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Avantgarde Acoustic is known for its hybrid horn loudspeakers, including the Uno/Uno Nano that has been my reference for several years (replaced recently by the Monitor Audio Platinum PL300 II). However, the company has not offered an entry-level speaker like the Uno for some time, meaning that Avantgarde fans have had to choose between one of the company's bigger, more expensive hybrid horns and the Avantgarde Zero, a fully-powered digital loudspeaker. The new Avantgarde Zero TA remedies this omission: it's described as a semiactive horn system, with no crossover in the midrange signal path…
Based in Belgrade, Serbia, Auris Audio's motto is "Back to Nature"—a nod to their extensive use of natural materials such as wood and leather. They offer quite a wide range of products: DACs, preamps, power amps, headphone amps, and speakers. Demonstrated at CES 2017 was Auris Audio's entry-level system (total price about 11,000), featuring the diminutive floorstanding Poison 3 loudspeaker (4,000/pair). The sound was wide-ranging, with surprisingly powerful bass for its size.
The introduction of a new speaker from GoldenEar Technology is always an event, especially so when it's a new flagship speaker. The Triton Reference is intended to "joust with the best," but still maintain the company's "Making High-End Affordable" orientation. At $8,500 per pair, in today's audiophile market, the Triton Reference can be described as affordable—and, from what I heard at this year's CES, the Triton Reference presents a serious challenge to speakers in the multi-$10k range. Sandy Gross has done it again!
I thought audio-show bathroom art had reached its nadir with signs hanging over the men's-room urinals at Munich High End. Then I encountered this in a men's room in the Las Vegas Convention Center. 'Nuf said.
As described enthusiastically by Kevin Voecks, Director of Technology of the Harman Specialty Group, the Revel F208Be loudspeaker ($9000/pair) is intended to answer dealers' demand for a speaker that fills the gap between the Revel F208 ($5000/pair) and the Revel Salon ($22,000/pair). While the model designation might lead one to think that the new entry is a Beryllium-tweetered version of the F208, the F208Be is actually a new design, with new drivers and a higher-end crossover.
Harmonic Resolution Systems (HRS) showed its new top-of-the-line VXR Audio Stand ($25,000-$31,000 for a four-shelf stand). The stand, which sports a new frame system, was shown by company founder/designer Mike Latvis. The VXR allows the user to adjust the amount of space between each component shelf, as well as choice of isolation base. Those choices have now been increased with the release of the new HRS S3 isolation base ($2195).
Mike, a mechanical engineer and specialist in aerospace vibrational control and control systems, says the VXR offers higher stiffness and mass than their MXR…
SweetVinyl is a new company from Mountain View, California and was displaying their first two digital products: Sugarcube SC-1 and SC-2.
The SC-1 is a simple 24/192 ADC and DAC that removes clicks and pops from your records, and can be inserted between your phono stage and preamp (or through a monitor loop) and uses an "artificial intelligence" rule-based system to find and eliminate clicks. The company stresses that this is not simply some kind of digital filter, and the SC-1 will not alter the tonal characteristics of the recording.
The SC-2 is an SC-1 with additional features,…
French manufacturer Metronome has created a new music server that General Manager Jean Marie Clauzel says is intended for people transitioning from CD to high resolution files. The Music Center is built around a custom built computer and operating system that can handle all PCM data rates and up to double DSD.
There is a CD slot on the front for ripping discs and inside is a 2TB drive with expansion up to 6TB (either HDD or SSD). On the back are two USB inputs (for external drives), as well as SPDIF, Toslink and AES/EBU digital outputs (there is no internal DAC). Networking is via either…
Who knows why somebody decided to put a mattress company between Aaudio Imports and AudioQuest. Their door was closed each time I passed by. Maybe they were napping.
Classé was keeping information about their "in development" Delta Preamp/DAC close to their vest. But I was able to pry a few tidbits: price will be below $10,000, it will replace the CP-800, and it should appear sometime around May or June.