CEDIA 2011 Show Report – Sumit Chawla

 

QuantumLogic, a big step forward in surround sound processing?  Harman thinks so, and after listening to the demo, which used 5 height channels, I was very impressed with its capabilities.  The inventor, Dr. Gil Soulodre, presented the technology and Nathaniel Kunkel talked about the qualities of the processed sound.  The customization possibilities seemed endless; Nathaniel, however, found the algorithm to be quite robust and ended up using the same parameters for different recordings.  The upcoming Lexicon MP-20 will be the first product to ship with QuantumLogic - the faceplate is already adorned with this logo.  Lets hope that this technology will trickle down into the more affordable Harman Kardon receiver family.

 

 

 

Focal will be shipping a passive headphone called the Spirit One in Jan.  They will be priced at $269.

 

 

 

The XS Book is a powered desktop monitor which accepts an analog input.  They are priced at $399/pair and they will be shipping soon.  A version which accepts a digital input will follow in a couple of months.

 

 

The new Chrous 800W line from Focal.  From left to right: 836W ($4195), 826W ($3495), SW800W ($1595), CC800W ($795) and 807W ($1495).  The lacquered finishes will ship in Oct, with wooden finishes to follow in Oct.

 

 

Sonus Faber update their high-end Homage series.  Shown here are, from top to bottom, the Guaneri Evolution (22k, w/ stands), Cremona Elipsa (23k) and the Amati Futura (36k).  Absolutely beautiful looking speakers; would have really liked to hear them.

 

 

Soundbars were quite popular at the show.  Shown are the new introductions by Energy.

Energy Power Bar (top) is accompanied by a 8" wireless subwoofer; MSRP: $399

Energy Power Bar Elite (bottom) is accompanied by a 10" wireless subwoofer; MSRP: $599

 

Size (152"), weight (1300 lbs) and price ($500k) are all big for this Plasma from Panasonic.  According to the rep, the wall bearing load requirements are 3 times a display's weight!

 

 

Want to get rid of all the cable clutter?  HDBaseT has a solution for you which replaces all these cables with a single CAT5e cable utilizing a standard RJ-45 connector.  The power and length limits are 100w and 100m respectively.  The flat-panel on the right (2nd image) has all the data and power provided by a single CAT5e cable.  The image on the wall is cast by a projector which is powered the conventional way, since its power requirements are higher; the A/V data, however, is furnished over a CAT5e cable.  Several companies have joined the HDBaseT alliance.

 

 

 

B&W introduced the PM-1 monitor.  They are priced at $2800/pair; the matching stands are priced at $550/pair.

 

 

Some nice keyboards from IOGEAR for use with a HTPC.  I like the compactness of the 3rd one down, kind of similar to the diNovo Mini from Logitech.

 

Antennas Direct showed colored versions of their Micron XG indoor antenna.  The antenna comes with a variable in-line amplifier.  MSRP is $99.

 

Polk refreshed their LSi line; shown here is the updated line, now called LSiM.  Pricing starts at $600 for the entry level center-channel and goes up to $2k for the top of the line floorstander.

 

 

Tivo announced their Premier Elite DVR.  This model has 4 tuner and 2 terabytes of storage.  It will be available "soon" for an MSRP of $499.  A Bluetooth remote with a slide out keyboard can be purchased separately.

 

Auralex introduced the eco-friendly "Sustain Bamboo Sound Diffusor series".

 

 

 

Paul McGown from PS Audio showing the Silent Server (small box to the front/right of the iPad).  Product will ship sometime during the first quarter next year.  Standalone pricing will be $799; combined price with the Network Bridge $1200.

 

 

The AT-1 and AT-2 H-PAS loudspeakers from Atlantic Technology.  They provide deep bass while carrying a modest footprint; the -3dB point for the AT-1 and AT-2 is 29Hz and 39Hz respectively.  Both models utilize a 5 1/4" woofer.  The AT-1 is currently shipping and has an MSRP of $3000/pair.  The AT-2 is expected to be available in the Nov-Dec time frame and will carry a price tag of $1800/pair.

 

 

The Sling Adapter from DISH Network provides remote access to the content on your receiver on multiple devices.

 

 

 

A portable satellite dish called the Tailgater from DISH Network.  Positioning is handles automatically, make setup both simple and quick.

 

The show floor is ready!

 

 

The show is about to open.

 

 

Here is Chris checking out Sony's Personal 3D Viewer (HMZ-T1).  It uses a 720p OLED screen for each eye; there is no crosstalk because of this, but the screen door effect was visible on some scenes.  They will retail for about $799 and they will be available in November.

 

Atlantic Technology held their press conference today.  They showed the H-PAS PowerBar 235 (2/3/5 channels) which is said to deliver bass response down to 47 Hz at -3dB ... quite impressive given its size.  There is a subwoofer output if you want a big companion for the PowerBar.  Two analog and one digital (optical) input are provided.  DTS decoding is not handled presently, but is being considered.  The product will be priced in the $500-$600 range and is expected to ship in December.  Atlantic Technology is in the process of licensing H-PAS technology to other companies.

 

The day before the show floor opens.  Preparations are in full swing!