Any show goers hear a new (to North America) Italian speaker by a company named Albedo? They were in one of the Supreme Acoustic Systems rooms. They were introducing a new speaker called Achema, rather modest in size but quite impressive using ceramic drivers. I heard them briefly however when I went back on Sunday they were playing a much larger model which was too big and inappropriate for my listening space. Anyone with any impressions of these?
Capital Audiofest Coming Up!
Been to all but 1 or 2 and probably going again this year. You never know what you will see or hear. Always something new and a little different. Maybe this year I will even carve out enough time to not have to zip through it all and be able to soak it all in better.
Anyone else going?
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I thought that the CAF was really fabulous. Going over all three days made the show far more relaxing. Most valuable to me were the many pleasant and informative discussions that I had with manufacturers and attendees. I really enjoyed an extensive conversation that I had with Valeria Cora and his wonderful wife Sheree about the materials used in their speakers as well as buying (and saving!) Audio Research. Truly great people and a truly great speaker company. I really enjoyed the sound in the Gershman Acoustics room. Most of the top end systems had an unnatural hardness and brightness to them. This room did not! The Command Performance room had a demonstration that really bore this phenomena out. Playing background music from her last album, a lovely Canadian jazz singer (whose name I am struggling to remember) sang without amplification 10 feet in front of me, providing a useful reference for how the human voice actually sounds. Not hard or bright, like so many systems that I heard. I will add that the Command Performance room, like the room I mentioned above, featured a lovely coherence, combining great spatiality and dynamics with an accurate and natural sound. Ie, not bright and hard! With a nod to an earlier comment, the singer sang immediately after Mikey taking over the room to play his music. How he uses his musical choices to evaluate sound left me wondering, but he is quite the entertainment! Finally, I wanted to give a shout out to the speakers and discussion sessions. I attended a really interesting one on DAC design, learning much. The Border Patrol, Lampizator, and LTA designers and reps were all interesting to listen to, and their products all very natural sounding. Thanks to them and to Herb Reichert who presided! |
@bluorion i had an eye out for them, but didn’t see any. That said, I missed a dozen or so rooms. |
My first audioshow so failed to write down things that were sounding good: Have read about Planar speakers and Horn speakers but finally got to hear both, the Planars were 9 feet high, they were playing Louie Armstrong and he imaged like he was 15 feet tall. The realistic saxaphone on the horn speakers was amazing. Paradigm Persona 9H were intoxicating, considering them as my next speaker, the built in amps for the woofers and room correction features added alot. |
Mapman, if there's no statute of limitations on an answer; I got a good listening session on the MBL set up. I was in there while a reviewer occupied the sweet spot. I thought it was the best at the show. It sounded like it would not fatigue at any level. It was easy to discern every note and vocal. Sadly, I'll never own it |
@ckr1969 Burmester 232 Integrated Amp. It sounded great. Reminded me of my Boulder 866 — very clean and engaging, great soundstage and accurately conveyed instrumental and vocal timbres. I also heard the Accuphase E-800 and E-5000 integrated amps. Also impressive. |
@disc what system was being used by Burmester? anyone else see/hear anything from Burmester or accuphase? |
Almost forgot — best “low-cost” sound for me was the local pairing of Eastern Bay Speakers with LTA electronics (644). LTA was featured in several rooms. The newish LTA DAC and other gear sounded great in each of the different systems I heard. Also, this seems the be the year of sound effects, eg, lots of rooms playing percussion or vocal oddities to show off PRAT. At one point, we skipped several rooms with systems I would have liked to have heard had they been playing music, just to avoid being annoyed. Did anyone else notice this? Or maybe I’m just easily annoyed this weekend — I mean, more so than usual. |
I had a great day there yesterday with a friend. Highlights for me were MBL room (Twinbriok), Gestalt audio (with Colin playing a wonderful Johnny Hartman LP)(325), YG with Burmester (737), YG with Bel Canto (806), Margules Group (832), Vitus/Estelon (one of the Alma audio rooms I think). I’m sort of shopping for an end game integrated amp (which I’ve loved for the last few years, but then got used to it and started taking it for granted). The Vitus SIA 030 was amazing (which at 50k or so, it should be); sadly, no Gryphon 330, though there was a 120 which sounded great. |
Thanks for your impressions on CAF. I agree with you on HWS, Gestalt and F&R…always a pleasure to meet them in person and their choice of gear + sound is usually in my Top 10. I almost bought F&R TT before I decided to pursue Garrard. 301. If you go back to @gestalt, say my hello to Colin. +1 on MBL, wish I could afford to buy one of their offerings. My alternative to MBL’s are WVL. While not as pretty as MBL, WVL are really great sounding speakers. |
Had a full day there today. There was a lot to like! I need to go through my notes first to point out a few highlights. The mbl room is one I can cite as candidate for best sound. They seemed to get it right in every way in their room this year even if not yet even close to what I know mbl can do with soundstage and imaging based on prior showroom demos. A class of their own! There were many others that caught my ear as well yet in different ways.
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was there yesterday, a few rooms I recommend: High Water Sound (room 323) - Cessaro speakers; expensive but Jeff Catalano always has a great room and plays good music. Gestalt Audio (room 325) - very cool new speakers - Cinnamon Audio from Portugal; @lalitk Colin King says “hello” American Sound of Canada (room 641) - Angie is running Rethm speakers with a Synthesis integrated and a cool new German turntable. Great system for reasonable price. Fern & Roby (room 616) - Christopher Hildebrand is one of the nicest people in the biz, and Ivreally like his new amp. Odeon Audio ( room 636) - Never heard their horns before, but impressive.
Rooms to avoid - any room Michael Fremer has taken over to play his lps; his ego has taken over his body, and his taste in music is meh. I had to walk out of a Command Performance room where they were showing AudioVector speakers that sounded pretty good cuz his music was so bad |
@aldnorab - Midwest AudioFest was so much fun. Lots of really great attendees and vendors. Wish it was still going.... |
@reubent the last Midwest Audio fest was the 1st show I attended since CES moved out of Chicago. Two friends went with me. First time we Missourians ever had Kewpie Burgers. It was a thrill to meet Dr. Bruce Edgar, hear Supravox field coil speakers and hear Odyssey speakers and amps. It was a blast. Wish it was still going. My next dream was to visit the show in Colorado. Unfortunately, it closed down as well. I won't make Capital Audio fest because of work. People if you get a chance to visit any show do it. They are educational and great fun. Thanks, aldnorab |
@dayglow +100 |
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@ozzy62 I know your political views exactly, you made it known many times. Don't worry, I am censored already for my views, you won't have to see it. Your giddiness amazes me though and makes me envious.My feelings about an inevitable doom FOR EVERYONE are many things but giddy.
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@ozzy62 +10 @grislybutter Lexapro Bro. |
@grislybutter I will say it is more concerning than ever now that the Supreme Court has granted PResidents immunity for "official acts" thanks to you know who. Sounds like you have experience in this area most US citizens do not have. Let’s hope we can keep it that way
Now back to hifi.
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@larryi , Good one! I read good things about Synthesis and I recall them as well during a visit to Deja Vu Audio in Virginia a couple years back. THey usually put on a good show at CAF as I recall. A tube integrated is not out of teh question for me. SOmething different! Just not interested in too big or too expensive at this stage. Trying to keep things smaller and simpler. Accordingly high efficiency/easy load speakers is another avenue I have explored but do not own. |
Mapman, The new North American distributor for Synthesis Audio will be at the show. I don't know what amplifiers will be at the show, but, most of their lineup is both excellent in sound and reasonably priced. I hope they show the A40 and A100 integrated amplifiers (both with built in DACs) because they are terrific tube amps (KT66). |
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I think that with the internet these days, there is more information (and dis-information/outright propaganda) out there to sort through. So many use this as a weapon including opponents who seek to "overthrow" us, have no doubt. A lot of people are confused and perhaps are more challenged than ever to find their moral compass. It’s a real problem! The solution is always promoting education as a means to help sort through it all more effectively. Never accept known lies no matter how appealing they may be! Those who lie with purpose merely seek to create more confusion as a way of gaining control. The truth always tends to come out eventually over time, but it is often a struggle to get there. |
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There are really only a few weapons people have to defend themselves financially regardless of political ideology. Voting is one. How ever, the way way more effective ones are to become educated to develop valuable skills and then also investing (once that is actually with reach) in order to get at least your small slice of the economic pie that will always be the main course served up by the "oligarchs". Unless you are simply born rich and entitled. I won’t mention names. It is not a crime!
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