Bigger than a basketball court but slightly smaller than a football field. Roughly one-half of the exhibit hall was designated the "Record Fair," while the other half of the Marketplace was the Ear Gear Expo. Inside this massive room sat 80 tables/booths filled to the brim with audiophile goodies ranging from software to cables to headphones to turntables and cartridges to record cleaning machines to reel-to-reel decks, etc. The Marketplace was always bustling and business was especially brisk for the software retailers, including the big three Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc, and Music Direct. Me? I finished off the first set of 12 tapes from Acoustics Sounds with the purchase of Stokowski's Rhapsodies in addition to a copy of the new Jacintha album featuring the music of James Taylor. Why didn't I buy more software? Because I have most of the LP series on standing order!
Some of the sights of the headphone exhibits. A world unto itself.
Rob Niemann and Norman Steinke of Rutherford Audio brought along a truckload of audio and analog goodies including Vertere and Thorens turntables. Two of highlights from their table was Richard Mak's new Analogmagik cartridge alignment system and Acoustical Systems' new high output (6 mV) moving iron cartridges. Stay tuned for more on the cartridge setup disc!
One of my favorite Marketplace discoveries! Music-Hall’s $399 turntable that includes table, arm, cartridge, and phono section. Even does 78 rpm! You know it's not a vinyl grinder like some of the other cheap tables.
Some wild looking speakers from Atrevit Acoustic.
The marketplace didn’t lack for software either. There were 15-ips tapes, records, and CDs. Yes, something for everyone. Looking for something to playback those 15-ip tapes? How about a Mara Machines retrofitted MCI machine seen at the Acoustic Sounds booth? Oh yes. Check out Acoustic Sounds' entire first series of 12 tapes by the Mara Machine tape deck. Chad is presently selling around 300 tapes a month and is busy readying the first series two release Sonny Boy Williamson Keep It To Ourselves.
Ultrasonic record cleaning machines dotted the landscape.
A new inexpensive ultrasonic record cleaning machine from xx-Canadian now living in Colorado, Charles Kirmuss. Priced at $795, the new Kirmuss Audio record cleaning machine takes five minutes to clean up to 4 records (2x33, 1x45,1x78) at a time. Drying is either manual wipe or drip dry.
Steve Evans of Perfect Vinyl Forever journeyed down from Wauwatosa, WI with his commercial/industrial style record cleaning machines. Steve uses a variety of conventional record cleaning with enzymes, temperature, ultrasonic cleaning and drying process to get the best out of both new and used albums. The LP cleaning process takes around 30 minutes and as Steve pointed out, how many audiophiles want to spend 30 minutes cleaning all their records? Even a small amount? I’ll be doing a short expose on Steve’s cleaning process, as well also comparing the sound of discs cleaned by him by different methods.
Zavfino 1877Phono brought along a variety of fun things including several turntables, arms, cables, and connectors. The Aesna Series Tonearms are made from various materials including aluminum and carbon fiber (both under $1000), and a new titanium arm (price TBD). The arms use is cryotreated steel knife edge vertical bearing and ceramic horizontal bearing. The arms work with cartridges weighing 5 to 15 grams.
