Vancouver 2017
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Igor Kivritsky wanted to make a difference with the Vancouver Audio Festival, and bring some of the expertise that the staff at the Hifi Centre had to the uninitiated of high fidelity. The goal was to make an audio show accessible to the average music listener, not just audiophiles. So when he started putting together the festival, he kept one thing in mind: making it fun. Looking back on the show, Kivritsky says they’ll definitely do another one next year, and the year after, and the [...] -
Sonos had a strong showing at the Vancouver Audio Festival with it’s PLAY:5 speaker system, and the new PLAYBASE television sound base. I’ve seen, and heard the budget-oriented PLAY:1, PLAY:3, and PLAY:5 speakers a number of times, but almost always singly or in different rooms throughout a home, and the 5s were always on their side… not in the Hifi Centre demo room though. No, this time the PLAY:5s were on dedicated speaker stands, and had a matching wireless SUB. Their [...] -
Bryston is a name that has kept high fidelity tongues wagging for decades. The Canadian company is well known for their powerful, authoritative amplification, and for their incredible 20-year warranty on their products. But lately Bryston is becoming known for another avenue in music reproduction: active speaker amplification. For those uninitiated in the dark arts of active amplification, and strange acronyms like DSP (Digital Signal Processing) which companies like Sonos, Devialet, and KEF [...] -
There’s no denying that Sonus Faber, and McIntosh Labs make beautiful-looking gear. The craftsmanship, attention to detail, and handmade nature of their speakers, and amplification components scream bespoke. But the reason these two marques of high-end audiophile fetishism do so well, and have been around so long is because they not only look amazing, they sound amazing. The room set up at Hifi Centre for the Vancouver Audio Festival showcases the two audio houses connected by Transparent [...] -
Almost every time I go to a hifi show there they are. Like peas, and carrots: Classé and Bowers & Wilkins. Now, there’s a reason this pairing has been going on so long, and it’s because they work so well together. It was no exception at the Vancouver Audio Festival being put on by Hifi Centre, but there was a minor plot twist: Classé was showing off their new Delta Series Pre, and Stereo power amplifier. There’s not much information available on these two new units other [...] -
Lifestyle. The phrase keeps creeping into the audiophile conversation. Seems that regular people are being courted by traditional, stalwart high-fidelity manufacturers more, and more. There’s been a realization that there’s a lot of money to be made from a lifestyle audio product designed to woo neophytes listening to TV sound bars, and smart phone docks into spending hard-earned cash for something that sounds better. Lifestyle can mean a lot of different things to a lot of [...] -
They were really big, really red, and I couldn’t tip them over no matter how hard I tried. They were the Focal Stella Utopia loudspeakers, and they weigh 365lbs a piece, so that explains why they wouldn’t budge. Also, if you had been checking out the Vancouver Audio Festival, and thinking it wasn’t going to be showing any big boys in high-end high fidelity, you were wrong. One look around this room, and between the Utopias, and the Naim Statement pre/dual-mono power amplifier [...] -
Smiles greeted me from a number of manufacturer representatives as I headed into HiFi Centre for the second, and final day of the inaugural Vancouver Audio Festival. Seems those tasked with room demos had been making “genuine, and positive connections” with attendees, and were enjoying the more intimate nature of the show. Dedicated audiophiles were already checking gear out when when I arrived shortly after 10 a.m., and rooms starting slowly filling up for demo sessions not long [...] -
Waking up early to already warm temperatures, and sunlight slanting into my bedroom I couldn’t help but wonder if this rare sunny day in Vancouver would mean trouble. It’s slated to be the hottest day of the year here – not a cloud in the deep azure sky – which you would think could translate into people being more interested in the beach or park that in the Vancouver Audio Festival that HiFi Centre is hosting this weekend. But audiophiles are a fickle lot, and if there’s [...] -
With the inaugural Vancouver Audio Festival hosted by HiFi Centre happening this weekend, I thought I’d get the word out on what Igor Kivritsky, and his good people were curating in the suites of listening rooms lined up for Saturday, and Sunday playback sessions (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), as well as the large headphone area being set-up. With an eye towards demonstrating multiple price points, digital, and analog delivery methods, and how to build a synergistic sound system, the rooms are [...] -
Mark Macdonald of The Sound Room in Vancouver, British Columbia (100-2025 West Broadway) shot an interesting note my way regarding a Simaudio 888 Power Amplifier event that he will be hosting this Thursday. Macdonald always puts on great high-fidelity events, and is an exemplary host. Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend, but having heard these specific amplifiers previously in Las Vegas at CES, and High End in Munich I can say that they are worth the time to take a listen. –Rafe [...] -
Vancouver’s HiFi Centre is throwing open it’s doors this coming weekend (June 24, 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 433 Carrall Street, Vancouver) to help fill the gap left by the departure of the Chester Group, and it’s Vancouver Audio Show. Admission is free of charge. Igor Kivritsky of HiFi Centre said the idea behind the festival is to give something back to Vancouver’s audio community for the loss of the original, scheduled show that was to be held in Burnaby. [...] -
Edward Ku of Element Acoustics will be hosting a special, limited-seating Accuphase demonstration event at his Richmond showroom on June 24th. Ku was one of many sponsors of the Vancouver Audio Show in the last two years, and said he is sad to see the show cancelled for 2017. Ku said that Element Acoustics has always tried to bring something new to the audiophile community of Vancouver, and with the success of previous demo events featuring Tidal, Burmester, CH Precision and Vertere in [...] -
With the Vancouver Audio Show that was scheduled to run June 23rd to June 25th no longer appearing on show organizer The Chester Group’s website, Igor Kivritsky of Hifi Centre in downtown Vancouver is stepping in to put on a specialized high fidelity show in it’s stead. Kivritsky will configure the large, multi-room Hifi Centre to feature five separate, uniquely -curated systems, demonstrate a number of high-fidelity products, and host a large headphone/amplifier area as well. [...]
