Montreal Audio Fest 2022

(All prices are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.)

The room occupied by Canadian distributor Apple Tree was a revelation, and probably not in the way you might imagine. Its system used the same integrated amp that I bought and use—the Italian 37Wpc, class-A Grandinote Shinai. I know that amp well, so I was curious to hear it at the heart of another system, this one featuring a Transrotor Fat Bob S turntable ($7520) fitted with a Tru-glider Pendulum tonearm ($5900) from Canada's Integrity Hi-Fi, a Benz Micro Glider SH Cartridge ($1380), and a Grandinote Cell lV phono preamp ($11,000). This tonearm is fascinating: Instead of a bearing, it's suspended at the balance point by a piece of fine monofilament. What's more, the headshell pivots to maintain alignment with the record groove.

But the speakers intrigued me most: the dual concentric, horn loaded, full-range BSC Research Dundee 8 ($19,850), a design about as different as you can get from my Focal Aria K2 936s. Cabling was by a defunct company, while AC power conditioning was handled by a Synergistic Research Powercell 8UEF ($4400).

The sound was a little darker and softer than I'm used to hearing from the Shinai in my own system. At first, I was a little put off—but this darker sound grew on me. I settled into its charms—the earthy rhythms, the sensual undercurrent, the organic cool-buzz flow—as if it were whispering sweet nothings. Before I knew it, I was awake, and thought, "that was nice." My change of perspective surprised me, although I'm not sure what it all means, if anything.