HE2006's official keynote address was delivered by Gary Sasaki, president of DIGDIA, a company that helps companies understand the ways that digital entertainment creates growth opportunities for savvy businesspeople.
The assembled media lost in a musical revery listening to Cantus sing "Shenandoah" at the debut of the Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 8s.
David Wilson remarked that he debuted the original Wilson WATT (Wilson Audio Tiny Transducer) almost 20 years ago to the day. Today, he showed us the WATT/Puppy 8 ($27,900/pair). Wilson, as always, a polished presenter, also noted that it was appropriate for him to give the new speaker its premier in a city noted for producing sequels, although he promised that, unlike Hollywood sequels, the WATT/Puppies have gotten better with each new chapter.
Onkyo held a press conference that really made us smile. It was all about stereo.
Onkyo teamed up with guitar manufacturer Takemine to produce a loudspeaker that sings like a musical instrument. Takemine's acoustic voicing technology, combined with Onkyo's innovation in driver design, made our LAGQ <I>Spin</I> sound vibrantly alive.
No, that's not a hearing aid growing out of Michael Fremer's pinna—he's the official HE2006 spokesperson, so he has to keep his phone on 24/7. HE says he hasn't heard any truly balanced stereo soundstaging yet, for some reason.
<I>Stereophile</I>'s music editor Robert Baird, caught in the middle of his Garrison Keillor impersonation.
John Atkinson and Jonathan Scull handicap this year's F1 season. You didn't think they were this animated about <I>audio</I>, did you?
Wasn't she just in the background of John and Stephen's picture? We posed her next to the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet's <I>Spin</I> and she really lit up. It's an impressive sounding SACD—and the group is playing at HE2006 tomorrow. Did I mention the concert was free?
Stephen Mejias and John Atkinson take a few minutes in the hall to catch up on the day's events. That's Telarc's Amanda Sweet in the background.