T.H.E. Show 2019 – It’s a Wrap!

Intro

We just spent a casual day at T.H.E Show 2019. Got some good listens in! If you’re going in for the third day, here are some of the rooms to look out for.

• Scott Walker Audio / Synergistic Research – Competitors vs. Synergistic Research Demo
  • Synergistic Research is introducing their new 6N silver, air dielectric, Foundation Series Cables.
  • A really fun and interesting demo by Synergistic Research to spice things up. The differences were enormous. The “Competitors” room had top-notch cables and power conditioning. The sound was warm but was noticeably two-dimensional. With a full application of their components, the Synergistic Research room was far more holographic and delineated. Looks like a lot of work to set this up, but I hope they do another one of these at future shows.
  • Synergistic Research: The most amazing audio demonstration you will ever hear. Two identical rooms, two identical systems playing identical songs at identical volume. Walk into one room and then walk into the other as many times as you like and prepare to be amazed by the difference you hear with our new Foundation Series Cables that will set the standard for interconnects below the $1.5k price point.
• Brooks Berdan
  • The masters of analog. Check out the new Magico M2s with their amazing turntable setup. They also have the Chord Electronics Hugo M Scaler on deck. Fantastic sound from this room.
• Alma Audio (#522)
  • Make sure you hear this ~$30,000 system in the sweet spot!
  • Gear
    • Wilson Tune Tot
    • LUXMAN L-509X Integrated Amplifier ($9,000)
    • Aqua La Voce S3 DAC
    • Innuos Zen mini mk3
• Sunny Components, Audience, EgglestonWorks (#603)
  • These new EgglestonWorks loudspeakers ($6,000) go surprisingly LOW. It’s pretty crazy and worth a listen.
  • In addition, Audience’s new FrontRow line of cables are in full effect.
  • Request Fink’s Warm Shadow and enjoy. It’s a very smooth, dense, and a very “physical” sound.
• Thrax and Hemingway Cables
  • Located right next to Brooks Berdan on the first floor. Incredibly dynamic and clean sound from this room. A sound that draws you – but surprises you out of nowhere with incredible insight and slam.
• High End by OZ
  • Check out these $10,000 Audio Solutions Figaro L loudspeakers and beautiful United Home Audio tape deck.
  • Aaron Neville’s Angola Bound was snappy, smooth, controlled and punchy. Especially in the lower registers.
• MBL
  • Consistently one of the best rooms at the shows. Always fun, vibrant, palpable, and engaging. It’s holographic – but with weight and body. Simply effortless – simply real.
• Wells Audio
  • Wells Audio Commander Level III tube linestage makes an appearance here.
  • Prince’s Undertaker was quiet yet rhythmic. Amazingly tactile from top to bottom.
• Pranafideltiy
  • Last year’s Best of Show.
  • Herbie Hancock’s The Maze had a fantastic textural and tonal perspective. Hard to beat for as far as price to performance.
• Elite AV Distribution
  • It’s all about the music with Scot Markwell. The gear comes second. Ask him to play you Klaatu’s Doctor Marvello and be blown away.
• AudioKinesis, Resonessence Labs, Clarity cable (#519)
  • Nils Lofgren’s Keith Don’t Go. Transparent, quiet, fast, and detailed. Oh yeah… and treble shine galore. The distributed bass array is pretty neat as well.
• MURAUDIO & TriangleArt
  • You wouldn’t believe these were electrostatics. One of the better sounding rooms at this show – and at High End Munich 2019.
• Aaudio Imports
  • You can’t go wrong with Wilson Benesch. One of the best sounding speakers on the planet. Always a great sound system at the shows.