SHOW attendees: please post speaker reports here

Those ugly Hansens were one of the worst sounds at the show.

While I didn't dislike the big Hansens' sound, the cosmetics are debatable. Their lack of mirror imaging (woofers) is troubling. The imaging was dramatically better in the sweet spot (single chair up front). For $239,000?

The Rockport Alyas showed potential, but they weren't broken in and the room was too large for them, hence they were rather thin and bright. Andy Payor is a gifted designer, and his speakers start and stop on a dime.

I would say that three stood out. The Eficions at THE Show, the Tidal Contrivas, and the YGs in the Synergistic Research suite. I think the Tidal pushed ahead of the others once the Ypsilon amps broken in on Sunday. The Sunrays got promising by Sunday although I think the Bridge Audio electronics were not really not suited for these speakers. They would have been my fourth best. I was also impressed by the Perfect8s, but they are just unconscionably expensive. I neglected to hear the Vandersteens. The Vienana Audio speakers were also acceptable. Nothing else tooted my horn.

Ptmconsulting, I heard them and thought they were okay but certainly nothing I would ever have in my house.

Changster, I would have listened to the Rockports but they were too far away.

My listening to the Magicos was immediately after the bass overloaded Sumiko suite with six Rail subwoofers. They think shaking the building is fidelity. By comparison the Magico suite was tipped upward. As usual the YGs were in an awful room, but Synergistic Research showed what they could do.

What I really would have love to hear would have been broken in Tidal Sunrays with Tidal electronics. I would not have been able to afford them, but I think they would have told me what was possible in audio today.

heard the new hansens-- ouch! not only an eye sour, but also an ear ache....

i was only at CES (the Venetian) for about 4 hours on Saturday afternoon, and then only early Saturday am and early Sunday am at T.H.E. Show at the Flamingo. So my perceptions are not in any way complete. my understanding is that by Saturday most rooms had attained a bit of synergy (if they had the potential to).

a friend did ask me to hear the Magico Q5. i spent maybe 20 minutes there; they were playing a 'Tape Project' tape; Exotic Dances, on their big Sony RTR tape deck. i know this tape very well but not the Sony player. i was sitting in the sweet spot and it was quiet in the room. something was not working for me, and really i cannot say whether it was the RTR deck or the room set-up or the speakers....but it was kinda rough on top and not involving, no mid-range magic or musical nuance. to be fair, i learned nothing useful about the Q5. if i had more time i might have been able to hear something that worked or have a better insight into the speaker. Alon was sitting over the corner. i've spoken with him in the past and consider him a good guy and would still assume the Q5 to be a very good speaker.

i liked the MAXX3/Lamm ML3 room. what's not to like? really world class imaging and very involving. terrific tonality. i think Bose speakers would sound world class thru those amps.

big Tidal's with BAlabbo electronics, Blue Smoke server. Fred is a great guy and the room had a swagger and refinement that was like a refuge. i could have stayed there all night. totally non-hifi and musical. smooth and luscious.

i agree with the big Hansens and the Tenor. butt ugly speaker sounded good, but not good enough to overcome the combination of the 'look' and price. maybe Guido would like them if the price was right. and i'm a Tenor lover from way back.

i did go into the Continuum/ARC/Wilson room to listen to the Caliburn tt for awhile. frankly i was really trying to listen to the tt thru the system. but i can say that the system sounded pretty damn good and was up to revealing the tt. nuff said.

Sunday morning i did walk over to the Mirage and visit the Rockport/Gryphon/Blue Smoke room. my ulterior motive was to see Andy Payor and ask him about the mythical proposed Sirius V tt. alas; no bolts of lighting or concrete info on the tt, but i did enjoy 45 minutes speaking to Andy, always a pleasure. and, i heard his new speaker which did sound wonderful.

my overall favorite system was at T.H.E. Show and was made up of components that are essentially what is in my home system. Evolution speakers/datTZeel amp & pre/Playback Designs digital/Dobbins Technics SP-10 Mk3 tt w/Reed arm and A90 cartridge. the room was very small and many times people would poke their head into the room and see there was no room and move on. i'm not sure how many people heard the room. i have to admit that parts of the sound were better than what i hear in my room. the mid-range and sense of air was as good as i've ever heard from any system ever. i admit to being a total fan-boy of the gear so factor that into my comments. i did hear a number of people i respect say the same things about this room that i just wrote. it was very special. here's a comment from Stereophile about that room.

my decision to attend CES was very last minute and so i was onlt there from 9am Saturday thru noon Sunday, but i'm glad i went.