a few 2014 Newport Show pics

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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I took my camera this time, and took some pictures which I will post. i'll try to comment on the sound and degree of engagement from the room where my recollection allows for it.

first up, room 716, The Audio Association Room (Ed Sudario), Evolution-darTZeel-Wave Kinetics-Durand-ATR Services.

ok, so I'm biased. maybe even very biased. it's mostly what I listen to in my own room more or less. I figured I needed to be blunt about my perspective so I can let'er rip on my perceptions. and in this particular show, thru Friday night......nothing in the 30-35 rooms I have been in so far comes remotely close to the sound and musical engagement I hear in this room. to be fair, it is Friday and I have not spent extended time in that many rooms.....and likely many rooms will improve by Sunday.

this room gets outstanding marks in all areas; detailed, great space and the room disappears, great tone, wonderful full yet articulate (totally non-boomy) bass, great body, smooth yet soaring highs and total listenablity sadly not yet found to this degree elsewhere. it also hits it out of the park in all formats; any digital format you might want.....from MP3, to redbook, high rez PCM, and of course dsd and 2xdsd thru the dac in the new dart integrated.......great vinyl thru the new Durand Kairos tone arm with Ortofon MC Anna on the Wave Kinetics NVS tt with the not yet in production only one in existence NHB-18NS dart pre.....and unsurpassed tape from the ATR Services ATR-102.

comments from visitors when I was in the room were consistently 'best sound they had heard' and quite a few stayed a long time.

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Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I thought Jonathan's room was indeed one of the highlights of THE Show as well.I have pictures of most of the rooms that I will post later in a separate thread but like Mike, I was singularly underwhelmed by just about everything I heard. There were but a handful of very good rooms IMHO
 

Audio_Karma

Well-Known Member
Sep 24, 2012
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983
Let us know what you all think about the Wavetouch Audio speakers at the Atrium Hotel, Room 231. THANK YOU
 

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
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La Jolla, Calif USA
Like Steve, I too was underwhelmed by the majority of rooms that I heard. Unfortunately, the Dart/Evolution room was one of them. The system seemed to be straining and I thought the sense of scale that some of the larger system's brought to the table was missing. I suppose understandable given the room size etc,.
What really surprised me was how some of the BIG system's...like the MBL's and the Focal's were sounding. The MBL's with the UHA deck was a HUGE let down...perhaps I expected too much, BUT the sound was generally thin and uninvolving with no warmth and a somewhat diffuse soundstage...VERY disappointing. My fellow a'phile friend and I quickly left that room in disbelief.
 

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
6,129
181
458
La Jolla, Calif USA
room 1015, Modright electronics, Marten speakers

View attachment 15974

I thought this system was slightly better, although the analog wasn't playing. The Marten's were bright in this room, and overall the sound wasn't that great.
BTW, I was very disappointed in the Walker/ Raidho room above....for some reason the acoustics seemed even worse here than usual...perhaps the fact that the glass was exposed behind the system was a contributor.
Again a thin and IMHO uninvolving system.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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Northern NY
I thought this system was slightly better, although the analog wasn't playing. The Marten's were bright in this room, and overall the sound wasn't that great.
BTW, I was very disappointed in the Walker/ Raidho room above....for some reason the acoustics seemed even worse here than usual...perhaps the fact that the glass was exposed behind the system was a contributor.
Again a thin and IMHO uninvolving system.

Well it goes to show you that the rooms are too small and suck acoustically. It certainly is not the equipment.
 

KeithR

VIP/Donor
May 7, 2010
5,137
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1,898
Encino, CA
Agreed that most sound really sucked yesterday- Steves party late night did not however :)

That Vapor room had promise- those Clayton amps rock. Dart room was excellent tomthese ears. Wilson/ARC was a let down as was most of the super speakers- especially Focal/Boulder.
 

Joe Whip

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2014
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Wayne, PA
I must say with the price of some of this stuff, they should be able to get pretty good sound in any room. The fact that they can't tells me something especially when you see very modestly priced gear sound great in similar rooms. While I agree that rooms are very important, maybe there is more to it than just the room.
 

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