AXPONA 2022
Best of AXPONA 2022 | AXPONA 2022
It’s been a while since I’ve had to assemble a “Best of Show” list at the end of a high-end audio show, and I was starting to have reservations about the process long before I […]
vivid
Munich 2019
Ayre 8 Series | High End 2019
Ayre (website) was one of the earliest to market with a good USB DAC. That’s how I remember seeing and interacting with them. The QB-9 did one thing (USB) and did that one thing well, and […]
Munich 2016
High End 2016: Sound Galleries DSD 512
At BMW World, far away from the hustle and bustle of Munich High-End, the Sound Galleries team presented their own developed SGM-2015 music server. The quietness of the event venue, with its large size, allowed […]
Newport Beach 2014
Newport 2014: Scot’s Grab Bag of High-End Stereo, stuffed full of Audioengine, Bob’s Devices, Focal, Raidho, MBL, Perfect8, Planter, Roksan and Vivid
Audioengine Brett and Brady and Morgan were all on hand, showing off the upcoming Audioengine B1, a Bluetooth DAC that supports the latest AptX codecs for what seemed — to my ears at least — to […]
Munich 2014
High End 2014: Vivid Audio, CH-Precision, Tech DAS and that hi-tech sound
By Dr. Panagiotis Karavitis A futuristic speaker company, a Swiss precision electronics manufacturer and what is probably the best “made in Japan” turntable joining forces to get the perfect sound. This piece could end here, […]
RMAF 2013
RMAF 2013: On A Higher Note presents Vivid, Luxman, Brinkmann
I’m on record as being a fan of Philip O’Hanlon and his On A Higher Note — he carries marvelous brands and never fails to put on a good show. The dapper Irishman always seems […]
CAS 2013
CAS 2013: Music Lovers presents Vivid and VTL
This was an absolutely superb room presented by Music Lovers, a local dealer with not one but TWO Bay Area locations (one in Berkeley, one in San Francisco proper). The Vivid Giya G-3 speakers ($40,000) […]
CES 2013
CES 2013: Mola Mola
The products that Mola Mola is bringing to market are based on a new Class D amplifier technology called “Ncore”, as designed by Mola Mola founder Bruno Putzeys. Bruno claims that the design “runs rings […]
CES 2013
CES 2013: Ayre
Last Fall, Ayre showed off their new AX-5 integrated amp in a room that, quite frankly, took my breath away. That gear showed up here, at CES, with a slight change — the new VX-5 […]
RMAF 2012
RMAF12: Vividly Luxman
Ah, Vivid Audio. This is one of those brands that will inspire significant heat — you either love it or you screamingly detest hate it. Personally, I don’t get all the heat, but there you […]
RMAF 2012
RMAF12: Hot Ayre puts on the Best in Show
And the award for “Best In Show” goes to … whoever the hell rolled up a set from “Mad Men” and un-rolled it into a room at the Denver Tech Center Marriott. Ska-doosh! Seriously. Look […]
Newport Beach 2012
Newport 2012: On A Higher Note presents Vivid, Luxman
It’s easy to write a room report when that room was put together and demoed by Philip O’Hanlon of distributor On A Higher Note. The man himself is dapper, charming, gracious, and perhaps most importantly, […]