Odds and (the) End(s) Part 1 – CES 2015

The Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas is big.  Its so big that it is nearly impossible for one individual to cover all things audio and still be able to get to some of the very interesting outliers in the rest of the show.  My apologies to anyone and everyone I was not able to get to spread out across the convention center and Venetian hotel. I ran into many really cool ideas and innovations in this space and others that look very promising but have been regretfully excluded due to time restraints.  The personal wearables sector looks really amazing, as does the relatively new DIY home automation and security category. Technology continues to evolve at a extremely fast pace and the whole enchilada looks very intriguing from afar. The following series of posts is a fairly robust summary of all the fun and interesting tidbits that we haven’t covered yet from the show. Check it. [Part 2 – CES 2015], [Part 3 – CES 2015]

Salesman Jonathan Derda has recently joined the Mofi Distribution Group that reps Wharfedale, Balanced Audio Technologies and Avid among others. His youthful grin could be found in the Venetian accompanying a focused 5.1 setup as well as a well rounded high-end 2 channel room. Wharfdale speakers are one of the most requested review pieces for loudspeakers in the sub $2k range for AH. Hopefully we will be able to pull together something soon to let you know how this line measures up. If the sonics from John’s rooms at CES are any indicator, its easy to see why the wallet-friendly brand has such a loyal following.

Likewise Leland and Roy from Music Hall (pictured here with The Part-Time Audiophile) had plenty of gear to be got for under $2k in their room at the Venetian. As you might be able to discern from the image above, the team is familiar with the allure of firewater from Roy’s homeland of Scotland.

One of the more innovative products to come out for the headphone space is the Subpac Tactile audio system. This transducer based gear is almost silent in operation and provides a bass response to your body that is akin to loudspeaker listening. The great bonus to headphone listening is that it actually adds some tone and texture to bass through bone conduction.  The experience is really something you have to try out first hand, but it is definitely different and additive in nature. Bass lovers that are restricted by either budget, space or spouse to headphone audio should keep this one in mind.  The new M1 model featured at the Audeze booth in the South Hall of CES incorporates all new transducers over the previous model as well as the addition of Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless connectivity to your phone. It is now available as a portable device that can be worn around like a backpack (the company’s S2 model operates like a seat back cushion) and carries a suggested retail price of $399.  More information is available [here].

In other vibration news, a very nice lady on the show floor was relieving foot stress via her Medi-Rub Massager 2000 Plus. By day two my feet were already feeling the burn and the simple machine appeared as a godsend. The machine massages tired feet, bridges and toes and you do not have to take your shoes off to feel the effects. The American-made device retails for $299, more information available [here].

[Odds and (the) End(s) Part 2 – CES 2015]