I’ve just completed four whole reviews of the gear I received from Audio Group Denmark. The last, which covers all of the Ansuz cables and accessories, should appear as soon as we wrap up our coverage of the 2023 Florida Audio Expo. All of this gear, about $135K’s worth, is boxed up and ready to go back. Thus ends a very interesting and informative chapter of my high-end audio education.
Words and Photos by Marc Phillips
But wait! Audio Group Denmark was at FLAX 2023! I didn’t know they were going to be there until I arrived in Tampa. For the entire show I kept running into the team from Aalborg, and all those wonderful memories I had returned–especially when one of the three exhibit rooms contained almost the exact system I tested–Aavik U-280 integrated/DAC ($18,000), Aavik S-280 digital streamer ($12,000) and the Børresen Z1 Cryo speakers ($14,500/pr).
But could I pass up another chance to hear the amazing $100,000/pr Børresen M1 monitors, which prompted me to go to Denmark in the first place? Or to see the flagship Aavik I-880 integrated ($70,000) that actually uses class A amplification instead of class D? If you remember, Lars Kristensen had a solid rod made of zirconium that he placed on the I-880 back in Aalborg. I’ve never heard such as simple and dramatic A/B comparison as when he set the rod on the top of the integrated and when he removed it. Lars actually brought the zirconium rod to the show. If you missed this Audio Group Denmark demo at FLAX 2023, you didn’t really attend.
Since so many of my colleagues, both at PTA and elsewhere, were similarly impressed with Audio Group Denmark at FLAX 2023, I’ll let them have a chance to speak. They’re beginning the same journey I started last year in Munich. But I promised a funny story, and here it is:
I was snapping a few of the photos you see here when two men ran into the room, spotted me, and started asking me lots of questions about Audio Group Denmark. Are the Børresen M1s really $100K/pr USD? Why? What makes this gear so amazing? I assumed they read my name badge and knew of my experiences reviewing Aavik, Ansuz and Børresen. I started answering, in detail, and I finally noticed the actual guy running the room from Next Level Hi-fi, the Chicago dealer who actually hosted the room. He just sat and listened to me expound upon the Audio Group Denmark approach.
At some time during my impromptu lecture, someone ran out of the room and told the other Next Level Hi-fi staff that there was some stranger inside, running the show. They sent someone in, presumably to ensure I wasn’t some wacko saying this was all snake oil. That person came back out and told the others, “It’s okay, he totally gets it.”
If I haven’t made that clear yet about Audio Group Denmark, I’ve failed.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from FLAX 2023, check out our recap report and highlights from our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
Any Infos about that cheaper integrated, we can see in one of the pictures. You talked briefly about it in the podcast. Would love to know more?
Matthew Partrick will be discussing that very soon in another report. He’s very interested in getting that in for review! It’s called the Aavik Forte, it combines an integrated amp with a DAC and a network streamer, and it will retail for just $5500.