review_ hi-fi at ces 2016 - inside ci
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posted on Friday, 22nd January 2016 by Geny Caloisi SVS GoldenEar Velodyne Hifi Highend home cinema
Home Articles Review: HiFi at CES 2016
REVIEW: HIGH PERFORMANCEAUDIO AT CES 2016
If you ever dreamt of being able to compare the audio quality of different HiFi manufacturers sidebyside, this dream would have come true at the Venetian Hotel suites during CES 2016. All the brandsworth knowing were showing their range of products and latest releases, you only had to hop room toroom to get the full effect.
At the SVS suite, Nicholas Brown, SVS Director of Brand Management, introduced us to the company’snew home theatre speaker, the Prime Elevation. This versatile trapezoidal speaker can be installed onthe ceiling, on the wall, it can stand on a shelf or be mounted in several arrays.
Expected to be out in April this year, the speaker will retail for $349. For an enclosure of its size thesound quality of the SVS Prime Elevation is very good, but the key feature is its flexibility, which is idealfor home theatres.
The SVS Prime Elevation can play several roles: as a height channel speaker either downfiring or upfiring; as a centre channel speaker with projector screens or where level placement at ear height is notpossible; and also as a side or rearfiring surround speaker. A pair of Elevation speakers can be wallmounted and wired to become a dipole surround speaker. The company even looked into the detail ofmaking its logo magnetic, so it will not read upside down on any position.
“Today people have spectacular immersive audio formats at their fingertips, be it on movies or blurayperformances,” commented Brown and added, “The adaptability of this speaker makes it unique. Youcould start with a smaller system and then grow it and the Prime Elevation can easily change its rolewithin the installation. So far the speaker is proving so popular we are stepping up production.”
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Featuring a rated bandwidth of 69 Hz 25 kHz (+/ 3dB), the SVS Prime Elevation performancecompares to that of highend bookshelf speakers, but offers many more possibilities. Outstandingcrossover design and lower midrange and upper bass output allow it to blend seamlessly withsubwoofers and speakers from SVS and other brands. When used in a multichannel setup, thespeakers deliver crystal clear dialogue and vocals, an enveloping soundstage and seamless sonictransitions from front to back, side to side and overhead. The SVS Prime Elevation is sonically voicedto match with any of the company's existing speakers and subwoofers.
Velodyne was showing its range of elegant subwoofers, but talking to oldtimer consultant Fred Yando,we discover that David Hall, founder and CEO of Velodyne, extends his curiosity and research beyondthe world of audio. The company has launched its LiDAR sensor, a Solid State Hybrid Ultra Puck, thatcan reproduce the world around on 3D in real time; ideal for self driving cars. In fact at CES 2016, Fordwas showing its selfdriving car that uses LiDAR.
When it comes to designing its subwoofers, Velodyne does look into every detail. The units have asmooth finish, that in some models comes in wood or white variation, but as Yando explained “Forhome theatres what you need is black. Anything on any other colour, would stick out like a sore thumband distract you from having an immersive experience.” Even the LED volume indicators at the front ofthe speakers can be switched off to achieve a total black.
The company has developed it own wireless system, Velodyne’s WiConnect. Not having to depend oncables, Velodyne’s WiQ 10 and WiQ 12 can be placed anywhere you want, on view or concealed in acabinet. Fitted with Class D amplifiers, the WiQs come with one touch autoEQ room bass correctionand can be controlled from a remote control.
The company’s Digital Drive Plus range, which comes in four sizes: 10’, 12’, 15’ and 18’, offerextremely lowdistortion (just 0.5%) at or bellow 20Hz. They also have Velodyne’s patentedaccelerometer based on High Gain Servo System. Velodyne’s founder, Hall, introduced the first HighGain Servo System in 1983, with the ULD18 subwoofer. The 120lb speaker system went lower, playedlouder and produced distortion levels that were 20 to 30 times less than anything else on the market.The ULD18 garnered dozens of international awards and acknowledgments, including the 1984Special Engineering Award.
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Velodyne also knows how to do small. Its MicroVee is just 9x9x9.6” (HWD), and comes in black orwhite ribbed aluminium cabinet. According to the company, this is ‘the smallest sub ever made.’ Thenew sub features the latest generation of Velodyne’s patented ERS (Energy Recovery System) ClassDdigital amplifier. “It supplies 2000 watts of dynamic power and, with 1000 watts of continuous RMSpower. The MicroVee reproduces bass with a level of detail and definition not found in any othersubwoofer in its price range regardless of size,” explained Yando. Rated at over 95% efficiency, theERS amp used in the MicroVee generates minimal heat, making it very reliable.
GoldenEar’s cofounder, Sandy Gross, introduced us to the company’s audio evolution on its Tritonproduct series. The Triton One, Two and Three don’t follow a chronological order; the second and thirdcame before the first. The Triton One tower speaker was introduced in 2014.
GoldenEar’s second generation are the Triton Two+ and Triton Three+. The Plus series built from thedevelopment on the Triton One.
Gross explained: “Some of the improvements include new upper bass/midrange drivers, whichincorporate a new cone, surround, spider and voice coil. They also have a completely new balancedcrossover with polypropylene capacitors, similar to the one developed for the Triton One. Manylisteners don’t realize just how critical the crossover is to the sound of a loudspeaker. They often thinkthat the drivers create the sound, and that two speakers with the same drivers will sound basically alike.Not so. The crossover is like the conductor of an orchestra, telling each driver exactly when to come inand how loud to play. Our acoustic engineers spent countless hours trying subtle variations ofcrossover and DSP tuning in order to get the voicing exactly right.”
Sonically, both the Triton Three+ and Triton Two+ benefit from a significantly smoother, higherresolution, and more highly detailed sound. The Two+ will retail at US$1749 each and the Three+$1249 each.
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Geny CaloisiGeny Caloisi is an accomplishedtechnology journalist who hasworked in a variety of AVindustry publications.
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