GoldenEar Technology's Sandy Gross knows how to make an outstanding sounding loudspeaker. Whether bookshelf or tower, Gross's designs never fail to impress. But in-wall and in-ceiling speakers can be a trickier proposition. GoldenEar Technology showed they were up to the challenge by building a new demo theater this year to highlight the company's Invisa HTR 7000 speakers designed for use as ceiling mounted main front left, center right speakers.
Kevo is a Bluetooth-enabled motorized deadbolt that turns your smartphone into an electronic key (eKey). When your phone is close enough for Bluetooth communication to be established, the eKey allows the deadbolt to recognize and respond to the touch of a finger. In other words, if you come home with groceries in both arms, the Kevo app will automatically put the Kevo deadbolt into a touch-receptive mode.
If there is one reoccurring theme at the show it’s that your subs are nowhere near big enough. California Audio Technology seems to have gotten the message with their in-wall 18” drivers. These were actually some of the smaller subs I saw around the floor.
Darbee Vision won our Top Pick last year with their ugly duckling, the Darblet. While the processor didn’t have any outer beauty, its processing turned your video into a swan. Darbee evidently got the message and was showing a prototype version with a very clean aesthetic that included a gorgeous touchscreen and chassis. No word on when this may ship but one can only hope.
If the bright red leather and distinctive stitching reminds you of an exotic car, it’s no accident. First Impressions Theme Theaters, the Miami-based architectural design firm specializing in home theater, custom built the $3,500 theater seat for the owner of one of the most stunning cars on the planet, the Ferrari 458 Italia. Note the carbon-fiber cup holders. Oh, and around back there’s even a tool pouch.
Revolv’s Smart Home Solution is designed to easily bring together a variety of off-the-shelf devices such as the Sonos music system, Philips Hue wireless lighting, Yale automated locks, and thermostats into an automation system that’s extremely easy to set up and control with a single one simple smart device app.
Blu-ray players seem to have vanished from the face of the CEDIA floor this year but that didn’t stop Oppo Digital from debuting their latest revision to our Top Pick BDP-103 with the BDP-103D. Everything remains the same but Oppo has integrated the Darbee processing we reviewing in the Darblet processor last year. The player will be shipping in October at $599. This is a hardware revision so no upgrade options for existing owners. This fuses two of our top pick models into one exciting product so it should be another home run for Oppo.
If you’re going to rock out in the backyard, don’t skimp on speakers. Among the dozens of products on display in the expansive Dana Innovations booth at CEDIA 2013, the one that caught my eye was the “SonArray by Sonance.” For $2,499, you get eight outdoor satellite speakers plus an in-ground subwoofer (that bronze mushroom top in the photo). With stealthily strategic placement in your landscaping, Sonance says you can serenade a 2,000 square foot area. The sound? Way better than you would expect.