A Visit to Audio Arts in NYC

[MylesBAstor]

Coming soon.

Awaiting Gideon's return from Europe where he is visiting with Manuel Huber/FM Acoustics and with Stenheim in Montreaux listening to the new Alumine 5 (a high efficiency dream of a speaker) and the completion of his new showroom. Hopefully by the time I visit, Gideon will have set up the first FM Inspiration system including speakers in the States!

Stay tuned!

[MylesBAstor]

So it looks like the long awaited visit to Gideon's where he'll have a full FM Acoustics set-up will finally come to fruition this coming January! Will update as more information becomes available.

[MylesBAstor]

Manuel Huber's new FM Acoustics 223 mk.2 phonostage just arrived at Gideon's store.

[rockitman]

Did you hear the decrackle circuit in action ?

[MylesBAstor]

A few pictures from last night's listening session! Sneak peak. The Le Son DAC from Switzerland was very impressive.

[MylesBAstor]

A few albums from Gideon's collection that we spun on the Brinkmann table last night.

First heard the King's Singers at Gary Koh's. Sadly have a copy at home but still haven't played it.

Never heard nor seen the Mel Torme Umbrella album before. Recommended to Gideon by Michael Fremer and the Janis Ian/Mel Tormer duet is terrific.

Though later Manitas issue, this recording is still amazing. Some of the best flamenco you'll ever hear. The earlier Connoisseur recordings are highly recommended!

This was a new Charlie Byrd to me though he did tons of recordings for Concord!

Oh yes, we did play Vollenweider's Caverna Magica and I brought down my copy of White Winds (turns out Gideon is into Vollenweider too!) At least here, the White Winds was the better sounding recordings though both are recommended. White Winds definitely sounded more solid and had more presence and information.

[chris h]

Myles what is the photo showing a box with dividers in it ? tubes ? stylus?. Also love the SRA rack. I look forward to having one in my room down the road. I love my Ohio Class isolation bases that I placed my amps on as my starting point with the SRA product line. for sharing your evening. Safe trip to Capital fest . I am leaving today so I get to enjoy all the show will have to offer. Let the begin

[JimTimP]

Pretty sure that's the LeSon DAC from the picture preceding it. Just the top view.

[MylesBAstor]

Yes, was trying to get a picture of the board and parts inside.

[Tunes]

Pretty sure that’s the Fuuga cartridge. Very nice.
Those Zellaton statements were simply incredible when I visited AA back in the Spring.

[Bill Hart]

What a nice room. Very fancy gear. If I were there, I'd tell the Jefe to toss that Audioquest brush and bring some well recorded hard rock.

[MylesBAstor]

We played some electronica. Does that count? 😉

[Bill Hart]

Just being difficult Myles. Listen to whatever you want to; the classical and vocal stuff that is well recorded is, for me, better for system evaluation purposes than enjoyment (though I still listen to some classical), but I've been in this retro hard rock thing for several years now, and it's getting worse, deeper, more obscure, proto-metal. If I had to pick one that you guys should carry around, just to blow your socks off at high db, it would be a UK Swirl of May Blitz, for the 2nd track on the 1st side. It is a power trio, guitars in the room. No nuance, but do you want to feel like you are in a club in London in the late '60s?
Some of the tracks on Hoodoo Man Blues can give you that feeling too.

[MylesBAstor]

I like Hoodoo Man Blues. Think I have the 45 and 33 rpms here I liked it so much.

[MylesBAstor]

Some more pictures. Equipment pictured in larger room #1:

Speakers: Zellaton Statement, 750 pounds a side, $350K

Sources:
Analog: Brinkmann Balanced turntable and 12.5 arm (with power supply and tubed “bearing oil” heater--right of SRA rack) and Fuuga moving coil cartridge
Digital: Le Son DAC from Switzerland

Electronics:
FM Acoustics 223 Phonomaster
FM Acoustics 266 Mk. 2 preamplifer
FM Acoustics 108 amplifier, 70 wpc

Ensemble Power line conditioner (left of SRA rack)

Silent Running Audio Scuttle rack

[MylesBAstor]

Equipment in smaller room #2. Some classic pieces here! How about the Schoppers/Swissonor Thorens idler-drive table with arm based on EMT and Ortofon SPU cartridge?!?! Also included FM Acoustics Linearizer and Thoress phonostage.

[Bill Hart]

I don't know that I could live with an idler drive as a main turntable, but the build quality on that thing is nuke-proof.