The Home Entertainment Expo 2002

 

Pre-Show Report

In an attempt to win Best Analogue Sound of the show, Walker Audio, LAMM Industries and Kharma are collaborating in room 2 of the Tuscany for an analogue-only, SET amplified reference setup. Walker Audio will show its Proscenium Gold Signature airbearing turntable and Ultimate motor controller, the former benefiting from recent upgrades like cryogenically treated silver arm wire, new pulleys, new isolated low-pressure platter flow control and a carbon-fiber reinforced arm. Clearaudio will provide its Reference cartridge. LAMM will launch its new all-tube LP2 dual mono phono stage and show its L2 Reference tube preamp and four 6C33C-based 18 watts ML2 tube monoblocks (shown right) to power Kharma's new Exquisite Extended Reference 1A speaker system. Kharma will also provide all cabling. The firm also announced its new distributor Damoka for North and South America who replaces Trevor de Maat, Kharma's previous United States representative.

 

 

Quatuor Loudspeakers will be at T.H.E. Expo in suite E-105 to introduce show goers their complete product line. Scanspeak and Vifa transducers make up the drivers of choice for most of the line, which includes the Anacrouse ($10,000 per pair, pictured right), Ephesus and Scribe tower speakers, the Mycron monitor. For home theater enthusiasts, Quatour Loudspeakers also offers their Voxanne center, Echoes rear and Abyss home theater models. The Anacrouse 2.5 way top model uses two transmission-line loaded 7" carbon-fiber Scanspeak woofers and a 1" Scanspeak Revelator tweeter for a frequency response of 35Hz to 30kHz. Nominal impedance is 4 ohms, power handling 125 watts and sensitivity 89dB. The Anacrouse stands 48" x 17" x 10" (HxDxW) tall and weighs 100 lbs. Various real wood finish and varnish options are available.

 

 

In the Tuscany Hotel & Resort suite D-109, Edge Electronics of Boulder, Colorado will showcase its lineup of pre- and power amplifiers. This includes the Si-1m and Signature One preamplifiers (shown right), a new integrated amplifier, the NL series model 10, 12 and Signature One amplifiers with proprietary 630nm optical laser bias circuitry, and the AV and M series two- and three channel home theater amplifiers. Dynamic Design Cables will complement the Edge Electronics exhibit.

 

 

French firm Audio Aero has rented suites G301, G302, G303 to showcase their vacuum-tube and digital products. This includes their Capitole line of 24-bit/192kHz CD player with sub-miniature tube output stage and proprietary upsampling, and the Capitole and TransTrac amplifiers, as well as the Prima series of 24-bit/192kHz CD player, DAC and integrated amplifier and the Prestige monoblocks. The newest of these is the Transtrac amplifier/integrated (seen here) that offers 40 watts of Class-A RMS power from a paralleled triode/MOSFET circuit using 6SN7GTs and E34Ls. D-MOSFET power boosters increase tube-derived output power and output transformer impedance and are connected to the speaker terminals in parallel.

 

 

Tash Goka of Divergent Technologies will re-introduce the Audiostatic electrostatic loudspeaker brand by Dutch designer Ben Peters to these shores. The new Audiostatic Wing is a 28Hz to 22kHz full-range electrostatic monolith. Its new DCI "Direct Coupled Interface" allows the amplified audio signal to be routed directly to the step-up transformers and full range electrostatic panels without any capacitor or coil filtering components in the signal path. This only became possible with a newly developed foil element a mere 0.00002362 inches thin, as well as a resonant-free three-layer MDF frame structure. Claimed advantages are much improved impulse handling, more dynamics and extended frequency range with more deep bass. Newly developed fins increase the Wing's sensitivity and improve room coupling and mount to the backside of the Audiostatic loudspeaker. The former DCI, ES 100 and ES 300 models can also be upgraded with these fins. Showgoers can experience these speakers and Antique Sound Lab tube components in suites H114 and H115.

 

 

O. S. Services, the exclusive North American Distributor for Audion, Cadence, Samuel Johnson, Shearne Audio, and Zingali Loudspeakers, will be in suite F105 at the The Tuscany Hotel with many products.

System 1 will feature:
Front-end:
Samuel Johnson PCD100 CD player $3,495
Samuel Johnson PDC100 DAC $2,295
Samuel Johnson PCA100 remote pre-amplifier $3,695

Loudspeaker & Amplifier Combinations:
Zingali Overture 2S $4,129/pr
Audion PX25 single-ended 8 wpc stereo $2,895
Audion 300B single-ended 7wpc stereo $2,695
Audion Sterling EL34 single-ended 12wpc stereo amp $1,295
Zingali Overture 3S $5,779/pr
Audion Silver Night 300B monoblocks $5,395
Zingali HM 112 Floor stander $13,869/pr
Cadence Canasya hybrid 845 monoblocks $24,995/pr
Audion Golden Dream 300B $14,995/pr


System 2 will feature:
Front-end:
Shearne Audio Phase 7 CD player $2,995
Samuel Johnson S2-6 100 wpc integrated with DAC $3,695
Samuel Johnson PPA100 100 wpc stereo amp $4,595

Loudspeakers:
Cadence Arita stand mount $1,995/pr
Cadence Diva floorstander $2,995/pr
Cadence ES-4 floor-stander, hybrid electrostatic $4,995/pr

System 3 will feature:
Sony DTC DVD player with 5.1 output
Harmon Kardon Citation 5 surround processor

Amplification:
Three Shearne Audio Phase 3 50 watt stereo amplifiers $1,595

Loudspeakers:
Zingali Coliseum Cinema M front speakers $895/pr
Zingali Coliseum Satellite S surround $579/pr
Zingali Coliseum S center channel $339
Zingali Coliseum Subwoofer S $449

 

 

Sakura Systems/47 Labs will be in room H105 at the Tuscany hotel showcasing the Shigaraki series electronics. This includes the Shigaraki CD transport ($1750), Shigaraki DAC ($1,250), Shigaraki 25 watts stereo integrated amplifier ($1,500), plus the Konus Audio Essence loudspeaker system ($3,200). In a separate system, they will have their 47 Lab PiTracer CD transport, Progression-Gemini DAC, Gaincard amplifier with the critically acclaimed Galante Audio Buckingham loudspeaker system. This will mark the World Premier of 47 Lab's complete entry line, Shigaraki. The designer, Junji, promises over 80% of the performance of their standard series for less than 1/2 the price.

 

 

IMMEDIA of California will have two rooms at THE EXPO in the Tuscany hotel. Room G305 will be showing their new low-priced Audio Physic Yara loudspeakers ($1,495) driven by all Herron Audio electronics. The Yara is a 2.5-way loudspeaker said to ofer excellent sound quality of higher priced offerings. Front end will be an Accuphase CD player and, of course, an RPM turntable/tonearm with Lyra Audio Helikon cartridge. IMMEDIA will also have the Avanti III loudspeakers (seen right) coupled with a Minos subwoofer. Front end duties will be a Burmester Audiosysteme CD player and an RPM-1 turntable/tonearm with a Helikon SL (low output) phono cartridge. Other electronics in room 2 include Herron Line stage, Audio Physic Phono Stage and a pair of Audio Physic Strada Digital Monoblock amplifiers (est. $12,000 pair).

In room G308 of THE Expo, Scan-tech will be showing the Connoisseur 4.0 line stage/phono stage ($25,000) that will be driving a pair of Herron Audio M-150 monoblocks. In turn the amplifier will be driving the all new Audio Physic Virgo III loudspeakers ($4,995). Front end will be an Accuphase DP-85 CD unit and an RPM-1 turntable/tonearm with a Lyra (Scan-tech) cartridge. In both Rooms G305 and G308, IMMEDIA will be featuring their finite-elemente Pagoda racks including the tunable HD Master Reference series. Prices on the standard E series pagodas start at $495 (amplifier stand) and go up to $5,245 for the tallest HD-75 Master Reference stand.

 

 

Hsu Research will introduce its new VTF-3 variable tuning frequency subwoofer as the bigger sibling to its award-winning VTF-2 model. The VTF-3 will feature a 12-inch long throw, high-output front-firing 12-inch custom woofer and, via its dual-vent loading feature, allow optimization between music listening (most extended and flat response) and movie watching (earlier roll-off but increased output in the critical 30-40Hz band).

 

 

Atma-Sphere Music Systems will be in room H109 at the Tuscany hotel showcasing their S-30 MKII.2 ($2,850) 30-watt per channel output transformerless (OTL) stereo amplifier. For loudspeaker duties, the Classic Audio Reproduction T-5 high sensitivity, 16 ohm units are said to be a match made in heaven for OTL amplifiers. Atma-Sphere's MP-1 MkII ($7,695) pre-amplifier will provide multiple inputs for various source material. At the Alexis park (CES) Atma-Sphere Music Systems will be mated with the Greybeard Audio two-way, 94 dB/w/m/ sensitive loudspeaker and Atma-Sphere's model 208 turntable.

 

 

Italian electronics manufacturer Pathos announced the new Classic One ($1,995) as "the new, substantially improved and more powerful version of Pathos’ best-seller". The revision of the Classic One project paralleled the development of the firm's soon-to-be-announced Logos integrated amp and is said to benefit from the many solutions achieved during R&D on this new amplifier. Among the main improvements of the revised Classic One are: 70 watts per channel output over the earlier 50 watt version; new digital volume control, now purely resistive; wider and flatter frequency response to 100 kHz; revised layout and improved polarity performance; new polyester capacitors; new power supply transformer; and additional remote-controlled functions with intuitive, user-friendly interface and front LC display. VMAX Services remains the Canadian distributor while Victor Goldstein of Fanfare International has become the new Pathos US distributor.

 

 

Robert Lee of Acoustic Zen is introducing his first two new designs for 2002, the Gargantua ($1,488/6ft) zero-crystal, copper and silver 8AWG statement-level power cord and the new Wow ($248/1m) entry-level interconnect that is also available in a balanced XLR configuration ($298/1m). Acoustic Zen will showcase its cables with Impact Technologies, BAT, Art Audio, and Soliloquy.

 

 

Carl Marchisotto's new Alón by Acarian 12-inch Thunderbolt subwoofer ($1,695) is derived from the firm's $120,000 Exotica Grand Reference speaker system. Finished in cherry or black wood veneers and weighing in at 85 lbs, the Thunderbolt's transducer uses a combination of natural and synthetic fibers to achieve a low-mass rigidity superior to Kevlar, aluminum, magnesium or titanium drivers. With discreet Class A input and Class A/B output circuitry and non-specified amplifier power, the Thunderbolt operates from 20Hz to 160Hz and features manual or auto/on power modes, a detachable power cord, continuously variable phase from 0 to 180 degrees and adjustable low pass from 40 - 160Hz with a fixed 100Hz high-pass. The Thunderbolt present the listener with a 16-inch square profile and measures 18-inches deep.

 

 

Alan Kafton of audio excellence az, distributor for Italian loudspeaker manufacturer Diapason, will unveil the firm's new Emera ($1,499 - $1,599 depending on finish) two-way monitor to complement its Nux floorstander. The Emera uses the same isodynamic ribbon tweeter with ultra-lightweight Kapton diaphragm as the Nux. The 17cm polymethylpentene woofer features Direct Drive, the crossover-less design common to all Diapason models. This is said to allow for higher sensitivity, easier amplifier matching and improved speed in the bass range. Emera's cabinet features graduated and angled tops and bottoms with the elliptical rear body pioneered in the Nux. This elliptical section is formed from a single piece of curved multi-layer ply to provide superior standing-wave damping inside the chassis. The front baffle, made of solid walnut staves, is similar to Diapason's Adamante III top model. Its diamond-faceted geometry is said to promote circular wavelaunch emissions because it mimics the theoretical point-source ideal. Emera is available in three finishes, walnut, metallic silver and metallic black (the two paint finishes carry the $100 upcharge).

 

 

Rhode Island based Art Audio USA, in collaboration with KR Audio Electronics of the Czech Republic, will introduce its new Jota amplifier (seen right) model with the brand-new KR Audio 300BXLS tubes ($7,995). While carrying the same nomenclature as the earlier incarnation, the new BXLS tubes are high-current tube designs with a massive new filament structure. According to Joe Fratus of Art Audio, they sound more like the original Western Electric 300Bs than the current WE iterations in his amplifier. Art Audio will also launch its new VPS-dm remote-controlled preamplifier ($3,800) and display with Soliloquy's model 6.5 loudspeakers, Acoustic Zen's cables, Audio Magic's new Stealth Power Purifier, Aurios by Vistek MIB resonance control devices and pARTicular contemporary design's Novus stand.

 

Click here to see last year's show coverage.