The Story
Usually the big story from a room is about a new, hot product release, and yes there is that in Cardas’ new Clear Beyond XL high capacity power cable, which is intended for large high current tube or solid state amplifiers. And further with new product, there was the sneak preview of the Cardas Power Strip.
However for me the story of the entire weekend has been our new venue for AXPONA. Everything is bigger. Well, not everything, the rooms are sometimes smaller. Don’t get me wrong, exhibitors were doing quite well to adapt to the new space, and in fact some exhibitors were sounding better than ever. But as anyone who has ever moved their own personal stereo from one house to another would know, new venues present new challenges.
The Sound
When on day two I was beginning to doubt that the rooms of our new AXPONA location were possible of getting completely out of the way, the Joseph room was tearing down walls, and setting a very high bar for everything else to come throughout the weekend. Jeff Joseph should have provided a few boxes of tissue for this room, as listening sessions could become quite emotional. Absolutely magical, and enthralling.
From classical recordings on tape, to the ever popular Dream With Dean re-release on vinyl. Nothing could separate me from my duties like the combination of the Joseph Pearl 3’s, Jeff Rowland Integrated, and Doshi Tape Preamp. The wide grinning Jeff Joseph was the ringmaster during my time in the room and I couldn’t blame him for taking such satisfaction in how well the room was performing. For the rest of the weekend I was asking everyone I met who wanted to talk rooms, “Have you been to the Joseph Audio room?”
The System
Jeff Rowland Daemon Super Integrated Amplifier (1,500 wpc) $38,800 USD
Joseph Audio Pearl 3 Loudspeakers $31,500 pr USD
Mara Tape Machine Reel-To-Reel $14,000 USD
Doshi Audio V3.0 Tape Stage Reel-To-Reel Preamp $16,000 USD
Aurender N10 Cashing Music Server (as configured 4TB) $8,000 USD
CARDAS Clear Beyond Speaker (2 meter pair) $8,170 USD
CARDAS Clear Beyond Interconnect (1.5 meter pair) $4,550 USD
CARDAS Clear Interconnect (1.5 meter pair) $2,590 USD
CARDAS Clear Coax/SPDIF (1.5 meter) $650 USD
CARDAS Clear Beyond Power (2 meter) $1,170 USD
CARDAS Clear Beyond Power XL (2 meter) $2,695 USD
CARDAS Clear USB (1.5 meter) $180 USD
CARDAS Power Strip (sneak preview – USD)
joseph audio rooms are always the best sounding rooms at the shows – but every listening room i go into – no one has joseph audio speaker?
Wow, speakers are so much a matter of personal taste. I heard the same system and was becoming fatigued by the overly bright and forward sound after 10 minutes. There is no way I could live with them even if they were giving them away which at 31k they were not exactly doing.
Yes, I enjoyed this room very much. Outstanding sound.