CES 2008: Alan Taffel Takes a Look at Next-Gen Audio from CES
January 23rd, 2008 — By Alan TaffelJanuary 23 - Last year I railed against CES 2007’s pervasive sense of stagnation. Rather than emphasizing advanced technologies–like DSP-based room correction, high-resolution source material, or multichannel playback–that hold the promise of substantial gains in sonic realism, manufacturers exhibited ever more expensive fine-tunings of the status quo, with barely incremental fidelity gains to show for them.
This year was different. CES 2008 was exactly what a CES should be: a look into the future. Between what was and, significantly, what wasn’t on display, the shape of next-generation audio has never been clearer.
Next-Gen Audio Is Stereo
True High-Resolution Audio Has Arrived
High-End Audio to Blu-ray and HD DVD: No Thanks!
Music Servers Will Displace CD Players
DACs Are Back
Digital Room Correction Is Reaching Critical Mass
Alan Taffel’s Best of Show
Next: Next-Gen Audio Is Stereo
While I heartily applaud just about all of your observations (especially the recognition that REAL High Definition audio has finally arrived and can be downloaded at iTrax.com), I would like to point out that multichannel audio is not dead at all. It’s true that there was very little surround being demonstrated at the Venetian this year…but I believe the reason is the lack of adequate space to pull of a great demo and the limited view of most manufacturers.
The future is high definition, surround audio playing back from a music server. It will take time and the tipping point is still some years away, but those that have heard great recordings in 5.1 surround wonder know it’s coming.
AIX Records has been creating true HD Audio in stereo and surround for 8 years (almost 58 recordings many with HD Video) and is glad that optical discs are diminishing in importance. We still produce and release DVD-Audio titles for those that appreciate the benefits of HD PCM encoding…but now those that are properly equipped can download HD into dedicated music servers. The show was a hint of things to come.
The most important technological innovation in the area of music servers was not being shown to the public but was tucked away in a suite at the Belaggio. The future is coming but I have to hold my thoughts until April or May.
Comment by Mark Waldrep January 26th, 2008 @ 8:33 pm