CEDIA 2023 Show Coverage Part 2

Introduction

It was great to be back in Denver, Colorado, to cover the CEDIA Expo 2023 held at the Colorado Convention Center.  I was looking forward to covering the show with Secrets Editor-In-Chief, Carlo Lo Raso.

Keynote

We started the show on Wednesday evening by attending the keynote which was sponsored by Lutron.  The keynote address was presented by Scott Steinberg, a technology futurist and innovation expert, who discussed “The Unstoppable A.I. Revolution That’s Coming to the Home.”  The presentation was a fascinating look at what’s coming in the very near future and a thought-provoking take on what that technology might hold for the next generation.  The messaging was very clear that today’s integrators need to be very aware of how A.I. technologies can shape the future of the industry and their businesses, and affect how integrators discover, design, and support the overall user experience with their customers.  It might also be time to revisit all those sci-fi movies about A.I. just as a refresher.

The exhibit floor didn’t open until Thursday morning, but we were invited to a special press-only demo event after the keynote sponsored by Trinnov Audio, Ascendo, madVR Labs, Kaleidescape, Officina Acustica, and Barco & Seymour-Screen Excellence.

While walking over to the Trinnov booth, we got a glimpse of the show floor still coming to life.  So much work goes into making a show like this possible.  It is hard to believe that everything will be finished and ready by Thursday morning.

A beautiful Maserati Trofeo awaits the show crowds just outside the Rotel and Sumiko booth.

We enjoyed getting a sneak peek at the GoldeEar speakers before all the aisle carpet was put in place.  Carlo is posing with the GoldenEar Triton Reference.  The cool red speaker in the front is the new GoldenEar T-66 speaker.

Trinnov Audio / Ascendo / madVR Labs / Kaleidescape / Officina Acustica / Barco & Seymour-Screen Excellence Press Briefing

We arrived at the Trinnov Audio booth for a presentation of the Trinnov Audio WaveForming™ technology.  This was the first time that the technology was being demonstrated at CEDIA.  Right from the start, this was not going to be a typical demo considering we were looking at a custom 18-seat theater room on the show floor configured as a 13.24.6 system.  Just imagine 24 subwoofers for a moment.  There were 12 hidden away on the front wall behind the screen and 12 on the rear wall.

This presentation was really a wonderful international partnership amongst some of the technology leaders in the industry.  Trinnov Audio provided their Altitude³² and Altitude^48EXT processors to provide the processing for Atmos, WaveForming, and room optimization.  The Trinnov Audio Amplitude¹⁶ amplifiers powered the ear-level and height-level speakers.  Ascendo Immersive Audio provided active subwoofers utilizing 120kW of ASCENDO DSP/Amplification.  The madVR Envy Extreme MK2 video processor was used for dynamic HDR tone mapping, and it incorporates their new MotionAI™ processor to upscale the image to 5K.  The image was sent to a Barco Njord CS laser projector which supports a native 5K UHD resolution and is capable of 9,000 ANSI Lumens.  The 189.3” screen was the Enlightor-Neo from Seymour-Screen Excellence.  The content was delivered by a Kaleidescape Terra movie server and a Strato-C movie player.  The room itself was designed and built by Officina Acoustica in Italy.

Each of the companies taking part in this presentation took time to describe their products and technologies and describe what it took to create this portable theater space.  When asked for an estimate on the cost, it was mentioned that the complete room with all its technology would be approximately $1 million dollars.  Thankfully the room can be disassembled and will be shown at other events worldwide.

Before the actual WaveForming demonstration began, there was a very important announcement shared during this presentation.  The “CEDIA/CTA-RP22 Immersive Audio Design Recommended Practice Version 1.0” document was officially published.  This document is the result of another multi-year collaborative industry effort, and it provides clear recommendations for the design of personal listening spaces.  The document discusses an overview of immersive audio, audio performance objectives and levels, seating and speaker layouts, speaker selection, subwoofer, and low-frequency room optimization, sound isolation, designing acoustical treatments of rooms, and much more.  If you are passionate about immersive audio and home theater, then you will want to download and read the document from the CEDIA site.

So, what is Trinnov’s WaveForming™ technology all about?  The basic idea is that WaveForming allows for the removal of the low-frequency standing waves that are generated in the listening room at frequencies below approximately 100Hz.  The front array of subwoofers serves as emitters sending the low-frequency wavefront toward the rear of the room. The rear array absorbs the wavefront coming from the front array.  Similarly, the front array then absorbs the wavefront coming toward the front of the room from the rear array. While like a double bass array (DBA) in concept, the Trinnov WaveForming technology goes much further and applies sophisticated processing based on measurements of the listening area to create the appropriate filters for a consistent listening experience in the room.

With the presentations out of the way, we got to the demonstrations which began with a simple subwoofer sweep tone.  The demo was done with and without Trinnov’s WaveForming enabled, and the difference was striking with the test tone presenting very low and smooth without any breaks or room distortion when WaveForming was enabled.  Then came the content which included clips from “John Wick 4”, “A Quiet Place”, and Bohemian Rhapsody.”  The presentation illustrated Trinnov’s WaveForming technology in three different configurations.  The first demo configuration was three subwoofers on the front wall and two subwoofers on the back wall.

The second demo configuration was 12 subwoofers on the front wall and two on the rear wall.

The third demo configuration was 12 subwoofers on the front wall with 12 on the rear wall.

This was truly an aspirational demonstration by all the parties involved and it was spectacular!  The room acoustics, the seating, the picture quality, the electronics, the video content, the speakers, and the sound quality were all state-of-the-art.  The bass response in the room was unlike anything I’ve heard in a home theater space.  The bass was outrageously deep and free from any distortion to the point that you could start making out details in the bass itself.  In “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the crowd stopping their feet was delivered with a sense of realism as if we were right there at the concert with them.  The demo was loud and quite frankly it didn’t seem to matter as the sound was so clean.  At one point in the demo, I thought Carlo was trying to get my attention, but it was just my pant leg literally moving from the bass wave!  Each of the subwoofer configuration demos is built upon the previous configuration.  They all sounded fantastic.

Trinnov’s WaveForming technology depends on multiple factors including the size of the room, the frequency range that is being controlled (which dictates the number of subwoofers), the type and placement of the subwoofers, etc.   Trinnov’s WaveForming is a technology that we will be hearing much more about in the years to come.  Check out Trinnov’s website for more details on the Trinnov Waveforming Technology.

Sony

Sony was showcasing their new premium ES A/V receivers.  Here is the Sony ES STR-AZ7000ES 13.2 channel flagship receiver.  ($3,299.99)

Here’s another look at the Sony STR-A77000ES ES 11.2 channel 8K A/V receiver without the see-through top and with its front-panel cover.

The Sony STR-AZ5000ES ES 11.2 channel 8K A/V receiver without the front panel cover. ($2,099.99)

No visit to a Sony booth would be complete without stunning video.  On the left is the ZRD-BH12D Crystal LED BH-Series. The ZRD-BH12D offers 1700 nit brightness with an anti-reflective coating.  On the right is the ZRD-CH12D Crystal LED CH-Series.  Both are 110” modular video wall displays intended for the professional market.  The ZRD-CH12D boasts a 1 million to 1 contrast ratio with 1300 nits.  Both displays are UL-approved for Class A but are not Class B rated which means they could potentially interfere with certain RF radio/TV broadcasts in home use.

The speaker to the right of the display is the SLS-1A powered line-array speaker.  Each module supports 80W @10W x 8 channels (6 ohms, 1kHz, 1% THD).

The Sony projector lineup was on display.

Sony was also showcasing the projector technology itself.

This is the Sony 98” Bravia XR-98X90L full array LED.

The Sony 77” Sony Bravia XR A95L QD-OLED was simply stunning.

If a 77” display was not what you were looking for, here is the Sony 83” Bravia XR A80L OLED.

Sony had two theater demos on the floor.  This was the Sony Premium Theater which featured the VPL-XW7000ES 4K laser projector ($27,999.99) and the STR-AZ7000ES 13.2 CH 8K A/V receiver ($3,299.99).  This theater featured KEF THX reference architectural speakers (Ci5160REFM-THX, Ci3160RL-THX, Ci5160RL-THX, and Ci200RS-THX) and a Stewart Filmscreen StudioTek 130 G4 180” screen.

Like so many of the demonstrations at the show, the video content was provided by a Kaleidescape 4K player and server.  The demo showcased a gorgeous video from Kyoto, Japan, and a great demo from the Sony movie “65” starring Adam Driver.  Loved it.

The Sony ES Theater featured the VPL-XW5000ES 4K laser projector ($5,999.99) and the STR-AZ3000ES 9.2 CH 8K A/V receiver ($1,699.99).  This theater featured Monitor Audio Silver Series speakers (S7G300BG fronts, S7GC250BG center, S7GAMSBG surrounds, and SW12BG subwoofers).  The screen was a Screen Innovations 120” ZeroEdge Pro.  The demo featured a clip from the Sony movie “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” with the video content once again provided by a Kaleidescape 4K player and server.  This was another very fun demo and the content from the new Spider-Man movie had the audience engaged and very entertained.  The Sony ES theater was approximately $30K.

Martin Logan / Paradigm / Anthem

Carlo and I visited the Martin Logan, Paradigm, and Anthem booths before the crowds started hitting the show floor.

Martin Logan was celebrating their 40^th anniversary in style.  The custom colors and finish work on the electrostatic loudspeaker driver cabinets were beautiful.  I really liked how the brand was also marketing to the next generation of music and movie enthusiasts.

Martin Logan was also showing their in-wall loudspeakers.  The speaker on the left is the Statement 40XW which features forty drivers and retails for $24,999.99 each.

Here are the Martin Logan XTC8, XTC8-HT, and MC6-HT in-ceiling speakers from the Motion Series.

Taking its name from one of the most beautiful and famous chapel ceilings in the world, the Sistine 4XC is Martin Logan’s 150-watt / 4-ohm ceiling speaker. At $1,999.99 each, it features a Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeter, dual 3.5-inch midrange drivers, and an 8-inch woofer.  It’s also built like a tank.

Martin Logan also had an excellent home theater demo room.  It was easily one of the best-sounding theater demos on the show floor coming in at $44K.

The Paradigm speaker lineup was on display and was also showing off their beautiful color options.

Anthem was proudly displaying its full product line.

Anthem announced their new MRX SLM receiver for the first time at the show.  It has a very small form factor yet offers support for 5 channels at 50 watts (into 8-ohms), HDMI connectivity, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS: X.  It includes Anthem’s ARC Genesis room correction and can sit on a tabletop or be conveniently wall-mounted with a bracket behind a TV or cabinet.

LG

LG was showing off their gorgeous OLED TVs and they were bigger and brighter than ever.  Here is the stunning LG 97G2 OLED which also comes with a 5-year panel warranty which is standard on the G-series OLEDs.

For something a little smaller, how about the stunning LG OLED 77G3?

Here are the LG OLED 65C3, 77B3, and 77G3 displays.

This is the LG 97M3 OLED and it is the world’s first OLED with 4K 120Hz wireless connectivity.  It can be hung on the wall or supported with a substantial stand and only requires power.  The processing, network, and HDMI connections are handled via a small system controller which needs to be no more than 30 feet away and in line of sight with the LG 97M3.  You can see the controller under the table to the left of the 97M3.  The speakers under the LG 97M3 are the LG XO3QBK XBOOM 360 speakers, which provide omnidirectional sound.

If you are looking for a portable 4K projector, LG may have just what you’re looking for with the PU700R CineBeam projector.

Samsung

Samsung had their S95C 77” OLED technology on display showing off the single-wire Slim One connection.

Here’s the Samsung 85” 8K QN900C which features Samsung’s Quantum Matrix Pro with Mini LEDs.

This is the Samsung 85” QN85C 4K QLED.

Continuing the trend of odd panel sizes, this gorgeous beauty is the Samsung 98” QN990C Neo QLED 8K.

The art frame was stunning as always.  This is the 75” Samsung LS03B.

Monitor Audio

This beauty is the Platinum 200 3G from Monitor Audio.

Bang & Olufsen / Origin Acoustics

If you are looking for impressive sound for your outdoor living space, then the Bang & Olufsen and Origin Acoustics Bollard may be just what you are looking for.  Each unit contains a subwoofer and a mid/high-frequency satellite.  The subwoofer gets buried leaving just the pillar exposed.  The system is powered by a Beoamp 125.4 amplifier.

This is the new Beolab 8.  Not only does it have a variety of mounting options, but it can also be used by itself, or in stereo or multi-channel configurations.

Perlisten

Carlo and I got to visit Perlisten away from the convention center floor in a beautiful condominium space just a short walk from the convention center.  Perlisten had set up their new S7t Limited Edition speakers and this was the first public listening demo apart from the Munich show.  Dan Roemer and Erik Wiederholtz explained what went into each of the design and construction refinements to create the S7t Limited Editions speakers.  Carlo and I had a chance to just sit back and listen to these beautiful speakers.  The sound was fabulous with a richly detailed midrange and impactful bass response without any subwoofers in the mix.  I had not heard the S7t speakers before, but the S7t Limited Editions were easily the nicest sounding speakers that I heard at the show.

Storm Audio / Row One / Grimani Systems / Seymour Screen Excellence

Not to be missed at the show was the 11.6.6 home theater demo from Storm Audio, Grimani Systems, Seymour Screen Excellence, Barco Residential, and Row One Seating.  This theater showcased the partnership between these companies and featured some amazing technology.   Storm Audio provided their ISP EVO processor to provide the processing for Dolby Atmos and included audio-over-IP to support 32 channels of fully networked audio utilizing the AES67 standard.  Grimani Systems provided their active Rixos speakers and active Psi subwoofers.  The 186” screen was the Enlightor-Neo from Seymour-Screen Excellence.  The projector was a 5K Barco Residential Njord Cinemascope DLP projector along with a madVR Labs Envy Extreme processor.  The seating was provided by Row One Seating and featured the RO9010 Calveri and RO8050 Cortés recliners which feature independently powered headrests for no sound obstruction.  The demo content was delivered by Kaleidescape.

The demo was awesome but some of the most excited people in the demo room were the custom integrators.  The excitement was due to the technology that was being used to deliver the sound.  Take a close look at the network rack for the demo.  Just below the Storm Audio ISP EVO processor is a basic TP-Link TL-SG1048 48-port Gigabit network switch which costs less than $350 retail.  So, what’s the big deal you ask?  It is much simpler to wire the overall solution for this theater and that saves the custom integrator time and labor and reduces complexity.

Thanks to the AES67 standard, all 32 channels of audio for this impressive theater are network-connected to the switch using one single network cable coming from the Storm Audio ISP EVO Processor.   Yep, that one single blue network cable coming out of the processor is all that is needed.

One port per speaker on the network switch is then connected to Powersoft Quattrocanali 1204 1200W/4-channel and Powersoft Mezzo 320W/2-channel amplifiers which drive the active speakers.  The mapping of which network channel goes to which network port is all done in software.  It may sound complicated, but this is a very efficient way to wire and support a large, custom home theater.

Rotel

The Rotel RMB-1585 MKII 5-channel theater amplifier offers 5 x 200W (all channels at 8 Ohms) or 5 x 340W (all channels at 4 Ohms)

The Rotel RMB-1587 MKII 7-channel theater amplifier offers 7 x 150W (all channels at 8 Ohms) or 7 x 250W (all channels at 4 Ohms)

The Rotel A11 MKII integrated amplifier and the CD11 MKII CD player.

McIntosh

An impressive stack of McIntosh gear flanked by the new PS2K powered subwoofer.  Each PS2K has four 13” carbon fiber drivers, four 500-watt Class D amplifiers, weighs 660 lbs., and retails for $50K.  In case you want more than one, you can daisy chain up to six of them together.

GoldenEar Technology

I stopped by GoldenEar Technology and got an update on some of their new products.  The T66 is the new three-way tower speaker.  It has one high-velocity folded ribbon reference AMT tweeter, two 4.5” high-definition cast-basket reference mid/bass drivers, two 5”x9” long-throw quadratic subwoofers, and two 8” x 12” quadratic planar back-wave-driver radiators.  It will retail for $6,900/pair in glass black or $7,200/pair in the beautiful Santa Barbara red.  The T66 will be available this fall in both colors.

GoldenEar Technology was also showing the updated Invisa JPS in-wall speaker and the Invisa 850 in-ceiling speaker.  Both feature the high-velocity folded ribbon reference AMT tweeter.  Pricing is still to be determined.

Marantz

Masimo Consumer Audio was showcasing its brands across from the convention center on a quiet hotel floor.  Their brands include Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Classé, HEOS, and Boston Acoustics.

Here are the Marantz AV10 Reference 15.4 channel pre-amp/processor and the AMP10 16-channel amplifier.

This is the Marantz Cinema 60 7-channel A/V receiver.

This is the Marantz Cinema 40 9-channel A/V receiver.

Marantz was showcasing some vintage products on loan from the private collection of Kevin Zarow.

Denon

The Denon AVR-X6800H 11.4 channel 8K A/V receiver with up to 140 watts per channel.

The Denon AVR-A1H is the flagship 15.4 channel 8K A/V receiver with up to 150 watts per channel.

B&W

The unmistakable Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus in Midnight Blue.  The Nautilus is a stunning work of art and a testament to the science of sound.  They retail for $100K / pair.

B&W showcased the evolution of the 600 Series speakers.  From left to right are the model 603, 606, and 606 S2 speakers.

The amazing B&W 800 Series Signature speakers are powered by a gorgeous stack of Classé gear.

Definitive Technology

While not the best demo space for a multi-channel cinema experience, Definitive Technology was showing off their latest speakers in a 9.6.4 channel configuration using a Denon A1H running Dirac room correction.  Considering what they had to work with in this hotel space, the demo was a lot of fun.

Theory Audio Design and Pro Audio Technology

The demo from L. Paul Hales of Theory Audio Design and Pro Audio Technology was standing-room-only and was an enormous hit with the custom installer crowd.  The presentation was no-nonsense and presented some amazing products with just killer sound quality.  I loved Mr. Hales’ presentation because he skipped the marketing and let the sound of his speakers win over the crowd.

Just for fun

For that gamer in your life who loves racing and motion simulators, this is the Apex3 GT Pro from Simcraft.  It features a sound system from Klipsh and eMotiva and uses three Samsung G7 32” curved displays.  It starts at $64,900 and the simulator on the show floor retails for $79,900.

A gorgeous car deserves an equally impressive auto lift.  Atlas Elite was showing off their car lifts at the show.

If you are looking for a reference entertainment system for your vehicle, McIntosh was showing off their vehicle entertainment systems.  The MX950 Entertainment System features 19 custom-tuned speakers and a 17-channel 950-watt amplifier.  The MX1375 Reference Entertainment System features 23 speakers, a 24-channel 1375-watt amplified and Adaptive 3D Surround Processing.  You might never want to leave your driveway.

That’s it for my coverage of CEDIA 2023.  I hope you enjoyed it.