Art Project

CES 2006

By Wes Phillips/Jon Iverson • Posted: Jan 8, 2006

We'd heard a lot about Raidho's Eben X-3 loudspeakers ($16,500/pair), so we dropped by T.H.E. Show to check out these dynamic three-way floorstanders. When we arrived, Art Audio's Kevin Carter was listening to the X-3s driven by Art's Vivo 25Wpc 300B push/pull stereo power amplifier ($13,000). It sure was purty.

The combination sounded purty, too. Carter played a track of finger-picked blues by a Norwegian guitarist that was riveting—until the singer started to whistle. He . . . was . . . right . . . there. It wasn't just three-dimensional or holographic or layered—it was downright convincing. Was it the X-3's tweeter? Was it the Art's 300B tonal integrity? We don't know, but we'd give both of these products further audition given the chance.

Comments

Submitted by Wes Phillips on January 8, 2006 - 10:00pm.

The guitarist's surname was Rasmussen, but I neglected to write down the details and CES has exacerbated my natural CRS (can't remember sh*t).

Submitted by Jon Iverson on January 10, 2006 - 1:46am.

I do remember the song was about a woman who was either wishing or acting the age she wasn't.

Submitted by Wes Phillips on January 10, 2006 - 2:19am.

Yeah Jon," something like ""When she was 16", she wanted to be 30/When she was 30," she wanted to be 9."" Rasmussen had a nice raspy baritone", if that helps.

Submitted by Kevin Carter on January 13, 2006 - 1:09am.

OK, I got the scoop on the performers. The baritone is Jens Lysdal and the bass player is Hugo Rasmussen, hence Lysdal/Rasmussen. They are Danish, not Norwegian," as I mistakenly believed and the album is called ""Keep the Light in Your Eyes"". Sorry for the incomplete info at the show. Cheers!