Publisher Profile
CES

2012 CES, Part IV

Kingsound, Bob Carver LLC, GamuT, Pass Labs, TNT, McIntosh, Acapella Audio Arts, Enigma Acoustic, Esoteric, LAMM, Electrocompaniet

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Kingsound paired up with Bob Carver and yielded the sweet, sweet sounds of the Kingsound King II electrostatics through the Bob Carver Black Beauty 305-watt vacuum tube monoblocks, and Purity Audio Design’s Silver Statement preamplifier. Indeed, this system was one of the best sounding at the show.

Also on hand was the gorgeous 200-watt-per-channel Bob Carver Cherry 180. I had a word with Bob Farinelli of Bob Carver LLC and I should have a pair of the black beauties coming my way for review.

GamuT had a nice sounding room which sported their dual mono Di150 integrated amplifier, CD3 player, and the M’inenT M5 in beautiful Ebony wood.

Living up to their moniker (XS) and pedigree, the new two-chassis monoblock Class A amplifiers from Pass Labs, the Xs-150, were certainly making a statement visually and sonically. The Pass Labs SR-2 speakers were certainly bringing no shame to their heritage either. An overall great-sounding room that seems to prove that true high-end does not necessarily mean cherry-picking components from different walks of life.

The TNT 833 power amplifier was strutting its stuff powering the Tidal Piano Diacera speakers. This was in no small part due to the superb Laufer Teknik Memory 64 player designed by Mark Porzilli.

I really did not cover the McIntosh Room since it was so crowded and also because I knew a fellow Dagogoan was certain to cover it, but I just had to quickly snap these pictures of the very cool 50th anniversary McIntosh 275.

The Acapella Audio Arts Violon MKVI were sounding mighty fine in the Einstein Audio room.

The Enigma Acoustic exhibit was yet another room that was anointed with the prowess of Pass Labs amplification in the form of the XP-20 linestage and the XA 100.5 Class A monoblock were feeding the very unique “Finale” speaker which sports two proprietary electrostatic supertweeter units; one forward firing and one rear firing. These supertweeters are rated flat to 40kHz. The superb DaVinciAudio USB DAC was providing the analog source to the system.

Esoteric was showing a high performance value-based line of products that will be sold under the TEAC name, called the TEAC Distinction Series (shown in black face). Included are three SACD players, three integrated amplifiers, and a tuner. The 3000 series top-of-the-line SACD player has USB input.

LAMM teamed up their electronics with the Verity Audio Lohengrin II speakers to produce some great sounds.

Electrocompaniet was premiering the all-new125 -watt-per-channel integrated amplifier-DAC, the ECI-6 DS. It supports streamed audio via USB input, network streaming, internet radio, and iPod interface.

The all-Electrocompaniet system was sounding particularly good. Indeed, the Nordic Tone speakers produced some of the best sounds I heard at the show.

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