Chris Martens’ Best of Show

Best Sound: Though perhaps not the most “accurate� system at the show, Nola’s Baby Grand Reference speaker system ($55k), as driven by Audio Research source and amplification components, captured the “feel� of live musical events more effectively than anything else I heard at CES.

Greatest Bargain: In terms of sheer performance/dollar, Definitive’s Mythos STS has few if any peers. More than a “good deal,� the STS is by any standard a superb loudspeaker that puts high-end sound within reach for Everyman.

Most Surprising Discovery: Learning that the latest-generation Apple video iPods provide mechanisms for exporting digital audio bitstreams and component-video signals, too. This development opens the door for using iPods in conjunction with high-performance DACs and displays, and without modifying the players in any way.

Most Important Trend: The high-end community’s wise decision to embrace and not resist the adoption of iPod- and PC-based audio systems. In the end, technologies that stimulate interest in music always work for the greater good, and while high-fidelity sound is important, passion for music must always come first.

 

Most Significant New Product: Wadia Digital’s Model 170 iTransport ($349). This is the device that will turn the iPod into a serious high-performance digital transport/server suitable for use in high-end systems.

Greatest Technological Breakthrough: The arrival of HD DVD and Blu-ray discs in conjunction with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio codecs. Let’s hope content creators will take advantage of these formats to create the most beautiful concert videos we’ve ever seen–or heard.

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