Common Wave Hi-Fi's Uncommonly Good Showing: DeVore O/Baby speakers, Audio Hungary Qualiton electronics, Merason DAC 1, Michell Engineering Gyro SE Turntable and Cusis E cartridge, and Innuos Mk3 Streaming Server

Hands down winner of my "Anything but Hotel California" Unusual Music Award, the first of Common Wave Hi-Fi of Los Angeles' three rooms kept platters spinning and visitors happy.

The brainchild of Wes Katzir, who is one savvy with-it dude, Common Wave Hi-Fi is a dealership / social listening gathering space located in the Los Angeles Arts District. The first of their set-ups I visited immediately converted me to the cause.

Headliners:

• DeVore Fidelity O/Baby 90dB sensitive, White Oak finish loudspeakers ($5600/pair) with matching stands ($995/pair),
• Audio Hungary's Qualiton C200 tube preamp with MM phono stage ($5200) and P200 stereo tube amplifier ($5500)—the latter outputs 100Wpc in stereo or 200Wpc in mono,
• Innuos Zenith Mk3 streaming server with 2TB storage ($5340),
• Merason DAC1 ($6000), and
• Michell Engineering's eye-catching fully suspended oil-bearing Gyro SE turntable with TechnoArm 2 ($5498) and Cusis E MC phono cartridge ($999).
• AudioQuest Niagara 3000 power condition ($3300) and a mixture of Blizzard, William Tell, Earth Vodka, and Coffee cabling.

Spinning:

• Count Basie and His Orchestra's "How Sweet it Is" was sweet indeed, with brass right on the edge where it should be and excellent timbres
• a Katrina Barbieri Ecstatic Computation LP whose music stumped the SoundCloud music search engine
• My brain. Take a look at this video:

Next time I have free time in LA, I must visit this store. And wait... there's more...

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