Article: AXPONA 2019 Best of Show

[intensemojo]

The Ayon Audio/Lumenwhite room was BOS for me. Outstanding.

[satbox]

@The Computer Audiophile

"The Doug Macleod track I'll Be Walking On": Are you sure that it's the right track/album? The song is a cover of a song from Queen, Mama...

[The Computer Audiophile]

29 minutes ago, satbox said:

@The Computer Audiophile

"The Doug Macleod track I'll Be Walking On": Are you sure that it's the right track/album? The song is a cover of a song from Queen, Mama...

Please listen to the start of the video.

[jtwrace]

@The Computer Audiophile you mention that the VR System has TWL and say "Using the ultra high end equipment rack from Amazon.com ($20) to rest his L2 series components and Straightwire to connect everything"  Pretty sure it was TWL as I see Pete in the pic.  😉

[The Computer Audiophile]

8 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

@The Computer Audiophile you mention that the VR System has TWL and say "Using the ultra high end equipment rack from Amazon.com ($20) to rest his L2 series components and Straightwire to connect everything"  Pretty sure it was TWL as I see Pete in the pic.  😉

Yes, there was some confusion on my part. I changed one spot but I see I missed another. Thanks.

[satbox]

16 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Please listen to the start of the video.

Sorry, my mistake! I have the album which is displayed on the video (on the streamer) and the part with the cover song of Queen is not on it. So, I presume that's a special live version...

[miguelito]

My Duo Messo’s sit on these Symposium Super Plus bases (custom because of the size). I got these bases at a previous apartment hoping to reduce floor transmission. They didn’t reduce transmission (maybe increased it!) but really improved the tonality of the piano. 

 

 

[RCG]

I have said for three years that Precision Audio Video had a winner with the Martin Logan/Constellation setup, and this year I've heard others say same.  My pal even texted me while in the room with "Wow."  The difference this year is that they brought the smaller ML 13a speaker vs. the 15a they had the last two years, which slightly overpowered the small room.  They all have the same "family" sound but the 13a was just right, and even with minimal room treatments, I was not the only one to say it sounded fantastic. My first year hearing this system (when the show was at the Westin), I sat through an entire album side.  This was after hearing the Martin Logan Neoliths in a system not too far down the hall that sounded terrible.  I don't know if the McIntosh DAC or their overpowered monoblocks were to blame, but the sound was metallic, edgy, harsh.  And they turned it up so loud that it drove me from the listening room, and marks the only time I have ever complained to an exhibitor about the volume level.  It was painful, and since then I've never set foot into another Audio Video Interiors demo at AXPONA. 

[Confused]

There appears to be a Chris Connaker lookalike in the picture per the link below.  Or maybe the real thing, shopping for high quality room treatment products for the new listening room?

 

https://hifipig.com/axpona-2019-photographs-from-the-show/8/

 

It's also worth clicking the links to the other pictures, the link above is page 8 of 8.

[JJinPDX]

10 hours ago, johnwilk said:

...The Dynaudio Confidence 20s were something too, glad to have heard them. ....

 

Please forgive, perhaps I should send a side note so this does not get off topic, but I have a chance to buy a pair of the Dynaudio Confidence 20's for a not bad price. It's just that I've never heard them before. Can you elaborate just a bit more on what impressed you, then we can drop this side bar. Thanks!

 

John J

[johnwilk]

Well, I can say a bit but these things are very subjective. Quite a few top-rated speakers seem to me tuned for maximum impact rather than coherent and integrated musicality. I felt the Confidences absolutely had that, to a really unusual extent, completely engaging even at a show, and they have remarkable bass too for their size. When it comes to the highest-end speakers I like Gamut which also have that integrated feel as opposed to Magico which initially impress but become tiresome to my ears. Sorry to be less than articulate in description, but if I had the money in pocket I'd go for the Confidences without hesitation unless I had an enormous room.

[wdw]

Chris,

My thanks for your Trane recommend.  This is just the sweet spot in his, too short, career.  Next off to buy a download...listening on Tidal and it sounds so fine.

 

 

[fas42]

Speaking of Dynaudio Confidence speakers, it was the top of line units a few years ago at an audio show, driven by Bryston monoblocks, that delivered the most capable sound I have yet heard, from a system not my own - especially impressive was the effortless SPL capability; better than anything I have achieved.

[The Computer Audiophile]

37 minutes ago, wdw said:

Chris,

My thanks for your Trane recommend.  This is just the sweet spot in his, too short, career.  Next off to buy a download...listening on Tidal and it sounds so fine.

 

 

This is great documentary. I watched it on Netflix.

 

 

[Ralf11]

yes, great - in the middle of our library's copy

[imanpaul]

thanks for the excellent report. if you wouldn't mind, what is the song playing in the Avantgarde Zero TA video?

[The Computer Audiophile]

42 minutes ago, imanpaul said:

thanks for the excellent report. if you wouldn't mind, what is the song playing in the Avantgarde Zero TA video?

I can’t remember. Just play it back and use Shazam. Then tell us 😁

[jtwrace]

8 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I can’t remember. Just play it back and use Shazam. Then tell us 😁

@imanpaul it's Sarah for the TA and John for the other.  

[imanpaul]

thanks jtwrace for the info.  i already had coltrane, just bought sarah.

[fabythom2713]

awesome..

it was my first time on a audio show...love

[fabythom2713]

awesome..

it was my first time on a audio show...loved it!!! 

Some Buena Vista Social Club music!!!

[The Computer Audiophile]

Great to hear @fabythom2713

[KDinsmore]

What is the deal with Horns really showing up everywhere it seems. Guttenberg and Stereophile too. I'm going to have to hit Axpona next time to hear these. Plus the painted colorful (Lambo/Ferrari colors) are way cool.

[fas42]

What horns do to the equation is make the job for the electronics far easier - the amplifiers are operating much, much further down in their working range; and the power supplies are actually functioning as they're supposed to. Currents being drawn from the mains are much lower, and are far less spikey; interference anomalies are greatly reduced.

 

All the designer has to do do is make sure the design of the horn drivers, etc, doesn't add too much distortion, which happens if they are not made well enough in the physical sense.

[jimf42]

I concur with your impressions of the Avant Garde room...I am not usually a fan of horn speakers, but those are amazing.

 

I also really liked the Eikon room and I liked the room with the ML Impression 11A speakers better than the one with the 13A.