Vanatoo is certainly giving other companies a run for their money with their Transparent One powered loudspeakers ($499–$549/pair, dependent upon finish). Deferring to Michael Lavorgna’s recent review on Stereophile’s sister publication, AudioStream.com, I can simply say that the bass and sheer energy coming out of these small speakers was extremely impressive. In fact, it was so impressive that the folks running the demo felt the need to frequently tell the large crowd that everything was coming out of the two speakers, without aid of a subwoofer or any other hidden device.
Source : stereophile[dot]com

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Ever since encountering KingSound electrostatic loudspeakers at an audio show several years ago, I’ve looked forward to seeing how their line would develop. This time around, KingSound was showing its King III Full Range ESL ($12,000/pair). Driven by Bob Carver Cherry tube monoblock amplifiers ($7400/pair), Purity Audio Design Statement 2 preamplifier (approx. $12,500), and an AMR CD777 ($12,000), all hooked together by Kaplan Cables from John Atkinson’s adopted hometown of Brooklyn, the system was a joy to listen to on Chet Atkins’ recording of “Mr. Sandman.”

No one knew whose period-instrument rendition of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 was playing next, but I thought the sound warm, lovely, and delicious. Despite some weakness in the lower line of instruments, the color of the higher violins was spot on.

Apologies if names and prices are slightly off. Shall I tell you how many exhibitors at RMAF had neither equipment sheet handouts nor correct reference information for their products on hand?

Source : stereophile[dot]com

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Danny Richie of GR Research, which supplies drive-units and other components to the DIY community, designed and assembled these panel loudspeakers using push-pull planar-magnetic drivers from BG Corporation. The loudspeaker, which hands over to a servo woofer at 200Hz, sounded open and detailed with all-battery-powered tube electronics from Dodd Audio. (There was also, on static display, a gorgeous one-off Dodd preamp using 6C33C tubes for voltage gain!)
Source : stereophile[dot]com

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Odyssey Audio products are proudly handmade in the US and sold factory-direct. The system I heard consisted of Odyssey’s Kismet Reference loudspeakers ($3500/pair), Stratos stereo amplifier ($1400), Candela preamp ($1500), Suspiro MC/MM phono stage ($1200), Groneberg cables, and a 15-year-old VPI turntable.

Odyssey’s Klaus Bunge turned out the lights and played Johnny Cash’s heartbreaking version of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and the system presented good drama and scale and communicated a very fine sense of space around Cash’s tired, frayed voice. The system also seemed highly resolving, helping me decide that there was too much reverb on Cash’s voice—I would have preferred it to be drier and more honest.

Next up was Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust,” which on this occasion struck me as being one of the most tragic and disturbing songs ever written.

Afterward, Bunge gave credit to the GIK Acoustics room treatments: “I’ve been doing these shows for 18 years, and this is the first time we’ve gotten a hotel room completely under control.”

GIK Scopus Traps ($149 each) “frequency range limiters,” for treating low-end frequencies without damaging highs; Soffit Traps broadband bass traps ($189 each); and Q7d diffusors for taming early reflections ($349 each) were employed.

Source : stereophile[dot]com

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Dali’s Thomas Knudsen may look a bit shy, but he was quite proud of the show debut of Dali’s Epicon 8 loudspeakers ($20,000/pair). Hidden from view were Naim’s NAC 172 streaming preamp ($2895), CD5i-2 ($1795), NAP 250-2 ($5995), and the UnitiServe SSD ($3995) network server with bit-perfect CD ripping capability.
Source : stereophile[dot]com

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