Ouroboros, thy name is me.

I've been back for awhile from the Newport Beach Audio Show and letting it all sink in.

It's a really deep sink.

No matter what PC system I listened to, they all sounded pretty darn good. Too many problems with room acoustics and system matching but I could glean potential from all. It's just that there were so many differing approaches.

The best digital I heard, by far, was in the MSB demo room. All it took was two notes and Harry Connick starting to sing and I knew what I was in for. Smooth, open, expansive, expressive, detailed, full bodied and natural. I think my jaw is still laying there so don't trip over it should you go there tomorrow. And it was a CDP! No streaming. No high rez. Just glorious sound from those YG Acoustics Speakers. The DAC is separate but that's not the point: there's no way in hell I can afford it.

But that's not all. My story has to come full circle to make sense.

The best sound, by far, was in the Brooks Berdan room and it was a turntable setup that took me back decades, to where it all began. Clearwater turntable, Aesthetix pre and amp, and Sonus Faber Amati speakers.

What I heard upon opening the door caught my attention. The kick in the ass came from hearing a 1958 Blue Note mono jazz recording (I forget the artist) and it was hands down, the finest thing I've ever heard. Ever. Next up, 'Saint James Infirmary' made my eyes water. I could have stayed there until closing. They were kind enough to play a few tracks from different LPs and pat me on the back to reassure me all was well but I knew it wasn't. My hands and feet were never still the entire time.

Sometimes it's fun to go back but to get slapped in the face so wonderfully was icing on the cake. I'll never go back to LPs (expensive, inconvenient) but to have it as a reference (and a refreshing one at that) was a wonderful reminder of what is out there.

All the best,
Nonoise