AXPONA Chicago April 21-23, 2017 - Who's going?
- Thread starter DC
- Start date
bean_counter
Active Member
yes, nice room. Was nice to see Canton, they seem to be thin on the ground in the US. I remember auditioning lower price range Cantons (maybe 30 years ago?) and liking what I heard.
Was very difficult to judge the systems in some of the small rooms. And adding competing rooms next door and some open doors.
Would have liked to hear the Rogue Magnum tube amp more. Even it was likely too much power for the little room.
Yes the Cantons sounded nice. I like a pair of small outdoor Cantons I have. Peaked my interest. Picked up thier brochure. From thier website, they have a vast line of speakers. I think thier used speakers are a little undervalued from under exposure.
My first time to these shows. Will return next year.
Would have liked to hear the Rogue Magnum tube amp more. Even it was likely too much power for the little room.
Yes the Cantons sounded nice. I like a pair of small outdoor Cantons I have. Peaked my interest. Picked up thier brochure. From thier website, they have a vast line of speakers. I think thier used speakers are a little undervalued from under exposure.
My first time to these shows. Will return next year.
There was one room I was in playing some kind of metal from LP, with someone from the record company there. The amp they were using had meters, and they barely moved while the music was on, staying pretty much straight up - that recording was completely compressed. Needless to say, it sounded like crap.
That makes me think that someone should start making speakers for us end users, not the reviewers.
One of Paragon's rooms mentioned this--they play music in their demos, not "audiophile favorites." They were playing "Every Day I Write The Book" by Elvis Costello when I visited. And if I never hear that annoying "No respite, no refuge....hummma hummma" song ever again in my life, or obnoxoius female "alternative" vocalists ruining classic rock songs, I'll be better for it.
Even AP's sampler reel was getting a bit long in the tooth, but at least it was better music that I could relate to. I haven't fully jumped down the classical rabbit hole but I must say that the systems playing classical works were the ones that held my attention. Well-recorded small group jazz would be another I'd stick around for. Classic rock? Not quite so much.Audio Video Interiors totally ruined the Martin Logan Neolith demo by blaring "The Great Gates of Kiev" at ear-bleeding volume through that bad sounding (IMHO) McIntosh system. Which is a shame, as I really wanted to spend quality time with the speakers. Yes, OK, fine, we get it. They play loud. Really loud. Really really loud. Only this time, their idiocy had the room 2/3 vacant. This year's sound was so bad I've complained to Martin Logan about it. Last year's setup in this same room had the Renaissance speakers that as I mentioned earlier, sounding similarly strange through this exact same system, but this year sounded completely different driven by Constellation electronics in another room--I spent time in that room both days I was there, since it sounded so much better. And the music selections were way better. They were spinning vinyl on the Continuum Obsidian/Viper combo. And amusingly enough, they played part of "Pictures at an Exhibition" and did not feel the need to play it at an absurd level.
I saw a comment in one of Stereophile's videos ("Thoughts on CES 2017") from one of the review staff, saying that manufacturers needed to "up their game" with the demo music, and I agree completely. I will say that the more friendly rooms would either look up your favorite on their drive, pull it in from Tidal, or play it back from your CD or thumb drive if they were capable. Don't show me what your system can do with a small number of overplayed "audiophile" tracks--play us music we actually buy and listen to.
Skylab
Watcher of the skies
Yeah the annoying female vocal slow as molasses cover of the show seemed to be the one of the Police's Roxanne. Not sure who the artist is but we heard that in several rooms. As dull as music gets.
There were quite a few people playing Muddy Waters' Folk Singer which is about as GOOD as music gets IMO, and sounds much better than listening to 5 minutes of flute and cymbal
There were quite a few people playing Muddy Waters' Folk Singer which is about as GOOD as music gets IMO, and sounds much better than listening to 5 minutes of flute and cymbal
olson_jr
Lunatic Member
Yeah the annoying female vocal slow as molasses cover of the show seemed to be the one of the Police's Roxanne. Not sure who the artist is but we heard that in several rooms. As dull as music gets.
There were quite a few people playing Muddy Waters' Folk Singer which is about as GOOD as music gets IMO, and sounds much better than listening to 5 minutes of flute and cymbal
Was this the Roxanne cover?
Skylab
Watcher of the skies
Definitely not. That's actually kind of cool! The one played at the show in several rooms was much tamer and lamer.
olson_jr
Lunatic Member
Damn, I pride myself on knowing covers.
Never heard this one before, but it sounds like something from an audio show.
olson_jr
Lunatic Member
Chat music?
..people who wouldn't shut up as the music was playing?
Maybe "cat music," "le chat" being the French variation. Maybe the Jingle Cats singing (meowing?) "Little Drummer Boy?"
I keed.
Surprising to see all the R-to-R decks. How did they sound in the various setups?
Curious what you didn't think sounded very good.
Glenn
Skylab
Watcher of the skies
The reed decks all sounded terrific - but save for the lone Pioneer RT-909 they were all 15 ips 2-track decks playing world class tapes, and as such they SHOULD sound fabulous.
Like others have said, there were quite a few speakers that were much too bright, at least in the rooms and systems they were in. And also the big JBL horns, which I have heard sound great, sounds just plain WRONG.
Like others have said, there were quite a few speakers that were much too bright, at least in the rooms and systems they were in. And also the big JBL horns, which I have heard sound great, sounds just plain WRONG.
I haven't heard a R2R deck in a very long time, maybe since 70-71 when I was 12-13, Damn! My dad made tapes for bars and clubs. He had two set up. I have no memory or pics of any of the gear brands unfortunately. I remember it sounding great though.
I attended the last NY Audio show, had a great time, and also noticed some systems being overly bright. Only saw two, three rooms with R2Rs, one being the Technics room, but they weren't using it when I was there.
I'm looking forward to next year's show for sure. With all the big bucks systems, the next morning I sat in my cave and felt my system sounded just as good as many I heard, at a fraction of the cost!
Glenn
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