NHT Xd wins 2005 'Best of CES' award

mac · « **on:** 14 Jan 2005, 10:42 pm »

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2005/Jan/1107763.htm

"NHT Xd is the result of the combined efforts of three companies - NHT, DEQX (Digital Equalization and Crossover), and PowerPhysics - that pooled their respective core technologies to develop a system that removes virtually all possible distortion from the audio signal path while providing a much wider soundfield that remains accurate, even when listening far off axis. The end result is a small system that offers a new level of clarity than any previously heard. The system features two small speaker cabinets; a powered bass, or woofer module; and a hybrid outboard component that houses the DEQX-calibrated DSP (digital signal processor) and PowerPhysics One-Cycle Sound (TM) amplifiers. Additional channels and bass modules can be added to create surround systems."

Overall, the best sound that I heard the at the show was coming from the DEQX room.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Jan 2005, 11:38 pm »

These awards should be very interesting next year.

Quote

The 2005 DEMMY Awards will recognize recordings that reflect the highest quality of sound engineering, incorporate natural tonal balance, great clarity of detail, and have a realistic, three-dimensional soundstage.

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Danny Richie · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 06:19 pm »

I am not sure how prestigious this award really is for audio companies.

I client that I have done some design work for asked me about the award, so I checked into it. He had heard about it because some other speaker manufacturer that he had heard about had based their whole marketing campaign around winning this award.

First of all the award is given by a television station (G4Tech TV) for new technology products. It has nothing to do with performance, sound quality, or how the product compares to other similar products.

Secondly, it is not something being competed for by every company at the CES. In order to be considered for their awards you must register with them to win.

The category of high end audio, this year called "Ultimate Audio", has the lowest participation of all categories.

From Caroline Diaz of G4Tech TV: "Yes, we do not have as many entrants into the high-end audio category as we do in the other categories."

So the winner of each category competed only against others registered in that category.

I asked Caroline how many companies had entered each category, each year, to get a feel for how much competition there really was. I had been told unofficially that in first year only three companies had entered. Her reply was that there were, ah, less than a handful.

And year two? Well ah, not very many more...

But last year she seamed to believe that there were nearly 25 that entered, if memory serves her correct.

How many were there this year? Dera Revel, CES coordinator, G4TechTV stated that this year there were about 10 entrants in the Ultimate Audio category.

However, this years winner does seam to be an innovative standout worthy of serious recognition whether recognized by Tech TV or not.

brj · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 07:10 pm »

Did anyone from AC have a chance to hear the system? Any comments?

Thanks!

Danny Richie · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 08:02 pm »

I saw them this year for the second time. The nice young man that was in the room recognized me from last year.

Last year I sat down and really looked at what they were offering.

If I remember correctly, last year they had two pairs of speakers set up and I think they were NHT's. One pair was stock and one pair was being run with their DEQX system.

Clearly the stock units were nothing to be impressed with, but the pair of speakers running on the DEQX system sounded really good.

My guess is that using the system with higher quality drivers would be well above the norm. Maybe limited only by the quality of the DA converters and type of amps used.

Mac, is this what you are using with your Seas Excel woofer and ribbon tweeter combo? It can't be anything but excellent.

mac · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 09:23 pm »

Quote from: Danny

Mac, is this what you are using with your Seas Excel woofer and ribbon tweeter combo? It can't be anything but excellent.

Hi Danny, Yes. I'm using a standard DEQX PDC-2.6 with my DIY built speakers and dipole subwoofers. The system sounds really good, especially since changing over to all UcD amplifier modules.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 11:20 pm »

Mac, that setup is both tasty, and tasteful - nice job on the woodwork, and I like the overall "feel" of how that comes together!

Rick Craig · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 12:24 am »

It's been a few years since I last attended the CES but in years past these "awards" were little more than a high school popularity contest. The winners were grouped in a room and everything assembled before the show started. This meant that it wasn't like you had judges going around listening and then picking a winner - it was all determined beforehand. Not something I would take much stock in other than a publicity shot for the CES to be promoted in the various publications.

mac · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 12:44 am »

Quote from: Rick Craig

the CES but in years past these "awards" were little more than a high school popularity contest...

Thanks for sharing your cynical insights. I'm sure VMPS and Joseph Audio didn't deserve their past awards either (yeah, right).

mac · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 01:00 am »

Quote from: mcgsxr

Mac, that setup is both tasty, and tasteful - nice job on the woodwork, and I like the overall "feel" of how that comes together!

Thanks! I'm currently working on a very different project that I think is promising. Hopefully, I should have things sorted out in a couple weeks.

John Ashman · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 05:38 am »

Rick Craig · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 01:00 pm »

Quote from: John Ashman

Rick is right, many awards, if not most, have more to do with politics or other BS, but if you look at the totality of stuff on Xd, you'll see there is far more to it than a ditsy prom queen. There's some real science behind it and it measures better overall than just about any speaker ever created, at least in most areas - about the only place it could be challenged would be THD at high volumes, but only by a much larger speaker system. At typical listening levels, you're going to get less than .2% midran ...

Thanks for backing me up. I'm sure that the NHT system is an excellent performer. I just wanted to let everyone know that these awards are not something you would take much stock in. In the past I've seen both good and mediocre products win awards like this.

tkp · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 03:37 pm »

Base on my experience with best of CES products recently, I will say that they can be good but not neccessarily better than other excellent products out there. In another word, I don't put much stock in best of CES any more (I used to).

tex-amp · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 05:37 pm »

Be aware that Mr. Ashman is a NHT/NAD/Meridian dealer. You likely know him better as Alimentall/Joel Bernstien on AVS.

John Ashman · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 07:00 pm »

Davey · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 11:05 pm »

Hehehe. I think you need a few more announcements on that forum.

There are plenty of systems that can compete with the Xd so you might be a busy guy. It's just a standard small box system after all and there are certain limitations that no amount of fancy DSP-processing can overcome.

You're going to fit in well here at the Audio (three-ring) Circle.

Cheers,

Davey.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 11:22 pm »

Anyone have a link that actually shows the thing? Isn't it a smallish 2-way speaker? You'd think DSP or no, you'd be pretty dynamically challenged. DEQX can't change the laws of physics.

Then again, I guess the separate bass modules probably help out a lot.

What's the thing cost?

jermmd · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 11:43 pm »

http://www.adnm.com/cesclarity.htm

Joe M.

jermmd · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 11:50 pm »

Some more info from PCworld (about half way down page):

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119225,00.asp

Joe M.

This info was originally posted on AVSForum

John Ashman · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Jan 2005, 12:27 am »