CAS 2011

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CAS 2011

A Captivated Audience at the 2011 California Audio Show

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

A packed and captivated audience in the MBL room.

I was delighted to see so many people at the 2011 California Audio Show so attentively listening to music, as though listening to music on the hi-fi in 2011 is as much of an event as watching an episode of “True Blood” on Sunday night, or attending a concert at a music hall. Of course, we know that listening to music on the hi-fi is a special event, an active, enriching, and entertaining experience, worthy of our time and energy for the joy and nourishment it brings our minds and souls. It’s a lot of fun. If you were present at the California Audio Show, you experienced this.

CAS 2011

LumenWhite, Ayon, Vovox

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

In another large, difficult ballroom, beautifully finished LumenWhite Artisan loudspeakers ($45,000/pair) were mated to the 250W, class-A Ayon Orthos 2 monoblock power amplifiers. The source was Ayon’s CD5S ($11,380), which combines a tube preamp with a tube DAC and transport. Cables were the Swiss-made Vovox. The system created a large sound to match the large room, with big-hearted bass.

CAS 2011

Nothing New From Audioengine (Yet!)

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

In the Audioengine room, I heard a familiar sound: Fun, exciting, clean, and physical, with tight, lovely bass. The company was using their A5 loudspeakers, which I enjoyed a few months back, to play music via a MacBook Pro running plain old iTunes through an HRT Music Streamer II.

And now I know what Michael Lavorgna meant when he said he’d have to kill you:

CAS 2011

Gini Systems, Audio Space

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

A gentle, relaxed sound with well-focused images was coming from the Gini Systems/Audio Space room: Audio Space LS3/5a monitors ($1790/pair), Reference 3.1 300B integrated amplifier with tubed moving-magnet phono stage ($4290), DAC-US1 D/A converter ($2500), and CDP320 player ($800).

CAS 2011

Gini Systems iTube

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

Also in the Gini Systems/Audio Space room was the Gini iTube 2.1 Audio System ($199, show price). As you can see, it looks like a big iPod with a little tube and speakers.

CAS 2011

Widea Lab’s Audio Renderer

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

Jon Iverson might like this.

Widea Lab is a young Korean company. The company says they’ve got some strong candidates for US distribution and will also be selling via Amazon. Their first product, the Aurender (short for Audio Renderer; $5700), is a digital music server utilizing a customized Linux OS, linear power supply, and storage for over 5000 lossless and uncompressed CDs.

CAS 2011

Brodmann Acoustics Festival Series

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

Brodmann Acoustics was demonstrating their pretty little Festival Series loudspeakers. The Austrian company has a background in piano manufacturing as well as sound engineering, and the FS speakers ($3990/pair) have an interesting design:

CAS 2011

Light Harmonic Da Vinci 384K

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

Jon Iverson might also like this.

I noted generous scale, midrange detail, full body, and an overall effortlessness to the presentation of this system: Wilson Sophia loudspeakers, Pass Labs amplification, and the new Light Harmonic Da Vinci 384K USB DAC ($15,000 [NOTE: The actual retail price ended up at $20k-ed.]).

CAS 2011

Salk Sound, Van Alstine

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

I noted deep silences, good spatial effects, good low-end impact, and a fine sense of scale in this room occupied by Salk Sound and Van Alstine: Salk Sound Soundscape loudspeakers ($12,000/pair) and 300Wpc Van Alstine hybrid amplifier ($3000).

CAS 2011

DLS Flatbox

Stephen Mejias Jul 19, 2011 First Published: Jul 19, 2011 0 comments

Made in Sweden and now represented in the US by SimpliFi Audio, the DLS Flatbox on-wall loudspeakers come in five sizes (Mini, far right: $249 each; Midi, center: $349 each; Slim Large; Large; and XL, far left: $499 each), can be hung horizontally or vertically, and are available in variations of white and black cabinets and grilles. There are also three subwoofers, including the Flatsub8 ($799), used in the room. Partnered with Resolution Audio’s Opus 21 system and inexpensive DNM cables, the speakers threw a surprisingly wide stage, despite being mounted on temporary plywood walls. As we went up the line, I noted greater bass extension, but the Midi version seemed best balanced with the room and subwoofer.