Liquid HiFi’s Sonic Alliance: Wadax, CH Precision, Stenheim, Arya Audio, Nordost, Reiki Audio, Aardvark, Harmonic Resolution Systems, and Vicoustic
Ron Buffington’s Liquid HiFi was a chance to hear excellent orchestral music and learn something in the process.
Metaxas & Sins: A Sonic and Visual Spectacle
Reel Sound Distribution’s Jeff Garshon came fully armed to Tampa, with a Metaxas & Sins system that was both fantastic looking and sounding.
Playback Distribution: PMC, Esoteric, Esprit, Quadrasphire
Keith Haas and Rob Standley of Playback Distribution, PMC loudspeakers, and a gaggle of men in suits from Esoteric brought a big, banging, no-holds-barred system to Tampa.
Reel Magic: AV Luxury Group, On A Higher Note, Bayz Audio, Accustic Arts, Shunyata Research
Thomas Kiss (AVLG) and Philip O’Hanlon (On A Higher Note) delivered a startling surprise. Upon entering their room, attendees faced an unsettling ambiguity: fight, flight, or surrender to the experience. Most chose the latter.
Ryan O’Connor Delivers: ReVox, Playback Designs, and Aretai
Ryan O’Connor, president of ReVox North America, was working the rooms and the halls, but his ReVox B77 reel-to-reel machine ($15,900) failed to make it to Tampa for the ReVox room. No matter; the room offered a solid setup, including a Playback Designs IPS-3 integrated amplifier ($13,000) producing 260Wpc into 4 ohms, driving Aretai Contra 100S speakers ($9000/pair).
Simply Active: ATC Loudspeakers, Lone Mountain Audio
Lone Mountain Audio’s Brad Lund, Aleks Bars, and old Hall Audio pal Leland Leard brought a minimal but effective rig to Tampa.
Sonic Awakening: House of Stereo, Steinheim, T+A, Wolf Audio Systems, Synergistic Research
Located directly across from my berth 444, I fell out of my room and into 445, knowing not what was in there. I spied the handsome profile of Nexus Audio Technologies’ Walter Schofield, seated alone on a single padded chair, closely appraising a system of his own making. I grabbed a couple of donuts, poured myself a cup of Joe, and asked Walter to fill me in. He came out of his trance. “Ken!”
Supreme Acoustic Systems: Soulnote, AirTight, BennyAudio, Albedo, AudioQuest, and Cardas
It’s 3am on a Sunday morning. I must complete my tasks before Mark Henninger is awake. There are a handful of rooms left, beginning with Room 265, where Supreme Acoustic Systems brought on Soulnote and others.
Supreme Acoustic Systems: YG Acoustics, Bergmann Audio, Taiko Audio
Johnnie Bergmann (Bergmann Audio) and Vassil (Taiko Audio) guided me through the elaborate configuration of this expensive system—thankfully, as my brain was already fried by midday Friday.
Synergy in Sound: Gershman Acoustics with VPI, Esoteric, VAC, and Cardas Cable
Ofra Gershman brought an exceptional system to FLAX 2025.