atomicAdam
07-13-2011, 02:07 PM
Well - the 2011 California Audio Show is like two days away and I'm super excited to be attending all three days.
I'll be writing up short daily reports here on the forums. If you would like me to listen to something for you please let me know.
Here is what I'm looking forward to hearing.
AudioNote UK - I've heard four different AN systems. One at a dealers show room - another which I feel in love with at the first CAS show - again at 2010 RMAF and 2011 CES - both of which I wasn't too found of. This will be the fifth time I've heard a show system of theirs and I'm very curious to know what components will be there and how the system will sound.
Angle City Audio - Melody - Trinity - Hugh is the owner of Angle City Audio and a friend of mine. I reviewed the Melody MK88 KT88 (http://reviews.audioreview.com/melody-mk88-32w-kt88-tube-integrated-amplifier-review) integrated tube amplifier - Angle City Audio imports Melody amps.
http://reviews.audioreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/front-1.jpg
I straight up died and went to heaven when I had Melody AN211 integrated amplifier hooked up to the Zu Omen Defs. I'm so thrilled to be getting the AN211 back in to spend some more time with it. I have also got the Trinity speakers in my apartment right now. $1800 large bookshelf speakers - an amazing mid range but I'm having issues dialing the bass in. But now that I've had some time to listen to the Trinity speakers I'm going to better understand what I'm hear at CAS. I heard the Trinity speakers at CES. I thought they were a bit bass shy. So at CAS 2011 I want to hear them at a good high volume I can't possibly listen to at my building.
http://www.hifi.nl/gfx/Melody_AN211_090310.jpg
There is a bit of a write up on the Trinity and Melody from CES here (http://reviews.audioreview.com/ces-2011-magnepan-3-7-melody-zu-audio-pro-ject-totem).
Bottlehead www.bottlehead.com (http://www.bottlehead.com/) - I've been thinking about picking up one of these DIY kits for a while - and Steve Guttenberg from CNET seemed to really love these head amps. I hope I get a chance to really sit down a hear some good tube headphone amps.
Dan D'Agostino - I've not heard this amplifier yet but how could you not want to based on looks alone.
http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2010/09/28/amp_main_HkoyK_12.png
Fritz Speakers - www.fritzspeakers.com (http://www.fritzspeakers.com/) - This will be my third time hearing some Fritz speakers. Last time at CES I learned that Fritz is often trying new things and bring speakers sometimes finished a couple days before a show to the show. I have to admit - I've not been overly thrilled with some of his entry level speakers but I did like the $2k speakers I heard at CES and I hope they have matured in the past couple months. It will be interesting to hear.
Magico - I've heard - often in very crowded rooms - the Magico speakers twice now. Honestly I don't understand why folks are so gha gha over them - so I'm going to give them more of a listen this time.
Salk Sound - Of course I'm very happy to hear that Salk was joining the show again this year. Jim is a very nice guy - and we had some fun teasing him at last years CAS. I like the sound of the Salk speakers and I think they are some of the best looking speakers on the market that offer a hell of a performance at a very good price. I'm going to see if I can get a hold of his remote this time and place something crazy!
http://salksound.com/home_htm_files/197.jpg
WyWires www.wywires.com (http://www.wywires.com/) - I've had the WyWires IC and speaker cables in my system now for a couple months and am more than impressed. The speaker cables appear to be extremely transparent and the ICs have helped down focus the stage and sweeten the highs a bit. Right now I've got the ICs going from the back of my phono amplifier into the Mystere ia11 integrated amp and the WyWires speaker cables going into the Brodmann FS speakers. The purity of sound and the realness to the mid range has really made me fall in love. The cables - testing them versus some others - have really helped the Brodmann's side firing woofer integrate better. I should have a review on these cables out soon.
Well - I'm going to hear a lot more than just this - actually I've been giving a list of rooms to cover.
Audio Image - http://www.audioimageltd.com/
High Value AV - http://www.highvalueav.com/HIGHVALUEAVsubpages/00hvavhome.html
Soundscape - http://www.soundscapeav.com/ (I believe this "Soundscape")
Playback Design (Blue Light Audio) - http://www.bluelightaudio.com/playback-designs.html
Audible Arts/Wells Audio - http://www.audiblearts.com/aa-index3.htm
Salk Sound - http://www.salksound.com/
Margules Audio - http://www.margules.com/home.html
I'll be writing up short daily reports here on the forums. If you would like me to listen to something for you please let me know.
Here is what I'm looking forward to hearing.
AudioNote UK - I've heard four different AN systems. One at a dealers show room - another which I feel in love with at the first CAS show - again at 2010 RMAF and 2011 CES - both of which I wasn't too found of. This will be the fifth time I've heard a show system of theirs and I'm very curious to know what components will be there and how the system will sound.
Angle City Audio - Melody - Trinity - Hugh is the owner of Angle City Audio and a friend of mine. I reviewed the Melody MK88 KT88 (http://reviews.audioreview.com/melody-mk88-32w-kt88-tube-integrated-amplifier-review) integrated tube amplifier - Angle City Audio imports Melody amps.
http://reviews.audioreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/front-1.jpg
I straight up died and went to heaven when I had Melody AN211 integrated amplifier hooked up to the Zu Omen Defs. I'm so thrilled to be getting the AN211 back in to spend some more time with it. I have also got the Trinity speakers in my apartment right now. $1800 large bookshelf speakers - an amazing mid range but I'm having issues dialing the bass in. But now that I've had some time to listen to the Trinity speakers I'm going to better understand what I'm hear at CAS. I heard the Trinity speakers at CES. I thought they were a bit bass shy. So at CAS 2011 I want to hear them at a good high volume I can't possibly listen to at my building.
http://www.hifi.nl/gfx/Melody_AN211_090310.jpg
There is a bit of a write up on the Trinity and Melody from CES here (http://reviews.audioreview.com/ces-2011-magnepan-3-7-melody-zu-audio-pro-ject-totem).
Bottlehead www.bottlehead.com (http://www.bottlehead.com/) - I've been thinking about picking up one of these DIY kits for a while - and Steve Guttenberg from CNET seemed to really love these head amps. I hope I get a chance to really sit down a hear some good tube headphone amps.
Dan D'Agostino - I've not heard this amplifier yet but how could you not want to based on looks alone.
http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2010/09/28/amp_main_HkoyK_12.png
Fritz Speakers - www.fritzspeakers.com (http://www.fritzspeakers.com/) - This will be my third time hearing some Fritz speakers. Last time at CES I learned that Fritz is often trying new things and bring speakers sometimes finished a couple days before a show to the show. I have to admit - I've not been overly thrilled with some of his entry level speakers but I did like the $2k speakers I heard at CES and I hope they have matured in the past couple months. It will be interesting to hear.
Magico - I've heard - often in very crowded rooms - the Magico speakers twice now. Honestly I don't understand why folks are so gha gha over them - so I'm going to give them more of a listen this time.
Salk Sound - Of course I'm very happy to hear that Salk was joining the show again this year. Jim is a very nice guy - and we had some fun teasing him at last years CAS. I like the sound of the Salk speakers and I think they are some of the best looking speakers on the market that offer a hell of a performance at a very good price. I'm going to see if I can get a hold of his remote this time and place something crazy!
http://salksound.com/home_htm_files/197.jpg
WyWires www.wywires.com (http://www.wywires.com/) - I've had the WyWires IC and speaker cables in my system now for a couple months and am more than impressed. The speaker cables appear to be extremely transparent and the ICs have helped down focus the stage and sweeten the highs a bit. Right now I've got the ICs going from the back of my phono amplifier into the Mystere ia11 integrated amp and the WyWires speaker cables going into the Brodmann FS speakers. The purity of sound and the realness to the mid range has really made me fall in love. The cables - testing them versus some others - have really helped the Brodmann's side firing woofer integrate better. I should have a review on these cables out soon.
Well - I'm going to hear a lot more than just this - actually I've been giving a list of rooms to cover.
Audio Image - http://www.audioimageltd.com/
High Value AV - http://www.highvalueav.com/HIGHVALUEAVsubpages/00hvavhome.html
Soundscape - http://www.soundscapeav.com/ (I believe this "Soundscape")
Playback Design (Blue Light Audio) - http://www.bluelightaudio.com/playback-designs.html
Audible Arts/Wells Audio - http://www.audiblearts.com/aa-index3.htm
Salk Sound - http://www.salksound.com/
Margules Audio - http://www.margules.com/home.html