Continuing my Audio Oasis! Awards, reflections on AXPONA 2019, and my photographs...
Merging Technologies/Evolution Acoustics/Wave Kinetics/darTZeel/Durand Tonearms/ATR/Analog Audio
In the Blue Light Audio room…world-class components, all!
Another big-time non-surprise: The Blue Light Audio et al. room was gassed, stoked, and ready-to-go! once again. Jonathan Tinn, Kevin Malmgren, and Joel Durand hosted a really seductive room, filled with state-of-the-art designs, and the amazing Maestoso Loudspeakers with their Exact external crossovers.
The system:
- Wave Kinetics NVS Reference Turntable ($45,000)
- Durand Tonearms Tosca 10" Gimbal Tonearm ($14,900)
- Ortofon MC-Century Cartridge ($12,000, limited edition, sold out)
- darTZeel NHB-18NS MkII Preamplifier ($44,000)
- darTZeel NHB-108 Model Two Stereo Amplifier ($44,000)
- Merging Technologies MERGING+NADAC DAC ($10,000)
- Merging Technologies MERGING+CLOCK ($36,000)
- Merging Technologies MERGING+POWER power supply ($7,000),
- ATR Services Ampex ATR 102 RTR Tape Deck (price varies; contact ATR Services)
- Evolution Acoustics Maestoso loudspeakers ($18,900 per pair)
The Evolution Acoustics Maestoso Loudspeaker with a Merging Technologies stack; in the lower right rear is the Exact external crossover, a technical tour de force
The unique Evolution Acoustics Maestoso Loudspeakers have impressed me every time I've heard them at audio shows. Unlike their much more bulky MM2, MM3, and MM7, the Maestoso's have a slim profile, and stand tall with a linear array. They are astonishingly coherent, lightning quick, and really dynamic. And they reach remarkably deep with their multi-driver ceramic array. The Exact external crossovers are real masterpieces…praise to Kevin Malmgren for his extraordinary work!
The brilliant Wave Kinetics NVS Turntable with Durand Tosca Tonearm and Ortofon MC-Century Cartridge
The NVS turntable is a particular favorite of mine. It is cosmically linear, silent, and easy to setup and operate. This year it featured Joel Durand's latest tonearm, the gimbal-mounted 10" Tosca…
An Ortofon MC-Century cartridge on the Durand Tosca Tonearm
…sporting a now sold out Ortofon MC-Century MC cartridge. Only 100 were produced for Ortofon's 100th anniversary, at $12,000 per, and all are gone now. After hearing the results here, I can say, "Rightly so!"
A closer view of the gimbal structure on the Durand Tosca Tonearm
The good news is the NVS and Tosca Tonearm will be arriving here at Positive Feedback River-City-and-up-the-hill in the next couple of weeks. Along for the ride will be the DS Master optical cartridge and dedicated phono amp…one of the most (and perhaps the most) amazing phono cartridge developments ever.
We'll see!
Also in the room was an ATR Services Ampex ATR-102 RTR…my choice for the tape deck that I'd like to own.
Merging Technologies' DAC stack: bottom to top, the NADAC Power Supply, NADAC DAC, and the new MT Clock
Rounding out the sources in this room were the components of the Merging Technologies DAC stack: a NADAC DAC, a POWER+ external power supply, and their new CLOCK+ ultra-accurate digital clocking mechanism.
Friends, this is quite the reference set.
Yes, there was no doubt that this space deserved an Audio Oasis! Award…gladly given!
Kyomi Audio/Audio Skies/GamuT/Jadis/Pear Audio Blue/My Sonic Lab/Stealth Audio Cables
In another Kyomi Audio room…splendid!
While in the Raidho "Big Room," I had gotten a chance to spend some serious time listening to Jadis tubed electronics feeding the Raidho TD 1.2 monitors. The results were really great, as noted.
Now I got an opportunity to go to George Vatchnadze's killer Kyomi Audio/GamuT/Jadis/Pear Audio Blue/etc. room. George had really put it together: the place was a laundry list of fine audio gear!
- Pear Audio Blue Kid Thomas turntable with Cornet 2 tonearm ($7,995)
- Pear Audio Blue External Power Supply ($1,995)
- MBL 1621A Transport ($28,000)
- MBL 1611F D/A ($28,700)
- Jadis JA200 MkII Tube Monoblocks, 200 watts per unit ($35,900/pair)
- Jadis JP200MC 4 Dual-Mono Preamplifier with integrated MM/MC phono section ($36,900)
- My Sonic Lab Hyper Eminent MC phono cartridge ($5,500)
- GamuT RS7i Loudspeakers ($41,990)
- Stealth Audio Cables (price varies)
- Artesania Exoteric 4 Shelf Rack ($7,900)
- Artesania Krion Turntable Platform ($4,300)
George Vatchnadze of Kyomi Audio: a portrait
The GamuT RS7i Loudspeakers are particular favorites of mine, second only to their magnificent Zodiac Reference Loudspeakers.
Once again the Jadis electronics showed themselves more than fully up to the task of powering the RS7i. And the Pear Audio Blue Turntable system made me smile…it's such an organic musical instrument. And not stratospherically priced, either.
George was an excellent host, and obviously loves what he's doing. It showed…the sound in here was full, rich, and nicely detailed, making me smile…and so an Audio Oasis! Award is in order.
Done.
MBL North America/Kyomi Audio
In the MBL room…
Once again, the MBL room demonstrated its top-notch three-dimensionality and powerful presentation of the music.
The MBL/Kyomi Audio system was composed of:
- The Noble N31 CD player and DAC ($15,400)
- The Nobel N11 Preamp ($14,600)
- Two pairs of Nobel N15 Monoblock Amps ($35,600 per pair)
- A pair of Radialstrahler 101E MK2 loudspeakers ($70,500 per pair)
Jeremy Bryan of MBL USA and Jürgen Reis, CEO of MBL
Another "no surprise!" room. Year-in and year-out, the MBL room (in conjunction with Kyomi Audio) impresses with its combination of great sources (often RTR tape), fine electronics, and holographic imaging, courtesy of its classic Radialstrahler 101 line (this year, the 101E MKII's).
This is highly detailed, 3D-from-stereo…it's breathtaking, really.
And I ought to know. I've had the 101's in my reference listening room on two different occasions…once with a pair of the stereo 9008's setup as monoblocks, and once with the mighty 9011 monos. Power galore!
An MBL Nobel N15 Monoblock with the right-side Radialstrahler 101E Mk. II Loudspeaker
Jeremy is nearly legendary among high-end audio journalists for his extreme precision and meticulousness in setting up an MBL room. In fact, it can be painful to watch him sweat the details and spare no effort in getting it right. Which is what he does; others might learn from his example. And, I should note, Jeremy has an exceptionally deep understanding and mastery of MBL's product line. This helps him to get the most out of his rooms every year.
Jürgen Reis: a portrait
Any time you're in the MBL room in the USA, you'll get to hear some of the best kit out there. Do yourself a favor, and educate your sensibilities.
One of my Audio Oasis! Awards for this room, and my thanks to Jeremy and Jürgen for being such courteous hosts.
Joseph Audio/Cardas Audio/Jeff Rowland Design Group
The Joseph Audio/Cardas/Rowland room…always a good place to be!
Going into Jeff Joseph's room was a real treat yet again this year. Jeff is a very congenial host, and never goes astray in the quality of the systems that he puts together. Synergy, for sure.
On the menu for his audio banquet this year were the following items:
- Rowland Conductor Phono Amp (from $8,500)
- Rowland Corus Preamp ($14,900)
- Rowland Aeris DAC ($9,800)
- Rowland 625 S2 Amplifier ($15,900)
- Rowland PSU Power Supply Unit ($15,900)
- VPI HW40 with Fatboy Tonearm ($15,000)
- Audio Technica ART 1000 Cartridge ($5,000)
- Vintage Technics RS1500 Open Reel (restored, $3,800)
- Doshi Audio Tape Stage ($17,900)
- Aurender N10 Network Music Server ($8,000)
- Qobuz
- Joseph Audio Perspective2 Graphene ($14,999 per pair)
- Joseph Audio Pulsar2 Graphene ($8,999 per pair)
- Cardas Audio Nautilus Power Strip ($1,500)
- Cardas Audio Clear Beyond Power XL (from $2,480)
- Cardas Audio Clear Beyond Interconnects (from $2,950)
- Cardas Audio Clear Beyond Speaker Cables (from $7,950)
- Cardas Audio Clear Network Cable (from $260)
Jeff Joseph: a portrait
There was no surprise here a-tall. The sound was always musical, with the Rowlands synergizing very well with the Joseph Audio speakers. And, as usual, Cardas tied it all up.
Yep, a great room. Organic, musical, makes-you-glad-to-be-listening fine audio.
Another one of my Audio Oasis! Awards here, for sure.
CH Precision/Göbel High End/Bending Wave USA/TechDAS
The view of the delivery end of the CH Precision/Göbel/Bending Wave USA/TechDAS room
CH Precision is a name very well known to me, and to readers of Positive Feedback. Marshall Nack has done reviews of CHP for PF several years now, and has been vocal in his enthusiasm for the superb design work done.
Göbel High End is a very impressive loudspeaker company; ditto its companion, Bending Wave. Last year at Munich 2018, I was quite taken with the big Divin Noblesse speakers, with CH Precision and KRONOS Pro LE front end. They ended up with one of my Audio Oasis! Awards at that show.
The seductive and splendid TechDAS Air Force One Premium Turntable
The equipment list for this room included:
- TechDAS Air Force One turntable ($162,000)
- Graham Engineering Elite arm ($12,900)
- TechDAS TDC-10 Cartridge ($12,000)
- CH Precision M1.1 Amplifier ($54,000)
- CH Precision L1 Stereo Preamp ($34,500)
- CH Precision C1 DAC with HD board and USB input ($38,500)
- Göbel High End Divin Noblesse Speakers ($222,000 per pair)
Göbel Lacorde Reference Cables:
- Speaker Cables 10 feet pair ($23,000)
- Balanced Interconnects 1.2 meters ($7,000)
- Power Cords, 2.0 meters ($8,500)
Raphael Pasche, Electronics Engineer, and Sales/Marketing/Distribution in the USA, for CH Precision. He's also one helluva good guy!
I got to spend a goodly amount of time talking with Raphael during one of my visits there. He's a person of passion for fine audio, and has a great sense of humor too. CH Precision is doing very well, and the brand has become established as a true world-class reference-level product line…including a high-precision SACD player.
Oliver Göbel of Göbel High End, standing next to his Divin Noblesse Reference Loudspeaker
I also got to spend some time with Oliver, whose speaker left its mark on me at Munich 2018. I didn't get to talk with him there, but did at AXPONA 2019. He is another person with a driving determination to work out his concepts of speaker design and produce the very best loudspeakers that he can. Certainly, the Divin Noblesse Loudspeakers are of a no-holds-barred level of design and production. Big budgets only need apply!
The source side: a slew of CH Precision and Air Force One components
The sound in this room, which was a pretty expansive suite-type space, was large, full-range, nicely detailed, and dynamic. The CH Precision gear was as I remembered from Munich 2018, with exceptional detail, commanding power, and lightning-like quickness. The Divin Noblesse's definitely were not starving for signal, and reached both high and low with aplomb. The midrange seemed well-balanced.
Oliver Göbel: a portrait
Overall, this was a truly fine-sounding room that drew me in for a good while. That's always a good sign, one that I listen to.
There was no doubt about the Audio Oasis! Award here.
Kyomi Audio/Aurender/E.A.R. USA/Helius Designs/Koetsu/Magnan Cables/Marten/Merrill-Williams Audio
I've got to say it: every audio show that I've attended for many years now, Dan Meinwald (this time in tandem with Kyomi Audio) puts together a system and room that make you very glad you were there. This time accompanied by the brilliant audio designer Tim de Paravicini of E.A.R., Dan once again hosted a fine collection of vinyl. Dan has deep experience and excellent taste in jazz and classical records, and it's always a treat to listen to him DJ his rooms.
The room featured some very good gear:
- E.A.R. Acute Classic CD player ($6,795)
- Merrill-Williams 101.3 Turntable ($8,995)
- E.A.R. Phono Box ($1,895 in black; $2,595 in chrome)
- Helius Omega Tonearm ($3,995)
- E.A.R. V12 Integrated Amplifier ($9,795)
- Aurender N10 Music Server ($8,000)
- Marten Django L Loudspeakers ($10,000)
- Magnan Audio cables (price varies)
Tim de Paravicini and Dan Meinwald: a portrait
As I suspected it would be, the combination of components was soul-satisfying, and Dan's LP selections were delectable. The scale of the sonic presentation fit the room quite nicely, and the sound always came down on the side of musicality…but without being sappy. You really could spend an entire audio show in a room like this, gaining a superior education in recorded music from Dan the Man.
Don't believe me? Try it some time.
An Audio Oasis! Award room, without any doubt whatsoever.
Stay tuned for Part the Fourth...
