CEDIA 2010

With a name like Okki Nokki, it has to be good! This German company has come up with what it calls "the VIP of record-cleaning machines." You spread the included cleaning fluid on a vinyl record and attach the aluminum vacuum arm, which sucks up the fluid and, presumably, any dirt or dust on the surface. The RCM also comes with a goat-hair brush for $500 ($50 more for the clear dust cover). Michael Fremer should definitely hear about this!

New from REL is the G1 subwoofer ($4000), which sports a 12-inch carbon-fiber cone in a sealed, curved cabinet with a 700W class-AB amp.

Schneider is one of the most respected names in anamorphic lenses for 2.35:1 projection. The newest edition to its extensive line is the Cine-Digitar Anamorphic CDA 1.33x EL, designed for small to medium sized projectors. When it becomes available later this year there will be a promotional price on a package combining this lens with a Kino-Torsion motorized deployment system (a motorized "sled," though Schneider's Kino-Torsion model operates more like a swinging door to move the lens in and out of the way as needed). The rep on hand stated the promotional price at $4500; I was not sure at first if this meant dealer cost (CEDIA is of course, a trade show) or MSRP to the consumer. He hesitantly said it's to the consumer, so we can all hope. For those in the know, this is not a high price for a first class anamorphic lens and motorized mechanism.

The Smyth Realizer is a system designed to produce full surround sound through headphones. It has been shown at previous shows over the past four years or so, but has only recently become available at $3360, which includes a pair of entry-level Stax phones. To explain, how it works would be far beyond the space limits of a blog, but we hope to have a closer listen at one very soon. All I will say here is that it does work, and the result is an uncanny simulation of a full surround system with loudspeakers.

NuVision was demonstrating its P2, LED-illuminated, 2D single-chip DLP projector on an 87" wide, Stewart Studiotek 130 screen. Using 0.95-inch DLP chip, or DMD, it was more than satisfyingly bright and punchy, though I did note what appeared to be a slightly too vivid color balance and (perhaps) minor gamma issues. $17,000. The anamorphic lens shown in the photo is an extra cost option, and was not used in the demo.

Looking like a scene from CSI, Velodyne's booth is emphasizing the goal to "kill the competition" with its new Digital Drive Plus subwoofers, which come with drivers measuring 10 ($3000), 12 ($3500), 15 ($5000), and 18 inches ($6000). These models feature 4.5 to 7dB more output depending on model, new rohacell driver material, redesigned cabinet, and much easier setup with 8-band EQ. Retained from the previous Digital Drive models is the same high-gain servo technology that reduces distortion to a mere 0.5% at 20Hz.

Focal is growing its Utopia line with the Viva, which comes in two varieties—a vertically oriented LCR that is also used for the surrounds and a horizontal center-channel that is otherwise essentially identical. Both incorporate the company's IAL2 beryllium tweeter and third-generation W-cone midranges and woofers for a frequency response from 39Hz to 50kHz (±3dB) and a sensitivity of 92dB/W/m.