HE 2006 Show Reports....

lonewolfny42 · « **on:** 3 Jun 2006, 03:50 am »

HE 2006 Show Reports.....

http://www.audiofederation.com/hifiing/2006/HE2006/index.htm [/list:u]

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 04:18 am »

Stereophile Blog Report.... http://blog.stereophile.com/he2006/

SET Man · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 04:26 am »

Hey!

Chris thanks for the link... man you are fast.

But! Wait a minute... Chris and guys check this out.

See those Cain & Cain speaker above? Notice the mouth or the openning are at the bottom-rear. And now check out my speaker below!

Holy! See the similarity?

My speaker used to be front-bottom loaded. I changed my speaker to bottom-rear loaded on April 2005. And this works so well!

Hmmm... I should make base like those for my speaker.

More on my cab mod... http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=545

I guess Mr. Cain and I were on the same idea. Sadly I'm not going to make money out of my speaker design.

Take care,
Buddy

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 04:50 am »

It looks like there are more products/rooms at this years LA show than last years NYC show. BTW, Buddy- need to do a little more work on your cabinets to look like those Cain & Cains.

Jon L · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 04:52 am »

That report also mistakenly called the Cain & Cain speakers "Cabasse" speaekrs! Those happen to be the brand spanking new speakers from Cain & Cain, making the world debut at HE2006.

I hope to get a listen either Sat or Sun..

Gordy · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 05:01 am »

Hi Jon,

Please be sure to take a camera

Hi Buddy,

I'd be hiring a lawyer if I were you, they've obviously been peeking at your gallery!!! And remember, it's all about the music... anyone can buy a beautiful cabinet!

JLM · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 09:29 am »

Lots of eye candy there, wonder how much of it sounds more like music playing than the more "real world" stuff we discuss around here?

I liked seeing Odyssey there (felt familar). Seems like most of our guys could be "way out showmanshipped" compared to the exotic displays.

Our own Dusty Vawter (bottom of Stereophile page 2) presented two new Channel Islands Audio products to the show: the $895 PLC•1 passive preamp with remote and the $4,500/pr D•400 class-D power amps. Sadly, to me, he continues to move away from understated/affordable stuff.

The obvious high cost is a turn off to me, but I'd rather be feeding starving 3rd world children than pay $20k for big, weird, gaudy looking speakers.

No wonder "the straights" turn off to audio if they think thats what it takes to get good sound at home.

JohninCR · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 03:41 pm »

As I understand, that Can&Cain speaker is his BIB (Bigger Is Better), but with the terminus at the floor. It's already shared with the world and there's a mountain of a thread about it in the FullRange forum at DIYAudio, including dimensions for many different drivers. It's a super simple cab and is supposed to really put out the bass.

SET Man · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 10:01 pm »

Quote from: Gordy

Hi Buddy,

I'd be hiring a lawyer if I were you, they've obviously been peeking at your gallery!!! And remember, it's all about the music... anyone can buy a beautiful cabinet!

Quote from: JohninCR

As I understand, that Can&Cain speaker is his BIB (Bigger Is Better), but with the terminus at the floor. It's already shared with the world and there's a mountain of a thread about it in the FullRange forum at DIYAudio, including dimensions for many different drivers. It's a super simple cab and is supposed to really put out the bass.

Hi Gordy and John,

I wish I could do that

But this idea had been around for a while now

So I guess I can't sue him

It just surprised me that he didn't do this before me.

And yes this simple bottom-rear loaded scheme works well. The sound is fuller... less cancelation in mid-bass than front loaded I guess. Yup,it works.

Quote from: mcrespo71

BTW, Buddy- need to do a little more work on your cabinets to look like those Cain & Cains.

Micheal, I wish I could but not easy to do in my small apt. here in Queens. But than I'm don't really care. I'm after the sound. Of cause it would be differnt if I have to build a pair to sell. But... You know I rather have an ugly pair of speaker with voice of an angle than beautiful pair with voice of a satan.

Hey! wanna stop by next Sat. the 10th to listen to my ugly speaker?

Mark might stop by next Sat.

Take care,
Buddy

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 05:45 am »

Quote from: SET Man

Micheal, I wish I could but not easy to do in my small apt. here in Queens. But than I'm don't really care. I'm after the sound. Of cause it would be differnt if I have to build a pair to sell. But... You know I rather have an ugly pair of speaker with voice of an angle than beautiful pair with voice of a satan. Hey! wanna stop by next Sat. the 10th to listen to my ugly speaker? Mark might stop by next Sat.

Take care,
Buddy

Agreed, better to have an ugly speaker that sounds good than vice versa. My father is in town next weekend, so I don't think I can make it.
Have a good Rave!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 Jun 2006, 02:46 am »

Picture reports at Sonic Flare.... http://www.sonicflare.com/

John Casler · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 Jun 2006, 03:44 am »

I tend to like "SPEAKERS" so generally I find the rooms with the speakers I like.

Stand outs in no particular order:

McIntosh Room with some huge floorstanders were great.

LA Audio Video had a large room with some EBEN X-5 speakers which were mind blowing with their room filling ability

The Lipinski Speakers sounded quite good

The ZU speakers (both models) were very dynamic and surprising

The Canadian "FOCUS Audio" Speakers had a great tone

Randy Cooley from Optimal Enchantment had the Vandersteen 5A's which are always a treat

Robert Lee had a new speaker called the Adagio which was "DYNAMIC" beyond most anything at the show. (and it was powered by Red Dragon amps)

A couple surprises, were the dynamics and SPL's of the Earthquake SATURN-3611 Home Theater speakers. I had always thought they were very Mid Fi Bargain Basement speakers. Well to be sure they are not Audiophile speakers, but they certainly can compete for HT speakers with those of Aperion, Axiom, Ascend, and even the Rockets, at a lower price point.

Same with the new HT system from HSU.

I'm sure I'm leaving some out, but the show was fun, fast and furious.

Gordy · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Jun 2006, 03:59 am »

I loved Josh Ray's (of Sonic Flare) comment... Stupidly expensive cables have taken over floors 1 through 4, there are only 4 floors.

John, did you notice anybody using HD based front ends? Thanks!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Jun 2006, 04:26 am »

Quote

Verity Audio Parsifal loudspeakers driven by Nagra electronics and sources (CD, and hard-disk recorder) with Audion preamplification....

Gordy.....Day Two comments on AF site.[/list:u]

Gordy · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Jun 2006, 04:50 am »

Thanks Chris! Missed that...

Worlds smallest all-in-one??? There was no caption....

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Jun 2006, 04:55 am »

Their wireless speakers....no cables to amp.....box on floor receives signal....and gets plugged into wall outlet. Just facts I've read......

Russtafarian · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 Jun 2006, 05:05 am »

A couple of my show highlights:

The first highlight is MY system right now as I spin the Telarc classic RoundUp! released at the show as a multi-channel SACD. My wife just yelled "who let in the cows?" and both my grade school age boys came galloping through my listening room even though they were supposed to be in bed.

As is typical there were some big buck systems that seriously underperformed, some that performed well, and others that just plain made music.. The Wilson Watt/Puppy 8 demo was very well executed... if you like speakers that behave like precision lab instruments. Some like that kind of sound.

I was more taken by the sound of the big MBLs. I kept going back to that room over and over. Big, spacious, holographic, dynamic... First time through I sat there in awe... and started to cry I was so moved by the music they were making

Had to get out of there before I lost it.

Other systems I really enjoyed were the Moscode amp driving Joseph RM25s, the big GamuT system that absolutely rocked!, Vandersteen Quattros driven by Ayre gear, and those egg shaped speakers in the Musical Surroundings room sounded breathtaking on large scale orchestral music.

I listened to the Cain & Cain system, and I just don't get it. Yes they were musical, but with no low end authority and that upper midrange shoutiness, it just did not do it for me.

Took in the Sony Blue ray demo and was very impressed! The Chicken Little clip was amazing. In the "at bat" scene, I could clearly see the 30 inscribed in the base of the wood bat, and the effect of the wind blowing through the character's fur and feathers was very fine and nuanced.

The highlight of the show for me was RTI tour Friday night. We got to see the entire process of making vinyl! Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray showed off the mastering room and cutting lathe. They just happened to be remastering the Yes album, Fragile so they played back Roundabout from the original 2 track master that had been sent over from England... Words cannot describe that experience.

Next we got to see how the laquers are treated and the masters, mothers and stampers are made. Then was the pressing plant where they were squeezing out copies of the new Flaming Lips LP on red (side 1&2) and blue (side 3&4) vinyl. I dug a red one and blue one out the reject bin as souveniers. Even though they were scuffed, I had the rush of going home and playing records that was less than two hours off the press. And they sounded great... couldn't hear the scuffs!

Now that was cool!

Russ