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The Best Show Reporting
Coverage of CES 2000 from Las Vegas, NV --
Jan. 6-9, 2000
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| SoundStage!
LIVE Standout Room - NBS |
Big news at CES was that NBS, known so far only for
cable products, is entering the audio-component business -- but not in a slow and cautious
way. They're jumping in with both feet. The system you see here is 100% NBS. The NBS/CD
Player will retail for $20,000 (all hardware prices are approximate). It directly drives
the NBS/Shields power amplifier, $60,000 per pair. The amplifiers drive the NBS/Monitor
loudspeakers, $40,000 per pair. Connecting the components for signal and power are NBS
Monitor Zero cables, about $70,000 for the full set. The sound surprised us with a high
level of clarity and detail with no harshness. The soundfield was large,
three-dimensional and very, very clean -- spic-and-span, crystal-clear, top-of-Everest
clean. The loudspeakers are anticipated to be ready by March, the power amps by April,
with the CD player coming in the summer. Add some room treatment products, some
power-conditioning products, some racks and isolation platforms, and you're looking at
your basic $200,000 audio system.
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