Margules (website) was not a name well known to me until this show, but they’ve got an impressive history. From Jacobo Margules:
“We are a high end audio company that dates back to 1927 when my great grandfather helped build the first radio station back in México and started by building gramophones and radios in a small shop in the street of Guerrero #4 in Mexico City. Since then we never stopped developing audio equipment.
“All our equipment is built and designed by us using our own technological proposals and design philosophy such as ANA® Alineación Neuro-Acustica “neuro-acoustical alignment” where we are focusing on the interactions that we human have with our surroundings and how as humans we interpret sound.”
Words and Photos by Grover Neville
I investigated the Margules website, and found a thoroughly interesting discussion about how efforts are first focused on the harmonic structure to create an engaging sound, and an effective tonal character later. I must say that this novel approach paid off, because when I visited their room, I was mightily impressed.
The sound was smooth, coherent and effortless. While these two systems are considered entry level by Margules, they had hardly any flaws to my ears. Tonal balance was spot on, or perhaps just a touch warm of neutral, and while it wasn’t as detailed as some of the much more expensive rooms, it made up for this by having great imaging and a high musical engagement factor. I didn’t have to think at all when listening in this room, and shockingly, the Bluetooth sounded great too… nice.
Margules’ attention to details is very special, and this is gear that looks even higher end than the term entry-level might indicate. The amplifiers especially had lovely industrial design and fit and finish. The turntable likewise was quite stunning, and Margules has even made their own protractor and alignment tool for setup. Now that’s dedication.
From where I sit there’s something about really carefully and lovingly tuned systems, ones that don’t cost a fortune, that help me forget price tags and tweaking. While they maybe don’t dredge the last ounce of detail out, that can be a good thing. All of those elements combined help to refocus my attention from gear to music, and some of my most intimate and breathtaking moments of musical experience were on very modestly priced systems.
So too did the Margules have a sound that made me fall in love with the tunes. If I had to take home one system from T.H.E. Show 2021, it would have been this one.
Equipment List:
I-240 Integrated Amplifier – $6,000
SA-2 Floorstanding Speakers – $4,800
White Set (I-240 + SA-2) – $10,000
ACRH-3 Hybrid Receiver – $4,000
Magenta Monitors – $2,500
Blue Set (ACRH-3 + Magenta Monitor) – $6,000
TT-10 Turntable – $4,000
Phono Fz47 – $900
Soundsmith Zephyr Cartridge – $1,500
BTV4 Bluetooth Receiver – $820
Cables: Altas (various – price not listed)
Photos continue below, and more T.H.E. SHOW 2021 coverage can be found HERE.
About The Author
Grover Neville, Contributor
Grover is a recent transplant to Los Angeles, CA, and a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory, where he studied music, creative writing, and how to wear skinny jeans. After graduating Grover pursued a freelance career in audio, doing professional research in the fields of Auditory Cognition, Psychoacoustics, and Experimental Hydrophone Design.
Before moving to Los Angeles, Grover worked and lived in Chicago, Illinois as a mixing and mastering engineer, working in genres such as Avant-garde Classical music and Jazz. As a recent transplant to L.A., Grover now works in the music, video game, and film industries.
He is also actively pursuing a career as an independent musician, composer, and producer. Grover wrote for Innerfidelity and Audiostream, before finding his forever-home at Part-Time Audiophile.
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