Where Measurements and Performance Meet featuring Andrew Jones

Electrocompaniet + Ø Audio at High End Munich 2025

LATEST ADDITIONS

PAF 2022

Audio-Ultra's new Dohmann Helix 2 Base turntable with even newer Kuzma Safir 9" Arm with Silver Kondo wire

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 04, 2022

Ed DeVito, whose by appointment Audio-Ultra showroom is located a short ride from SEATAC airport, had planned to exhibit his Dohmann Helix 2 Base turntable ($33,000) with optional Carbon Fibre Top ($2700) and composite armboard ($2600). The table was equipped with the even newer Kuzma Safir 9" Arm with Silver Kondo wire XLR ($22,000) and Ortofon Verismo cartridge ($6999). But when he finished setting it up to perfection in his showroom, it sounded so right that he decided to leave it where it was.

PAF 2022

Joseph Audio Pearl Graphene Loudspeakers, Doshi Audio Electronics, and Cardas Cabling = Bliss

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 04, 2022

Is it possible that two of the best-sounding rooms at the show could be on the same floor? You know the answer.

It takes a superb system to hold its own against Bending Wave's powerhouse. Yet Jeff Joseph's considerably more financially modest undertaking wooed over one show attendee after the other. Opinions were unanimous amongst those I spoke with. If Bending Wave's set-up didn't walk away with Best of Show, this system did.

PAF 2022

Bending Wave Moves and Thrills with the Göbel Divin Noblesse speakers, Wadax Reference DAC, CH Precision electronics, and Nordost power products

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 04, 2022

Without doubt, of all the systems I evaluated at the 2022 Pacific Audio Fest, the imposing, hardly bargain-basement set-up assembled by Elliot Goldman, of Florida-based Bending Wave USA, was one of the Top Three Best Sounding. Only equipment capable of top-level sound reproduction could have worked together synergistically to deliver such convincing full-range sound.

PAF 2022

Genesis Prime+ speakers lord over Merrill 116MX amplifiers and Caileigh preamplifier, Viola Sonata preamplifier, VPI and more

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 04, 2022

So large in size that few if any dealers will ever be able to carry them, the prototype Genesis Prime+ loudspeakers ($680,000/system) exhibited a beautiful midrange on an LP of Oleta Adams singing "Don't let the Sun Go Down on Me." Ditto for the voice of Mel Tormé, accompanied by George Shearing on "You'd Be So Nice To Come To."

PAF 2022

JaguarAudio.com of Bellevue showcases the Avantgarde Zero TA speakers, Enleum 23R integrated/headphone amp, Phasemation EA-1200 phono preamp, Kuzma, and more

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 04, 2022

"Really nice alive sound." Simple words, they. But truth be told, they only apply to a limited number of systems at an audio show and far beyond, in the supposed "real" world.

My Back Pages

Why do you need all those microphones?

Jim Anderson Aug 03, 2022

"Why do you need all of those microphones?"

I've been asked this question more than once, by musicians you may have heard of. I'm not going to name names, but if you press me I might. Let's see where this goes.

It's a reasonable question, sometimes. Still.

PAF 2022

Matterhorn Audio Group & Luxury Audio Distribution present FinkTeam, Creek and more

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 03, 2022

Another speaker surprise from Matterhorn Audio Group of Boston. The midrange exceled through FinkTeam Borg floorstanding loudspeakers (starting at $36,490/pair), shown next to the Kim standmount (starting at $12,990/pair). The sound of Dominique Fils-Aimé singing "Birds" was as fetching as Chris Botti's "What a Wonderful World" was lovely.

PAF 2022

Rosso Fiorentino Fiesole speakers and Norma electronics from AudioThesis of Texas

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 03, 2022

I first encountered consistently handsome Rosso Fiorentino speakers at a show years ago, and immediately encouraged a now-retired distributor to pick up the Italian brand. I'm so happy to discover that AudioThesis is now bringing them into the US.

PAF 2022

MK Audio's Arion Audio Apollo 9 loudspeakers sing with Audio Research, Chang Lightspeed, VIP, Soundsmith, EMM Labs, and Wolf Audio Systems

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 03, 2022

A direct-sales company new to me, MK Audio of Charlotte, North Carolina, journeyed cross-country to present their Arion Audio Apollo 9 loudspeaker system ($35,900/pair) with full DSP and advanced room correction. The Apollo 9 is also available in Dual-Pack Woofer Package ($5900) that includes two additional woofers with two amps. With AMT drivers built in-house, the speaker is an open-baffle design with a claimed whopping 105dB sensitivity.

PAF 2022

Kroma Atelier Mimi Xtreme loudspeaker with Creek, Viola Audio Labs, Linn, and Ansuz

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 03, 2022

A speaker brand new to me, Kroma Atelier from Spain, caught many an eye and ear with the US premiere of their small black Mimi Xtreme standmount loudspeaker ($12,600/pair in white, $13,860 in black, left in photo) with Mimi stands ($3600/pair). Introduced by Tim Lukas's Matterhorn Audio Group of Boston, whose other brands include FinkTeam and Creek, the speaker is claimed to work with amps that output as little as 15Wpc. With a 6.5" midrange with proprietary cone, and a special AMT neodymium-ribbon tweeter designed by Mundorf to Kroma Atelier's specifications, the speaker boasts a 4 ohm nominal impedance, an 88dB sensitivity, and a frequency response of 30Hz25kHz. The design of its woofer's surround (below) is intentionalit is possibly one the new Purifi drive-units.