CES 2012 show report

February 8, 2012 by Michael

CES 2012 – Oracle Audio, Induction Dynamics, WBT

Oracle Audio gear driving Induction Dynamics S1.8T loudspeakers

Oracle Audio’s Delphi MK VI turntable

Oracle Audio’s Delphi MK VI turntable closeup of Oracle cartridge

Oracle Audio’s Delphi MK VI turntable

Oracle Audio Si 1000 integrated amplifier

Apparently a power supply for something

Oracle Audio DAC 1000

Oracle Audio CD 2000 MkII CD player

On static display: Oracle Audio’s Paris turntable

On static display: Oracle Audio’s Paris turntable in yellow

On static display: Oracle Audio’s Paris turntable in red

February 7, 2012 by Michael

CES 2012 – Eventus Audio, Audia Flight

Eventus was showing their speakers on Audia Flight electronics in this room.

I thought this room, after listening to it for only a very short while, had good potential to be interesting. There was depth and subtleties to the music here but without artifice or artificiality. Lacking some color, but I really didn’t stay long – just noticed the build quality of the speakers and listened a tiny bit.

The Eventus ‘Nebula’ louspeaker

The Eventus ‘Nebula’ loudspeaker and Nordost Odin cables

Audia Flight Strumento No. 4 amplifier on Music Tools amp stand

Audia Flight’s Strumento No. 4 amplifier on Music Tools amp stand

Oracle Audio’s Delphi MK VI turntable

Oracle Audio’s Delphi MK VI turntable and Oracle cartridge

Audia Flight’s Flight Phono phono stage

Audia Flight’s CD One M CD player

Eventus Audio’s Metis loudspeaker

A couple of Evenuts speakers on static display

The Eventus Phobos loudspeaker on static display

Eventus Audio center channel speaker

in CES 2012 / High-end Audio HiFi and Stereo / Show Reports 4 comments

February 7, 2012 by Michael

CES 2012 – Audio Power Labs

This room featured the new Audio Power Labs 50TNT 50 watt amp on the Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversary speakers.

Hedging their bets? They had 3 separate digital sources [musical fidelity, EERAtentation, and Aurender] and two preamps [Audio Research and Fostex attenuator]. It is my guess that they appear to be using the Aurender running into the Musical Fidelity running as a DAC into the Audio Research pre.

I liked the sound here. It was dynamic up and down the frequency spectrum, the speakers were well-controlled [not exceptionally so, but at a show where almost no speakers are well-controlled, this was one of the best]. The harmonics were rich but not excessively so. Not a ton of micro-dynamics but, seriously, the one thing the Von Schweirkert speakers do well when they are on their game is that big, open, dynamic, exciting sound, and in relatively small and inexpensive speakers – specifically the better versions of their VR-4 and VR-5 speakers].

How did the sound compare to similar systems powered by the Audio Space et. al. amps? Kind of the crux of the question here, and it is hard to remember… so this is just somewhat wild hand waving… but although I liked the those systems too, as I heard them in at shows gone by, I think this system had more harmonic color and harmonic resolution – especially given that the sources they used here this year are somewhat bereft of same.

Added a few photos of the 833 TNT amp on static display below. My apologies to those who have seen those amps in other rooms at this show – the static display provided a unique vantage point for the camera – and this will be the last we see of these amps in this report. Promise.

The system as seen from the couch: The Audio Power Labs 50 TNT amplifier driving Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversary loudspeakers on a solidsteel equipment rack