CES Show Report 2014

[microstrip]

Day Three CES 2014 Blog up on Positive Feedback's FB page!

Should be on PFO's website in a day or so. Last installment and best sound in Day 4 that should be up late Sat. or Sunday.

Good work, Myles! Be careful, Alexia sounds great with cj ...

 

[Bruce B]

Just read all three. Great job Myles!

 

[XV-1]

Thanks for the very good, and quick coverage Myles.

On a different note. I think it is almost criminal to show your equipment sitting on it's shipping crates. Especially a TT. The AF1 deserves much better.
View attachment 13413

Why?

AF1 has state of the art in built suspension, so it will perform great regardless. Or is it all about the looks?

 

[MylesBAstor]

Day 3.

Four and wrap up to come this weekend!

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue71/ces20144.htm

 

[MylesBAstor]

How was the Magico horn system, Myles?

It was a one channel aka museum behind velvet ropes type exhibit. No touching allowed

 

[MylesBAstor]

Good work, Myles! Be careful, Alexia sounds great with cj ...

Only if one fell off the truck.

Funny thing? One night we were discussing (what else?) turntables and how in the early '80s, the talk revolved around buying our last turntable. What happened?

 

[JackD201]

The conversation got shifted to buying our last stand alone CD players.

 

[rockitman]

Why?

AF1 has state of the art in built suspension, so it will perform great regardless. Or is it all about the looks?

Platform and isolation matters with the AF1. The better it is, the better the performance of the table.

 

[XV-1]

Myles

Anything from conrad Johnson?

 

[cjfrbw]

Another thank you for the reports, Myles, I appreciate the effort it takes to provide the running commentary along with the pictures.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Myles

Anything from conrad Johnson?

C&J were there in person but no room. I'm told they're working on a large, but less expensive amp than the ART. But this move has really set them back.

 

[MylesBAstor]

The conversation got shifted to buying our last stand alone CD players.

 

[audioarcher]

Platform and isolation matters with the AF1. The better it is, the better the performance of the table.

Yup. I don't care how good a turntables suspension is, it still needs a good support under it. A crate is not ideal. Why not show your gear in the best conditions possible?

 

[mep]

C&J were there in person but no room. I'm told they're working on a large, but less expensive amp than the ART. But this move has really set them back.

Set them back how Myles?

 

[MylesBAstor]

Set them back how Myles?

The move and rearranging the factory.

 

[mep]

The move and rearranging the factory.

Oh, I missed that part.

 

[marty]

Myles, thanks for the excellent pics and comments. I would have assumed that one of the "hot" items this year would be music servers. Did you notice anything there that was of particular interest? Seems to me that this area is about to explode. Inexpensive servers w SS drives and adapted 3rd party software (i.e. JRiver or such) such as Antipode, 3Bees, and a few modified Mac minis (ie. Mojo) are becoming more abundant. I was curious to know if any more were shown or released at CES?

 

[MylesBAstor]

Myles, thanks for the excellent pics and comments. I would have assumed that one of the "hot" items this year would be music servers. Did you notice anything there that was of particular interest? Seems to me that this area is about to explode. Inexpensive servers w SS drives and adapted 3rd party software (i.e. JRiver or such) such as Antipode, 3Bees, and a few modified Mac minis (ie. Mojo) are becoming more abundant. I was curious to know if any more were shown or released at CES?

Excellent question but that's too be expected

Sorry Marty left that to others. I was concentrating on analog, electronics and speakers. You can't believe how many tts, cartridges and arms were at the show. And all excellent. And you don't need a small fortune to get started in analog nor is there any shortage of software. Oh BTW heard one system on day four that surprisingly shocked me. But more on that a later time.

That said, I think the digital realm, particularly high Rez, is for techno geeks, PHDs in computer science and some audiophiles. Do you have the right software? Do you have the right or current version? What does it support? Did you turn this on? Did you shut that off? Are other programs running that are interfering? Do up you have the right card? The list goes on and on.

Do you know how many times I've seen the software crash at shows and other events and have to be reloaded, if possible? Take this year for instance even. MOFI was scheduled to demo quad DSD. Their software crashed and for whatever the reason the computer was toast was toast. MOFI went and bought another computer and the card in that computer wasn't fast enough and their demo was scrapped. Don't they get it? CDs took over not because of the sound but that all one had to do is put a little silver disc in a drawer, push a button and presto, music. No normal person one will go through what tweaky audiophiles do to listen to music. Until that changes, DSD is dead.

It has to be servers but not $40K ones. I did see a few of the Sony servers around the show so they seem to possibly be catching on.

Just my two cents as someone looking from the outside in who has considered adding high Rez digital playback to my tool boxes of mediums.

 

[joeinid]

Myles

Anything from conrad Johnson?

C&J were there in person but no room. I'm told they're working on a large, but less expensive amp than the ART. But this move has really set them back.

Hi Myles,

Do you think Conrad Johnson will have any newer or higher end solid state gear in the future? I'd love a current CJ sounding ss amp from them.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Hi Myles,

Do you think Conrad Johnson will have any newer or higher end solid state gear in the future? I'd love a current CJ sounding ss amp from them.

I don't know Joe. I've known the fellas since the '80s and they have always played it close to the vest.

Personally I've often wondered what they're doing on the phono stage end. Unlike others, I've not been a huge fan of their SS gear starting with the Motif and moving forward. But it's a market they can't ignore.