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Axpona Shout Outs

Enjoyable show again this year. Two rooms really stood out to me, Carver and Austin Acoustics.

The Carver room really had something going for it, especially for a system that probably retails <$75k all-in. I had not heard the Amazing Line Source before and i wasn't sure what to expect. IMHO it didn't do everything, but what it did was executed very well. Speed and articulation in spades, maybe coming up short in tonality but that could have been source material.

Austin Acoustics is obviously "price no object" but holy moly.  I could have stayed in there all day. 

Maybe it was my imagination but it seemed like a wider range of music being played this year. Didn't hear Sera Una Noche once! 

I didn't make it to every room, curious if other attendees found real standouts over last year?

BG
bgoeller
jab's avatar
jab
450 posts
 

I went to Axpona all three days and found the sound varied from good to very good. I did not listen to any bad sounding rooms, but three rooms were simply outstanding. The best sounding rooms had lines out the door with people waiting for an open space, the VAC - Von Schweikert simply blew my mind. All three days even Sunday morning when we shouldn't of been there, the VAC - VonSweikert room was full. 

I also enjoy talking with designers in their rooms and what their goals are. The pride these people have for their products and the appreciation (most have) for their potential customers is nice to be around. 

The market place had the usual record tables, but also many new record labels. New cable companies, room control products, audio furniture, turntables and many more designers discussing their ideas was educational.

Shows are wow factors, which there were many, but I also found this to be a wonderful conference full of ideas.

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
1,105 posts
 
MBL room on lower level was the best, IMO. The $75K speakers were mind blowing. Wish I can afford them :-)

So many other rooms had good affordable setups. I also liked Avant-garde and Canton speakers. 

Great show overall, enjoyed my time.  




arch2
92 posts
 
I was able to sit in the center front chair in the mega Von Schweikert room and I was blown away.  That being said the Legacy System V around the corner from Von Schweikert was stunningly good at a fraction of the cost.  Even though VS was my best of show I was more impressed with the Legacy considering the price disparity.  I went back into the Legacy room at 4:30 on Saturday and the guys were kind enough to switch the system back to the V's and let me listen for the last 30 minutes.  Truly outstanding sound.

Other systems I thought were exceptional included the tubed ModWright system with Daedalus speakers.  I sat in that room for 45 minutes and loved it.  Had I not heard the Legacy system I would have been most impressed with this one.

I was super impressed with the Atohm GT2-HD speakers being played with relatively modest electronics.  Very dynamic, big sound from a relatively small and affordable package.  There were some big boys on the 12th floor but I was most impressed with Atohm on that floor.

Hegel CD player demonstration was an eye opening.  KEF LS50 Wireless system presentation on the lower level was pretty impressive considering the entire system including internal amp/dac was $2,200.  Sonus Faber Veneers with Macintosh electronic was fantastic.  Focal Utopia headphones were an eye opener, but I still prefer my HiFiman HE 1000's.

I'm from Lexington, Kentucky which is the former home of Thiel Loudspeakers (Now in Nashville) so I stopped in to the Thiel room to hear how things were going.  I've heard some not very positive things since Jim Thiel's passing and the acquisition but the large Thiels were very good in the relatively small room.  I wish them all the best.

I did not have a chance to listen to the large Wilson speakers (long line to get in the room) nor the Magico room.  Lots of very good rooms and a few not so hot but all in all my buddy and I had a blast for the two days we were there.  Had a great time!
bgoeller OP
30 posts
 
Pmotz - Austin Acoustics was on the main floor at the far north end of the building. I will post a picture later.

Agree the MBL room did not disappoint. Sunday they played Jump by Van Halen at near concert levels and it was eye popping, even if that's not your bag.

My second favorite room was Destination, I guess I'm becoming a sucker for horns in my old age. Though not all the horn rooms were good, IMHO.
gammajo's avatar
gammajo
798 posts
 
The Von Schweikert/ VAC room was clearly best. It was all there - micro and marcodynamics, naturalness, nuance, aliveness and beauty to the sound. I watched them set up as they struggled with a nearly square room, and they were able to get great imaging from listening position but as mentioned, imagining was reduced in other positions. They have set up these speakers to image wonderfully across a range of positions in other rooms, just not able in this room in this short a period of set up time.
Also liked Tidal, Revel, they were showing the smaller MBL and they do indeed disappear as a source but have a bit vague center image, Sonos Faber and Nola sounded OK. Magic Q5 presented well, For me second place was I really liked the Legacy speakers with Raven tube amps.Wilson better than I have heard them but still prefer VSA and others.
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