LOS ANGELES (PTA) — Audiogen US is a Los Angeles based dealer of high-end electronics and loudspeakers that has a 20 year history that spans two continents. Starting out in Istanbul, Turkey with their founding partner, later continuing to open a Toronto, Canada location a just a few years ago. The Los Angeles location opening for business at the beginning of 2019. One could say, were are still in that “debut moment” for the Audiogen US dealership, but they did participate in Axpona 2019, so we’ll just say this is their “West Coast Debut” and homecoming here at T.H.E. SHOW 2019

The Story

Along with Audiogen being a new US dealer, they bring with them several new product lines to the American market. Starting with the most tantalizing TuneAudio and their ANIMA horn-loaded loudspeakers. Made in Athens, Greece the ANIMA are a three-way all-horn design, that hides its large bass horn in plain sight. Hint, it’s down-firing and contains a 15-inch subwoofer. If you guessed that the main body structure IS the subwoofer, you’re right — but win nothing, sorry. Attached to the main body and subwoofer are a front-facing 5-inch mid-range horn and 1-inch compression driver tweeter-horn. The compression driver tweeter uses neodymium magnet motor structure and a titanium diaphragm as its chosen driver material. TuneAudio claims a “system sensitivity” for the ANIMA loudspeaker rated at an astonishing 109dB when measured 1-watt/1-meter. Cabinet build is top-notch, using multi-layered baltic birch plywood, extensive bracing, and proprietary aggregated compound epoxies. Crossovers are 1st-order and located in the bottom of the bass horn, tucked away from stray magnetic horn-driver interference. Internal cabling is sources from the best audio copper around.

The TuneAudio ANIMA were driven at THE SHOW 2019 by only 10-watts of Wavac Audio Lab tube amplification. Many amplifiers from the Wavac product line were on display, but it was the 10-wpc Wavac MD-300Bm Monoblocks ($31,000 pr USD) that drove the ANIMA oh so well. The MD-300Bm is an inverse inter-stage transformer (IIT) coupled design with no capacitors in the primary signal path. The design could be made in stereo, but the obvious benefits of minimized cross-talk, and lower signal-to-noise ratio were too good to pass up. Monoblocks it is! Preamplification for the system was the Wavac PR-Z1 Linestage Preamplifier ($29,500 USD), a two-chassis all-tube based affair, which draws its design from the previous — and popular — PR-T1 control amplifier.

The Sound

As my experience with horn loudspeakers grows, I’ve come to notice that a few don’t sound like horns — they sound like live performances. The TuneAudio ANIMA would fall into that category. Bass comes from somewhere distant, but is strong and precise. Balance between all the drivers fades together with a nearly seamless degree. Imaging and instrument location is tight, and as I moved to seats in the listening area that were not center-and-best, I still found myself with a fairly stable off-axis image that didn’t call me to seek a better perch.