 |
|
The Best Show Reporting
Coverage of CES 2000 from Las Vegas, NV --
Jan. 6-9, 2000
|
| SoundStage!
LIVE Standout Room - Nova Audio |
 
Nova Audio used Conrad-Johnson electronics (Lew
Johnson's personal ART preamp and a pair of Premier 12 monoblocks) to drive a pair of
their new Applause S speakers (approximately $10,000 per pair when available and
self-powered), which are aimed at the professional market, to reproduce 24-bit/88.2kHz
masters of unreleased material from Mark Knopfler -- a real treat. The front
baffle of the Applause S is solid aluminum, and the rest of the cabinet is made of MDF.
When Nova's Kevin Lee switched from standard 16/44.1 material to 24/88.2, the difference
was not close to being subtle, the soundstage opening up noticeably and the slight edge
disappearing -- proving that the most important part of the reproduction chain is still
the music.
|
