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In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: The CES 2005
Post Subject: Music at CES 2005Posted by Romy the Cat on: 1/10/2005
Music presented at CES 2005 was a disastrer. No one single room that I visited (and I foolishly visited all of them, I think) played any content-loaded music. I’m not talking about the tastes but about value of musical content and the intention of the exhibitioners to demonstrate that content via thier installations.
I’m not even talking that 95% of professionals who ran the show in thier rooms are essentially not familiar with a Content-Loaded Audio (I will be talking bout it a lot later on) but rather that all exhibitioners used music an a cheap commodity targeting the lowest possible tastes and objectives. The only one interesting musical material that I heard during the entire two days was brought by Clark Johnson - it was an inaugural performance of James Levine and Boston, really phenomenal experience, but Clark is not a CES and therefore his Musuc is not the music of the show.
There was also no interesting music for sale. I went with two friends of mine to the "software" section (actually one was a friend and another was just an atached fool) and was walking in there like in a minefield: it was huge concentration of an audiophile crap in one narrow space. Some re-releases of Mercury on SACD looked promising but I did not heard yet any capably performing SACD and therefore those CDs are worthless.
Only 2 CDs I brought home from CES. The Kimber-guy kindly gave me his new CD-demo of his IsoMike recording techniques. I do not anticipate it to be “music” but rather test cuts. The second CD, that I bought, was Chesky’s Area 31. David Chesky release a CD with his own Violin Concerto and he stressed me to buy it. So I did, and I’ve written in the airplane (on my way back) my impressions aboutr this Violin Concerto. When I decipher what my airplane’s doodle meant I post my feedback it in the Musical Section
Also, I have to mention that there were very few rooms where it was interesting to play music, no mater what audio-wide thier rooms did. Brian Cheney (the owner of the VMPS speakers) year after year is a pleasant oasis where is not only possible to play CLM (Content Loaded Music) but hugely pleasant to do so. Brian and his wife along some others guys that hanged around of his room (sorry I do not know thier names) were the people with whom there was very enjoyable (and even educational) to be in a room while “interesting” material were played. Another room similar to Brian’s was Peter Qvotrup’s room (AN, UK), not as much his room but Peter himself. Peter is a “peculiar” figure at audio world but as far as music understanding he was one of the most interesting listener at CES. I intentionally played some very kinky material that he did not know and it took for Peter no more 2 seconds to recognize that it was playing something very special that not only deserves instantaneous attention but deserves a “special attention”. It would be so nice if Peter would be able to convert his musical sensitivity and his evolved musical appreciation into audio accomplishments. Anyhow I will write about audio later. There were one or two other rooms where to play CLM was not revolting but it was pretty much it... Everywhere else there was no opportunity, no interest or no background to listen anything other then a “female noise with a double bass”.
In other words: there is nothing to talk about music at CES – it just really did not exist. At least I did not hear any interesting music there and the most important I did not see any even remote attempts (from the demonstrators) to play any more or less serious, interesting or even not-boring material A friend of my proposed that people intentionally run “proved and secure music” that hides the possible imprecations of playbacks but I have many reasons do not subscribe to his assumptions.
So, the musical experiences at CES were very sad, or juts did not exist.
Rgs,
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