LATEST ADDITIONS

CES 2011
Denon and Marantz Get AirPlay
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
Denon and Marantz are the first non-Apple manufacturers to incorporate AirPlay audio streaming without the use of an AirPort Express device. An AirPlay logo appears on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch (running iOS 4.2 and up). Press it and a drop-down list of compatible devices appears. Thus you can take music from a PC or Mac running iTunes, or an Apple mobile device, and stream it hither and yon to your Denon/Marantz toys. The capability is built into four Denon a/v receivers -- the AVR-4311CI, -3311CI, -991, and -A100 100th anniversary model -- plus the N7 tabletop system. Also on board are Marantz products: the SR7005 receiver, AV7005 pre-pro, NA7004 network audio player, and M-CR603 network CD receiver. You can get the software upgrade for $50 two days from the publication of this item. (Photo: Lisa Cazzola.)
CES 2011
Monitor Audio Shakes Woofer Booty
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
While waiting to be briefed on Monitor Audio's GX Series, we couldn't help being fascinated by the incredible woofer excursion of the GX50 ($1795/pair, left) -- not to mention how little influence it seemed to have on the tweeter output. Turns out the GX Series is a re-do of the old Gold Series. All drivers are made of C-CAM, a ceramic powder coated aluminum magnesium. The high-res ribbon tweeter is crossed over at 2700Hz, indicating a healthy appetite for power. The 15-ply red bubinga woodgrain covering the one-inch MDF on the speaker was unusual, subtle, and lovely and the cabinet did well in the knuckle-rap test. Other GX models include another stand-mount, two towers, two centers, and sub.
CES 2011
AudioQuest Wins Coveted HT Blog Art Prize
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
We're pleased to announce that the AudioQuest exhibit has won the Home Theater 2011 CES Blog's Award for Distinguished Achievement in Promotional Artwork Evoking a Nightmare for this image of the giant red wolves that savaged us in our dreams. Yeah, go ahead and laugh, but we woke up in our hotel bed missing a leg.
CES 2011
Theta Does Class D
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
The Intrepid II, in lower right corner, is Theta Digital's first Class D amp, at 7 times 150 watts. It is expected to go into production in four months. Class D amplification, in general, is more energy efficient though some audiophiles question whether it is ready for primetime. Theta's implementation will boast load-agnostic frequency response regardless of speaker impedance. At upper left is the Theta III HD pre-pro, at $19,995 for version with Xtreme DACs and a mere $14,999 for version with Premium DACs. Upgrade your old Casablanca III for $4995 and your old Casablanca I or II for $5000. Apologies for awful pic.
CES 2011
Epos Goes for Soft Domes
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
The EPIC2 and two other models are the first Epos speakers to use soft dome tweeters along with, in this case, a seven-inch polypropylene woofer. For a front treatment, choose a screwless baffle plate, or a grille. The dealer can switch between them by sticking a metal rod into the back of the speaker and pushing off whichever one you don't want. Price is $799/pair for the EPIC2, $599/pair for the slightly smaller EPIC1, and $1399/pair for the EPIC5 tower.
CES 2011
McIntosh Is App Happy
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
Who can resist an app featuring the famous power meters, here displayed on an iPad (shown) sitting atop a McIntosh docking box (not shown). The app already has 30,000 admirers, judging from the number of people who have downloaded it.
CES 2011
McIntosh Clock Repurposes Famous Meters
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
The McIntosh MCLK12 clock puts the signature power meters to new use, displaying hours at left and minutes at right. It can mount in an equipment rack but why not give it a more prominent place on your wall?
CES 2011
Peachtree Pleads for Sanity
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
With the cute musicBox desktop amp and iDAC on display, both featuring pure digital iPod docks and selling for about a grand, Peachtree Audio's David Solomon has a lot to talk about. But the theme he is most passionate about is Apple TV. Videophiles see it as a 720p-limited video streamer. But to Solomon, it's a $99 audio streamer that "could save our industry." He says that if the audio industry doesn't get on board with the way music lovers choose to listen today, it will slowly evaporate, as those listeners gravitate to audio products sold at computer hardware stores.
CES 2011
Audio Design Associates Fosters Family Values
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
Why shouldn't your multiroom preamp recognize each member of the family and his/her favorite source components? The Audio Design Associates Suite 32 does just that, "redefining multiroom" with its Profiler software. If your daughter uses just an iPod and satellite dish, that's all she'll see on the keypad. The hardware looks kind of like two Suite 16s bolted together in a single chassis. Pricing starts at $10,000 for the preamp. Add another zero for keypads, amps, and such. ADA also talked up its TEQ Trinnov room EQ system, not for the first time, but it's shipping soon. TEQ is more sophisticated than the version of Trinnov built into Sherwood receivers -- for instance, whatever mic you use will have its own calibration file which will be fed into the system before it starts making decisions about what room correction your space needs.
CES 2011
Arcam rCube Is Cool as Ice
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 08, 2011
Arcam is one of those legendary "low end of the high end" amp makers that traditionally "punches above its weight," if you'll forgive the use of two audio-reviewing cliches in one sentence. Now it's in the iThing docking system business with the rCube ($800), shipping now.

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