June 12, 2006–The Home Entertainment Show 2006 which ran June 1–4 at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Los Angeles was a playground for the audio, video and music enthusiasts who came to see and hear the latest in home entertainment.
Loudspeakers of all sizes and shapes for all budgets were on display from A to Z Aperion, Dynaudio, Ferguson Hill Studios, KEF, mbl, Outlaw Audio, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony, Totem, Wilson Audio, and Zvox Audio to name only a few. The latest innovations in amplifiers, surround sound receivers and media centers were on stage from, Bryston, Flying Mole, HewlettPackard, McIntosh Labs, Moscode, Onkyo, Sherwood Newcastle, Simaudio, VTL, and Yamaha among others. And video and home-theater enthusiasts had a chance to see the debut of Sony’s new line of 1080p native-resolution TVs along with their new Bravia flat-panel LCD and SXRD-based rear-projection televisions. Not to be missed was Kimber-Kable’s outstanding demonstration of their speaker cables used with a Bowers & Wilkins 800D Diamond Series 5.1 loudspeaker system.
Show attendees were treated to an excellent display of vinyl and CD recordings from a variety of exhibitors. Exhibitor ScreenUsed had an incredible display of movie memorabilia for sale including the Superman costume worn by the late Christopher Reeve in Superman III and valued at $79,999 as well as masks, gloves, and uniforms worn in The Fifth Element.
Celebrities at the event included Pat Prescott from L.A. jazz station The Wave, Efren Ramirez, who played Pedro in the movie Napoleon Dynamite, was on hand to sign autographs in the HT Gamer Pavilion and Dr. John rocked the house at a grand concert on Saturday evening sponsored by XM Satellite Radio. A portion of the proceeds went to the Elf Foundation a non profit charity that builds state-of-the-art home theater “rooms of magic” in children’s hospitals across the country. A live auction held during the event raised more than $25,000 from sales of products and services donated by manufacturers and, local companies including a generous trip for two to visit the XM Satellite Radio mothership in Washington, DC, for an inside look a private concert.
Home Theater magazine held a well-attended Rave Awards ceremony recognizing 19 manufacturers of superior audio and video components chosen by the staff over a the previous 12-months.
Not to be missed was the special movie night when show attendees young and old lined up to see the computer animated Pixar filmThe Incredibles shown on a Runco projector.
Home Entertainment Show 2006 wrapped up on Sunday, June 4, after three full days of being open to the public.
The dates and location of Home Entertainment Show 2007 will be released in the fall.
