Audio Video News

CEDIA Expo 2005 is nearly upon us, and with it comes a rash of new audio and video goodies. The annual trade-only event of the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association, held this year as most in Indianapolis, Indiana, has grown in a dozen years from a small education and demonstration event into an industry powerhouse second only to the immense January Consumer Electronics Show.

CES is still king for new product introductions, but there's always plenty new to see and hear at CEDIA. If you include training sessions and Thursday's traditional press-event day, it runs most of this week. The exhibits are open Friday through Sunday, September 9-11. We'll be there. Check back here for our daily reports direct from the show. In the meantime, here's just a taste of what we expect to see.

New video products are always well represented at CEDIA. Runco will show its new Reflection Series CL-610 ($5995), CL-610LT (long throw, $8995), and CL-810 ($9995) single-chip DLP projectors. Available only through custom installers, both projectors offer two lamp intensities, Runco's ViViX digital video processing, and 1280x720 resolution.

Vidikron will introduce the Vision Model 30 ($6995) and Model 50 ($9995) single-chip DLP projectors. A long-throw option is available on the Model 30. Both projectors include Vidikron's Imagix digital video processing, DVSI DualV Stage Illumination, vertical electronic lens shift, and an electronically controlled iris system for improved contrast. Vidikron will also feature its Vision 100, which employs the company's CineWide with AutoScope technology to display 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 aspect ratio films with constant height.

SENSIO, together with JVC, will showcase its new S3D-PRO high definition stereoscopic video processor. The demos will include excerpts from The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in color and high definition 3D.

Polk Audio promises a press event featuring surround sound from a single speaker (a product category that's growing like kudzu), a new THX in-wall speaker, new information on Polk's IP addressable active speakers, in-wall subs, and lame jokes. That's what it says in the press release. I'm there, especially for those fabulous, free, imaginary prizes.

Crystal Acoustics is a speaker company new to the U.S. market, and new to us as well. It's based in London, has a European warehouse in Athens, and its manufacturing facilities are in China. Its THX-D system consists of THX Front Towers featuring Spherical Rotating Tweeters (that, I've got to see), a center channel, dipole surrounds, and a 12-inch THX Select subwoofer. Prices for the THX-D system start at a surprisingly low $1899 for a full 6-speaker package in one of two basic finishes, but escalate rapidly if you choose a more upscale, polished-wood look.

CodexNovus, another company new to us, will launch its HDcodex DML-1000 networked media player, offering one terabyte of storage. It is said to provide instantaneous random access to a variety of media files, including video, music, and pictures. Video content can be viewed in both SD and HD at resolutions up to 1920x1080 progressive, and it supports MPEG2 as well as the latest video and audio compression technologies.

Genelec has four new, 3-way speakers intended for big-room, custom installations. They range from HT312A with a single 12-inch woofer, up to the HT324AC center-channel with dual 12-inch woofers. All of the designs use similar midrange-tweeter arrays consisting of a 5-inch midrange driver and 1-inch metal-dome tweeter, each employing the company's proprietary Directivity Control Waveguide technology.

InFocus was a little hazy in their pre-CEDIA announcement, indicating only that they will unveil new projectors for release in early 2006, with a strikingly revised product design. The company has gotten a lot of mileage out of the current look of its home theater products, but the style strongly reflects the company's boardroom-projector roots. A new form factor, perhaps including home-theater-friendly features long available from the competition (like lens shift) would be a welcome step up.

Phase Technology celebrates its 50th anniversary at CEDIA with a rash of new products. The flagship is the new dARTS Digital Audio Theater Reference System, the company's most sophisticated product yet. This powered speaker package includes a fully digital, 16-channel amplifier and processor. The latter matches the response of the system to the listening room's characteristics. It will be available initially in a custom install configuration, ranging in price from $14,500 for a 5.1-channel system up to $17,500 for 7.2-channels. It will later be made available in a more decor-friendly version designed for free-standing use.

KEF will debut a number of new speakers, including the KIT200 Instant Theater, Ci 9000 ACE in-wall, and newly revised Q-Series free-standing models. The latter now employ new driver materials and other technology originally originally used in the company's upscale Reference line.

Panamax will show five products in the new MAX EX line of home theater power conditioners, four of which replace existing models. All of the new models include High-Current Outlets designed to accommodate power-hungry amplifiers and powered subwoofers.

Screen Innovations will introduce its new Mirage Screen, claimed to be virtually unaffected by ambient room light. It uses a patented high-contrast filter covering 60% of the screen surface, with a contrast ratio said to be ten times greater than that of ordinary projection screens.

AudioControl will bring its new Maestro M2 preamp-processor to the party. Priced at $2399, it offers support for all the major audio surround formats, an 8-channel direct analog input, balanced and unbalanced outputs, and HDMI switching.

Anchor Bay will launch its DVDO iScan VP30 ($1999) switcher-de-interlacer-scaler, featuring 1080p capability, 10-bit scaling, and flexible video switching. There are 11 video inputs: four HDMI, two component, two S-Video, two composite, RGBHV, and (optional) SD-SDI. Each input offers separate picture controls. The unit also provides audio switching and routing, including four digital audio inputs that may be assigned to any of the video inputs for one button AV switching. Each audio input has a separate lipsync adjustment. The HDMI inputs will also pass along any audio riding on the HDMI signal.

For those who just need HDMI switching (and we're all feeling the urge to switch these days), Gefen will show its affordable line of HDMI switchers, including models with 2x1 ($249), 3x1 ($299), and 4x1 ($495) capability.

Krell will showcase its complete HEAT (High End Audio Theater) for the first time. Costing over $300,000, this 7.2-channel system includes Evolution Series amps and the company's completely redesigned LAT speakers. The system will be demonstrated in the Krell/Runco theater.

SIM2 Multimedia will showcase its C3X 3-chip DLP projector, which we discussed in more detail at http://ultimateavmag.com/news/073005SIM2/ following the product's July 2005 launch. The company's HTL 40 LINK LCD flat panel (with a claimed 8-millisecond response time), and Domino 55M 55-inch rear projection display will also be on view.

Revel has just released information on their newest speakers. The Revel Performa F52 floor-stander and C52 center channel have been designed with the same cabinet configuration as the previous F50 and C30, but while the new models may look the same, the company states that they have been significantly upgraded. They incorporate Revel's Organic Ceramic Composite cone material for the woofer and midrange drivers, 1-inch, aluminum-dome tweeters in a custom-designed waveguide, and heavily-braced MDF cabinets. The F52 is said to extend down to 23Hz (-10dB). The three-way C52 is magnetically shielded.

Finally, the sponsors of T.H.E. SHOW, a non-official event that also sets up shop at CES, will take up residence at the Capital Center. Promised exhibitors include Wilson Audio, Pioneer, Bryston, Conrad Johnson, McCormack, Magnepan, Audio Research, Balanced Audio Technologies, Vandersteen, Cardas, Cabasse, Avantgarde, Bel Canto, and more.