Upcoming Italian extravaganza on Zero distortion

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Between NJ, NY, Texas, LA, Utah, Seattle, Boston, etc...there are a lot of great systems...but within 5 mins centered around Gian60 in Malpensa, there is an Alexandria with Viva, a Grand Slamm X1 with Levinson, Bergmann with Lyra Atlas, Bergmann with Clearaudio GFS, a whole rack of CH precision and Montagna speakers.

You guys want to go Munich? Don't. Just do a tour of Milan.

A few minutes drive from these guys, I got to compare Metronome top of the line CD + dac (Kalista) vs Kronos Sparta and a 2k Shelter cartridge into a 7k tubed Luxman phono. I also got to compare the Metronome streamer with the CD8.

Got to listen to the TAD reference with the Pass XA 160.5 and the Boulder 2160+2110.

Got to compare Tenor OTL 75, Spectral 240, and Airtight 211 with Lansche Audio, and the first two with Magico Mini.

Oh did I leave out Ron's ex, the Basis Audio Work of Art? Feeding the Magico M5? And in his TV room the Soundlabs M1 with Spectral, and the JBL minivox? I did get to compare it with a Scarlatti and a Studer 810

Moreover, Gian60 was with me all along, and we were completely in agreement with what we were hearing. A friend of Gian's also joined us the first two days, and he was in sync too.

These guys also don't live far from Pietro, whom I visited last year and who had the Yamamura horns, Goldmund Apologue, Vivid G1, Montagna, Grand Prix Monaco, Versa Dynamics, Shindo and Audio Tekne, etc, and next to whom lived a neighbor with big JBL horns.

I still need to do a couple of weekends back here to listen to a Western Electric set up, compare preamps from Boulder, Soluution and Spectral, and if possible listen to a Daniel Hertz system with multiple top cartridges. These guys should be selling tickets to the Milan hifi tour

Another interesting point was that the Kronos system belonged to what Gian and his friends said was the best analog and system set up guy in Italy, and that guy (Dmitri of Mad4Music, a distributor cum dealer and a friend of Gian's) told me that a client of his sold off the Clearaudio Statement for the Schopper Thorens 124

Gian60 himself is a wiki of information - unfortunately he cannot communicate fluently in English, but do pay close attention to his recommendations even though they might not always be lucid. These are just some of the crazy systems he has set up over the years - he has been the first in Italy to own AR decades ago, then Soundlabs. Below you see a Soundlabs with bridged MLs biamping it (4 blocks). You see loads of Audio Tekne and CH Precision. These guys used to do constant shootouts to the nth detail - Jadis JA30 vs 80 vs 200 vs 500 - you name it. They would exchange Western Electric and/or Alexandria between themselves. All in the neighbourhood. These guys between themselves have loads of experience, and great ears.

Thinking of moving to Milan to join Unicredit or to work in a Trattoria.

Sorry can't write more but I have to go take a look at 5 Studers (different models next to each other), in a room full of 30 Daads, and then a Constellation with CLX and 2 Western Electrics before doing a couple of days work and flying off to Mumbai for Xmas break, so will come back, settle back in, and probably start writing middle of Jan.
 

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LL21

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posting just to make sure i get the updates on this thread...great stuff!!!
 

Believe High Fidelity

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MadFloyd

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Me too.
 

ddk

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May 18, 2013
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Thinking of moving to Milan to join Unicredit or to work in a Trattoria.

I recommend the Trattoria not much future in the Italian banking industry!:D

Looks like you hit the Jackpot on this trip, looking forward to your impressions.

david
 

bonzo75

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I recommend the Trattoria not much future in the Italian banking industry!:D

Looks like you hit the Jackpot on this trip, looking forward to your impressions.

david

The Italians care more that you enjoy their food rather than their systems. Much more sensitive about the food, which is great
 

rsorren1

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Sep 6, 2013
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Me too...posting so I make sure I see the updates. For the record, we Italians care equally as much about food, olive oil, and vino! Thanks to you and Gian60.
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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I recommend the Trattoria not much future in the Italian banking industry!:D

Looks like you hit the Jackpot on this trip, looking forward to your impressions.

david

Italy is the 8th largest economy in the world. IMHO they will solve the banking problem, go on eating in their great food in Trattorias and listening to their great systems ...

BTW, their best food is not pasta as many people can think - their fine dishes with expertly cooked meat, fish and fresh vegetables, seasoned with olive oil, aromatic herbs and spices are a celebration, not food! And their way of cooking wild mushrooms is divine.

Just to say I can imagine Ked reports will be strongly biased by food and drink! :)
 

caliaripaolo

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2012
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Italia
Italy is the 8th largest economy in the world. IMHO they will solve the banking problem, go on eating in their great food in Trattorias and listening to their great systems ...

BTW, their best food is not pasta as many people can think - their fine dishes with expertly cooked meat, fish and fresh vegetables, seasoned with olive oil, aromatic herbs and spices are a celebration, not food! And their way of cooking wild mushrooms is divine.

Just to say I can imagine Ked reports will be strongly biased by food and drink! :)

Yes, indeed, (we were fifth, anyway), and the Lombardia, the region where is Milano and where I live, is the second largest Economy per region in Europe. ;)
About food, nothing to add to what correctly said by Microstrip.
 

jep123

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Dec 23, 2012
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Norway
My wife is Italian (the northern part) and I know and love the country as well. Their culture is maybe the richest in the world with everything from music, theatre, films, buildings, religion, food etc etc. They also have some great manufacturers of very good equipment. One dealer I visited a long time ago in Vicenza was Lorenzo Zen of Studio Zen. His shop was an old house full of great equipment. A very memorable day indeed. The Italians in here might know of him, I believe he was a good friend of Franco Serblin as well.

JP
 

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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the 'Bonzo' tease....

it's like the commercials for 'Rogue One', we know we will love it when we finally see it but the tease is good too. and we will need Italian popcorn for this one.
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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Hello to everybody,
i just left Ked at the airport and i think he was very happy of this tour.
Some appointment cancel because problems of my 3 friends.
Next time he will listen
Daniel Hertz top system
Comparison 0f 5/6 rtr,Ampex 100,Studer C 37,A80,A812,816,820 in a room with more than 30 daad and Polifemo
Yamamura speaker with Kondo M77 and Kageki
Western electric with all Kondo
Costellation top and Magico M project
and some test with preamp soulution,CH,Spectral and Boulder
and could be a system 6 way horn all with ALE super( driver of 100 kg each ) with 12 Yamamure mono amp in current

I can guarantee he has very good ears and listen very well,
and is also a big pleasure to see him in restaurant.

Very good Ked,you are our Number 1

Gianluigi
 

bonzo75

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