AXPONA 2018 - The Awards

In case you haven't heard, AXPONA 2018 has set the bar as far as North American High-end audio shows go. It's going to be tough to beat and we're already looking forward to next year. Before then, please let us know what you'd like to see on Audio Bacon. It's an ongoing poll we'll be referring to. Check out the most comprehensive AXPONA 2018 show coverage in existence. I think we only missed one or two rooms. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 As for the awards - instead of giving out old school, outdated certificates, you're getting shiny badges. Feel free to skip straight to the awards: Certified Crispy - Best of New Products Certified Sizzle - Top 10 Best Sounds Best of Show - Our #1 Room As always, we like to mix business with pleasure. First off, Chicagoans were "Paul-McGowan"-friendly and incredibly down-to-earth. We never had a problem making new friends during our stay. From the Lyft drivers, random yuppies, tour guides, and even our Airbnb host who took us around. Here are some tips for future attendees: Use Groupon. It's a thing in Chicago. Check out the Explorer Pass. Get a $10 Weekend Pass. It'll save you a ton if you want to visit the city. Grab a Lyft. 100% of the drivers we spoke to were people from all walks of life with a story to tell. I used Lyft so often I even won a free concert...but they told me I must be a resident of Chicago to win. -_- Audio Bacon AXPONA Adventures [caption id="attachment_10162" align="alignnone" width="960"] Green Street Smoked Meats - It ain't Audio Bacon without some Pork Belly in our bellies. One of the best meals I've ever had in this lifetime. I'm dead serious.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10163" align="alignnone" width="960"] Pulled Pork from Green Street Smoked Meats - HEAVEN HEAVEN HEAVEN. Shout outs to our random/awesome dinner mates Katie and James.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10159" align="alignnone" width="960"] Au Cheval - A 4-hour wait. Unfortunately, the burger was a bit of a disappointment that night.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10158" align="alignnone" width="960"] Girl & the Goat - Fancy stuff man...[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10153" align="alignnone" width="540"] Chicago Skydeck - No 3-hour lines on a cloudy day...[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10151" align="alignnone" width="540"] Pineapple Bacon Donut at Firecakes...[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10145" align="alignnone" width="960"] Deep Dish at Pequod's Pizzeria[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10144" align="alignnone" width="960"] The geeky Wormhole Coffee. I'm a coffee snob with commercial-grade machines at home. One of the best espressos I've ever had.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10146" align="alignnone" width="960"] One of 5 people on the 30-degrees Chicago Architecture Boat Tour. Worth it.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10150" align="alignnone" width="960"] Our Airbnb host Francisco was kind enough to take us on a tour through the lesser-known Pedway system...[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10140" align="alignnone" width="960"] Can't leave Chicago without a Chicago-style Dog. It's all about that celery salt...[/caption] and we're back! I'm quite frank as a person so, if the sound in the room has problems, it's difficult for me not to show it. Popping into these rooms is like having a one-night stand. Asking "Was it as good for as you it was for me?" isn't necessary (and you might be disappointed with the answer). Those who are confident with their rooms will rarely ask for another's opinion. They'll give you a cocky smile with a gentleman's wink. Some familiar speakers were almost unrecognizable this time around. This exemplifies just how much the rest of the components contributes to the sound. For that reason (and due to poll results), we will break down a ~$75,000 near-field system from the outlet to the speakers. Please let us know what else you would like to see on Audio Bacon. Due to crowds and suboptimal seating, it was impossible to give a fair listen in many of the rooms - fortunately, we discovered quite a few gems. The awards... Certified Crispy - Best of the New Here's some gear that's sure to bring hype into the audio space. We thought the demonstrations were straight-forward, convincing, and clearly illustrated the benefits of the product. Since many of these manufacturers will be sending these products in for review, we'll be able to take a closer look very soon. Innuos Zenith Statement Music Server/Streamer Featuring a double-enclosure linear power supply with eight independent power rails. Also includes a custom USB board with the higher precision OCXO clock. Innuos had a Zenith SE in for direct comparisons. The results were stunning and the two sounded like completely different servers. In comparison, the SE sounded dimensionless, fuzzy, and less refined/detailed. The Statement is MUCH quieter with much better realism in its contouring of voices and instruments. The fact that the SE is the best sounding server I've heard so far, this says a lot. Innuos were a bit obsessive with the Statement...and it paid off. Pricing TBD but will be around double that of the SE. Synergistic Research HFT Wide Angle Enormous soundstage and clarity - With just six tiny HFT Wide Angles in one of the largest spaces at AXPONA. Gingko Audio - The Line of Denafrips DACs The world premiere of the full line of Denafrips R2R DACs (Ares, Pontus, Venus, and Terminator). One of the rare chances to listen to an entire line of DACs in the same room. Aqua HiFi La Voce S3 Located in the Well Pleased Audio Vida room, this DAC is potent. I'm hoping to get one in for review soon. Harbeth P3ESR 40th Anniversary Harbeth is for music lovers and the P3ESR made quite a statement in the listening room. It had such a huge sound, we thought we were listening to the 40.2s. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a good seat (even on a revisit) but its rich and inviting musicality was made known to everyone in the room. We'll have to get this beauty in for review. Furutech I have a feeling their DPS-4.1 power cables and NCF Booster connector/cable holder will be products that will make their way into more and more systems. Gayle Sanders Eikon Loudspeakers An all-in-one high-end active speaker solution? The Gayle Sanders Eikon might just be your ticket. Pneupod Penuance Audio, has created a new way to mechanically isolate your components. Where the competition isolates only in the vertical direction, the NP-1s isolate in both the vertical and horizontal directions. Interestingly enough, it uses air compression so you’ll actually use a pump. It was very convincing (and “cute”) demo. One thing I noticed with most isolation products…they usually uplift the sound to create a quieter background at the expense of thinning out the sound. The NP-1 seems to be able to do this while keeping a full-bodied sound with a natural timbre. Certified Sizzle - Top 10 Best Sounds As you know, the only proper environment to evaluate gear is in a reference system where there's an appropriate amount of space and setup time. Given the fact that a single ethernet cable could dramatically alter the tone and presentation of a system, it'll be difficult for these guys to get lucky on sound. In view of this, it really speaks volumes about the exhibitors and their products when a room at a show sounds exceptional. With over 160 listening rooms, it was extraordinarily tough to narrow them down to the Top 10. After much discussion, these were our top listening experiences at the show (in no particular order). ROOM #630: Stereo Haven Leben Falcon Loudspeakers Line Magnetic Well Tempered Lab The best bang for buck speakers I heard at AXPONA. This configuration with the Falcon LS3/5a 15-ohm BBC Licensed speakers ($2,995/pr and $3,250 in deluxe finishes) driven by the Line Magnetic LM508 Integrated amplifier (SET 805) ($4,995) was one of my top picks from the show...regardless of the price. Voices sound so natural and properly textured while still being able to lay out the musical complexities effortlessly. There's a nice euphoric coat over the sound that gives it an alluring appeal without masking the music. It's a system that sings to the soul rather than the fleeting mind. ROOM #1528: Kyomi Audio Gryphon Audio Gryphon Diablo 120 with DAC module, Sonett phono stage (North American debut), Scorpio S CD player, Pear Audio turntable, Magnum Cables, Gryphon Mojo S loudspeakers ($24,753). One of my favorite loudspeakers at the show. Musicality with layers upon layers of rich and tactile textures. Male and female vocals overlay in such a natural and physical way. Frequency extension is cohesively strong and assertive. An unforgettable system from the show. ROOM #705 Refined Audio Cube Audio Cube Audio F8 Magus speaker ($9,900) and First Watt F7 amplifier ($3,000). Clean, pinpoint imaging, fantastic layering, and FAST. I expected these speakers to be more uplifted in the treble region but there was a beautiful layer of dense color. Admittedly, a very difficult balance to achieve in an audio system. I'm sure this is due to the much warmer sound of the F7. If there was an example of system synergy, this would be it. ROOM #340 Daedalus Audio ModWright VPI WyWires In the Top 1% as far as sound quality at the show and one of few rooms I revisited. These guys obviously put in the work to make sure the speakers sounded great in this room. One of the most aesthetically coherent combination of gear as well. ROOM #706 Bob Carver Corp Audioquest Music Direct No room treatments required. I've heard them at other shows but the The Amazing Line Source ($18,500) has never sounded this good. Accuracy in height and body with an infinite soundscape layered in all directions. This time, it's accompanied by a more palpable tone. It’s almost like a holographic image placed before you. Quite the experience. Utopia C Wynn Audio CD Player: Kalista DreamPlay One $48,000 (*new product, just announced at AXPONA, combine DreamPlay CD transport and DAC into one unit). Turntable: Thales TTT-Compact II Turntable $14,850. Tonearm: Thales Statement Tonearm $21,090. Cartridge: EMT JSD VM $4,995. Phono: Karan Acoustics KA Ph Reference Phono $23,995. Preamp: Karan Acoustics KA L Reference Preamp $16,995. Power amp: Karan Acoustics KA M 2000 Monoblocks $59,995 (a pair). Speakers: Penaudio Sinfonia $27,000 Cables: ZenSati Zorro and Seraphim. Spent some quality time in this room. Unequivocally one the best sounds from the show. Very dynamic, resolute, euphoric, and tonally accurate. Piano, in particular, sounds very convincing on this system. Startling fidelity and very addictive in its nimble articulation. Reaches far into the room with proper tone and timbre. ROOM #470 Well Pleased AV ANTICABLES Aqua Hifi Audio Hungary Gigawatt Innuos Kanso Audio Furniture Rethm Rethm Bhaava speakers ($4,499/pr). This room is featuring the new Aqua Hifi La Voce S3 Discrete DAC ($4,700), Innuous Zenith SE server ($7,000), Gigawatt PC-3 EVO SE power conditioner ($6,300), and Audio Hungary QUALITON A50i, Class-A integrated amplifier (2 x 50W, ~$8,000). This combination of gear sounded incredibly smooth, resolving, with the right amount of tonal weight and timbre. Instrumentation and voices are precisely localized in the soundscape while effortless relaying quick and heavy dynamics. ROOM #594 Gobel Audio One of the new products at the show, the Epoque Aeon Fine ($140,000/pr). Incorporates the unique bending wave technology: This bending wave technology is based on the principals of sound creation through musical instruments. It had an unconventional sound for a speaker (in a good way) and provided a very resolving and tactile sound that was very “accurate” sounding. One of the very few speakers I heard at the show with a nice show of tactility and textural nuances. It's a "new sound" I haven't heard from a system before. ROOM #654 Daedalus Audio LampizatOr Linear Tube Audio Skogrand Cables Lampizator Pacific DAC ($29,995) with its 300B/5U4G/6H6P tubes is beautifully shiny and sounds phenomenal. This config also includes: Lampizator SuperKomputer ($8,500), LTA MicroZOTL preamp ($3,850), Ultralinear ZOTL power amp ($6,800), and Skogrand cables Vivaldi Series ($750/2m). Daedalus Apollo 11 speakers ($22,800) with Daedalus DiD-SPK and DiD isolation devices. Daedalus is killing it with its second entry on this list. The combination of these fantastic products simply forms a tonal gestalt of euphoria and bliss. A perfect balance of clarity, detail, warmth, and texture. Just a very organic and inviting sound that keeps you in your seat. One of the few standouts at the show. ROOM #321 Elite Audio Video Distribution Furutech Analog: Kuzma Stabi M turntable ($19,225), 4Point9 tone arm with CC wire and ETI Silver Bullets RCA plugs ($3,995), CAR-50 Low-Ouput MC cartridge (0.3mv) ($5,895), and Plinius Krou SS phono stage ($3,450). Digital: Dell PC with 500GB HD, HRT Music Streamer HD USB DAC ($500). Preamp: Manley Labs Jumbo Shrimp all-vacuum tube line stage ($3,995). Power amps: Plinius Audio SA-201 stereo 200 wpc SS Class AB ($6,545), HRT Stage Control Center 80wpc stereo SS Class AB Integrated with 24/96 USB DAC ($800, display). Loudspeakers: HRT Stage VIII speaker system ($650/pair, 4 pairs in this setup). Sound Anchors Pro Series speaker stands with adapters for speakers ($900/pair). Subwoofer: 2 x REL S/3 powered subwoofers ($1,999/each). Speaker cables: Custom Furutech PCOCC Single-crystal stereo set ($900), Power cords: Furutech FP-S55N, 10-gauge nano AuAg bulk power cable ($193/m), Furutech Fi-50/50M NCF power and IEC plugs ($385 each). Furutech DPS-4, 11-gauge DUCC ultra-crystalline bulk power cable ($450/m), Furutech FI-50/50M NCF power and IEC plugs ($385 each). Interconnects: Furutech DPS-4 ($450/m) with Furutech CF-102 RCA plugs ($171/pair, two pairs in this setup). USB cable: Furutech GT2Pro @ 1.8M ($316). Power distribution: Furutech e-TP609 NCF + GC 303 Ultra-Premium power distributor (3 x GTX DR NCF outlets ($2,200), Furutech Flux-50 Filter NCF ($1,250), Shunyata Venom Defender ($199), Relaxa 530 Magnetic Suspension Component Platform (used under the Manley Preamp) ($1,250). A bit tucked away, one of the hidden gems of the show. A very unassuming setup with speakers I didn't recognize. This system had the best sounding vocals at the show. Period. Humanistic textures with warm-blooded weight and exertion. This is done without sacrificing outlines and resolution. Macy Gray’s The Way never sounded so physical, full, and believable. Thank you, Scot Markwell for creating such an amazing listening experience. Next, for the Best of Show... AXPONA 2018: Best of Show - Gershman Acoustics ROOM #710 Gershman Acoustics POSH Statement loudspeaker ($129,000) Studio ll Our entry level monitors ($3595) VAC Tube Amps MASTER PRE with Phono ($40,000) Statement 450S Amplifier ($46,000) VPI Turntable Titan ($40,000) Nordost Cables ORACLE CD player ($4,500) The Story Gershman Acoustics has been in the audio game since 1993. They've since gathered a substantial number of award-winning loudspeakers under their belt. Using such technology advanced facility as The National Research Council to develop, design and test all of Gershman Acoustics Modles, as well as having such passionate, knowledgeable and creative chief designer as Mr. Eli Gershman provides Gershman Acoustics with the advantage of designing and manufacturing Award Winning modles such as the Black Swan, Sonogram and Avant Garde and worldwide recognition.. Build Handcrafted in Ottawa, Canada. The magic seems to happen in their Acoustic Un-Echoic Chamber. A careful peek at the cabinet design and overall structure and you start to get a sense that the designer has given this speaker plenty of thought. The Posh Statement loudspeakers are constructed with a new approach incorporating two entirely separate enclosures. These enclosures are placed seamlessly one above the other. Each loudspeaker has a double woofer enclosure placed on impressively custom-designed Tiptoes. An A-shaped enclosure is suspended above the woofers by two solid steel structures. There's one on each side to suspend and completely separate the midrange and tweeter enclosure. When placed appropriately, the loudspeaker looks like a single cabinet. Features 1" HDF Wood and 1/4" stainless steel panels use to heavily fortify the enclosure The cross-over is constructed with point-to-point silver solder. Mundorf MResist SUPREME resistors A special fire-resistant casting compound is manually applied. This helps mitigate and stabilizes the resistor winding thus protecting it against microphony effects. So even during high loads, there's no deterioration of sound quality. Mundorf MCap SUPREME SilverGold.oil capacitors These TOTL caps exhibit micro-dynamics, acoustic neutrality, and realistic musical reproduction. Morel-dome tweeter Revealing and sweet without being fatiguing. Accuton Cell 5" Ceramic Midrange Full-featured Cell Concept Furutech internal and exterior wiring Connects the tweeter and midrange to the woofers Gold plated connectors Two -8” Aluminum Alloy double magnet woofers (Gershman’s design) The aluminum cone on this driver is extremely rigid yet well damped. This means a very clean and low-distortion bass and midbass region while being able to produce a very tight bass response down to 19 Hz. Gold-plated Mundorf binding posts For the best speaker cable connection, the Posh design incorporates these top-of-the-line posts. The Experience The Gershman Acoustics Posh Statement was just recently announced so this was the first time I (and many others) were able to hear it. As I stepped into the room, it immediately captivated me - both sonically and aesthetically. It wasn't the most elegant looking speaker but it gave a no-bullshit and all-business kind of vibe. My first thought was "This beast looks like it only cares about sound." However, the more I observed and listened, the more I really appreciated the "purist" and "mechanical" design. The high-gloss lacquer piano finish, shape of the supporting steel structures, and unconventional driver placement kinda works. I'm not a huge fan of neutral but the Posh Statement had just the right layer of richness that kept me in my seat. I would definitely appreciate a denser and lusher tone. But due to its performance, I felt a bit guilty nitpicking about that. The Posh Statement was able to also maintain this level of warmth while maintaining a nimble presence. The music was detailed, supremely airy, and transparent without sounding sterile or harsh. Imaging was some of the best I've ever heard on any system. Placement of vocalists and instruments were precise and coherent. As far as soundstage, it was realistically sized in regards to breadth and depth. It checks all the audiophile boxes on my list. A few exceptional systems have these boxes checked as well. What made the Posh Statement so special? After listening to hundreds of systems, I realized there's one thing that's difficult for many of these systems to convey - physicality. Even in some quarter-million-dollar setups with beefy amplifiers, they seem to fall short in making that strike on a kick drum or brush across a cymbal sound believable. It's just difficult to hear the tactility of fingered fretwork on a guitar or the exertion of air out of a saxophone on many of these systems. The Posh Statement in conjunction with the VAC tube amps exhibits an undeniable level of textural physicality. You could literally "feel" the music. The sonic bends in the acoustic space, the shape of the singers and instruments, and the overall emotional and physical investment of the recording. It just sounded tangible. It just sounded live. I had no clue what the price point was on this loudspeaker until my revisit on the last day of the show. I was hoping for something "obtainable" but hey, sometimes you get what you pay for. Congratulations to Gershman Acoustics for obtaining the Best of Show.

AXPONA 2018 – The Awards

Audio Bacon AXPONA Adventures

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