CES 2008

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CES 2008
HeDo: Good Looking and Good Sounding
Robert Deutsch  |  Jan 13, 2008  |  6 comments
Herman van den Dungen and Marcel Croese, the duo responsible for the Prima Luna line of tube electronics, have introduced a new line of "Good Looking and Good Sounding" solid-state equipment under the HeDo moniker. As with the Prima Luna gear, the prices are very reasonable: $1395 for the HeDo One 80Wpc integrated amplifier, $1795 for the HeDo Two $200Wpc integrated, $1245 for the HeDo Three preamp, and $1495 for the HeDo Four power amp (the power is not listed on the preliminary literature sheet; I assume it's 200Wpc or a bit more). The four components are pictured here in distributor Kevin Deal's room at the Venetian. The frog is an optional extra.
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CES 2008
Dare We Say “Digital?”
Jason Victor Serinus  |  Jan 13, 2008  |  0 comments
Although Allen Perkins' Spiral Groove has until now focused exclusively on analog products, the company has taken a big step into the digital domain by announcing the forthcoming Spiral Groove DP1 line stage preamp and 24/96 DAC. Projected to become available in four months, the DPI is so new that it has yet to be priced.
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CES 2008
Fine Art in the Loiminchay Room
Stephen Mejias  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
In the Loiminchay room, I listened to the standmounted Degas loudspeakers (starting at $15,000/pair). Designer Patrick Chu was a painter before he starting building loudspeakers, and finds inspiration in his favorite artists. He named his smallest loudspeaker after the French Impressionist whose paintings, Chu says, are "romantic and musical." Other Loiminchay speakers include the $35,000 Chagall and top-of-the-line $45,500 Kandinsky.
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CES 2008
SP Stands For "Special"
Wes Phillips  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
"Any source components?" I asked Cayin importer and VAS Audio maven Sze Leung.
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CES 2008
Kuzma 4Point
Wes Phillips  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  1 comments
Franc Kuzma was showing a fascinating tonearm, the $7300–7500 4Point, named because it has unique vertical and horizontal bearings. Kuzma said, "It's like a unipivot tonearm that can't 'chatter' in the horizontal plane."
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CES 2008
Muse Erato II
Wes Phillips  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
Poor Kevin Halverson! Since Hesiod only named nine muses in Theogony, Kevin has had to double up as Muse's line of players has increased. The Erato II is available as a transport ($5300) or one-box CD/DVD/DVD-A player ("up to" $7300).
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CES 2008
Isn't It Purty, Mama?
Wes Phillips  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
That line got me a kitten when I was five. It doesn't seem to work so well on audio manufacturers, though. I must have lost me some cute.
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CES 2008
Rainy Sunday
Wes Phillips  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  1 comments
"Basically, what we're offering is some fun for a rainy Sunday afternoon," said Upscale Audio's Kevin Deal, who had two replacement I/V op-amp upgrades for the $2499 Prima Luna ProLogue Eight CD player. Both are ready to just pop in as replacements for the Eight's existing board. The Basic ("around" $150) has open slots for bypass capacitors and a heavy-duty PS. The Super ("around" $225) already has surface-mount caps and the HD PS installed.
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CES 2008
McIntosh Spins!
Wes Phillips  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  1 comments
I got another chance to see—and this time, hear— the $9000 MT10 turntable. "You know, this product generated more comments in our CEDIA2007 blog than any other component."
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CES 2008
Totem's The One
Stephen Mejias  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
Totem was showing their special anniversary model, The One ($3595). Along with Naim electronics, the sound created was powerful, fast, and fun. We listened to "How I Love That Woman," a soaring instrumental by Bob Brozeman.
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CES 2008
Totem and Naim
Stephen Mejias  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  8 comments
Totem's The One sounded excellent with Naim's CDX2 CD player, amplification, and power supplies.
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CES 2008
Totem's Tribe
Stephen Mejias  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
As usual, Totem did a wonderful job of transforming their booth to provide a fun and distinct listening environment. The company was also playing their Tribe wall-mount, which provided a surprisingly robust sound.
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CES 2008
Going to Bed with the Vandersteens
Stephen Mejias  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
It was late. I was exhausted. After a delicious dinner, I stopped at the Venetian with the intention of picking up my laptop, camera, and other heavy things before returning to my hotel room and passing out. When I reached the 29th floor, however, I ran into Richard Vandersteen and his family. They were also coming from a dinner, also looking exhausted.
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CES 2008
Hegel's Top-of-the-Line
Stephen Mejias  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  2 comments
I met Hegel's Bent Holter at HE 2007, and I was instantly attracted to his combination of tech-talk and passion for music. Bent is at once serious and strangely wacky.
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CES 2008
Getting Down with Hegel's Bent Holter
Stephen Mejias  |  Jan 12, 2008  |  0 comments
Bent Holter loves his work. And the camera.
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