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Ears On
The Future of CES
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 12, 2009
What did the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show tell us about the future of CES and our industry in general? That was the question on everyone's lips. When asked "how are you," I cheerfully answered: "employed." This never failed to bring a smile. CES 2009 was hardly a failure. While it did not draw the 147,000 people of 2008, it still mustered 110,000, according to a press release from the Consumer Electronics Association. That is not too shabby by any standard. On the magazine's audio beat, I found fewer audio exhibits in the South Hall, but more at the Venetian, so seeing stuff and blogging about it kept me busy.
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CES 2009
Official CES Attendance Revised Downward
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 12, 2009
CES attendance was down a bit more than expected, according to figures released on the last day of the show by the Consumer Electronics Association. 2008 attendance had been 147,000. Estimated attendance for 2009 had been 131,000. But in its press release, CEA has revised those numbers downward to 110,000.
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CES 2009
Bryston Pre-Pro
Tom Norton  |  Jan 11, 2009  |  First Published: Jan 12, 2009
Bryston had this classy-looking new preamp-processor, the SP-3, on static display. It will have all the important bells and whistles, including decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio, when it goes on sale, probably in the second half of 2009. No prices were given.
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CES 2009
More from the House of Usher
Tom Norton  |  Jan 11, 2009  |  First Published: Jan 12, 2009
Usher showed up with a whole new line of relatively affordable speakers, the NV series. They're still being refined, but should be available in a few months. The NV 601 is the smallest model in the line. I was one of the first to hear it; they hooked it up for the first time at the show (they claimed) just before I walked into the room, and a few minutes from the close of the show (they had been featuring their more upscale models in their two rooms throughout the show). The sound was impressive, with a solid midrange, good balance, and detailed but very sweet highs— just the right balance for home theater and music. Estimated price will be in the neighborhood of $1100/pair (stands not included). There are also two floor standers and a center channel, the NV 603.
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CES 2009
Mythos Making
Tom Norton  |  Jan 11, 2009  |  First Published: Jan 12, 2009
The new Mythos 9 ($800) from Definitive Technology may be used as an on-wall LCR speaker, or alternately as a center channel with Def Tech's Mythos STS Super Towers.
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CES 2009
Pass Through
Tom Norton  |  Jan 11, 2009  |  First Published: Jan 12, 2009
Some audiophiles combine their home theater and 2-channel systems. If they have a modest AV receiver, but want to improve the sound of their system, especially for 2-channel playback, one possibility is to use a separate, quality stereo integrated amp to drive the front left and right channels, with their best 2-channel sources connected directly to it. The receiver's front left and right preamp outputs are then connected to one of the line level inputs of the integrated amp for home theater use. This can be made more direct, with less chance of messing with the calibrated home theater volume levels, if the integrated amp offers a fixed-level, pass-through input (independent of the integrated amp's volume control) to which the receiver's front channel preamp outputs can be connected.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Zodiac—Paramount Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jan 11, 2009
Video: 5/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 4/5
As a serial killer terrifies the San Francisco Bay Area and taunts police with his ciphers and letters, investigators in four jurisdictions search for the murderer. The case will become an obsession for four men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Truman Show—Paramount Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jan 11, 2009
Video: 2.75/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.75/5
Truman is about to discover just how abnormal his seemingly "normal" life is. What he doesn't realize - just yet - is that his whole life is a reality TV show, televised and broadcast for the world to see!
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Duchess—Paramount Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jan 11, 2009
Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3/5
Long before the concept existed, the Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer, was the original "It Girl." Like her direct ancestor Princess Diana, she was ravishing, glamorous and adored by an entire country. Determined to be a player in the wider affairs of the world, she proved that she could out-gamble, out-drink and outwit most of the aristocratic men who surrounded her. She helped usher in sweeping changes to England as a leader of the forward-thinking Whig Party. But even as her power and popularity grew, she was haunted by the fact that the only man in England she seemingly could not seduce was her very own husband, the Duke. And when she tried to find her own way to be true to her heart and loyal to her duty, the resulting controversies and convoluted liaisons pushed her to the brink of risking banishment by her husband, family and all of London society.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Swing Vote—Touchstone Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jan 11, 2009
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2.5/5
Bud Johnson's an ordinary dad drifting through life, caring about nothing except his overachieving daughter Molly. Trying to encourage him to get involved, Molly accidentally sets off a chain of events on Election Day that ends with the presidential race coming down to one vote - Bud's.
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