CES 2016 Las Vegas, NV 1/6/16-1/9/16

Now that CES 2016 is over kind of need to make direct links so you guys can just check it out directly.

Table of Contents:

Day 1: Write up from the Noob
Day 2/3: Pictures from the Noob (part 1)
Day 2/3: Write up and Pictures from the Noob (part 1) *includes Shangri-La and Orpheus 2 Impressions
Day 4 - Write up and Pictures from the Noob (part 2)
Day 4 - Pictures from the Noob (part 2)

Most importantly enjoy

 

I will let everyone know. I plan to post some impressions day by day as it's a huge show.

 

Alright just going to flat out say that CES is not the best place to listen to things but I did see a few cool new products that I the noob thought were cool.

Hifiman Edition S - Supposedly going to be priced at $249 it's a portable offering from HFM didn't really have the music I know but overall sounded decent for a portable. Sound was much better than at RMAF and no comment on the build quality.

Hifiman SuperMini - Astell and Kern must have made a statement with the Jr as HFM has decided to come out with their own smaller player priced at $399 however is only 32GB of memory (AK Jr has 64GB). Also expect a very simple UI not like the AK Jr but more like the Lotoo Paw.

Hifiman Shangra-La - Thought these might have been on the floor but sadly they weren't I'm going to the suites tomorrow to listen so hopefully will have more then.

Sennheiser HD800S - Was of course present the issue with comparing the two is both didn't have the balanced cable so the HD 800S had the balanced cable while the HD800 had the SE cable. Sennheiser rep said something interesting: HD800S are not as amp picky as the HD800. I don't really know what that means but maybe some lower end amps will now be able to drive it. I received a contact to discuss loaners but generally Sennheiser doesn't allow this. What I did hear from the HD800S I liked and didn't notice the clinically thinness of the HD800S. This was being driven by the HD800 amp (not sure what they called it). Unfortunately none were on the floor for sale for as this was their North American launch and their warehouse in the US should be receiving them very soon.

Sennheiser Orpheus 2 - Guess there were people invited to listen. Unfortunately I wasn't one of them but a friend of mine might be getting me in to listen on Friday.

Comply Tips - Personally I have always been a fan (know some don't like them) but they came out with a universal tip that fits around the tip of the earbud so you don't need to worry about what IEM you are using.

Audeze LCD-4: Alright I know I said some not so nice things about the Audeze LCD-4 but after listening to the PRODUCTION model there is a definite improvement over what I heard at RMAF which was their PRE-PRODUCTION model according to Mark Cohen. I need to listen to this more with music I know but the house Audeze sound was present in these. Keep in mind this was being driven by the Bascom King amp.

Audeze Sine: Audeze releasing a new product wasn't a surprise but the sound to me was good on these. It's an on ear noise cancelling headphone which I thought was very good. Folds and is very portable. The amazing thing actually was the noise cancelling which reminded me of how good Bose active noise cancelling is. Price is $499.

One of the highlights of my day 1 was talking with Tyll Hertsens who was working his butt off at CES. I know this article was mentioned due to the SBAF reference but it was something I enjoyed more for his in depth analysis of the audio industry. Please feel free to check it out at the link below:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-2015-year-review#Zpux3fmiMWkpETgD.97

Anyway I know the details are scarce on what you guys probably expected but like I said this is no place to critically listen. I'll try to snap as many photos as I can tomorrow but I will more than likely be posting them when I get back on Sunday or Monday.

My schedule for tomorrow is as follows:

Thursday: Suites (HFM, Speakers, ETC)/Maybe Games
Friday: TVs/Monitors/Orpheus 2
Saturday: Camera/Phones/Video Games

 

You're going to get different/better/worse sounding Audeze headphones regardless of production status.

Isn't he also the same guy who told me no one else heard the LCD-4 as leaner than their other offerings when you had the same conversation with him?