LATEST ADDITIONS

CEDIA 2014
D+M Has an Angle on Atmos
Mark Fleischmann  |  Sep 12, 2014
One question about Dolby Atmos that we haven't seen raised before: What effect would it have on auto setup and room correction systems in receivers and pre-pros? D+M's Atmos demo provided the answer: Audyssey has updated its technology to handle Atmos related concerns. The D+M demo used vaguely specified products including a Marantz pre-pro, Marantz multichannel amp, and Snell speakers. It used the same Dolby Labs clip disc as every other Atmos demo at CEDIA, but because it wasn't abusively loud, we enjoyed it more than most of the others.
CEDIA 2014
Bowers & Wilkins Overhauls CM Series
Mark Fleischmann  |  Sep 12, 2014
The rethought CM Series from Bowers & Wilkins includes three towers, three monitors, two centers, and one sub. They use a double dome aluminum tweeter array which combines a dome with a ring radiator, stiffening the driver and shifting its breakup mode from 30 to 38 kHz. Nautilus-style tweeter tube loading is employed in all of these new speakers though it's most visible in the tweeter-on-top models (the CM10 S2 tower and, pictured here, the CM6 S2 monitor). Woofers continue to be Kevlar. The models, all priced per speaker, are the CM10 S2 tower ($2000), CM9 S2 tower ($1600), CM8 S2 tower ($1200), CM6 S2 monitor ($1000), CM5 S2 monitor ($800), CM1 S2 monitor ($550), CM Centre2 S2 ($1250), CM Centre S2 ($700), and ASW 10CM S2 subwoofer ($1500).
CEDIA 2014
This Sonus Faber Is Not Atmos-Enabled
Mark Fleischmann  |  Sep 12, 2014
You might suspect the top-firing driver in Sonus Faber's Lilium tower ($70,000/pair) makes it a Dolby Atmos enabled speaker. But you'd be wrong. That's a bass driver, not a height driver, and it's complemented by a bottom-firing passive radiator. The 3.5-way system is triwired and, as you'd expect from the luxury-minded Italian manufacturer, dressed to kill. Price: $70,000/pair.
CEDIA 2014
Nakymatone Easily Turns Walls into Sound Walls
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Sep 12, 2014
Nakymatone has a unique approach to invisible in-wall sound with two stealthy speakers called the Echt and the Mooi. Both speakers measure 23” x 9.75” x 3.5” (H x W x D) but are designed to be fit behind drywall using a 16 5/8” x 9.75” (H x W) hole. The speakers utilize a special removable handle that allows installers to slide the speaker into the hole and then pull it flush up against the drywall before fastening it in place an applying a 1/16” plaster skim to blend it in with the surface of the wall. The acoustic panel consists of an aluminum honeycomb core with doped paper skin. Both models have a sealed, acoustically tuned aluminum enclosure; while the higher-end Echt’s enclosure is also anodized for higher performance sound quality.

According to Nakymatone, the frequency response of the Mooi is...

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CEDIA 2014
Panamax Power360 Provides All-Around Protection
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Sep 12, 2014
Panamax is introducing three new Power360 series surge protectors at CEDIA today. The wall-mounted DOCK includes six surge-protected outlets along with two USB ports. The USB ports share a 2 amp capacity, allowing it to charge two smartphones simultaneously or a single tablet. A unique groove - Panamax calls it a “Technology Cradle” - along the top of the DOCK is designed to provide a convenient niche in which to place your smart device while it is charging.

The next of the three models is...

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CEDIA 2014
Monitor Audio Shows Super-Slim Soundbars
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 12, 2014
In a world populated by all-in-one powered soundbars, Monitor Audio showed two SB Series passive soundbars slated to ship in December: The compact SB-2 for TVs with screens between 50 and 60 inches and the SB-3, which will be custom built for screen sizes above 60 inches.

Both models feature separate driver arrays for the left, center, and right channels. The SB-2 employs a 4-inch woofer, 1-inch horn-loaded tweeter, and passive radiator in each section, while the SB-3 uses the same complement for the left and right channels but doubles up on the woofers and passive radiators for the center section.

The ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium drivers are borrowed from Monitor’s flagship Radius line. Cabinets are made of internally braced high-density MDF covered in black acoustically transparent fabric and have brushed aluminum end caps for a touch of style. Wall mounting is possible with an optional low-profile bracket that provides easy cable access.

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CEDIA 2014
KEF Bows Atmos Add-On Speaker
Mark Fleischmann  |  Sep 12, 2014
KEF's famous coaxial Uni-Q driver array is what distinguishes its R60 Dolby Atmos enabled speaker ($1200/pair) from the competition. With a one-inch aluminum tweeter nestling amid a 5.25-inch aluminum woofer, it's the same version of Uni-Q used on the R100. KEF also showed three new tower speakers and a monitor: Blade Two ($24,000/pair), Reference 5 ($18,000/pair), Reference 3 ($13,000/pair), and Reference One ($7500/pair).
CEDIA 2014
Triad Atmos Drivers Are a Quartet
Mark Fleischmann  |  Sep 12, 2014
Two years in the making in close association with Dolby Labs, Triad's approach to a Dolby Atmos enabled speaker is to build four two-inch ScanSpeak drivers into the top for the height channels. The Inroom Bronze LR-H is based on the InRoom Bronze LCR, with the front driver array consisting of a one-inch fabric dome tweeter and dual 5.5-inch woofers. We've heard the prototype in Dolby's New York offices and it produces impressive height effects. Atmos capability raises the basic model price from $600 to $1000/pair.
CEDIA 2014
Yamaha Shows Atmos Receivers
Mark Fleischmann  |  Sep 12, 2014
Yamaha's excellent Aventage surround receiver line now features two Dolby Atmos compatible models, both with nine amp channels: the RX-A3040 ($2199, 150 watts with two channels driven) and RX-A2040 ($1699, 140 watts with two channels driven). The semi-enclosed demo, with Yamaha speakers, was crisp enough to rise above the noise of the show floor, and the height effects (from ceiling speakers) were clearly discernible. Yamaha also showed its first sound base, the SRT-1000 ($500), which features eight front "beam drivers" along with two oval mid-woofers and two bottom-firing bass drivers. Made of sturdy MDF, it is designed to hold sets up to 88 pounds and 55 inches. In addition Yamaha showed two soundbars, one with HDMI input and lossless surround decoding for $1000 and one with legacy inputs for $399. The former is the YSP-2500, which simulates "true 7.1" surround from 16 beam drivers. It is the first soundbar we've encountered with a headphone jack.
CEDIA 2014
OSD Audio Previews Multiroom Streaming Audio System
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 12, 2014
OSD Audio, known for its high-performance in-wall speakers, announced that it will offer an as-yet-unnamed wireless audio system by the end of the year. The system is based on DTS’s PlayFi platform and supports multisource playback of uncompressed audio in a multiroom setting.
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