I had an opportunity to hear the KEF Muon loudspeaker, which is more of concept than a mass-produced product. The all-aluminum enclosure is stunningly styled, and the sound was quite good, although I never got to hear the Muon while sitting between the speakers; showgoers who waited for a turn in the sweet spot were loathe to give it up. Everyone was taking photos of the Muon, although for some reason the left loudspeaker got more attention from the cameras than the right.

Some of the products on display clearly took their styling cues from established brands. There was a marked similarity between some Chinese brands and iconic American or European products, although no outright copies, as I’ve seen in the past at some Asian shows. Similarly, I saw several marques that have become defunct the U.S. resurrected by Chinese companies. The new manufacturer either bought the name, or the name’s trademark expired and the Chinese company simply took its name and logo as its own. Remember Counterpoint? Vimak?

Stay tuned later this week for a report from inside China’s hi-fi factories.

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