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Paragon Sight and Sound
The Doshi Audio equipment was relatively new to me. The Jhor 160 monoblock is rated to deliver 160W into 6 ohms; it uses KT120 output tubes and a 26-lb custom output transformer built by Sowter. The handsome Alaap tubed line stage has four inputs and a 31-position transformer volume control.
Wilson’s MAXX 3 seemed pleased. I thought the sound was a bit bottom-heavy at times, but with a very fine midrange and clean, delicate highs. Even at very high volumes and during complex passages of music, the amps had no problem driving the big MAXX 3s, the system showing off stable imaging and producing no signs of distortion.
Source : stereophile[dot]com
TAVES Day 2
I'm a great admirer of Quad electrostatics, but I've been generally disappointed with their sound at audio shows. I don' know why. Maybe it's the large spaces the speakers are usually being asked to fill, or maybe the setups haven't been optimized—and, as a former owner of original Quads, I can tell you that they're finicky to set up. Also, they're always demoed with Quad electronics and, going back to my experience with the Quad 405 amp, I'm not convinced that their amps are as good as their speakers.
Whatever the reason for the Quads' unimpressive performance at shows, Toronto Quad dealer Altronics Stereo 2000 had somehow licked the problem at TAVES. The speakers were actually set up in quite a large room, open to adjoining spaces, so the speakers' job was not an easy one. And yet, the pair of Quad Reference 2905s sounded terrific, playing loud enough not to sound wimpy, and having that clarity and transparency that Quads are known for. The amps were Quad QMP monoblocks (260W)—descendents of the 405, but sounding nothing like the 405 that I remember.
The Elipson Music Center is a "lifestyle" product; the $2500 package includes a CD player/preamp/amp combo and a pair of spherical speakers that use coaxial drivers. It actually sounded pretty good, but what intrigued me was that the importer of this lifestyle product also imports the Phy-HP driver ($1300, see below), an esoteric item with a cult following that's about as un-lifestyle-oriented as they come.
Toronto-area McIntosh dealer Audio Excellence brought to the show a system that they thought would be a good match to their demo space, including a pair of 1.2kW monoblocks ($24,200/pair). Adrian Low of Audio Excellence admitted that this turned out to be overkill in the small room they had, but he said he might have brought these big amps even if he had known how small the room was, because "people want to see and hear the big amps."
Monitor Audio has a new subwoofer/satellite system they call MASS (Monitor Audio Subwoofer Satellite, $1200) that utilizes the C-CAM (ceramic coating) cone technology of their larger speakers. The subwoofer uses a 10" active and a 10" passive driver driven by a 220W amplifier, the five satellites having a 1" tweeter and 4" midrange driver. The satellite that serves as center channel has the same drivers as the front and rear speakers, but it's voiced differently to take into account its positioning in the system One of the satellites is shown here by Monitor Audio's Jeff Ginn.
Canadian loudspeaker manufacturer Paradigm is celebrating its 30th anniversary with—what else?—new speakers! The floor-standing Tribute ($6598/pair, $3299 each) has some new, patented technology, including a corrugated surround for the woofer—see below.
Reference 3A's Tash Goka is a true audiophile: no matter how good the sound of his Reference 3A speakers, he can't help tweaking and tinkering with the design to make the sound even better. The latest version of his Grand Veena is now the Grand Veena B. The B stands for Beryllium, which is now used in the tweeter. The speakers also incorporate the Surreal Acoustic Lens diffusion device that I mentioned in my 2012 CES show report. Despite the various improvements—and Beryllium is not cheap—the price for the Grand Veena B remains $8000/pair.
Source : stereophile[dot]com
Touch.30 Live in NYC
Like ML, I was captivated by the total experience: the dim lighting, the attentive crowd, the lulling sounds, the rich scents, the soft feel of old floorboards and torn carpeting—it all worked to transfix and transport.
Still, I was reminded that I tend to enjoy this sort of art more in my own home, where I can create my own images and stories, or even allow myself to fall asleep, while the hi-fi handles the reproduction. I still haven’t managed to avoid wondering why I enjoy this sort of sound art. My thoughts interfere with my enjoyment. What is it that I’m listening for? It’s always the recognizable bits that turn on me, that turn me on: the shards of rhythm in the chaos, the accidental melodies in the noise. Then again, I was similarly delighted just to see Philip Jeck smile. Too often, we forget to have fun.
And, as ML says, the simple act of listening strengthens our humanity, reminds us of our connection to greater things—things outside ourselves, things outside our listening rooms.
The event was just one in a series celebrating Touch’s 30th anniversary. Home to outstanding artists such as Hildur Gudnadottir, Oren Ambarchi, Christian Fennesz, Phil Niblock, and Philip Jeck, Touch shares our interests in sound, listening, and beauty. For more info or to purchase tickets to one of this weekend’s events, visit Touch or Issue Project Room. Also see my review of Thomas Koner’s wonderful Novaya Zemlya, available now from Touch (CD, Touch TO:85), in our October issue.
Source : stereophile[dot]com
