In a digital world filled with more and more devices to distribute and playback music, it’s amazing that not one of those fancy new items seem to actively pitch the sonic quality of the music that they’re making so portable. That’s what made the High Performance Audio section of CES so refreshing. It’s good to know that somewhere in the outer reaches of the tech world, dedicated lovers of real music are slaving away at things like pitch, modulation and clarity and developing the perfect tone arm for the even more perfect turntable. Thank you, folks.
LG, the electronics company that’s been popping out of nowhere to get serious attention in the affordable high end market has teamed up with audio design guru Mark Levinson on a series of all-in-one home theater systems that your normal HTIB (home theater in a box) can’t hold a candle to. The focus here is not only on sound but (as is this year’s trend), a real look toward integrating home theater design into the current state of home decor - i.e. - chick friendly so guys can spend the milk money without sleeping on the couch.
Lexicon’s MV-5 processor/preamp comes with 2 HDMI inputs and can run anything from your PC media player to your DVD player to your iPod dock.
Are your noticing a pattern here? The best stuff is made by companies you’ve never heard of. No President’s Day Sale at Best Buy to score this stuff. This amazing audio stack was introduced by Soulution Audio.
Together, only about $64,000. And worth every bit of it (um, I guess. But I’ll never know).
There’s really no sense paying umpteen thousands of dollars on a home entertainment system if your wife thinks it’s ugly and won’t let you set it up. Hence, a whole slew of audio companies working diligently to vastly improve both the look and sound quality of on-wall speakers that fit into contemporary interior design. Enter WaterFall, a French company, with its Glass Wall Speaker System with backlighting that gives the impression of sconces but kicks out ridiculously great and balanced sound for the relatively reasonable estimated cost of $6000 for the five speaker surround system - none of the stuff to connect to the speakers included, of course. Unavailable at dealerships at press time. Give it 90 days.
