The Home Entertainment (T.H.E.) Show Newport Beach, CA (2013)

[Big Daddy]

My wife and I attended The Home Entertainment (T.H.E.) Show in Newport Beach, California (May 31, 2013 - June 2, 2013). It was held in two hotels across the street from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. Although there were a few home theater rooms, the vast majority of the rooms were dedicated to two-channel audio. There were so many companies there that was almost impossible to spend enough time in each room. Currently, I suffer from a severe case of electron-itis and speaker-itis. Please do not ask me to name the speakers as I do not remember most of the names.

In case you are interested, these are a few other shows I have attended in the last couple of years:

• The Home Entertainment (T.H.E.) Show Newport Beach, CA (2012)
• The Home Entertainment (T.H.E.) Show Newport Beach, CA (2011)
• California Audio Show (2011)

Vivid Audio:


Legacy Audio:


Legacy Audio:


Legacy Audio:


Venture:


Venture:


Tad:


MBL


MBL




Nola:




Nola:




Induction Dynamics:


Marten:








Kef:


KingSound (Kings Audio)




Marten:


YG Acoustics:




Sony:


Sony:


Magico:


Magico:

[Big Daddy]

Eficion:


Sonus Faber:


Waterfall:




Onda Ligera:


Martin Logan:




Von Gaylord:






Silverline Audio:




Sanders Sound Systems:


Lawrence Audio:


Emerald Physics:









TAD:








Quintessence Acoustics:


Quintessence Acoustics:


Chapman:


Vandersteen:


YG Acoustics:


[Joseph Audio:


McIntosh:


Tad:


Totem:


Totem:


DynAudio:


Teresonic:






Emme Speakers:


Marten:




Acoustic Zen:




Vivid Audio:


Chapman:

[Jim Hawkins]

Big Daddy, you gotta tell me how that all TAD room was. It looks amazing!

[Waboman]

Fantastic pics, BD. Like a kid in a candy store. One of these days I'll get to an audio show.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Jim Hawkins

Big Daddy, you gotta tell me how that all TAD room was. It looks amazing!

There were several TAD rooms. One of them had the big TADs and the sound was fantastic. I wish I had enough rooms in my house to buy all the speakers there.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Waboman

Fantastic pics, BD. Like a kid in a candy store. One of these days I'll get to an audio show.

Thanks. I have gone to many audio/video shows over the years. I should stop going as I get tempted too often.

[crazyBLUE]

Thanks for posting the pics Big Daddy

They are always Wish I could have 3 of each for the fronts

[Jim Hawkins]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

There were several TAD rooms. One of them had the big TADs and the sound was fantastic. I wish I had enough rooms in my house to buy all the speakers there.

Any clear winners? Something that you really liked?

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by crazyBLUE

Thanks for posting the pics Big Daddy

They are always Wish I could have 3 of each for the fronts

Thanks for the compliments.

I believe it is a good idea for you to buy three new front speakers. May I suggest three of the following speakers:

1. Rockport Technologies Arrakis ($225,000).
2. Eventus Audio Phobos ($195,000), if you want to save a few dollars.
3. If money is really tight, consider the SONUS FABER AIDA ($120,000).
4. My last option is the bargain priced YG Acoustics ($72,000).

I hear the price of lumber has gone up and the people who live in Portland have become billionaires.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Jim Hawkins

Any clear winners? Something that you really liked?

There were too many speakers at the show and at best I could only spend a few minutes in each room. Some rooms were large and some rooms were extremely small for such large speakers. Some rooms were acoustically treated and some were not. In general, the speakers in larger rooms benefitted. Also, the choice of the music had a lot to do with the performance of the speakers.

I am not going to mention any esoteric speakers. However, if you are interested in real world speakers at reasonable prices, consider the following:

1. Small powered speakers appropriate for both HT and computer use: Vanatoo Transparent One, $549 a pair.
2. Excellent speakers for both HT and two-channel music at reasonable price: Spatial Trilogy T2, $2,39 a pair.
3. If you want to go a little higher, consider: Chapman T-8 MKII, $9,995.
4. Finally, if you are interested in high-end electrostatic speakers, consider Sanders Model 10 or Model 11. Model 10 speakers are priced at $14,000 and model 11 are priced at $12,000. Their prices are below the Martin Logan speakers and they perform better than equally priced ML speakers.

[Jim Hawkins]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

There were too many speakers at the show and at best I could only spend a few minutes in each room. Some rooms were large and some rooms were extremely small for such large speakers. Some rooms were acoustically treated and some were not. In general, the speakers in larger rooms benefitted. Also, the choice of the music had a lot to do with the performance of the speakers.

I am not going to mention any esoteric speakers. However, if you are interested in real world speakers at reasonable prices, consider the following:

1. Small powered speakers appropriate for both HT and computer use: Vanatoo Transparent One, $549 a pair.
2. Excellent speakers for both HT and two-channel music at reasonable price: Spatial Trilogy T2, $2,398 a pair.
3. If you want to go a little higher, consider: Chapman T-8 MKII, $9,995.
4. Finally, if you are interested in high-end electrostatic speakers, consider Sanders Model 10 or Model 11. Model 10 speakers are priced at $14,000 and model 11 are priced at $12,000. Their prices are below the Martin Logan speakers and they perform better than equally priced ML speakers.

With links even?

[BigAl87]

Very nice Frank Sad i was expecting to seen the Forest Signature, it would have been something new to you at least again Totem presented their Elements Metal, I heard them several times already.


Nice Stuff Frank , I mean the're is stuff in there i never get to see in Montreal but I am sure it works both ways, did you see the pics i got from SSI 2013 in my gallery?

I never get to see the High end Sony stuff down here.

[Aerodude73]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Thanks for the compliments.

I believe it is a good idea for you to buy three new front speakers. May I suggest three of the following speakers:

1. Rockport Technologies Arrakis ($225,000).
2. Eventus Audio Phobos ($195,000), if you want to save a few dollars.
3. If money is really tight, consider the SONUS FABER AIDA ($120,000).
4. My last option is the bargain priced YG Acoustics ($72,000).

I hear the price of lumber has gone up and the people who live in Portland have become billionaires.

You're just mean.

Originally Posted by Jim Hawkins

With links even?

That's why he's called BIG DADDY.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by BigAl87

Very nice Frank Sad i was expecting to seen the Forest Signature, it would have been something new to you at least again Totem presented their Elements Metal, I heard them several times already.


Nice Stuff Frank , I mean the're is stuff in there i never get to see in Montreal but I am sure it works both ways, did you see the pics i got from SSI 2013 in my gallery?

I never get to see the High end Sony stuff down here.

Unfortunately, I have no control over what the manufacturers bring to the show. At least, DynAudio brought their top speakers to the show.

Yes, I did see the pictures in your gallery. Very nice.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Aerodude73

You're just mean.



That's why he's called BIG DADDY.

I plan to change my name to Big Meany.

[Aerodude73]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

I plan to change my name to Big Meany.

[Hearing specialist]

I missed going this year but went the previous 2 years. The TADS were always scary real sounding and with the cost of a pair you could also buy a home here in Bakersfield. The ygs were the clearest and super cool but tad beats them on realism, IMO. I know the Channel Islands crew and my wife grew up with those guys. Big daddy, did you audition any of their amps or new designs? I know he was working on a tower I think but regret missing the show this year.

Brian in Bakersfield....

One year I want to debadge a set of fluance speakers and see what happens at the show...

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Hearing specialist

I missed going this year but went the previous 2 years. The TADS were always scary real sounding and with the cost of a pair you could also buy a home here in Bakersfield. The ygs were the clearest and super cool but tad beats them on realism, IMO. I know the Channel Islands crew and my wife grew up with those guys. Big daddy, did you audition any of their amps or new designs? I know he was working on a tower I think but regret missing the show this year.

Brian in Bakersfield....

One year I want to debadge a set of fluance speakers and see what happens at the show...

No, I did not audition any amplifiers. The rooms were crowded and noisy. At best, I could only spend a few minutes in each room listening to what was on.

[HAMP]

I had brought this subject up before, and I notice in a few pics there are plenty of plants. The ones with very few plants, I’m pretty sure are for helping with the display in the rooms, but some had a lot of plants.

I was wondering if they were used to stop some reflection and help with acoustics in the rooms?

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by HAMP

I had brought this subject up before, and I notice in a few pics there are plenty of plants. The ones with very few plants, I’m pretty sure are for helping with the display in the rooms, but some had a lot of plants.

I was wondering if they were used to stop some reflection and help with acoustics in the rooms?

Some rooms had a lot of treatment and some did not have any. I don't believe the plants were there for room treatment. At best, a plant can work as a diffuser.