Bang for the buck....

[DaveyF]

BTW, I should give a shout out to Philip O'Hanlon and his On a Higher Note system...
Consisting of the Vivid G2's and all Luxman gear, I thought he had the best sound at show this year... Crazy good bass resolution from the Vivid's! The system with the 1/2" tape on the front end was superb...easily,imho, the best sound at Newport this year!

 

[Steve Williams]

Philip's room was a tie for me as the top sound.

I thought Joe Cali's demo was the most professional of any vendor there

 

[DaveyF]

What did you feel equaled Philip's room?

I thought the Alexx room was also excellent, but the music... Or lack of, that Peter McGrath was playing kind of put a dampener on that demo for me. However, the Alexx's are clearly the real deal...and with the Big VTL's were impressive, just not as much as Philip's overall sound.
BTW, I don't really agree with Keith that the sound at this years show was at all bad, almost all of the rooms that I heard were playing good sound. IMHO, the overall sound was quite a step up over last year, with some rooms that I were disappointed in last year, sounding very good this year....I won't say who, but I think we know who they are

 

[NorthStar]

When we have few high caliber music listeners who agree on some of the best performing sound systems, then it makes life easier for the rest of us who couldn't attend.
That, I like and appreciate.

 

[George K]

When we have few high caliber music listeners who agree on some of the best performing sound systems, then it makes life easier for the rest of us who couldn't attend.
That, I like and appreciate.

+1

 

[FrantzM]

Steve, I fail to see the logic in the answer, unless you want to sell an extra speaker... And lock into a three channel amp!
Plus, I am unaware of any three channel recordings??? For Wendell, or anyone else,to state that two channel sound with two speakers fails to solidify a center image, just isn't my experience. So, I'm still not getting this approach?.

As to my digital comment, clearly the system was digital based, but there was also a slight hardness ( brightness) that I usually hear with digital....and I do not with analog.

There are several ( >50) Mercury Living Presence SACD in 3-channel .. Perhaps some RCA Living Stereo SACD

 

[bonzo75]

There are several ( >50) Mercury Living Presence SACD in 3-channel .. Perhaps some RCA Living Stereo SACD

Yeah just what I was about to say. Also that MCH imaging, where you have a center channel same as L and R or close, produces better imaging than 2-ch. In 2-ch one will forever by adjusting speaker position, tweaks etc to get that image but with MCH it will fall together. Only the best 2-ch in very good rooms, backed by analog tonality and better pre and power combos in very good rooms can beat a normal MCH IMO. I have heard simple MCH systems play MCH classical CDs that sounded much better than way more expensive 2-ch systems. Where MCH lacks a bit is tone, but on imaging, soundstage, room response, bass, and noise floor can excel

 

[FrantzM]

Just for the record. We got 2-Ch "Stereo" because in the beginning early 50's, it was too difficult to put the 3-channel on the most popular medium of the time the LP. It stuck with us. The very famous (and justly so) Mercury Living Presence were all recorded in 3-channel. Analog or digital the issue remains the same: a physical center channel is better. Thing is most music is recorded for 2-channel reproduction. I don't know what a synthesized center channel would bring to the reproduction

Back to Bang for the buck . An issue that is of importance, yet in audiophile spheres, carries an air of relative performance "for the price" .. but ... carry on!

 

[audioguy]

Yeah just what I was about to say. Also that MCH imaging, where you have a center channel same as L and R or close, produces better imaging than 2-ch. In 2-ch one will forever by adjusting speaker position, tweaks etc to get that image but with MCH it will fall together. Only the best 2-ch in very good rooms, backed by analog tonality and better pre and power combos in very good rooms can beat a normal MCH IMO. I have heard simple MCH systems play MCH classical CDs that sounded much better than way more expensive 2-ch systems. Where MCH lacks a bit is tone, but on imaging, soundstage, room response, bass, and noise floor can excel

The bolded area is not comparing apples to apples. Do the same comparison of 2 channel vs 3 channel on the same great system and 3 channel wins. Center image stability aside, the tonality of vocals [specifically] is very different when listening to a phantom image vs a discrete center.

 

[bonzo75]

The bolded area is not comparing apples to apples. Do the same comparison of 2 channel vs 3 channel on the same great system and 3 channel wins. Center image stability aside, the tonality of vocals [specifically] is very different when listening to a phantom image vs a discrete center.

Agreed on first point that 3 channel wins if you have an equally great 3-ch. The tone problem I highlight is because quality of electronics and TT/R2R in 2-ch will invariable outstrip the quality of tone on digital 3-channel. At best you will be able to match speaker quality

 

[FrantzM]

Agreed on first point that 3 channel wins if you have an equally great 3-ch. The tone problem I highlight is because quality of electronics and TT/R2R in 2-ch will invariable outstrip the quality of tone on digital 3-channel. At best you will be able to match speaker quality

Drop in a few "IMHO" or "IME" and I am OK.. An opinion, your opinion.

 

[bonzo75]

Drop in a few "IMHO" or "IME" and I am OK.. An opinion, your opinion.

Why would I state your opinion? Apart from the fact that I wouldn't wish myself your 'accurate sound' opinions all that i say are imo, thought that was obvious

 

[FrantzM]

Why would I state your opinion? Apart from the fact that I wouldn't wish myself your 'accurate sound' opinions all that i say are imo, thought that was obvious

Teasing you Bonzo ..

 

[KeithR]

What did you feel equaled Philip's room?

I thought the Alexx room was also excellent, but the music... Or lack of, that Peter McGrath was playing kind of put a dampener on that demo for me. However, the Alexx's are clearly the real deal...and with the Big VTL's were impressive, just not as much as Philip's overall sound.
BTW, I don't really agree with Keith that the sound at this years show was at all bad, almost all of the rooms that I heard were playing good sound. IMHO, the overall sound was quite a step up over last year, with some rooms that I were disappointed in last year, sounding very good this year....I won't say who, but I think we know who they are

Yes, music was generally bad too. I heard Hotel California 10x this weekend- exhibitors, get some music! I also thought the Headphone area was a failure this year compared to last - it was sparse and confusingly arranged.

I didn't want to wait in line for Philips room for a long demo, so never went (and tried Maggie 2x and was told to come back in 45 minutes each time, so never heard it either). He always has a decent room however, so no surprise. I skipped the Alexxs since I've already heard them in much better dealer room when released a few months back. I did hear the Sabrinas for the first time and found the treble a bit subdued for me. I'm ticked I didn't hear Analysis Plus panels which Bonzo seems to like - didn't realize they were showing.

I can name a dozen rooms that I found quite below average this year, which wasn't the case last year. There were quite a few different combinations used this year, so probably a synergy thing.

I can also say that hearing Zepp I tape on the big EA/Dart system was the highlight of the weekend by a mile - kudos to JTinn and crew!

 

[Steve Williams]

For me and my ears here are my favorites

Tie for 1st between Philip's room with the demo by Joe Cali and JTinn's Evolution Acoustics MM3 with the Exact Module. I had the EA room at number one until I heard Philip's room.IMO they were sufficiently different yet both so good that I declared a tie for my Best In Show


A very close runner up was Luke and Bea Manley's VTL Siegfried ll with the new Alexx in a gorgeous white color. I thought the sound was fabulous until Peter McGrath with a room filled with people walked in a decided he was going to give John Atkinso a private demo and took over. It started with 20 minutes of organ music that made me want to throw up and when that was done and everyone was gasping with blood coming out of their ears McGrath decided on playing another organ album for the next 10 minutes ignoring everyone who was in the room or who had music that Bea was going to play and talked over and through the crowd. When that was done Peter McGrath then decided to show JA just how the speakers performed using electronic music with the spl turned to even higher levels. It was horrendous. A big thank you to Peter McGrath for ruining that demo for everyone else who was present. It was so loud and so bothersome I got up and left the room. It continues to show how a room can change as soon as one of the dignitaries decide to grace the room with their presence. What I did hear prior to his one on one demo with 10 other people in the room who were made to feel totally insignificant was an absolutely wonderful new speaker from Wilson which seems to replace the Maxx and allow them to retire the X2 Series ll

Honorable Mentions to Gary Koh with his Genesis 7.2f driven by a 1.5 watt head amp proving the point that Genesis speakers are not that difficult of a load to drive. Also the $2995 speakers which were tiny cubes fed by an expensive front and back end as well as very expensive cables the sound was simply astonishing

 

[Steve Williams]

I was disappointed in the Magico room not because of the S5 Mkll which I really wanted to hear but rather because it was in a huge ball room where the focus was not on the speaker but rather tweaks from Synergistic Research which showed how to tame a room with the addition of a black box for bass and wall mounts all over the room and ceiling and then another tweak along the center front wall that were used to show the crowd how these things could change the sound. The speaker sounded great but we were interrupted by snippets of sound with and without the tweaks

A huge disappointment

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

Don't even get me started on the Magico/SR room.
I will say I do love Magico's though. IMO the relationship with the other is bad for Magico.

I was thinking the other day, and yes it hurt, but wouldn't it be fun to be blind folded at the entrance to the event, pick the tracks of your choice, and be escorted from room to room, never laying eyes on anything nor being told what you were listening too. After each room, document your perceptions, then at the end being told what each room equipment line up was.

 

[Steve Williams]

I was excited to hear the speaker until I found out what the demo was about. Once in the room you weren't allowed out until it was over. Much ado about nothing.

 

[Steve Williams]

Mike are you still in town

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

No I am not and very depressed about missing T.H.E. Show this year, my first absence, now that I have gotten to know and visit with so many of the members here.
I was so very looking forward to the after event...events.

I guess I will have to get the recap at the next PNWAS meeting.