Linear Tube Audio occupied two rooms and demoed their LTA Century Monoblocks in a world-wide debut.
In room 759, Afton Mountain Audio, an interesting dealership from beautiful Afton, Virginia, presented a Pure Fidelity Harmony Mk2 Hawaiian Koa turntable ($8995) with an Audio Origami PU8 tonearm ($6675) and an EBI Khumar MC phono cartridge ($2599). The cartridge fed an Aurorasound VIDA MkII phono stage ($5290).
The digital front-end was an LTA Aero DAC ($3950) supplied by an Innuos Stream1 music streamer/server ($3100). An LTA MicroZOTL Preamplifier ($5950) provided volume control and source selection while those world-debut LTA Century Monoblocks ($28,000/pair) made things louder. Speakers were a pair of Sound Lab G5-4Cs in Majestic Oak trim ($29,500/pair). A Fern & Roby equipment rack, an Audience aR6-T4 power conditioner ($6900), and WyWires Platinum cables completed the setup.
About those monoblocks: They were introduced to celebrate the 10th anniversary of LTA; presumably the name comes from the fact that they are rated at 110W into an 8 ohm load. (Also, "Decade Monoblocks" just doesn't have the same ring to it.) "The Century Monoblocks utilize a screen-driven output stage within the ZOTL topology," the LTA website states. "EL84 pentodes steer the screen grids of NOS 6JN6 beam power tubes, enabling efficient pentode operation while maintaining the linearity and fluidity associated with triodes."
Linear Tube Audio was also found in the Randoph Room, which was run by Maryland dealership Dr. Vinyl—jointly I think with Sound Lab and LTA. A J. Sikora Initial Max turntable ($17,725) with an Integrity Tru-Glider carbon fiber tonearm ($7000) and a DS Audio Master 3 optical cartridge ($10,500) alternated with the LTA Aero DAC ($3950), an Innuos ZEN NG music server ($13,750), and an Innuos PhoenixNET network switch ($4800). A DS Audio TB-100 Tube phono equalizer ($22,000) fed an LTA balanced preamplifier still in prototype form ($TBD)—then into those same LTA Century Monoblocks. Signal was transduced by a pair of Sound Lab G7-7C loudspeakers in Majestic Maple ($49,500/pair).
A Puritan Audio Labs PSM156-MFR power conditioner ($7500) and Albedo cables finished out the system.
Now for some photos: of the LTA Century in natural aluminum finish and that J.Sikora Max turntable and all the trimmings.
In room 759, Afton Mountain Audio, an interesting dealership from beautiful Afton, Virginia, presented a Pure Fidelity Harmony Mk2 Hawaiian Koa turntable ($8995) with an Audio Origami PU8 tonearm ($6675) and an EBI Khumar MC phono cartridge ($2599). The cartridge fed an Aurorasound VIDA MkII phono stage ($5290).
The digital front-end was an LTA Aero DAC ($3950) supplied by an Innuos Stream1 music streamer/server ($3100). An LTA MicroZOTL Preamplifier ($5950) provided volume control and source selection while those world-debut LTA Century Monoblocks ($28,000/pair) made things louder. Speakers were a pair of Sound Lab G5-4Cs in Majestic Oak trim ($29,500/pair). A Fern & Roby equipment rack, an Audience aR6-T4 power conditioner ($6900), and WyWires Platinum cables completed the setup.
Linear Tube Audio was also found in the Randoph Room, which was run by Maryland dealership Dr. Vinyl—jointly I think with Sound Lab and LTA. A J. Sikora Initial Max turntable ($17,725) with an Integrity Tru-Glider carbon fiber tonearm ($7000) and a DS Audio Master 3 optical cartridge ($10,500) alternated with the LTA Aero DAC ($3950), an Innuos ZEN NG music server ($13,750), and an Innuos PhoenixNET network switch ($4800). A DS Audio TB-100 Tube phono equalizer ($22,000) fed an LTA balanced preamplifier still in prototype form ($TBD)—then into those same LTA Century Monoblocks. Signal was transduced by a pair of Sound Lab G7-7C loudspeakers in Majestic Maple ($49,500/pair).
A Puritan Audio Labs PSM156-MFR power conditioner ($7500) and Albedo cables finished out the system.
Now for some photos: of the LTA Century in natural aluminum finish and that J.Sikora Max turntable and all the trimmings.
