Appearances by Neil Young to Mark Extensive Hi-Res Audio Activities at CES

The Bellini Room 2001, Level 2, in the Venetian Hotel will be home to a half-dozen panels on High-Res Audio at CES next week. A key attraction there will be rock icon Neil Young, who will hold a special press briefing on HRA on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Young also will share his passion for hi-res music in a CES SuperSession on Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. in room N257 at the Las Vegas Convention Center's North Hall. "Hi-Res for Mobile Lifestyles,” kicks off the Hi-Res Audio sessions 11-11:45 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 6. Panelists include Owen Kwon, president, Astell & Kern; Alex Rosson, CEO, Audeze; Claude Schmidt, product manager, Sony; and Steve Silberman, vice president-development, AudioQuest. “Meet the Hi-Res Music Creators,” on Tuesday, 2:15-3 p.m., includes moderator Maureen Droney, managing director, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Producers & Engineers Wing; producer and audio engineer Ryan Ulyate; Leslie Ann Jones, director-music recording and scoring, Skywalker Sound; Rob Friedrich, producer and engineer, Five/Four Productions; Allen Sides, producer and engineer, Ocean Way Studios; and Mark Waldrep, founder, AIX Records. Wednesday panels begin with “Hi-Res Audio: Breaking the Barriers," 11-11:45 a.m., with panelists David Steven, managing director, dCS Ltd.; Bob Stuart, chairman, Meridian Audio; Ted Smith, audio engineer, PS Audio; Aaron Levine, marketing manager, Sony; and Ray Kimber, president, Kimber Kable. The Wednesday afternoon panel, "The New Business of Hi-Res Music," will be 2:15-3 p.m., and includes Norman Chesky, president, HDtracks; Marc Sheforgen, chief operating officer, Acoustic Sounds; Mark Piibe, executive vice president, Global Business, Sony Music; Howie Singer, chief technology strategist, Warner Music; and Jim Belcher, vice president-technology and production, Universal Music. On Thursday, “Hi-Res Audio: The Retail Perspective,” 11-11:45 a.m., will include panelists Phil Murray, marketing manager, ListenUp; Hugh Fountain, central operations manager, Music Lovers Audio; David Pidgeon, CEO, Starpower Home Entertainment; and Brian Hudkins, CEO, Gramophone. The CES Power Panel, 2:15-3 p.m., Thursday, includes Robert Heiblim, vice chairman, CEA audio division board, and Maureen Droney, managing director, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Producers & Engineers Wing.