Stephen Mejias

CES 2012

AVM-TEC modules and kits

Stephen Mejias Jan 17, 2012

I’m always encouraged when I see families at hi-fi shows, so I was happy to meet Alexander Vitus Mogensen, son of Vitus Audio founder, Hans-Ole Vitus; and I was even happier to learn that the 20-year-old Mogensen has started his own company, AVM-TEC, devoted to affordable OEM and DIY amplifier modules.

CES 2012

Napa Acoustic NA-208A hybrid integrated

Stephen Mejias Jan 17, 2012

I like good hi-fi in small packages. Here we see the 25Wpc Napa Acoustic NA-208A hybrid integrated amplifier ($399). It measures a friendly 7” W by 5” H by 9.5” D and its stainless steel chassis and aluminum front panel seem solidly built. It uses a pair of 6N1 vacuum tubes and offers three inputs (two rear-panel RCA and one front-panel iPod mini jack).

CES 2012

More on the Onkyo/Gibson partnership

Stephen Mejias Jan 16, 2012

Last week, we learned that Gibson and Onkyo were negotiating a deal that would see the legendary guitar manufacturer purchase a stake in Onkyo Japan and acquire a majority interest in Onkyo USA to become the second largest shareholder in Onkyo Corporation. Near the end of show hours on a brisk Tuesday evening, a small group of reporters were invited aboard Gibson’s luxury bus for a bit of freedom from the Convention Center chaos and to learn more about the merger.

CES 2012

VTL's IT-85

Stephen Mejias Jan 16, 2012

VTL presented two systems at the 2012 CES&#151a larger, more expensive system comprising VTL’s S-400 Series II Reference stereo amplifier ($33,500), TL7.5 Series II Reference line preamplifier ($20,000), TP6.5 Signature phono preamplifier ($10,500), and Rockport Technologies Avior loudspeakers ($29,500/pair); and a second system made of VTL’s S-200 Signature stereo amplifier ($10,000), TL5.5 II preamplifier ($9500), and Avalon Acoustics Indra loudspeakers ($21,995/pair). The systems shared digital and analog sources&#151dCS Paganini DAC, player, clock, and upsampler ($53,500) and Spiral Groove SG-1.1 turntable with Centroid tonearm ($35,000)&#151as well as Transparent cables and Nordost AC products.

CES 2012

HiFiMan

Stephen Mejias Jan 16, 2012

On Tuesday morning, at a very well-attended press conference held at the Embassy Suites, members of the press learned more about Fang Bian, founder of HiFiMan, makers of personal audio products, and were introduced to HiFiMan’s new HE-400 planar magnetic headphone ($399), EF-6 headphone amplifier ($1499), and HiFiMan Express HM-601 Slim portable music player (4GB, $199; 8GB, $249).

CES 2012

Partying with Music Hall's A70.2

Stephen Mejias Jan 11, 2012

There were beautiful women. There were pink socks. There was loud music, expensive alcohol, shameless dancing. There might have been a tiger in the bathroom. It wasn’t like a party in the Music Hall suite&#151it was a party. The company’s energetic sales manager, Leland Leard, was too busy rocking out, so Roy Hall introduced me to his new A70.2 integrated amplifier ($1499). (Here we see Leland playing DJ; I will spare us the images of Leland on the dance floor.)

CES 2012

Rogue Audio Medusa tubed/class-D hybrid

Stephen Mejias Jan 11, 2012

Mark O’Brien’s Rogue Audio is notable for building high-quality products right here in the United States and offering them at real-world prices. How does Rogue do it?

CES 2012

Cambridge Audio's New 851 Series

Stephen Mejias Jan 11, 2012

Cambridge Audio introduced their new flagship 851A integrated amplifier and 851C CD player ($1999 each).

CES 2012

T+A Power Plant Balanced

Stephen Mejias Jan 11, 2012

In 2009, when Jon Iverson reviewed T+A’s Power Plant integrated amplifier, he was impressed by its “tight, yet musical character,” noting well-controlled bass and extended treble. T+A’s E Series Power Plant and Music Player have now been updated with high-quality balanced inputs and outputs.

CES 2012

Stretch your inner sound with Alpha Design Labs by Furutech

Stephen Mejias Jan 11, 2012

Imagine: Somewhere in this pretty purple tangle of cables, there’s the world's hottest audiophile yoga instructor&#151a lithe little woman in white tights, stretching her inner sound.

Here we see Alpha Design Labs’ new iDevice ID-30 Series of iPod dock cables. Each uses silver-plated, oxygen-free continuous crystal copper conductors and can be fitted with straight or angled, 24k gold-plated USB A-type or 3.5mm stereo connectors. Prices range from $63 to $185, depending on model and length.