Nevertheless, a Rolex still has value, well beyond the price it would command if its value was based solely on its functionality. It just means that a Rolex is an anachronism, a luxury. I've often used a wristwatch analogy to make a point about obsolescence: The existence of smart watches doesn't mean that Rolex is going out of business.
Now, just because something is obsolete does not mean it isn't desirable. The wiring in the Hsu Research rig was a far cry from the five-figure cables found on other systems, yet the sound quality was superb. Yet, when I listened to Gamut, it was before I visited the Hsu Research room. The company's $30,000/pair RS5 loudspeakers-featuring custom ScanSpeak drivers-produced highly tangible microdynamics that lent an air of realism to recorded performances that was missing from many other demos. It came across as a bargain compared to a number of other systems that did not reach its level of quality. There were a few systems that I enjoyed a great deal, such as a $70,000 2-channel stereo from a Danish company called Gamut, which managed to render music with as much fidelity as any 2-channel system I've heard at a high-end show. It was another system that failed to impress in terms of audio performance, especially for the asking price. Salespeople betrayed no emotion as they listed four- and five-figure prices for individual components and six-figure prices for some speaker systems.Īt $195,000/pair, these Focal Grande Utopia speakers were part of a half-million dollar systemįocal showed up in another system that approached a half-million dollars, with sci-fi looking, $240,000/pair Naim Statement amps powering a $95,000 pair of Focal Stella Utopia EM speaker. Audiophiles on a restricted budget had little to choose from in a show where any gear that cost less than $10,000 started to look like a bargain. Furthermore, for contemporary recordings, the possibilities are nearly limitless-electronic and contemporary music sounds fantastic when played through an Atmos-based system, where anything goes as far as the mix is concerned.Īt the New York show, 2-channel systems wired with pricey interconnects and speaker cables dominated the demos. I know that surround sound is a niche format among audiophiles, but the 3D soundfield created by Atmos (and Auro, a competing immersive format) came closer to replicating the acoustics of a space than any 2-channel system I've ever heard. My perspective shifted after attending ten Dolby Atmos demos at CEDIA 2014 -exposure to so much immersive sound diminished the NY show experience for me. This year's show came on the heels of CEDIA, unlike 2013 when the show preceded CEDIA by several months. This KR Audio Kronzilla VA680 amplifier is an example of the sort of gear that had me wondering if audio bling is taking over.
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