Aaudio Imports is the North American distributor for such fantastic lines as Ypsilon and Wilson Benesch, and their room at T.H.E. Show 2019 was positively purple. It sounded wonderful, yes, but I remember it being lit purple like a beautiful ’80s sunset more than anything else. (This was, after all, the Caribbean room at the Long Beach Hilton.) The system in the Aaudio Imports room was quite impressive–Wilson Benesch Resolution loudspeakers in a gorgeous burl walnut finish ($69,500/pair), Ypsilon DAC 1000 (starting at $24,500), Ypsilon PST100 Mk. II preamp (starting at $37,000), Ypsilon Aelius monoblocks (starting at $39,000/pair), Aurender N10 music server ($8000) and Stage III cabling.
My overall impression of the Aaudio Imports room was one of considerable control in a very large room–I’m talking about iron-fisted control of unwanted reflections and resonances. This was a big sound, but one that was precise, clear and firmly planted in the real world, where the performance still retained a wonderful human quality.
The Wilson Benesch Resolution loudspeakers, part of the Geometry Series, really caught my attention. The walnut burl cabinets are indeed gorgeous, but the driver configuration was quite unusual–especially with the rear-facing drivers mounted to the baffle. Each enclosure contains seven proprietary Wilson Benesch drivers such as the Tactic-II dynamic drive units and the Semisphere tweeter, which use such innovative materials as NdFeb magnets, isotactic polypropylene and more. And yes, under that gorgeous veneer is an enclosure made from carbon fiber–a Wilson Benesch trademark.
The Resolutions sounded incredibly taut and coherent from top to bottom, but credit must also go to Ypsilon. The last time I heard a system powered by these Greek amplifiers, it was back in Australia when Jeff Knox treated me to an afternoon with his million dollar system. (Them’s Australian dollars, but still a lot.) Each time I listen to Ypsilon gear, I toy with the idea that I’m listening to the best there is. The Aaudio Imports room at T.H.E. Show 2019 certainly reminded me of the great sound I heard In Sydney. But, perhaps, with just a bit more purple.
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