AXPONA 2024

In the room operated by Brooklyn's John DeVore, we time traveled to the 1940s and 50s as he spun pristine shellac 78s on an EMT turntable, playing through the world premieres of both his O/bronze Loudspeakers (30,000/pair) and the 7Wpc Komuro Amplifier Company K300S direct-coupled SET 300B stereo amplifier ($20,000).

The EMT 928 II Turntable with 909 Tonearm and Pure Black MC cartridge (for stereo) ($17,995), was joined by an EMT 912 Tonearm ($6995), EMT External Arm Pod ($2795), EMT Tondose TMD015 mono cart ($1995) and an EMT Tondose TND065 78 cart ($1995).

Auditorium 23 Homage 2 and Vintage SUTs and A23 and Shindo phono cables were inline.

Preamplification was handled by a Mola Mola Makua Preamplifier (with DAC and phono modules) ($23,700). The assembled system connected with AudioQuest ThunderBird XLR Interconnects ($3900/1m pair), ThunderBird Zero Speaker Cables ($5700/8' pair), Monsoon High-Performance Low-Z/Noise Dissipation 3-Pole AC Power Cable2M ($550), and a Vodka RJ/E Ethernet Cable ($499, 0.75m), all plugged into a Niagara 3000 Power Conditioner ($3900).

Anthony Abbate also made the journey from Brooklyn to supply his Box Furniture Co. HD3S Heritage Double Wide 3 Shelf in Sapele ($5000) and present the debut of his ISO.D.S Isolation Base Double Wide in Sapele ($5500).

The DeVore Fidelity O/bronze Loudspeakers, which spec out at 26Hz–23kHz, 96dB/W/m, completed the chain. Then DeVore wowed us with classic 78 tracks including Peggy Lee's "You Can Count on Me," Eartha Kitt’s subtle but stinging "C’est Si Bon," Ella Fitzgerald and the Inkspots' "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall," and the epically grooving Peppermint Harris performing "Let the Back Door Hit You."

This was far from the 78 sound most of us know. There was no recessed stage, scratchiness, or dismal tonality here. Music came out of this system energized, concise, and impactful, with the kind of presence and immediacy some modern analog systems fail to manifest. The packed room applauded every disc.