LATEST ADDITIONS

My last exhibit in one of the multi-tower Gaylord Hotel’s 1500 rooms was sponsored by Portuguese music server manufacturer Innuos. I’ve been looking for a music server to review and, with Jim Austin’s approval, hope to tackle the top-of-the-line Statement ($13,750 for 1TB SSD up to $15,150 for 4TB SSD). Released last November, here at the show it reproduced music with impressive transparency, depth, color, and body.

Another speaker debut and another winner. Introducing the Vandersteen Kēnto Carbon ($37,500/pair), which, together with Vandersteen M5-HPA amplifiers ($15,800/pair), VTL electronics, and more sounded open and alive on top on a Mercury Living LP of Dorati’s rendition of Stravinsky’s The Firebird.

What is this strange creature with an upper driver that looks like something from a Marvel movie? Is it benign, or is it the blob that obliterated Kansas?

In the Gaylord Hotel’s North Tower, where room after room, regardless of its size or layout, seemed conducive to good sound, Raidho Acoustics was making a major impression with the world premiere Raidho TD2.2 2.5-way loudspeakers ($46,000/pair in black).

Paradigm’s Canadian-designed-and-engineered Persona 7F loudspeakers, which have beryllium diaphragms, anchored a system that received additional grounding from the Paradigm Persona SUB ($6500). The sub’s six 8" woofers are powered by a 1700W “Ultra Class D” amplifier that, aided by DSP and other stuff, descends to a formidable 12Hz.

Saturday September 14th from 6 pm–10 pm, Excel Audio in Newport Beach, California, will be hosting its second annual Customer Appreciation night. In attendance will be representatives from Wilson Audio, D’Agostino, Luxman, Clearaudio, and Impex Records.

Eye-catching as all get-out, Alsyvox Boticelli loudspeakers ($89,000/pair)—having arrived from Spain with their optional external crossover ($25,000) —made a useful connection with Italy’s Omega Audio Concepts DNA CDP disc transport ($12,000), DNA DAC ($9000), and DNA mono amplifiers ($20,000/pair complete with integrated preamps) to produce intriguing sound.