2017 Axpona Show and Report: Day 3

[MylesBAstor]

So by the last day of the show, getting to all the rooms at the show was pretty much a lost cause. Plus my mind was pre-occupied with whether Chad would have a copy each of the reel-to-reel tapes of Scheherazade and Pines of Rome for me to take home (answer: He didn't but they will ship out tomorrow).

PASS Labs had a dry display featuring some of the products at the show as well as live demos across the hall in the Quintessence Audio room (more on that in a moment). Plus the boys from PASS were there to meet and greet people and answer any questions show goers might have! I loved that they had popped the covers of their products so show goers could really appreciate the workmanship that goes into their amps, preamps and whatever. The innards of the 350.8 stereo amplifier really impressed me.

[MylesBAstor]

Across the hall, the Sonus Faber Aidas were being driven by PASS amplifiers and electronics. For whatever the reason--and I could be totally off base--it seems that the Aidas need a solid-state amplifier--to really extract their potential. The best I've heard the Aidas were when the speakers were being driven with Burmester or here with the PASS Labs. Other times the speakers have really left me with a cold feeling due to a lean quality tracking to a recessed region in the lower mid/upper bass region (a frequency dip or challenging phase angle?). Whatever the reason, the Aidas here had a much fuller sound than I normally associate with them (my reference is still the SF Fenice and it seemed that SF broke the mold after designing the Fenice. Interestingly, I've heard a rumor that SF will be coming out with a mod for the Fenice soon).

[Socrates]

Ha! interesting the powers that be decided on using PASS Electronics here--especially as SF's stablemate is ARC.

Excellent coverage and comments Myles much appreciated by us not able to attend.

Soc

[Barry]

A flashback to the 80's and displays of the megawatt Threshold amps with their big heat sinks, cap banks, canned trafos, and rows of beautiful output transistors lining the sides. I finally got my hands on a big Stasis S/550e many years later. Properly biased, the heat sinks ran at 120 degrees warming your heart and your room!

[Hawk]

Even though I am definitely a tube guy, the 350.8 build quality and look is very impressive!

[MylesBAstor]

The new version of the Sadurni horns impressed me at the New York Audio Show and Jorge decided to show in Chicago with Nagra's sexy little 20 watt per channel, 300B based, tube amplifier (I wonder what a better set of 300Bs would bring to the sound of the Nagra?). I thought in some ways the sound in New York was a little better in some ways and other ways in Chicago. It seemed the speakers had more image height in New York (with the earlier models everything seemed like everything was HO Model size) and continuousness; on the other hand, the speakers had more ease and solidity with the Nagra tubes amps. Certainly one horn speaker that I can listen to. And there aren't a whole lot of them.

[MylesBAstor]

George and Zesto Audio usually have among the better sounds at shows and this year's Axpona was no exception. The spotlight was on Zesto's newest Andros Tessera phonostage featuring true floating grounds and the ability to support four tonearms. The Andros Tessera also has more flexibility than George's first phonostage and he feels this unit is more dynamic, quicker and quieter. Plus with the exception of the Jensen transformer SUT in the phonostage, this was a true all tube system with the Marten speakers. And it showed a magic that sometimes is lost in audio nowadays. Despite some issues, the one thing that came through loud and clear was the system's resolution ability from top to bottom. Like I've said before. Tubes have a magic in the mid-bass to lower mid area that eludes ss designs and the Zesto/Marten system exemplified that trait (not unlike the debate of panels vs. dynamic drivers in this frequency range). There was just so much more information in this area than in other systems.

Note to self again: second time have heard a Benz cartridge at the show (the other being the Gullwing) and these cartridges still have that musical magic that I remember back when I reviewed the Benz Ruby in the '90s. Not to mention owned a $1500 Benz (IIRC the MC3?) when Bruce Ball and Ron Rambach distributed the cartridge.

And that Benz cartridge was ______?

[Hawk]

When I look at upgrading my phono stage, I will have to put the Andros Tessera on my list with the CJ Tea 1 Series 2 and the Lamm LP2.1. All are less then a semesters tuition for my favorite and only daughter. I am undecided if that is a feel good comparison.

[Billy Shears]

_SLR Gullwing in the Pic

[1morerecord2clean]

Myles, was the show successful from the exhibitors point of view?

[MylesBAstor]

I'll talk about that in the show wrapup.

[Ritmo]

Good summary Myles. Too bad you did not feel well on Sat afternoon.

Really enjoyed breakfast on Saturday. Always good to have a chance to meet, share stories and talk music!

[Ritmo]

BTW, I really like the new Zesto phono. Seriously thinking about upgrading from the Andros 1.2. Great sound, flexibility to suppport multiple arms with easy access to adjustments and excellent gain choices. The unit was very musical and ultra quiet. Oscar Peterson sounded fabulous.

[dafos]

I did just that and I humbly recommend that you do to ASAP. The Tessera is MORE than just an Andros on steroids. You won't regret it.

[Analog21]

I might be looking at the Zesto Leto preamp. Zesto is always a safe better in terms of musicality and great customer service as well. I'm becoming more interested in purchasing from companies with stellar service that make reliable products. Had a less than stellar experience recently with a product and the after sales service from the company (not the dealer and not the distributor) was far from acceptable for high end audio. George is one of the stand up guys in this industry.

[MylesBAstor]

The Bergmann tables are so sexy looking and the new $34K Galder with vacuum turntable and Odin air bearing arm is no exception . The Galder accommodates up to three arms. nd is one of their first in house constructed tables replete with an aluminum base. Topping off the arm is the $6K Phasemation PP2000 moving coil cartridge formely known as Phasetech.

But what really piqued my interest was Ron Sutherland's new $895 phonostage with 48 V rails and robust power supply.

All was played through the new Avantgarde semi-active $15K speakers. The new speaker is based upon the Zero 1 XD (full active) but lacks the preamp, DAC and built in tweeter/midrange amps.

[MylesBAstor]

Playback Design room with Andreas' new Dream series DAC and transport along with ATC speakers. Brian Tucker also brought along his modded and a sister Studer B62 machine to that found in the Gamut room. I also happened upon Lyn Stanley and she treated us to a couple of cuts from two of her tapes as well as her latest album.

[MylesBAstor]

Jeff Catalano and Highwater Sound room is always a pleasant stop at Axpona. In large part because Jeff always brings along an amazing selection of vinyl records! Plus I really dig the look of the TW Acoustics turntables.

[Hawk]

Beautiful Turntable. What would be the approx. cost?

[jonathanb]

If ya gotta ask…

[MylesBAstor]

Had a quick stop in the CH-Precision room with the Magico S1 Mk. 2 speakers. The Sparta turntable (or really cartridge), unfortunately, just wasn't working. For some reason, the right woofer/midrange was flopping around like a fish out of water.

[MylesBAstor]

Wow. This was one big and dynamic sounding system and didn't find it until the end of the show. And the new VPI designed and built Mark Levinson was also being used.

[MylesBAstor]

Last stop of the show before heading out was Doug White's The Voice That Is room. Doug always does a great job with his rooms at shows; they've even taken another step forward with his addition of the TW Acustics turntable line, The Akira speakers had with my reference reissue of the Wilson Audio recording Centerstage, some of, if not the best, low end sound at the show . (anyone who has heard the album knows about the bass drums on the Dave Wilson recording.) For analog fans, Doug also was using the newest, $11K Transfiguration Proteus Diamond cartridge (Gary Koh had the first one of these cartridge in the US!)

[MylesBAstor]

Tomorrow, I'll finish up with my concluding comments about this years' Axpona Show!