CES 2003: Which products impressed you?

Gunbei, I was at the Audio Note room. You did not miss much.

Really? I also missed the 47 Labs room, I didn't even know they were there, I wanted to see their cabling up close. I looked through the CES Program for them but must have missed them, and didn't see them on the kiosks. Rats.

To "amend" my last post on this topic, I think I mistakenly discussed the "Seleco" brand DLP as being very impressive. aCTUALLY, I believe I ment the Sim300 DLP projector. I think that's the one I saw for like $12k or something new. It was VERRRRRY good looking indeed.

I was very impressed with the Harmonic Resolution Systems demonstration of their platforms, damping plates, and their pucks (Nimbus isolators). I brought a set of their Nimbus Isolators home and lost much midrange and higher frequency glare that I'd never knew that I'd had. They also improved the lower frequency extention and generally improved resolution across the frequency band. I'll definitely be purchasing more of their products.

I also enjoyed pizza and great conversation with Albert on Saturday night at a woodfire pizza joint. All in all, it was a wonderful show.

This is a late post, and I am by no means an expert on all things high-end, but no one mentioned the PS Audio room over at the Residence Inn across the street from the main hall. Also I don't believe anyone mentioned the Plinius room with Harbeth speakers. Both of these sounded very good in my mind though in very different ways. The Plinius sounded very neutral and clear but not sterile through the monitors, whereas the PS audio setup sounded incredible through the new Genesis speakers and their new preamp. They switched back and forth between the HCA2 and Classic 250 and I found it hard to discern a difference, which is surprising consididering the price. The Genesis had powered subs though so I suspect the 250 would have asserted itself more in the bass department if asked to drive a full range speaker. I also agree the Totem room sounded very good with an extremely relaxed and natural sound. I hate to say it, but many of the rooms it wasn't so much the sound as the attitude that turned me off. Many that shall remain unnamed looked with disgust at any person unknown to them such as myself, and some even refused to give you the time of day unless you were clearly there to fawn over them or purchase mass quantities of their products. Audio snobbery is alive in full force at CES. Maybe that is why I liked the Totem, Plinius, and PS Audio rooms so much, they gave an unhurried relaxed presentations, and were very friendly and happy to chat.