CAF 2023
Day Two with Brian Hunter | CAF 2023
The weather tightened up a bit for the second day of Capital Audiofest 2023 in Rockville, MD. My commute over to the Hilton wasn’t marred by any water falling from above, but rather graced by […]
aurender
PAF 2023
Team Doshi Audio | PAF 2023
Team Doshi Audio? What’s up with that? It’s an inside joke, mostly. I always cover a certain group of manufacturers who work together in exhibit rooms at high-end audio shows and always achieve impressive results. […]
Munich 2023
Aurender AP20 and MC10 | Munich 2023
Two new offerings from Aurender were shown at Munich last week. The first is the AP20. You can file this offering under “one-box wonder” — a combined server/streamer, DAC, and amplifier. Just need cables and […]
AXPONA 2023
Acora VRC-1 Loudspeakers, the Sequel | AXPONA 2023
Can the reigning Chocolate Chip Trip champion, the Acora VRC-1 loudspeakers, defend the title it won at the 2023 Florida Audio Expo in February? Yeah, I know the Acora Acoustics room at FLAX also was […]
AXPONA 2023
Aretai Contra 100S | AXPONA 2023
If I haven’t made myself clear yet, I do like this little monitor from Latvia, the Aretai Contra 100S ($9,000/pr USD). I’ve heard them several times now, starting with Munich last May, and I think […]
AXPONA 2023
Rethm Maarga | AXPONA 2023
During AXPONA 2023, I had many people come up to me and ask if I’d heard the Rethm room yet. I didn’t drop by until first thing Sunday morning, when all was relatively quiet and […]
Florida 2023
Mon Acoustic, Chord and Aurender | FLAX 2023
Aluminum speakers, such as the Mon Acoustic monitors at the 2023 Florida Audio Expo, seem to be gaining a foothold in the audiophile world. Stenheim has been around for a while, and the Alumine Two […]
Florida 2023
Jeff Joseph and the Magic TV Screen | FLAX 2023
You already know I love Jeff Joseph and his speaker designs. He usually makes it to my Top 5 at every show where he exhibits. But at FLAX 2023 he pulled a quiet little trick […]
Florida 2023
Acora Acoustics VRC-1 | FLAX 2023
The biggest surprise at the 2023 Florida Audio Expo shouldn’t have been a surprise at all. But the debut of the new flagship Acora Acoustics VRC-1 loudspeakers seemed to tower above all else at FLAX, […]
Florida 2023
Acora VRC-1 with VAC, Lampizator, Aurender, Oracle, Cardas | FLAX 2023
Oh no he didn’t. “Ratchets” by Hedegaard. With 121dB peaks. At an audio show. During listening hours. Folks, this just is not done. People were fleeing the area. Plaster was literally falling from the ceiling. And, […]
PAF 2022
The BIG Joseph Audio Room | PAF 2022
I’ve visited the Joseph Audio/Doshi Audio/Cardas room three times this year–at AXPONA 2022, High End 2022 in Munich and now a third time at the Pacific Audio Fest. Pretty much the same system, too, […]
Buyers Guide
The Best Digital Players | Buyers Guide Summer 2022
Welcome to the Best Digital Players section of the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for Summer 2022. The Guide is more than “We heartily endorse this [fill in the blank].” This collection represents our enthusiasm. Every […]
AXPONA 2022
Drooling over Acora, VAC, LampizatOr, UHA, TW-Acustic | AXPONA 2022
I am not in the budget for an ultra-fi system — and probably never will be. That fact, sad though it is, is true for most of us. HOWEVER, the point of the ultra-fi is […]
Buyers Guide
The Best Digital Players | Buyers Guide 2022
Welcome to the Best Digital Players section of the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for 2022. The Guide is more than “We heartily endorse this [fill in the blank ].” This collection represents our enthusiasm. Every […]
Capital Audiofest 2021
Best of Show and Wrap-Up | CAF 2021
ROCKVILLE, MD (PTA) — Glad to be back at Capital Audio Fest for 2021. Arriving on Thursday it was a bit emotional for me, seeing all the exhibitors finishing the final bits of system setup […]
Capital Audiofest 2021
20/20 Evolution Systems, Conrad-Johnson, Kharma Elegance, Kuzma, Aurender, Lampizator, Truitt Physics, Kimber Kable, Torus Power, Artesania Audio | CAF 2021
20/20 Evolution Systems of Potomac, Maryland was showing one of the most impressive sounding systems at Capital Audio Fest 2021, featuring brands from Conrad-Johnson, Kharma Elegance, Kuzma, Aurender, Lampizator, Truitt Physics, Kimber Kable, Torus Power, […]
Capital Audiofest 2021
Acora Acoustics, Audio Research, Transrotor, Aurender, Esoteric, Cardas, Anne Bisson, and Dave McNair | CAF 2021
This was my second visit ever to Capital Audio Fest, my first being in 2019 in the “Before Times.” The 2021 show, if not quite as large as the previous one, was very well attended, […]
Capital Audiofest 2021
The Audio Company, VAC, Von Schweikert, Esoteric, Aurender, Kronos, Airtight, Critical Mass Systems, MasterBuilt | CAF 2021
I’ve written it before and it bears repeating: audio show exhibitions from The Audio Company of Marietta, GA should charge an additional admission fee. You know, like the special exhibitions at art and science museums […]
Show Report
Grover’s Wrap-Up and Best of Show | T.H.E. SHOW 2021
THE SHOW 2021 was, by my estimation, a reason for cautious optimism. Everything appeared to go off without a hitch, attendees were well-behaved and plentiful enough, and exhibitors seemed pleased by the amount and depth […]
Show Report
Pietra and Benchmark | T.H.E. SHOW 2021
I’m not familiar with Pietra speakers (website), but they resembled the Acora Acoustics speakers which both Marc Phillips and Dave McNair have reviewed and raved to me about recently. The large marble front baffles meant […]