jqp's T.H.E. Show

jqp · « **on:** 12 Jan 2011, 04:28 pm »

I was able to take the monorail over to T.H.E. Show at the Flamingo Hotel for the better part of Friday and Saturday afternoons. Sorry for the picture quality where lacking, I did not use flash. For these I have adjusted exposure, etc. to try to get better visibility.

It takes many hours to process the photos, then upload to photobucket, then set things up here on AC - so it will take a few days.

I will try to fill in comments and info over the next few days.

Please guys and gals feel free to comment and add info if you were there also!

jqp · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 04:35 pm »

The first room I looked at was Qualia. They had twin models outside the door, who nothing about audio, but were very polite. The had been hired by Qualia, and knew that Qualia had several ventures in Las Vegas that week. Qualia seems to do animation, Blu-Ray players, and high-end audio among other things. Inside, they did not seem to speak English, but politely played one of my CDs as I listened and took some pictures.

werd · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 04:43 pm »

Nopics of the twin models

stereocilia · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 04:50 pm »

I thought Qualia was Sony's high-end brand, is that not the case anymore?

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 05:07 pm »

Is that a 300B AND an 845 in each of those monos?

wywires · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 05:36 pm »

I believe it's 2 300B's in push pull at 42 watts according to Tim, the US distributor.

jqp · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 06:29 pm »

Quote from: stereocilia on 12 Jan 2011, 04:50 pm

I thought Qualia was Sony's high-end brand, is that not the case anymore?

That must be the case but things seem to be a little sketchy - the Japanese folks in the room seemed to take a "not speaking unless I am forced to" approach, although they were polite - I think Sony recently "relaunched" the Qualia brand - according to Wikipedia,

"...In early 2006, Sony discontinued the series in the US as well[2].
Products Function      Unveiled      RRP      Model number    Based on
Qualia 001    Video processor    January 2005    US$5,080    Q001-CB01    -
Qualia 002    HDV camcorder    April 2005    US$5,800    Q002-HDR1    HDR-FX1
Qualia 004    SXRD Video projector    June 2003    US$25,000    Q004-R1    -
Qualia 005    46" LCD television    August 2004    US$10,000    KDX46Q005    -
Qualia 006    70" SXRD rear-projection television    September 2004    US$15,000    KDS-70Q006    KDS-70XBR100
Qualia 007    SACD player and amplifier    June 2003    US$6,700    Q007-SCD    -
Qualia 010    Headphones    April 2004    US$2,400    Q010-MDR1
Qualia 015    36" CRT television    June 2003    US$11,000    Q015-KX36
Qualia 016    Modular compact digital camera    June 2003    US$4,000    Q016-WE1    -
Qualia 017    MiniDisc player    June 2004    US$1,700    Q017-MD1    MZ-E10
-    In-ear headphones    June 2004    US$200    MDR-EXQ1    MDR-EX71 "

I will be going back through the brochures I collected and try to match up info with the pictures that I have..

Next will be the VMPS setup in the Redrock VIII room...but for now, back to my real job

jqp · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jan 2011, 03:40 am »

I was never able to get to the VMPS room when they weren't recording or demoing the recording. Alas, I never got to hear my Baroque Music for Organ and Brass...I pretty much agree with what others have said about the recoding demo - very accurate reproduction if not exact due to mic placement.

jqp · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jan 2011, 04:03 am »

The PBN Audio room - the amps were in control! Peter Noerbaek graciously allowed me to play a few CDs. The speakers in the room are new and not in the brochures. The smaller pair that were playing were I believe the Samies - the have aluminum woofers - black anodized.

Peter Noerbaek getting ready to set up the borrowed transport, which he controls with an iPod Touch

Pez · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Jan 2011, 04:27 am »

Great stuff JQP! Keep it comin if you have more!

jqp · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 10:47 pm »

I should have more from both shows tonight

Pez · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 10:49 pm »

looking forward to it.

jqp · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 01:35 am »

More VMPS

jqp · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 01:40 am »

Way up on the 28th floor at the end of the hall - Chapman Loudspeakers featuring the T-8s (with Cary Audio Design and MIT Oracle Matrix XT system cables). Chapman makes the speakers on an island (Vashon) off the coast of Seattle.

A lot of the rooms has some kind of room treatments. This room sounded really good, and I got to play a few of my CDs...until some mysterious deal went down with another vendor

...and a look at where the sausage is made...

jqp · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 02:08 am »

An interesting and well set up room - Electra-print

And here we are listening to the CELLO SPEAKERS - novelty yes, but they sounded great!

The mantra in here was "can you believe its only 1 1/2 watts!"

Added to the mix was a custom subwoofer with a 300 watt amp

jqp · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 02:17 am »

How about some open baffle (with ribbon) speakers? Soulsonic speakers were impressive with impressive sound.

The cross-overs had their own boxes

jqp · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 02:26 am »

Classic Audio Loudspeaker out of Brighton MI - with Atma-Sphere

jqp · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 03:15 am »

more to come

JerryM · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 03:46 am »

Quote from: jqp on 15 Jan 2011, 03:15 am

more to come

jqp,

Thanks for taking your time to put together such unbelievably bitchin' coverage of not only this show, but CES as well.

Very, very cool of ya'!

Thanks again,
Jerry

Pez · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 05:55 am »

Holy shit man! Those open baffle speakers are crazier than anything I saw at RMAF!

Those crossovers are incredible.

Cello speakers.... wow. What the hell man?

I guess they're following the likes of Audio Note and Naim audio with cabinets designed to accentuate the sound.

Any way again man, phenomenal coverage!