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2017 California Audio Show in Oakland, CA - Partial Review

Hi Everyone!

Got to go to the show in Oakland. My first stop was to talk to the ASC guys. I like their uber-pricey products and thought they'd give me some good pointers. Unfortunately I really did not like the rooms which were heavily treated. This kind of surprised me. The best sounding rooms had only a pair or two of bass traps.

Also, Pass Labs was very much present in these rooms, so I can't tell completely whether what I heard was ASC/Pass or my own sinus issues. You are free to call me tin eared, but I'd rather you answered with rooms you really liked instead. :)

The universal characteristics of these over-treated rooms was single-note bass and a broad mid-range suck-out. Unlike the best treated rooms, where the bass really opens up and appears to have infinite reserves and speed, these just seemed to hit one note powerfully. And the same note in various rooms.

The best sounding rooms (and I did not go to all of them) were the Vienna acoustics, Soundlabs and Fritz room, and one more room that was selling speakers based on the Linkwitz designs.

Fritz also got some off-the-record praise from a pair of beautiful and accomplished recording artists I ran into at the Blue Coast table. They thought they were pretty nice given the prices. I concur.

The best headphone sound I ever heard at a show came from the Woo Audio display by Audio Visions SF. They had a 2-piece headphone amp for around $4k. FAR too much for me, but wow, what sound. Now they have the new, $8k model. I did not listen to it. I mean, I want to, but in the end I almost never listen to headphones anymore.

Also, Napa Audio / Visual Art speakers was there. I heard the art panel speakers gimmicky, but honestly I though they were not bad considering the restrictions they were under. Perfectly find for installations when you have zero floor space to give. Also, they should have safes hidden behind them.

If you went, let me know your thoughts.
erik_squires
michelzay
106 posts
 
Erik you said:"I sat in the back for the ML demo and did not get a chance to hear anything with a lot of soundstage. :( "

There were two room having ML demos: 1. small version of ML speakers in a small room,  2. a very big room with ML Neolith speakers ($80K) and sophisticated MIT cables!, this is the one that I found very interesting.

Regarding ASC tubes, I totally agree with you ...

cheers,
Mi




erik_squires OP
5,268 posts
 
The big room is the one I heard.

I have to say I don't care at all about MIT cables. I spend too much on crossover components to have a cable maker put in some cheap parts in a box and charge me for it.

Best,

E
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
609 posts
 
Hi, Eric.  Interested if you've got any other observations about the Napa/Visual Arts speakers.  I recognize them as being DML type drivers, which are just becoming 'interesting' as people begin to fool around with them...
http://www.tectonicaudiolabs.com/
There's some other variations 'out there'...not being in a place that 'audio shows' will ever happen, I'm stuck with '2nd hand observations'.  And I think the tin in your ears is a reasonably decent alloy. ;)
BTW, I used to live and work in Oaktown...commuted via BART to The City for awhile too, until the spouse decided we needed an SF zip code. *L*  Ended up living 2 blocks from the Mission, working south of The Slot.
Ex-pat CA native, Californicating here in WNC...*L*

passet02's avatar
passet02
145 posts
 
Any systems under 20 Grand ?
erik_squires OP
5,268 posts
 
Re: Napa/Visual Arts

I thought that they were decent.

I mean, not the best speakers I’ve ever heard, but for the application, and tonal balance, really quite good. I wouldn’t run screaming from a room playing music on them. Also didn’t get any imaging or detail. I did note a couple of recording types listening for a while. Both African Americans, one in a Baseball kind of hip hop outfit. Saw them later but they were busy talking to Cookie at Blue Coast so didn’t get their input. They seemed really nice, but they were deep in recording stuff.  They seemed to be enjoying themselves sitting in the sweet spot. Maybe WAF was important to them??

I ran into the only 2 female audiophiles and musicians at the entire show. :) They thought the center-all-in one was pretty poor sounding.

I have to say, the rooms all pretty much sounded awful. I could not wait to get home and clean my ears with my own system. Tonally, however, the Napa/Visual arts and Vienna rooms were the best I heard.

Best,

E
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