Multichannel Music at The Show in Newport Beach

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bmoura

2K Club - QQ Super Nova
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The Home Entertainment Show (also known as "The Show") is coming to Newport Beach in Southern California later this month (May 30 - June 1,2014) at the Hilton Hotel Orange County Airport and the Atrium Hotel Orange County Airport. It's a big audio show with over 7,000 in attendance each year. (See http://theshownewport.com/exhibitors/t.h.e.-show-info.html)

This year, Zu Audio will be demoing not only Stereo music from Vinyl LPs but also some Multichannel music selections from Multichannel PCM and Multichannel DSD files played on an Oppo 105 Blu-Ray/Universal disc player.
So, if you're planning to be at the show be sure to check it out!

The announcement of the Multichannel Demo is over on The Hi Rez Music Circle Forum at http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=125750.0
Thanks to Russ for making it happen.
 
I've been to this show the last 2 years, very little surround. Sony had one room the first year, and maybe one home theater room showing movies.
Last year I did meet Mark Waldrep from AIX. He had a booth in the patio and selling discs and had a surround headphone setup(sorry forgot the brand of the surround processor).
Mostly I have fun looking through the records and sacds.

I'll be sure and hit the Zu Audio room.

vinylguy4
 
I've been to this show the last 2 years, very little surround. Sony had one room the first year, and maybe one home theater room showing movies.
Last year I did meet Mark Waldrep from AIX. He had a booth in the patio and selling discs and had a surround headphone setup (sorry forgot the brand of the surround processor).
Mostly I have fun looking through the records and sacds.

I'll be sure and hit the Zu Audio room.

vinylguy4

It's on my list for The Show this year, that's for sure.

On the Surround Headphone processor, that would be the 8 Channel Smyth Realiser A8. Works great with Stax Stereo Earspeakers (aka Headphones). In fact, I went to AIX Records to have a room measurement made to use with my Realiser set up here. Very cool!

Sony will be at The Show. Probably be demoing their high end speakers and the HAP-Z1ES Stereo High Resolution Music Server.
Biggest issue with the HAP-Z1ES is it is sold out - time for Sony to make more! A good problem to have...
 
Thanks for the pointer on the Zu room.
It was indeed set up for surround and all surround. You walk in and they give you a list of about 100 surround tracks
and they will play anything on the list you request. It read like a greatest hits from my sacd, dvda, dts collection.
Everything from Gotan Project to Roxy Music, Queen, Porcupine Tree, Donald Fagan, etc, all genres.
I didn't see a subwoofer, was I missing something?

The XTZ room was also set up for 5.1, with a huge subwoofer.
I asked for surround, they gave a movie clip from a DTS demo disc, shook the place. Then I asked for a music track, they were unprepared.
They did play a Dave Stewart track from that DTS demo disc.

I told Mark Waldrep that QQ says HI. He had a better location and a real good selection of his discs for sale.

Be sure and visit the Eastwind imports, they do have some japanese 5.1 sacds.

vinylguy4
 
Yes, some interesting rooms and tables at The Show in Newport Beach this weekend through Sunday.

As vinylguy4 notes, Eastwind Import has some 5.1 Multichannel SACDs (U.S. and Japanese releases) and a number of the Stereo SHM-SACDs from Japan for sale. Elusive Disc and Acoustic Sounds are in the same room and also have some Multichannel SACDs for sale.

Be sure to check out the Iso Mike room where they are playing 4.0 Surround from their catalog of direct to DSD recorded SACDs. On sale at the show for 50% off ($20 each vs. $40 each for SACDs). I'm told this catalog will be available in the near future as Multichannel DSD downloads - including their out of print SACDs. See http://www.isomike.com

AIX Records has Surround titles for sale as vinylguy4 notes. They also offer headphone demos of their discs via the Smyth Realiser in 7.1 Surround Sound using the Oppo PM-1 headphones and HA-1 headphone amp.

Another interesting demo for Quad/Surround Sound fans is right next to AIX Records. Darin Fong Audio has a $149 software program for Windows and soon Mac named "Out of Your Head" that simulates 7.1 Surround Sound. Similar to the Smyth Realiser but much more affordable. Very cool! See https://fongaudio.com/out-of-your-head-software/ to downoad a free demo to try on your computer.

Across from AIX and Darin Fong Audio is On A Higher Note. On Friday they had a session with pianist Fiona Joy from Australia. They played her albums on Stereo Vinyl but you can get them on Multichannel SACDs. And yes, she is even more attractive in person than on the SACD cover!

Ted Smith, inventor of the DirectStream DSD DAC from PS Audio is at the show Friday and Saturday from 11am to 3pm each day demoing his new DAC. A Multichannel fan, Ted hasn't ruled out a Surround Sound edition of the DirectStream down the road. You can't miss him in that colorful Hawaiian Shirt! :)

Down the hall on the 8th floor is the exaSound/JanZen Speakers room with George Klissarov demoing the exaSound DAC. George is a big Surround Sound fan. Be sure to chat with him about Surround. Speaking of exaSound and their e28 Multichannel DAC, one floor down in Room 711, David Robinson at Positive Feedback Online is demoing some Double Rate (DSD128) and Quad Rate (DSD256) material on the exaSound e28 DAC in Stereo.

Tomorrow (Saturday) you may see Marshall Blonstein from Audio Fidelity and Mastering Specialist Steve Hoffman (room 814, Audio Note) at The Show. Also worth putting on the calendar, some announcements on upcoming releases during the DSD Panel starting at 4:00 pm. Be sure to check that out. (See https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?19160-DSD-Panel-at-The-Show-Newport-Beach)

Enjoy!
 
Any Blu Wavs surround headsets being demoed?

The Out of Your Head demo includes a Blu-Ray movie clip in 7.1 Surround played back on various Stereo Headphones. I chose to focus more on the Surround Sound music samples at that table myself (Pink Floyd, Eagles, etc.) !
 
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