CES 2012 – Wharfedale, Napa Acoustic
It was this small system that was playing while I was here. I did not expect to like this room – I often avoid rooms like this, like Polk, Spendor, etc. They don’t need the press and they are at the very affordable side of home audio – just not the type of systems we usually focus on here at Audio Federation. 🙂
But this little $300 CD player [with headphone jack] and similarly low-priced integrated on the Wharfedale speakers sounded better than many, many $100K+ systems at the show which were driven by a laptop. By better I mean is sounded more like music; more melodious, better harmonics, better PRaT, better continuousness, less edginess. Better.
I didn’t really talk to that many people [beyond simple pleasantries] at the show – maybe 3 or 4 – but 2 of them expressed fervent belief that the very low-end, the gear right above Best Buy quality, really needs to be targeted really well in order to bring the ipod generation into high-end audio. [Well, one of them was this Napa Acoustic guy, but it is still a valid point :-)].
I find this Napa Acoustic gear attractive. It sounds good. It is very inexpensive [complete systems for $1100 if I remember correctly. This is still the first hour of the show or so, and I am never good at remembering statistics].
Napa Acoustic CD player and integrated amp
Napa Acoustic integrated amp
Napa Acoustic CD player
Small Wharfedale speakers
Small Wharfedale monitor speakers
Moving to the larger system, the floor standing Wharfedale speakers
The Merrill Williams R.E.A.L. 101 turntable. We’ll see more of this in the next room.
Merrill Williams REAL 101 turntable
Napa Acoustic amplifier
Napa Acoustic amplifier
Napa Acoustic amplifier’s rear panel
Napa Acoustic CD player
Napa Acoustic CD player from the front
Napa Acoustic Hybrid Tube Integrated Amplifier
Napa Acoustic Hybrid Tube Integrated Amplifier
Napa Acoustic Hybrid Tube Integrated Amplifier
This is a 100% Napa Acoustic system. The speakers are not going to be as good as Wharfedale speakers, but they are a lot less expensive, too. An ipod cable and dock comes with the Napa Acoustic Hybrid Tube Integrated Amplifier.
