CES 2018

In the "old days" of CES we used to call the main convention center "The Zoo". For the past ten years or so there simply wasn't sufficient time to cover the High Performance Audio exhibits at the Venetian and "The Zoo", but this year with "High Performance Audio" participation low there was time for a "Zoo" visit.

What we found there was odd. Other than spectacular new video monitor OLED and Nano technology, the Hi-Resolution Audio group's excellent display, plus imaging (Canon, Nikon, Polaroid back with instant photography, etc.) it was mostly a weak attempt to push artificial intelligence/robotics plus self-driving cars. The fit between a CES-type trade show and these technologies is not comfortable.

Also here, as you'll see, are faded former prestigious brands like RCA, Westinghouse and Fisher back in a most depressing way. And of course there was vinyl exploitation from a new company called Victrola, pushing worse than Crosley Cruiser type stuff and Crosley itself, which had a series of moving magnet equipped turntables that are far better than the stuff that made them a "by-surprise" player in the turntable business (Crosley originally got into turntables as a gift store novelty until sales took off like the proverbial rocket). They also showed a really cool 45rpm, 70 disc jukebox with a U.K. sourced mechanism that appeared to be of very high quality. An Apple Corps licensed Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's...." jukebox was an object of desire—even among the usual Crosley haters.