Toronto Audio Show (Taves)

Bigerik

Bigerik

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Billfort and I had a great day today at the Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show. Looks of cool equipment. Some really great sounding systems, many ok ones, and some that were downright terrible. While both the Legacy room and the B & W rooms made us run for the door, MacIntosh was much improved over last year.

Best rooms?

Easily, Audio Note. While many rooms made impressive sounds, Audio Note made great music. Such a basic system: their Dac 4, into their 300B powered SET amps, feeding their "E" speakers. Not cheap ( about $35K), but easily the most musical sounding gear at the show.

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I have been looking forward to some good reports from TAVES. Took about a week for the RMAF ones to catch up with my curiosity. I especially love the pics. Hopefully Bluebird had a good room.
 
Next best room? Reference 3A and Copland amps. As always, reference 3A managed to pit a system that sounded like music. As they always do. So simple, but really great sounding!

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My first listen to Kudos speakers, and they really sounded nice. And HUGE. We thought the big guys next to them were playing.

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The old Audio Note kits guys again didn't fail to impress. Yes, what you see here really is a brand new DAC.

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The Mc room. Sure was a huge improvement over the system we heard last years room that they had.

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Some lovely sound from the lovely Luxman integrated and DAC.

Still on my favorite gear list!

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Gotta chande to listen to the new NAD D3020, and I was blown away by how good this system, with PSB speakers, for only $1500.

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The mist expensive system of the day goes to this very nice sounding system. Kudos to the folks running that room in having it actually set up well.

Oh yeah, the cost. As it sat, it was $289K. Gulp. Sure sounded nice tho.

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The famous (infamous) Air Force One turntable. Starts at $80K. But it really was spectacular sounding.

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Bigerik said:
The mist expensive system of the day goes to this very nice sounding system. Kudos to the folks running that room in having it actually set up well.

Oh yeah, the cost. As it sat, it was $289K. Gulp. Sure sounded nice tho.

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Click to expand...

Dalek technology is not cheap.
 
Bigerik said:
Billfort and I had a great day today at the Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show. Looks of cool equipment. Some really great sounding systems, many ok ones, and some that were downright terrible. While both the Legacy room and the B & W rooms made us run for the door, MacIntosh was much improved over last year.

Best rooms?

Easily, Audio Note. While many rooms made impressive sounds, Audio Note made great music. Such a basic system: their Dac 4, into their 300B powered SET amps, feeding their "E" speakers. Not cheap ( about $35K), but easily the most musical sounding gear at the show.

ugyjezug.jpg
Click to expand...

I thought the Audio Notes were Devore Orangutans, a speaker I'm smitten with. What's up with these exceedingly fantastic 2-way speakers with floor stander stature, wide front baffles, exotic veneers, and blue-coned woofers? Curious and wonderful all at once.
 
Thanks for the show report. I was a huge Reference 3a fan back in the day and end up going with Audio Note over it. So I am pleased that they were 1-2 in your show report a decade later.

When you get Audio Note properly set-up (which doesn't always happen) in a room that isn't total crap (which is difficult with many hotel rooms (especially new hotels)) it's difficult to beat.
 
tomlinmgt said:
I thought the Audio Notes were Devore Orangutans, a speaker I'm smitten with. What's up with these exceedingly fantastic 2-way speakers with floor stander stature, wide front baffles, exotic veneers, and blue-coned woofers? Curious and wonderful all at once.
Click to expand...

The Devores were there also. I'll have to dig up a picture!

Yes, it does seem that the less you put in the way of the signal, the better the sound is. Or at least, the closer to the real life it is.

I've sang in choirs since I was 18. The Audio Note system is one of the first times I've heard a choir sound right. Not hyper detailed, but just right.
 
RGA said:
Thanks for the show report. I was a huge Reference 3a fan back in the day and end up going with Audio Note over it. So I am pleased that they were 1-2 in your show report a decade later.

When you get Audio Note properly set-up (which doesn't always happen) in a room that isn't total crap (which is difficult with many hotel rooms (especially new hotels)) it's difficult to beat.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they are really magnificent. Reference 3A produces some of the flat out finest deals in audio, in terms of music per dollar. I can't imagine any system that wouldn't do great with a pair of de capo i's, for instance. Simply stunning speakers!

But Audio Note? They are something special. Again, not as impressive a speaker as so many we heard. But one of the very few that make the performances sound right. Music sounds like music. I bet they have a much higher percentage of musician purchasers then most brands.
 
Just to clarify, if I would have to pick a system to listen to from that show, regardless of price, I would have gone with the Audio Note one. Again, it just sounds the most like real music.
 
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