If you haven’t heard of True Life Audio, aka TLA, you should quickly read Panagiotis Karavitas‘ review of these ultra high-end components from Greece. Dr. K was “truly” impressed by the sound quality and build of these magnificent components, and I’ve been corresponding with TLA’s Aristomenis Georgiadis about future reviews over the last year. We’d started chatting after I listened to TLA for the first time in the Gobel High End room at Munich 2022 and awarded the system Best Sound of Show.
Words and Photos by Marc Phillips
I received a message from Aristomenis at the beginning of Munich 2023, saying that he hoped we could meet in person. As soon as I had the chance, I headed over to his booth in the main hall of the MOC.
The TLA booth had one of those boxes that serve as a listening room on the main floor. They usually offer excellent sound, but they can be a bit small. (In one of these rooms, I sat in the so-called sweet spot and I could reach out and touch both speakers.) This room was much larger, however, and I felt more than comfortable. When I first walked in, I was surprised to see Ofra Gershman of Gershman Acoustics running the room. She had teamed with TLA and matched her Gershman Acoustics 30th Anniversary Grande Avant Garde Speakers, which I heard at FLAX 2023, with the massive TLA TSI-300 integrated amplifier. Cables were from Cardas, and the digital source was supplied by MSB and Pink Faun.
I said these little listening room boxes can sound pretty nice, but I was not prepared for the sound quality coming from this TLA and Gershman combo. This system was sweet and beautiful and clear, with plenty of detail and a healthy scoop of musicality. The tonality of this system was downright seductive, and it only took me a couple of minutes to decide that yes, I want to review both of these brands sometime in the near future.
Ask, and ye shall receive. When Aristomenis entered the room, we had a great discussion about his products that resulted in me sheepishly asking if I could review the substantial TLA TSI-300 integrated, and him enthusiastically replying “Yes!” That’s when I turned back to Ofra and told her I’ve loved her speakers since I first heard them at a Stereophile show back in the ’90s. Next month, I’ll meet with her at the Pacific Audio Fest and stick a pair of her two-way monitors in the back of my Mazda before I head home!
It should be obvious that I loved the TLA and Gershman Acoustics room. I can’t wait to have this sound in my home.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from Munich 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.
Also don’t forget to check out our latest collaboration – a solid bronze record weight available only for a limited run. This 800g of solid bronze features the PTA roundel on the top which also acts as a 45 adapter. You can purchase direct from the PTA Approved Store here on the site.
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