Geoffcin
05-08-2005, 01:49 AM
After spending about an hour with the VS rooms I decided to take a trip back down to the 4th level to see the larger rooms. Joseph Audio + Manley labs was the first stop. Manley equipment has an unique look that harks back to the golden age of tubes.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729joeseph_audio_and_manley_amps.jpg
I really like the timeless look of the Manley neo-classic 250s that were powering the Joseph Audio speakers. The Joseph Audio's are a beautifully built & finished floorstander built in Melville NY, only a few miles from my home. This speaker manufacturer has won "best sound in show" at the Home Entertainment show a few years running, and they did sound good. There was a "pure analogue" feel to the room, and they were spinning some classic vinyl to make the point.
Aftet that I went Back up to the upper floors and stopped into the Gini Systems room. Gini Systems is a new name in high end audio from Hong Kong. They were showing several different speakers, all using a ribbon tweeter.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729gini_system_speakers.jpg
The finish on these speakers were supurb. The crossovers look well engineered too.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729gini_crossovers.jpg
It appears a great amout of attention to detail went into making them. The clarity of the ribbon tweeter he's usings was unmistakable. I really think that these speakers are going to be a hot item once people get a chance to hear them.
Mr Alfie Lew is the importer for these speakers, along with JAS tube components. These amps he's importing are very good looking, and are remarkably affordable.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729jas_audio_intergrated_amp.jpg
Next off to the Gerstman room, where the appropriatly dressed all-in-black Ofra Gerstman was showing off the Gerstman Black Swans.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729black_swan_2.jpg
Finished in impeccible Piano Black, the Gerstman Black Swans were a very unusual designed speaker, with a top section that was completely seperate from the bass module. They fit together so seamlessly that you have to get down and look to see that they are not touching at any point! Ofra showed me where the've added damping material to the insides of the "legs" so as to damp any standing waves between the bass module and upper section. She also commented on that this design has been a labor of love for nearly 3 years, and that they are very proud to how it turned out.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729black_swan_setup.jpg
I loved them, but they aren't for people who have modest sized rooms. Just from what little I heard, these could easily fill a huge room with great sound.
On down the hall I went to the last room on the floor where Naim had set up their gear. Walking in there I was treated to YES playing in DVD-Audio and it sounded pretty darn good. Naim was one of only a few of the dealers that were setup for multi-channel music, and they were showing off their new speakers with it. These speakers were very compact monitors on elegant metal stands.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729naim.jpg
Using the Vifa ring radiator tweeter, and a 6" vifa woofer, these speaker would make a great solution for multi-channel music/ht in a modest sized room. It sure worked well in that one!
Continued in part 4;
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729joeseph_audio_and_manley_amps.jpg
I really like the timeless look of the Manley neo-classic 250s that were powering the Joseph Audio speakers. The Joseph Audio's are a beautifully built & finished floorstander built in Melville NY, only a few miles from my home. This speaker manufacturer has won "best sound in show" at the Home Entertainment show a few years running, and they did sound good. There was a "pure analogue" feel to the room, and they were spinning some classic vinyl to make the point.
Aftet that I went Back up to the upper floors and stopped into the Gini Systems room. Gini Systems is a new name in high end audio from Hong Kong. They were showing several different speakers, all using a ribbon tweeter.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729gini_system_speakers.jpg
The finish on these speakers were supurb. The crossovers look well engineered too.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729gini_crossovers.jpg
It appears a great amout of attention to detail went into making them. The clarity of the ribbon tweeter he's usings was unmistakable. I really think that these speakers are going to be a hot item once people get a chance to hear them.
Mr Alfie Lew is the importer for these speakers, along with JAS tube components. These amps he's importing are very good looking, and are remarkably affordable.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729jas_audio_intergrated_amp.jpg
Next off to the Gerstman room, where the appropriatly dressed all-in-black Ofra Gerstman was showing off the Gerstman Black Swans.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729black_swan_2.jpg
Finished in impeccible Piano Black, the Gerstman Black Swans were a very unusual designed speaker, with a top section that was completely seperate from the bass module. They fit together so seamlessly that you have to get down and look to see that they are not touching at any point! Ofra showed me where the've added damping material to the insides of the "legs" so as to damp any standing waves between the bass module and upper section. She also commented on that this design has been a labor of love for nearly 3 years, and that they are very proud to how it turned out.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729black_swan_setup.jpg
I loved them, but they aren't for people who have modest sized rooms. Just from what little I heard, these could easily fill a huge room with great sound.
On down the hall I went to the last room on the floor where Naim had set up their gear. Walking in there I was treated to YES playing in DVD-Audio and it sounded pretty darn good. Naim was one of only a few of the dealers that were setup for multi-channel music, and they were showing off their new speakers with it. These speakers were very compact monitors on elegant metal stands.
http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/504/medium/207729naim.jpg
Using the Vifa ring radiator tweeter, and a 6" vifa woofer, these speaker would make a great solution for multi-channel music/ht in a modest sized room. It sure worked well in that one!
Continued in part 4;