Florida Audio Expo 2024

In House of Stereo's Room 716, T+A's Chief Executive Office of North America, David Nauber played the brand new, barely off the airship, T+A R 2500 R Integrated Multi Source Receiver ($18,880). A VPI Avenger Direct Turntable with FatBoy Gimbal tonearm ($36,000), DS Audio Grand Master EX System cart ($22,500) and phono stage ($45,000), T+A PSD 3100 HV DAC/PRE ($22,000), T+A A 3000 HV Power Amplifier ($24,275), T+A PS 3000 HV Power Supply ($16,695), and T+A Solitaire S430 speakers ($29,900) completed the setup, with cabling by WireWorld.

Nauber described the R 2500 R as a "modern day receiver, with an optional phono stage ($920), FM tuner, DAC and CD player, all streaming platforms, running in class A/B with a switch mode power supply."

Why a CD player in the time of vinyl resurgence?

"For downsizers," Nauber responded. I'll grant him that point. In my small apartment, thousands of LPs crowd my living space while my remaining CDs hide behind a curtain wall, awaiting their resurgence, in my interest if not in the wider world.

For this old analog dog, this subtle-sounding system was pure delight. Whether it was T+A's electronics or their Solitaire S430 speakers, I don't know, but the music breathed and flowed with an intimacy and sense of color and resonance I found intoxicating and surprising. It was like wearing headphones, like whispered knowledge, like a secret exposed to the light. Stunning.

See and (to a degree) hear the main system in action for yourself, in the following video by Mark Henninger: