CES 2004 Best of Show

My experience may speak to Trelja's comments.

While I'm a hardcore two-channel guy and have vastly more dollars invested in my two-channel setup versus HT, I thought this year represented the first time I was wooed by multi-channel.

In particular, the DTS room in "the zoo" was by far the most impressive multi-channel demo I saw. Of course, we're talking about approx 12 Halcro bridged amps powering 6.1 surround with Ayre, reference JBL, Straightwire associated equipment and one of the best projection images I've seen. Unfortunately, I doubt many people saw it, since it was out of the way and you needed a special ticket to get in.

Besides a quarter million dollar (or more) worth of equipment, the demo disk had incredible material and they gave each audience member a copy. This started quite a buzz and many people who couldn't get in the demo were inquiring about just getting the disk.

Among other things, it included a band who purposely mastered their material to simulate you being in the middle of the stage with them (very cool). Of course, the DTS channel separation and overall integration was suberb and negated many of the typical multi-channel negatives. The setup was perfect and all material supremely mastered. Rear-channel material truly seemed ambient and not like it was specifically coming from a rear/side speaker. Dynamics were unparalleled and overall it made even the nice McIntosh, Faroudja/Meridian and other HT rooms sound pedestrian, IMO. Even the very impressive (and expensive) Halcro/Wilson/EMMlabs multi-channel audio room didn't have the same impact on me.

In any case, my oberservations were that multi-channel audio and HT is starting to advance to a level that can excite even hardcore audiophiles. Sure, many of the two-channel rooms mentioned were exceptional, but were they any better than what we just saw at HE2003? Any special new technology in 2 channel audio other than the surfboard corian speaker (Glacier Audio) that was everywhere?

Hence, the turnout for a state-of-the-art show like this could be waning for 2 channel. Yes, that's a reason to sigh, but there's also a reason to be optimistic about what is to come in multi-channel. I'm choosing to look at the glass half-full, but I'm sure there are many that disagree.

Sorry, one correction: Gilmore not Glacier Audio with the surfboard styled speakers

Trelja: Traffic at the St. Tropez was brisk (my first time at T.H.E. Show so can't compare to previous years). Heard complaints from San Remo vendor about low turnout. San Remo had 5 or 6 rooms (that I saw) compared to 40 - 60 at St. Tropez.

For my "Best of" list, see my posts:
"Informal T.H.E. Show Report - Day I" and
"Informal T.H.E. Show Report - Day III".

Hmmm, lets see, best of the Show, well, Blue Circle was getting decent sound out of a brand new pair of ML Ascents by the end of Saturday (a little "tight" on day 1.. )
The Lamm room was sounding good, as was the Wadia room on Saturday (warm up time !)
Penn Audio (Finland) had some great sounding small speakers as well.
Focus Audio had a beauty of a new speaker ($23,500 US) it had promise, but needed a bit bigger room.
Although, I too have to admit that the best "sound" of the show was the big splash in the pool ! hehehehee...

Theil, as always, was one of my favorites. they never fail to have an excellent H/T demonstration, as well as 2 ch music. This was the first time I ever heard the Totem acoustic Forrest. maybe it was just the music or the fact that I'd been walking all day and final sat down for a listen. But I was very impressed. I think the thing that stood out the most to me was a speaker by Morel acoustics. It's call Renaissance chorus. It measures 8 7/8" D X 8 7/8" W X 8 5/8"H. It looks like a small box sitting on the floor. The sound that comes out of those things is incredible. Also the Cardas cable rooms. Very friendly people. I also got to listen to George himself (I think it was him,the room was packed, but they did call him george), but whoever it was sure had a passion for cables. There were many other great rooms, most of them I've never heard of since I'm only at the mid-fi level of this hobby, but there were also some rooms that sounded terrible or not what I'd expect from high end audio. Maybe its like biggpappakrell said, some of the rooms needed warm up time.