CES 2015

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CES 2015

Robert Deutsch | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

My assignment at CES 2015 was to report on speakers costing less than $10,000/pair, so when I went into each room my first task was to see if they had any new (or at least new-to-me) speakers that met this criterion. I found one in the KEF room that appeared to fit the bill: the sign on the speaker identified it as the Reference 1, priced at $7500/pair. Johan Coorg of KEF explained to the assembled visitors how the design of this speaker utilized knowledge gained in designing the Blade.

CES 2015

HiFiMAN HM901s Portable Player

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

Replacing the HM901, the new s version has a redesigned aluminum body, tweaked analog section and quicker power up and down cycles. This is another premium player in the $1k price range and like the others, handles both PCM and DSD and features nice build quality. There is an SD card slot for up to 256GB of storage and stepped volume control on top. The new model should be appearing in the second quarter of 2015.

CES 2015

Burson Conductor Virtuoso Preamp/DAC/Headphone Amp

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

Sporting beautiful casework for relatively modest pricing, Burson's Conductor Virtuoso will be shipping in two versions: one with a Sabre ESS9018 DAC chip for $1,995 and the other with the BurrBrown PCM1793 for $1,495. Inside is a 4 watt headphone amp section along with PCM processing up to 24/192.

On the back are digital inputs for USB, SPDIF and optical and also analog RCA jacks. Also on the back are the digital and analog outputs and on the front a 100-step volume control and 1/4 inch headphone jack. Remote control is included.

CES 2015

Sony NW-ZX2 Portable

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

Another portable player in the $1k range is Sony's latest offering which includes the proprietary DSEE HX process to "upscale" music while streaming. Files up to 24/192 and DSD are supported and there is 128GB of built-in memory, as well as micro SD card slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and about 30 hours of HD playback per battery charge.

The NW-ZX2 will be available shortly for $1,199.

CES 2015

Peachtree Shift DAC/Headphone Amp

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

Aimed at the power portable user, the new Shift should be appearing in April for approx. $399 and features a luxurious leather covering on the case that attaches it to your portable. Can be used with a PC or phone, and can even charge an iOS device if needed.

CES 2015

Peachtree sanaDAC Preamp/DAC

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

Peachtree has several new digital products of note this year, one being the sanaDAC which will retail somewhere south of $1,500. It features native 36 bit architecture to process both PCM and DSD and has both balanced and unbalanced analog outputs on the back. There are a complete set of five digital inputs on the back as well as 1/4 inch headphone jack on the front backed by a 800mW (8 ohms) amp.

There will be more products in the series, such as a sanaAMP around the $1k range.

CES 2015

Cary Audio DMC 600se CD Player/DAC

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 1 comments

If you still have a pile of CDs but want to move firmly towards the modern age, this may be the Cary Audio product for you. In addition to the disc spinner, the DMC 600se can stream via USB or aptX Bluetooth and you can also connect other digital sources via the various inputs on the back.

Like the DAC 200ts, there is DSD 64/128/256 and PCM up to 32/384 and the company's Trubit Upsampling, allowing you to choose between seven upsamping rates as well as a switch on the front panel for choosing between the tube or solo state output stages on the se version for $7,995. There is also a non-se version of the DMC 600 that omits the tube switching feature for $5,995. Both available now.

CES 2015

Cary Audio TL-300d Preamp/DAC/Streamer

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

The Cary spokesperson suggested I think of the TL300d as a standard tube preamp with a digital section added. There are four analog inputs and five digital inputs including aptX Bluetooth capability and streaming on the USB input. Like Cary Audio's new DAC 200ts, there is DSD 64/128/256 and PCM up to 32/384 and the company's Trubit Upsampling, allowing you to choose between seven upsamping rates.

Due sometime in April for around $8-9k.

CES 2015

Cary Audio DAC 200ts

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

Both DSD 64/128/256 and PCM up to 32/384 are covered in the new DAC 200ts as well as aptX Bluetooth. There are five digital inputs on the back and both balanced and unbalanced analog outs. But what I found intriguing was a switch on the front that lets the listener choose between tube and solid state output stages.

The DAC 200ts should be available in February for $3,995.

CES 2015

Boulder 2120 DAC/Streamer

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

The first thing you notice is the ginourmous display on the front, which you're tempted to tap like an iPad. But it's just a display and apparently very popular in some overseas (read Japan) markets. There are buttons on both sides of the screen however, so you can operate the 2120 with those or with an iPad. (Though it may be hard to tell from this photo, this is a large product, and that display is larger than an iPad mini.)

The 2120 is a UPnP streamer and should be available in a couple months for around $55-60k. It will support up to 32/384 PCM and DSD and there is a complete set of inputs on the back. Under the main box in the photo is the power supply.

CES 2015

Mizik Preamp/DAC/Streamer/Server/ADC System

Jon Iverson | Jan 16, 2015 | 1 comments

Here is a tentative newcomer to the US from Madrid, Spain and parent company Wadax, and I'm hedging because the potential distributor said they were showing these to "probe the market" for a possible mid-2015 launch. The Mizik system comprises three modules, at $3,500 each, that stack either vertically or horizontally to form a complete system. The styling is obviously unique and the displays auto-rotate depending on which direction you stack them.

CES 2015

Siltech and Crystal Cable: Big and Small

Jason Victor Serinus | Jan 16, 2015 | 1 comments

Siltech has just released its Siltech Triple Crown interconnects (est. price in Europe, US prices still be determined, €20,000/1m pair) and speaker cables (est. price €35,000/2m pair). Touted as "cable royalty... sets new benchmark for interconnect and speaker cable performance," these major lookers utilize the company's newest mono-crystal technology. According to Lennart Thissen, who designed the cable's unique mechanical parts, they have "the lowest capacitance of any cable we know."

CES 2015

Bowers & Wilkins Has Fun with Bluetooth

Jason Victor Serinus | Jan 16, 2015 | 0 comments

In this case, it's the Bowers & Wilkins T-7 battery-operated Bluetooth loudspeaker ($349). Shipping now, this baby holds a charge for 18 hours, and takes four hours to fully recharge. The T-7 can pair with up to eight devices, has two 3" full-range drivers and one passive radiator. "It's just a lot of fun," says regional sales director Marc Schnoll.

CES 2015

New Amps from Rotel

Jason Victor Serinus | Jan 16, 2015 | 1 comments

Rotel previewed three new "best ever" models at CES. Although the passive display allowed for little more than photo and note taking, I learned that the brand new RC-1590 DAC/preamplifier ($1749), which ships in March, promises to be "the best stereo preamplifier Rotel has ever made."

CES 2015

Classé Goes Declassé?

Jason Victor Serinus | Jan 16, 2015 | 3 comments

"The High End needs products that can demonstrate to customers why they should spend more money for the high-end," Dave Nauber, President of Classé, told me. "Thus we've introduced the Sigma Series, a new range of products with prices half those of our other products."

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CES 2015

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