due to the massive and inert cabinet.  The enclosure of the KB-33 is 1.5" thick (with a 2" baffle) and consists of seven layers of constrained dampening.  The attention to detail is superb and shows in the final product.  I hope nobody has to carry these speakers home on Sunday.

The Vampire Wire room housed a static display.  Must be the trend for cable manufacturers.  I've always been curious about this company.  I have no experience with their product but a few readers have emailed in requesting a review of some of their product.  There's currently a crowd in the room, so I'm going to have to move on.  I'll be back! (I hope)

Over to the Jeff Rowland Design Group static display.  What's going on here?  Another room without a functioning system?  It seems that JRDG has teamed up with a number of manufacturers further down the row.  I'll be sure to check out their new 112 power amplifier in the Wadia room.  Their product always sounds good to me.  After peeling away from another show-goer, one of the engineers presented me with the Concentra integrated amplifier (US$5,600).  They had a unit with the top off and I was impressed.  He might have caught the drop of drool hanging from my lower lip, but I don't care.  The inside of this amp is incredible.  All the internal components and wiring are laid out with precision.  I've never seen anything like it in my life.  I was going to demand an audition on the spot, but I remembered that I'm currently working on a review of the Concentra that should be up in a week or so.  My memory has only partially recovered from the lack of oxygen on my flight.

Jeff Rowland also displayed their new line of amplifiers.  The 150 watt/ch Model 10 (US$6,800) stereo amplifier and the 200 watt/ch Model 12 (US$13,400) mono amplifier feature switch-mode regulated power supplies.  The Model 10 and Model 12 compact power supplies operate more than 10 times faster than other switch-mode power supplies and are capable of providing the amplifiers with up to 600 watts per channel for the (Model 10) and 1200 watts per channel (Model 12) of regulated DC power. The 150 watt/ch Model 112 stereo amplifier features a unique two-tiered chassis design in which the power supply is separated from the amplifier circuitry. This internal design effectively isolates sensitive signal circuitry from unwanted electromagnetic field contamination. The exterior for all three models are similar in appearance to previous designs, with space-age looks and a resonance defeating structure milled from solid aluminum billets.

The next room I visited was highlighting Newtonia electronics and Spendor loudspeakers.  The reasonably priced system is comprised of the Spendor FL-10 loudspeaker (US$5,900/pr), a member of the Elegance line, the Newtonia Terra 110 watt/ch integrated amplifier (US$1,999), and the Newtonia Optica 24/96 CD player (US$1,799) using the Crystal Semiconductor 4293 chip.  This is the world launch for the Newtonia line and it's no coincidence that they are being displayed along with Spendor.  Spendor will be importing Newtonia into the USA.  John McDiarmid informed me that both the integrated amp as well as the CD player are available in a copper or black chassis.  In addition, there is a 60 watt/ch integrated amp called the Solis for US$1,499).

 

The sound using the FL-10 was good but the large loudspeakers tended to overwhelm the small listening room.  After the speaker were replaced with the smaller stand mounted S3/5's (US$895/pr in birdseye, burr walnut, rosewood), the system really started to shine.  I no longer heard over pressurization in the bass and found the smaller S3/5 to have better integration with the rest of the system.  The highs were extended with cymbals displaying a realistic shimmer and a delicate decay.  The loudspeakers had the ability to disappear within the soundstage.  I am not sure if the great sound was due to the speakers or the electronics but the individual components in this system deserve a closer look.

I found myself being dragged into the connecting room of the suite where the full line of loudspeakers from Audes were being displayed.  Before I knew it, Naum Dorkhman from Audes USA was giving me the low-down on his products from Estonia.  All of the loudspeakers, from the US$599/pr Audes 111 to the US$1,000/pr Studio to the US$2,000/pr Blues, are manufactured by hand in their 100,000 square foot facility.

  

Cueing up some interesting tunes, I was impressed by the Studio's low-level information retrieval capabilities.  The pace, rhythm, and tempo were right on and the bass was delineated and true to form.  The loudspeakers were placed very close to the rear wall on the long side of the room.  Here, I was surprised that the Studios were still able to sound open and clear.  These speakers appear to have the enviable ability to sound good in any position.  The Blues also sounded very good.  The small room tended to constrain the music on louder passages but the sound was on the same excellent level as the Studio.  In a larger room, they might even shine brighter.

Finally, of course, I had to check on the electronics and was surprised to see the Newtonia Optica Cd player and Solis integrated amp doing electronic duty for the Audes loudspeakers.  Cabling was from Vampire Wire.  Newtonia in both rooms.  Very high-quality sound in both rooms.  Hmmmm.....  there may be a pattern forming here.

Alexis Park Hotel - Thursday, 4:05pm

 

I walked into the Nirvana and Wavelength Audio room to be greeted by a pair of eye-popping Avante-garde loudspeakers.  This was my first experience with these horn loudspeakers and I was rewarding with a positive experience.  The midrange did not have that cupped-mouth, hollow sounding hoot that most people associate with horn loudspeakers.  In fact the midrange was open and clear with a slight warmth the sound that added balance to the overall sound.  The Wavelength Audio mono block Napolean new century edition (US$20,000/pr) amplifiers appear to be a great match for the loudspeakers.  Along with the excellent Nirvana cabling, this system will really change audiophiles perceptions of good sound.

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