|
Coverage of HI-FI '99 from Chicago, USA -- May 12-16, 1999
Infinity unveiled its new extruded-aluminum-encased Prelude MTS speaker, which uses ceramic-metal-matrix diaphragms. The modular units can be arranged for two, three, five or even seven channels of listening. A stereo pair will sell for $7000.
MSB, now leading the charge of budget digital and multichannel equipment, showed a series of innovative products, not the least impressive of which is the Linc DAC. And it retails for only $349.
Roksan showed a home-theater display featuring their new Caspian five-channel amplifier ($1995) and the soon-to-be-released Caspian DSP ($2450).
Once again, Lamm demonstrated with Kharma, and as at previous shows, the sound was splendidly resolving yet very natural. This time the Lamm ML2 monoblocks ($29,290/pair) drove Kharma Ceramique 1.0 speakers ($14,999/pair) via the bulky Kharma interconnects and speaker cables. Lamm had a number of its amps on display between and behind the speakers, making some showgoers wonder which ones were playing.
Another room that offers consistently good sound under show conditions is that of Nova Audio. This time the Nova Applause speakers ($4990/pair) were played with Conrad-Johnson equipment: MF-2500 amp, Premier 16LS linestage and DV-2b CD player. Cables were from Cardas.
Canadian manufacturers SimAudio and Gershman Acoustics teamed up, putting together a system that impressed a number of the SoundStagers who heard it. SimAudio's Moon P-5/W-5 combination ($3995 and $4795 respectively) drove either the Gershman Avant Garde ($4400/pair) or GAP 520X ($9999/pair) speakers. The source was SimAudio's Moon Eclipse CD player, which in these times of digital uncertainty boasts modular construction for incorporating future upgrades. As you can see in the Faces and Places Gallery, this room was packed much of the time.
The stylish-looking Sumiko SME 10 turntable prototype (approximately $6000 when available), with a dedicated 'arm and outboard power supply, will reportedly be shipping in about 60 days. Running with the Sumiko SHO cartridge, this table turned the heads of analog lovers who saw and heard it.
In their first-ever collaboration with Spendor, Roksan premiered the Caspian AV5 speaker, which has been specifically designed to work synergistically with the entire Caspian series of products.
The Cary/Soliloquy demonstration featured a system that had visitors wowed with the room-filling sound that emanated from the smallish Soliloquy SM-2A3 speakers ($1599/pair) and 5Wpc Cary CAD 2A3-SE mono amps ($3995/pair in chrome). A Cary preamp and CD player, Rega 25 turntable and Kimber Select cables completed this reasonably priced but decidedly esoteric system. |
|||
Copyright © 1999 |
|
![[SOUNDSTAGE! LIVE]](../../covers/ssmainlive.gif)
