CES 2008: Jim Hannon Mines CES for the Treasures in Turntables, Tonearms, Cartridges, and Phonostages
January 23rd, 2008 — By Jim HannonJim Hannons’s Best of Show
Best sounds: No clear-cut winner, so excellent source material tipped the scales for me. I loved the massed strings and dynamic headroom via The Tape Project’s mastertape on the TAD Reference One, the boldness and naturalness of a tape of Ella’s voice via Nagra electronics driving the Verity Sarastro IIs, the scale of the orchestra on an EMI test pressing of Fauré’s Pelléas et Mélisande on a Lyra/Tri-Planar/Atma-Sphere/Classic Audio Reproductions system (the best horn speaker system I’ve heard), the palpable performances from a CSN concert test pressing spinning on a Criterion in the Continuum/Vitus/German Physiks room, and the realism and focus of the piano on a 1963 McCoy Tyner “Impulse” recording spinning on an SME 20/12 with unnamed Sumiko cartridge/Audio Research electronics/Vienna Acoustics “The Music” speakers. In general, smaller systems like the Verity Fidelio in the Artemis Labs room sounded more natural and coherent than the larger systems.
Greatest bargain: Pro-ject Phono Box II USB at $179. If you want to move your record collection over to your computer or iPod, this is an inexpensive way to do it.
Most surprising discovery: A single Definitive Technologies’ Solo Sound Array SSA-50 ($1099) did a surprisingly good job of creating the illusion of being surrounded by five speakers.
Most important trend: The resurgence of analog in an increasingly digital world and the continued technical innovation in this category.
Most significant new product: ThielNet. This makes high-quality, whole house audio with great sound much more practical.
Greatest technological breakthrough: Wireless ThielNet.
