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The Best Show Reporting
Coverage of CES 2000 from Las Vegas, NV --
Jan. 6-9, 2000
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| SoundStage!
LIVE Product Coverage - January 12 |
Stephen Creamer of Nirvana holds the new SX Limited interconnect ($1295 per meter pair).
The SX Limited expands on what has been learned from the original SL cable series, which
remains available.
Naked Truth Audio displayed their Calla 60-watt tube monoblock amps ($7500 per pair),
shown here resting atop Tyler Acoustics’ Reference Ampstands ($275 apiece).
The Ocellia Kedros loudspeaker employs a single 12" coaxial driver with piezo
tweeter. The cabinet is made of musical-instrument-grade spruce, which is only 1/4"
thick. Ocellia eschews the stiffer-is-better cabinet philosophy in favor of a resonating
cabinet analogous to the resonating body of a wooden acoustic instrument. Efficiency is
greater than 99dB, and the loudspeaker sells for $10,000 to $12,000 depending on finish.
The Kedros is bi-wired, but there is no crossover. A smaller model with similar
construction, the Tilia, employs an 8" driver with piezo tweeter and sells for $6000.
 
Paragon Acoustics' Jade speaker (left, $4995 per pair) sounded very fine driven by
inexpensive Musical Design electronics at T.H.E. Show. Paragon's Pearl Mk II speaker
($1995 per pair) played at the Alexis Park.
Harmonic Technology's Jim Wang holds The Magic Power Cord, his company's new-for-the-CES
product. Retail price is $1500 for 1.8 meters or $2000 for 2.5 meters.
All the way from Holland came the Pluto 12a turntable. With superb machining, the
turntable is priced at $6800, while the Pluto 5a tonearm is priced at $4300. The Pluto 1
phono cartridge is $4600, and the Pluto support system (stand), which features an
isolation system built into each leg, will sell for $4000.
Jon Gale, one of two SoundStage! show coverage-team members who managed to elude
the flu during CES (dB was the other), stands between new ASC Panel Traps ($150 each), so
you can see both the front, a flat panel, and the rear, a resonator.
PSB showed a prototype of their upcoming dipole surround, Image 10S (approximately $650
per pair). This surround speaker is intended to be used with other speakers in PSB's Image
series. A matching subwoofer was also shown. The Image 10S is presently in development and
is expected to be available sometime in the first half of 2000.
Reflection Audio's custom-made, fully-balanced OM-2 preamp ($12,000) has a volume control
that, according to Stephen Balliet of Resolution Audio, has $5000 in parts.
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