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RGA
04-04-2011, 07:05 PM
Unfortunately I could not be there as I live at the other end of the country.
UHF magazine (Canadian magazine) did a show report and I am pleased that they finally got to hear speakers I like. I heard a similar system in Vegas and I know what amp I'd like if I could ever afford it - which is doubtful.

They seemed to like the Voxatif Ampeggio which look intriguing to me. They didn't list the prices of the speakers though.

It's a blog report so you have to read from the bottom of the page up for it to make the most sense.

http://uhfmag.com/Montreal2011/index.html

RGA
05-31-2011, 08:51 PM
Another show report from Salon Son Image from Audiophilia . And Audio Note wins another best of show.

Makes me feel a little less like a loonie nutcase when so many get the same listening results. Well I still might be a loonie nutcase but at least I am not alone in the asylum of crazy.

http://www.audiophilia.com/wp/?p=5791

Feanor
06-01-2011, 02:26 AM
Another show report from Salon Son Image from Audiophilia . And Audio Note wins another best of show.

Makes me feel a little less like a loonie nutcase when so many get the same listening results. Well I still might be a loonie nutcase but at least I am not alone in the asylum of crazy.

http://www.audiophilia.com/wp/?p=5791
Thanks for the references, RGA.

Worf101
06-01-2011, 04:30 AM
While I love shows like this, much as I love Auto Show's I've a few questions about their practicality...

1. Have these show's gotten smaller with the recession?

2. How many companies no longer attend these things?

3. Is the gear shown here "fantasy" stuff or actual gear folks are going to be able to buy in the upcoming weeks and months?

4. Any hot babes?

Worf

RGA
06-01-2011, 08:11 AM
Worf

LOL - yeah a bunch of middle aged to geezer aged men wandering a bunch of hallways isn't exactly the most enticing hobby. Probably the main reason that CES is held in Las Vegas at the exact same time the Adult Entertainment awards are being held. Very rich old single guys and young porn stars together in one place. Coincidence?

There seems to be audio shows all over the place. Dagogo is running one in San Francisco early July and it costs $10 for a 3-day pass open to the public. Sure most of the stuff is high priced but I suppose the reason for that is in part that most dealers already carry the inexpensive to midrange gear. You can kind of hear that stuff anywhere. But the stupid priced stuff dealers often don't carry. Plus a lot of it is made to order so shows are a way to hear the top of the line stuff.

You can usually find the exhibitor list of who has taken a room at these shows. The dagogo show is smaller than CES of course but there is still a lot of good rooms. http://www.caaudioshow.com/exhibitor-list.html

Worf101
06-03-2011, 05:05 AM
I appreciate the information. I don't know if I could go to one of these shows, at least not without a bib and a mop to wipe up all the drool.

Worf

RGA
06-03-2011, 02:54 PM
I think the advantage of the show is to hear all the best "voices" of product design. SO people who base their horn experience off of what they heard from Klipsch in the 1980s for example can hear what horns can really do. Or people who hears an old Quad 63 can go listen to what a truly excellent panel is all about.

And money is just money right? LOL. I have poured so much money into cars the last two years I am deeply saddened. I will try my best not to own a car again. Bunch of money pits. Spending on a premium stereo rig is far better to me.

harley .guy07
06-03-2011, 09:52 PM
yeah I would love to go to an audio show again I haven't been to one since the mid 90's and I know things are different know. My problem is that I could not keep my damn debt card in my pocket and would have to buy something and it would cause me to upgrade everything which I am not ready to do right now. Even though I would like to hear one of these low watt tube systems that everyone talks about that blows their mind. I love my system the way it is but there is always better I just don't know if the kind of music I listen to would be well suited to a low watt system.

RGA
06-04-2011, 08:47 AM
Comes down to simple math. Efficiency + watts = volume. If you have less watts you need more efficiency.

The loudest four rooms at CES were all run from tubes. Wilson/Rogue, Audio Note, Trenner and Freidl/SS and tube but the SS was 30 watts, and Acapella/Einstein.

Adding 3decibels of volume requires DOUBLE the power. Or viewed another way a 3db more sensitive speaker requires HALF the power to achieve the same level. That's a big deal. 3db is not that noticable - it usually takes 10db to perceive a doubling of the volume.

A 90db sensitive speaker using a 100 watt amp's full power would need 200 watts to drive an 87db speaker.

A 93db speaker would need only 50 watts, a 96db speaker 25 watts. In other words I will get the same level with a 96db speaker and 25 watts as someone else with an 87db speaker will need 200. And it usually takes at least 10db to be perceived as being twice as loud.

You like rock and want the thwack - both High power SS and low powered tubes can do it. Assuming the impedance is relatively benign in both examples.

So a 87db speaker (most common):

87db - 1w
90db - 2w
93db - 4w
96db - 8w
99db - 16w
102db - 32w
105db - 64w
108db - 128w
111db - 256w
114db - 512w
117db - 1024w

96db sensitive speaker

96db - 1w
99db - 2w
102db - 4w
105db - 8w
108db - 16w
111db - 32w

As you can see - you will achieve the same volume with a 32 watt amp as you would with most SS amplifiers simply by having a more efficient speaker. Most people most of the time in an average sized room are listening in the 80db range at the listening chair anyway. So most of the time most people are barely using their amplifier's rated power.

And it doesn't matter what you play - good speakers are not music dependent (although I'll give good panels and single driver speakers a bit of a reprieve since they do other things quite well). Still the best should play the Evil Nine hard hitting bass synthesizers to solid hit you in the chest volume levels and it should play Izhak Stern with subtlety and grace.

The advantage of the high power amp is that it will drive any loudspeaker - LE or HE. So that is a definite plus. The advantage of the best SET amps is that they sound better. Disadvantage is you need to be more careful about which speaker to buy. The speaker choices are more limited the lower in power you go. IME however the best speakers don't need that much power and absolute volume levels isn't that critical since it is damaging to the ears. Gotta find the balance.

Byron4
06-05-2011, 08:46 AM
That may be why my 87db Alon 1 speakers sound so good with my 25 watt pair of Quicksilver Mini Mono amplifier's. Despite the designer Carl Marchisotto's recommendation to use a more powerful amplifier, Marc Silver from Soundscape in Santa Rosa felt this combination would work. He carries both Nola (the new Alon) and Quicksilver. I have to use the 4 ohm taps because the 8 ohm taps make the speakers sound forward and bright along with losing some bass. I normally don't listen to my music really loud so I don't need that extra power and this combination is really enjoyable.