Axpona 2024 who is going and why?
Join music lovers and audiophiles from around the world as they descend upon the nation’s largest showcase of manufacturers and retailers ever assembled in one venue only at AXPONA.
axpona.com
Theoretica Applied Physics BACCH-SP adio Stereo Purifier - A Princeton professor of physics has spent decades figuring out how to make stereo sound more realistic. Now, with the “Band-Assembled Crosstalk Cancellation Hierarchy” (BACCH) processor, you can hear stereo imaging as never before...
www.theabsolutesound.com
@deep_333 I owned this at one time, and it is a great integrated with awesome ROON READY integration. The DAC is OK but so useful. Krell K-300i Integrated Amplifier (Used, Black, Original Owner) For Sale - US Audio Mart I bought my nephew a Cambridge EVO integrated that does the same as the KRELL. The KRELL is better and competes with things like the Boulder 866 integrated. Stereophile did a comparison of the 2 units. |
I'm flying in tomorrow. Just got back from Hawaii last night so I have a fast turn-around. This will be my 3rd year straight at attending this show. I'm on a hunt for new speakers and possibly a tube preamp. Some rooms I'm interested in attending are: Børresen Magnepan (BAT) Balanced Audio Technology Primaluna (Upscale) Modwright Diptyque audio Also open to other brands for speakers in the 10K+ range and tube preamps around the same amount or less.
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@yyzsantabarbara , The Krell indeed seems like a nice unit. I was enquiring more on stuff that may be on display at the show within that reasonable budget....since my daughter will be at the show for a day trying to audit some stuff. Her current rig is quite modest....Elac Debut Reference DFR52 + Yamaha A-S801 (built in dac) + PC. The one item i could see as a definitive upgrade, not a sidegrade or diminutive upgrade, within a reasonable budget @5kish (or less) on display was the AGD Axxess 1 box solution. I am sure she will be running out of many rooms after the sticker shock hits 😏. |
@noromance The last two years I stayed at the Hyatt Regency. This year for some reason they wouldn't accept Hyatt points for their rooms, so I decided to stay at the Hyatt Place that is only about a block away from the Regency. I book these reservations several months out. I did try and get reservations at the host hotel the last two times, but they sold out instantly. I didn't get an email not long back from the AXPONA folks telling me they did have a few openings that came up at the last minute, but I decided to keep what I already had. I also went to the former Rocky Mountain show twice and staid in their host hotel as well as some smaller shows in Southern California. At AXPONA I either just take the Free shuttle from the Hyatt Regency or an Uber to the convention center. |
@willywonka Thanks for replying. Yeah, that’s pretty much my story. I’m old enough to want to stay at the premier hotel, and if it’s (pre)sold out through insider dealings, then I figure they don’t need or want my business. |
@willywonka If you have the time at Axpona, have a listen to the new Magna and Immanis with your old VM-1a. I would like to have your take on it. |
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IF: Our OP and/or any attendee can give the BACCH system an ear or so, I'd be curious of your thoughts and impressions (or depressions).... To a Walsh owner, it sounds 'out there' enough to work. Lincoln Walsh worked on radar, but played audio after all...;) (Went to MO last weekend, so have already spend enough road time for now....) |
Angie’s room (American Sound) has those horn speakers that were pretty damn amazing. Seeing Angie tapping her foot and feeling her own music is always fun too, haha.
Regarding the Bach demo room, I feel the room does not do it much justice as only a very singular sweet spot can experience it. There was literally 11 people in the room and only one person can experience most of its effects due to how set up is based around 1 person. I could tell the remaining other 10 people were a bit annoyed as they all wanted to see what it’s about. The demo person did mention that had room been larger, effects would have been displayed easier.
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I sat in the Bacch room in seats considered 80% and 100% sweet spots. At 100% the stage enlarged greatly both forward and backward with much improved embodiment. It would have been nice to hear this demo through better speakers than the Janszens. Many good rooms at this show. My favorite off-piste discovery was the Wolf Von Langa field coils in 592. |
Many great sounding rooms at AXPONA this year. Most notables were (my favorites), Speakers - Wolf Von Langa London, Estelon X Diamond MKII, Diptyque DP115, Serblin Accodo Essence and Avant-garde Mezzo G3. Electronics - Margules I-240, Rivera Audio APL01SE and AFM100SE, Zeiler PR-01 and PA01, Accuphase C-2900 and P-7500, Aurender AP-20, Lampizato Poseidon DAC, Rose RS-130. Accessories - EAHibrid (Battery PS for Router, Modem) And lots of great music in Marketplace, picked up few records, SACD’s that aren’t available online (show specials). Vinyl ruled most rooms but MAN, there is still no substitute for master tapes….nothing else sounds like Master Tapes. Few rooms that were playing master tapes were jaw dropping outstanding. |
My favorite Is the Borensen monitor room ,that can do almost any kind of music.First time Iam willing to pay 16k for a monitor.Rhaido speakers and Margules gear very dynamic and slam and impact is superb 15k, The Wilson Alexx and Krell mono . First times I heard Wilson that good. Iam not a Wilson guy It was set up by Quintessence audio.i agree so many good sounding room this year.I have a great time. |
Thanks, @f208frank & @dgarretson for y'alls' Bacch view (pun intended)...👍👌 Seems a pity that something with such potential would just reinforce 'sweet spot lockdown', esp. at that/those price levels. The speaker type selection isn't such a surprise, since it's noted as a pref at their website...perhaps the brand is a 'personal one' of the creator....🤷♂️ If it sounds best in a larger space....why wasn't it becomes ?#1 It would seem that selling 1, maybe 2 would cover the show costs.... Maybe with my 2nd Lotto win... ;) Thanks again, J |
@shkong78 Good that you're feeling better Xcept for missing the show, which can't help but disappoint....:( Fortune willing and the middle east remaining relatively intact, there's AX25. It being a 7 day venture ( 2 to, 3 at, 2 back)(,,,or more; FLW fan), it'd have to vaca both self & spouse..... ...who would not care to spend 3 days in a loud hotel.... nooooo :) |
I was there Saturday - my 2nd time attending. Good fun but as most note - very difficult to hear something, much less properly in a well set up room. And, not much time as I was trying to see/hear a fair amount. So, take with a grain of salt or two. A few of my more significant impressions: The Auralic room was indeed out of this world because of the speakers - how in the world could anyone live with something that gargantuan? Regardless, I found the massive horns “cupped” sounding so not my cup of tea. The T+A room at the time were driving their mid level speakers with the new R2500 receiver. I was impressed. And, I was able to speak with some of the reps at length which was a goal for me as i own their gear. The dartzeel room? I couldn’t believe how bright sounding it was. They dropped the needle on stairway to heaven and I shocked at how tipped up it was. Oh well. QLN audio - I thought their new speakers quite good sounding (Vinnie Rossi integrated amp) and had a nice chat with James from Choice audio. For me - one of the better sounding rooms. A little brighter than neutral overall, but open and spacious sounding soundstage. Same with ATC - also good showing. MBL? I was blown away last year. This year, not as good. I still want them, but the bass seemed a bit bloated and lacking some pitch definition. TAD - very disappointing on the track I hear. But the room was crowded and hot and i didn’t have the patience to hear another track. But not a great showing for what I suspect is a pretty good speaker. Atmosphere: I couldn’t tell enough because of the track being played, but I do think his Class D amps might be the ticket for a small secondary system. Really smooth and easy to listen to. Magnepan - shocking how good a $1k speaker (and their top model) can sound. (Yeah, add subs). You need room, but they truly are an audiophile bargain. WADAX/Goebel. Given all the windows, sounded pretty good. Certainly resolving and smooth. Considering the cost of the system overall, it should be. Even if I could afford the WADAX stuff, I couldn’t live with it (or house it in my rack). If it’s the best in the world - which I I suspect it is - it needs a better setup (dedicated room - not a show) to reveal it. |
In my opinion, the ‘re-invented’ wave of ribbon flat panel speakers are much more smoother and dynamic. This is all started with Alsyvox..I was floored when I heard them couple of years ago. Never thought a ribbon speaker could sound so beautiful and powerful (bass) at the same time. No offense to any of the Maggie’s fans but these new flat panel speakers are on another level. They have found a way to tame the high frequencies treble that could easily lead to listening fatigue on extended sessions. While $12k retail is not a chump change, the Diptyque DP115 is a hell of a speaker. |
@jayctoy No problem. Seems like KRELL and D’Agpstino have a similar top end amp. @lalitk Thanks, that was a very informative comment. BTW - Did anyone come back from Axpona a RAAL 1995 fan. I cannot wait to buy the new Immanis headphone that they had at Axpona. Selling gear and cables to make that happen. |
I felt one of the surprises of the show, for me was SPL. They are a brand designed and built in Germany. Not expensive equipment compared to D'Agostino (which I felt sounded so grainy this year). They are looking to get into the US market and I thought this was a stellar room. The Mon Acoustics, from South Korea, was a nice sounding room, I mean their bigger speakers. They did everything YG, and Magico did without the high frequency glare that seems to be the latest trend in speakers.
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@shkong78 Tough crowd here with no sympathy so I just had to reply. That bites after all your plans. |
@shkong78 You’re not the only person I know that had stomach issues at show time. A friend from my town made it on Friday but was sick all of Saturday from something he ate on Friday night. Any chance you guys ate the same thing? I hope you feel better now. This year’s showings were different for me. I’m accustomed to the big rooms sounding a lot better than they did this time around. I didn’t have all that much time to listen as I had tons of business to conduct and support to provide, but my favorites were some of the smaller rooms. Synergistic Research always puts on a great system, and this time was no exception with the prototype of the new PowerCell 14. I’d say the sound was more immersive at the Southwest Audio Fest, but they had a much, much bigger room there. I’d say when I visited their room at AXPONA, the sound was more focused and detailed, in consideration of a smaller room. I was a bit enamored by the room that Constellation partnered with Marten speakers on. The Oscar Trio speakers with the Diamond tweeter ($40K) was really beautiful, emotive, and engaging, and the Constellation stack did a great job bringing them to their best. I really enjoyed the ModWright, Alta and Pure Fidelity room. Gobs of harmonics and natural presentation. I had some nice chats with John Stratton of Pure Fidelity and had just before AXPONA finalized signing on as a dealer for his turntables. I’ve in the past owned almost everything Dan Wright ever made, as well as a pair of Alta Lelantos, so the room sound was very familiar and much to my liking. Im sure I’m missing other rooms, but those were some of ones that stood out for me. |
