Steven Stone's Best From 2010 CES
Best Sound
Synergistic Research’s Room. The signal chain included YG Amat Ref II speakers backed by Esoteric AO3, CO3, DO3, PO3, and G-OR6 componenets and Synergisitc Gallaleo interconnects and speaker cables along with the ART room treatment system.
Greatest Bargain
High Resolution Technologies Music Streamer HD (PTBA - estimated price between $800 – $900). At last a USB DAC that breaks the 96/24 barrier by using the USB 2.0 audio protocol already written into Apple’s Snow Leopard, does it asynchronously, and all for under $900.
Greatest Technological Breakthrough
3D? Puhleeze. The majors would have you believe that every 3D picture looks like Avatar. They don’t. Sony’s slogan this year was “Make.Believe.” I wonder if anyone at Sony noticed the irony – make believe indeed.
Most Important Trend
Computer audio in the form of music and media servers has virtually taken over from disc-based digital music delivery. Soon CDs will be as quaint as cassettes or eight-track tapes.
Most Significant New Product or Company
APTX. They’ve developed a lossless compression system for use on digital Bluetooth that makes it possible to send high definition music files over Blue Tooth. Chord and Apple have already adopted APTX’s system and more software and hardware companies will follow.
